Michelson Found Animals Appoints April Harris as Chief Program Officer

LOS ANGELES, CA, April 18, 2014 (Press-News.org) Michelson Found Animals (www.FoundAnimals.org), a privately funded nonprofit working to find the big ideas that reduce euthanasia in shelters, has appointed April Harris to Chief Program Officer, effective April 16, 2014. In her new role, Harris will provide strategic program leadership and direction, oversee the execution of projects (including those funded by grants), and work closely with the program staff, volunteers, operations team and others to improve operations processes and find innovative approaches to reducing shelter euthanasia.

Harris brings over 10 years experience working in the sheltering, animal behavior and program management space. She is a dedicated agent of change who has devoted her professional and personal life to the health, betterment, and safety of animals while instituting monumental change in shelters and county-run organizations. Her impressive track record includes achieving a 92% shelter live release rate at a municipal animal shelter and obtaining a nationally recognized "no kill" shelter status, as well as securing and maintaining non-profit partnerships resulting in more than $200,000 in grant funding, among other career highlights.

Harris most recently served as Best Friends Animal Society's Senior Manager in Utah, overseeing Spay and Neuter Services and Community Cat Programs. Prior to joining Best Friends, Harris held the Division Director role at Salt Lake County Animal Services. Harris also served as the Mobile Adoption Bus Coordinator & Animal Care Officer for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control.

"April has instituted real change in the animal welfare community including spearheading impactful programs such as Trap/Neuter/Return and successfully managing a high volume spay/neuter clinic supporting an underserved community," said Found Animals Executive Director Aimee Gilbreath. "Her values are right in line with those of Found Animals and her skill set will make an immediate impact on our team. We are delighted to have her on board."

"I'm so thrilled to join Found Animals. Found Animals is a true leader when it comes to finding innovative solutions to animal welfare issues, from their recent launch of AdoptandShop.org to the ground-breaking Michelson Prize & Grants program. I've had my eye on them for many years and I'm excited to join this passionate, creative team," said Harris.

For more information, please visit http://www.FoundAnimals.org.

About Michelson Found Animals
Found Animals is a privately funded nonoprofit that works to achieve one goal: find the big ideas that help reduce the number of pets euthanized in shelters each year. Led by business and medical professionals, we develop innovative solutions that address the underlying causes of shelter euthanasia. Programs address pet adoption, low-cost spay neuter services, pet microchipping and registration, and sterilization research. By offering a wealth of educational resources to pet owners and animal care professionals, Found Animals advances the health and safety of animals everywhere. Support for Found Animals and its initiatives come from the generous contributions of Dr. Gary Michelson and Alya Michelson. Follow our progress online at http://www.FoundAnimals.org, or via social media at Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.