Wenatchee Valley Humane Society Announces New Executive Director
WENATCHEE, WA- Wenatchee Valley Humane Society (WVHS) has announced Taylor Sharp as the new Executive Director.
Sharp has worked in animal sheltering/welfare in various capacities for over ten years, starting with cleaning kennels and walking dogs at shelters in the Midwest. She began work with Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS) in 2015 where she held various roles, but spent most of her time as Pacific Regional Specialist. In this time, she worked with over 400 shelters/rescues to enhance lifesaving efforts including creating community cat programs, community outreach, grant oversight, board alignment, coalition building, SOP creation, ordinance work, Animal Control Officer training, and more.
In 2019, Sharp was selected as Maddie's Fund Executive Leadership Fellow as a Fellow at Humane Society Silicon Valley, the only shelter in the country to be designated a model shelter by completing all 543 standard-of-care guidelines put forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians to give animal welfare organizations a roadmap to improve their care of animals. As a member of the Executive team, she led the creation of community programs and end-to-end stakeholder experience design.
Sharp is also a co-founder of the Pet Alliance of Washington (PAW), a statewide organization designed to bring shelters together and increase Live Release Rates (LRR) in Washington state, and currently serves as secretary. Before her journey to Wenatchee, Sharp worked to support dozens of shelters through the COVID-19 pandemic nationwide and helped them navigate the rapid changes it had on animal shelters.
In April, current WVHS executive director Dawn Davies announced her intent to retire this June.
"I am honored to join the talented and passionate Wenatchee Valley Humane Society team at a time when WVHS has both a strong foundation and ambitious plans to further our mission,” Sharp said. “I want to express my gratitude for Dawn's incredible leadership over the past decade. With the support of an amazing staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors, the growth WVHS has made during her tenure is truly inspiring."
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About BFAS
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. To help Save Them All, Best Friends works with shelters, rescue groups and members nationwide.
About Maddie’s Fund
Maddie's Fund® is a family foundation established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield and is the fulfillment of a promise to their inspirational dog, Maddie. She provided them much joy from 1987 – 1997 and continues to inspire them today.
The Foundation has awarded nearly $250 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, pioneering shelter medicine education and establishing foster care as a standard across the U.S.
Maddie’s Fund proudly offers the industry a national voice, important funding opportunities for bold ideas, learning resources and access to collaborate and share lifesaving ideas. The Foundation invests its resources in a commitment to keeping pets and people together, creating a safety net of care for animals in need and operating within a culture of inclusiveness and humility.
