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Columbia-Greene Humane Society
125 Humane-Society Road
Soft Paws By Aaron Clause Meet the Staff – Executive Edition Charlene Marchand - C.G.H.S./SPCA Chairperson, Board of Directors Job duties include: As the Chairperson of the Board of our not-for-profit Humane Society/SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), I oversee all operations, procedures, strategic planning, and direction of the organization. This responsibility includes presiding over all Board and Executive Committee meetings. This is a volunteer position. Favorite part of job: Simply said, all of it! I love the interaction from our talented, diversified and energetic board members. Our commitment to the success of the organization keeps us all energized! I love working closely with our CEO Ron Perez and Shelter Manager Andrea Walker, while we brainstorm about our role in not only plugging the leak in the dike of companion animal overpopulation, but STOPPING IT. As one who has always been interested in the plight of homeless people and animals, I take great delight in working with our fantastic staff as a “volunteer adoption counselor” and “in-home rehabilitator.” That’s my most favorite job! Charlene on sheltering: Our mandate, the cornerstone of what we do, is to seek and provide loving, responsible homes for all adoptable animals in our charge. We then need to make sure that they stay there! We must also provide a safe, secure, healthy, and enriched environment for our animals while they await placement. The “end game” for me is to have long lines of families waiting for loving companions, instead of long lines of loving companions waiting for families. Ronald Perez, Jr. - President and Chief Executive Officer Job duties include: Day to day operations; creating and maintaining the shelter’s policies and procedures; development of the Board of Directors and Committees; community outreach and education. Favorite part of job: Providing a bridge for animals from abuse, neglect, and abandonment to love, compassion, and kindness. Ron on sheltering: The environment of sheltering is slowly changing for the better. However, it’s essential that the public begin to play a role in the antidote of animal overpopulation. Far too often, animal shelters are held accountable for the action they take to control animal overpopulation, when in fact, it’s the public that creates this dilemma. Responsible animal ownership also includes spaying and neutering. The sooner that the public takes indiscriminate breeding seriously, the sooner animal shelters will be obsolete. Andrea Walker - Shelter Manager Job duties include: Guiding this ship of lost souls (just kidding!). Actually, this is like a ship; some days we are a battleship, some days we are a little old tug boat just chugging along. This journey will never be mistaken for a pleasure cruise! Ron Perez plots the course, I steer the ship. I have worked in every position in this shelter and I know them well. I am also a Licensed Veterinary Technician, so I oversee the medical aspect of what we do. Favorite part of job: I love to see animals learn to trust humans again and to rediscover joy. I love to see “our kids” leaving the shelter to start new lives with loving pet parents. I love to see my staff having fun and I enjoy their antics; they give me lots of laughs to mingle with my gray hairs. It takes strength of character and a sense of humor to work here; they are a great crew. Andrea on sheltering: What can I say? Sheltering is my life, and for me there is no greater cause than animal welfare. These animals are truly innocent. I believe that the public views the suffering that we see as being mainly the result of abuse by cruel people. The majority of the suffering that we see is actually the result of irresponsible choices made by “normal” people. To an animal, its family, or “pack,” is its world. It is cruel to rip that away from them. It is our job to rebuild that world whenever possible. It is our responsibility to promote empathy and to encourage change until the number of unwanted animals is drastically reduced. I feel that we are definitely heading in the right direction at CGHS.
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