Marilou Chanrasmi, CARE Center Chief – Northern Tier

Marilou has been collaborating and partnering with Minnesota tribal communities since 2008. She has deep connections and relationships with proximate leaders at Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Red Lake Nation and Little Earth of United Tribes. Collaborating with her Anishinaabe friends in Minnesota, she has been building an expanding circle of indigenous proximate leaders and trusted partners committed to animal and human well being. She is deeply committed to honoring the wisdom within the community, building authentic relationships, and elevating the voices of indigenous people and those from marginalized communities. She has served as a liaison, mentor and guide to trusted allies wanting to learn a new way of listening and being in their work with tribal communities. 

Marilou is a somatics coach and an experienced facilitator of circles with a process that creates space that is participatory, experiential, healing, reflective, equitable and meets people where they are, and also challenges them to see with more than eyes and hear with more than ears.

Marilou is a founding member of Deep Listening for Social Change/DLSC. DLSC is a peaceful action that members of the Twin Cities BIPOC mindfulness community initiated  in response to the murder of George Floyd. DLSC uses the practice of Deep Listening as an anti-racist tool for having difficult conversations, healing from the wounds of systemic and community-specific racism, and creating a greater sense of interconnection in order to facilitate sustained social change. 

Marilou shares her home with her 3 dogs: Legacy and Ishkode (from Leech Lake Nation) and Migizi (from Mille Lacs Nation). Marilou continues to be guided by her spirit dog, Ahnung (a Red Lake Nation dog) who crossed over to the spirit world in 2013. She has a daily meditation, nature hiking, qigong, and centering practice.

Donovan Dodds, CARE Center Director – Atlanta [South Eastern Tier]

Donovan Dodds is an 4th generation HBCU educated, Atlantan scholar with a superior record of years of successful community representation and relations as a dedicated and seasoned Community Engagement & Outreach Professional. Donovan was raised with strong family values and learned from a very early age that like the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Everybody can be great, because everyone can serve.” He grew up watching his family serve in numerous volunteer leadership roles in church, sororities, and the community at large. 

 Due to his great involvement and volunteerism Donovan was awarded the Bonner Community Service Scholarship while pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at Morehouse College. It is during that time, working with underserved students, the un-housed population downtown, and even helping with local community organizations, he identified that he truly did have call of service on his life. 

He took those experiences and became focused on providing and connecting people to the resources they need. In 2020 at the age of 23, Donovan was elected Chair of Neighboring Planning Unit ‘R’, which  is a citizen advisory council in Southwest Atlanta that serves as the official avenue for residents to express concerns and provide input in developing plans to address the needs of each neighborhood, as well as to receive updates from City government; making him the youngest person ever elected to serve in that role in City of Atlanta history. 

Donovan brings his intimate knowledge of the Atlanta community and his over 10 years of volunteering in animal welfare to his role as CARE Centers Director, having previously created programming centered around bringing adoption events and services to underserved and under represented communities. Under his leadership, that program has placed hundreds of shelter dogs into loving homes, including 3 pitbulls, Tinkerbelle, Pharaoh and Attikus whom have made his family’s home theirs.

Akisha Townsend Eaton, Chief of Policy, Environmental Justice Division

Akisha brings over a decade of animal law and policy experience to her current role as Chief of Policy, Environmental Justice Division at CARE. Prior to joining CARE, she worked as a managing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund and as legislative attorney and policy advisor at various other national and international animal protection organizations. Akisha is an AmeriCorps alumni and is currently an active contributor to the Black Appalachian Coalition (BLAC) as well as the legal redress, environmental justice, and economic development committees of her local NAACP chapter, which recently awarded her the Prince and Cora Mack Humanitarian Award. 

Akisha has contributed to numerous publications. Her most recent chapters have appeared in the Palgrave Handbook of Animal Ethics, Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists and People, Pets, and Policies: Towards Community Supported Animal Sheltering.  She served as a consultant editor and contributor to the Journal of Animal Ethics and associate editor for the Journal of Animal Law.  Akisha has been an instructor, guest lecturer and speaker at numerous law schools, including Georgetown, Duke, Harvard, Lewis and Clark and Tulane University’s International Legislative Drafting Institute.  Her publications have been included in the courses of international law schools.  She has presented at multiple national, state and local animal welfare conferences on recent developments in animal law and advocacy.  She is a former contributor for the Huffington Post and the Dodo and former Diversity Vice-Chair for the American Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee within the Tort, Trial, and Insurance Practice Section. She is a Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.

Akisha received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was recognized as a Law Center Scholar and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University where she graduated with distinction. 

Sheila Donya Kouhkan, Chief of Engagement

Sheila started her professional career in animal welfare in 2009, working on compassionate legislation for the City of Los Angeles. She assisted with the passage of such measures as the bans on the commercial sale of puppy mill dogs, cat declawing, and the use of bull hooks on elephants in traveling shows. She began working in the world of animal welfare nonprofits in 2015 when she joined the team at Best Friends Animal Society, collaborating with local rescues to make Los Angeles a no-kill city. In 2017, Sheila accepted the Maddie’s® Fund Executive Leadership Fellowship and joined the teams at Austin Pets Alive! and Austin Animal Center in Texas, where she learned the ins and outs of animal welfare leadership and gained a passion for disaster response. Sheila is committed to using her diverse background and the resources available in her current role to bring vitality to lives furry and otherwise.

Sheila is thrilled to be a member of NACA and finds that it is a great way to connect with partners across the country. Through this organization, Sheila has been able to connect with leaders who have been in the industry for many years. These connections are extremely valuable when understanding how and why the industry has evolved into what it is today. Animal welfare is a dynamic industry and being a part of this group is like having a lifeline to the realities of our society and where we are headed. Gaining a deeper understanding of animal welfare through NACA has facilitated Sheila and the Pethealth team to ensure a focus on tools and resources to support shelter partners with their lifesaving goals and to keep pets with their families.

Sheila lives in San Diego, CA with her Husky mix, Ziba, and enjoys fostering for local shelter partners.

James Evans, Founder & Chief Executive Officer

James is a multi-awarding winning creative strategist and leader with 25+ years of experience developing relationships between organizations and their constituents. His expertise has been utilized across a diverse group of brands, both non for profit, and for profit. Specific brand experience includes: Timberland, Disney, The Mills Corporation, NAACP, Baltimore Health Department, Maryland Health Department, Kennedy Krieger Institute, CVS Caremark’s Project Health, Safe Streets Baltimore and many other brands.

James and his team have initiated several programs, including the ground breaking Gulf Spay/Neuter Campaign and HSUS’ Pets for Life, which helped reshape animal welfare, while simultaneously advocating for more diversity and inclusion throughout the field.

He has also played an integral part in AWO organization’s projects, including HSUS’ Adopters Welcome, Outdoor Cats Research, Stop Puppy Mills and Spayathon, as well as Best Friends Animal Society’s Outreach Action Team, Maddie’s Fund, and SPCA of Texas’ Let’s Fix This Campaign.

Jennifer Evans, Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Evans studied studio art in school and has over 20 years experience in marketing and publishing as both a designer and Art Director. She is the COO and Art Director for Illume Communications and is a wardrobe stylist. 

Jennifer is also the Chief Operating Officer for CARE. As a highly organized logistics expert, she manages CARE’s staff and workflow. Aside from her visual communications and organizational skills, Jen brings an in-depth knowledge of social media marketing strategies and narrative production. Much of her recent work within the animal welfare field has included innovative campaign strategies and production for large scale projects such as Breaking Bias for HSUS Expo 2019, Stop Puppy Mills Video campaign, Petstablished, Let’s Fix This, HSUS’ Spayathon, and HSUS’ Adopter’s Welcome toolkit.

Johnny Jenkins, Chief of Staff and Research & Development

Johnny Jenkins has twenty-five years of experience in grassroots community engagement and professional non-profit experience. His talents have been used to support mission-driven efforts across movements ranging from animal welfare and LGBTQ+ equality to racial equity, diversity and inclusion. He has had had the opportunity to provide leadership as an organizer, a non-profit board and program director, and a multi-million-dollar grant portfolio manager. As an experienced strategic grant-maker, Johnny has led philanthropic initiatives that support racial and economic Justice while also advancing social justice inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. Recently, he served as the adoption grants manager responsible for PetSmart Charities’ U.S. East Region to support shelters and rescues in finding homes for homeless pets.

Mr. Jenkins holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Western Michigan University, and is currently pursuing a graduate level degree from Arizona State University. His research interest includes organizing strategies, coalition-building, cooperative economics, leadership development (community wisdom), racial equity and social justice. He draws from lived experiences to engage people and communities to promote equity and access to opportunities that improve the quality of life for marginalized families and their pets.

Johnny has an extensive record of service in the LGBTQ+ and Detroit communities which has resulted in multiple community awards. In addition to his many community accomplishments, Johnny is also an accomplished spoken word artist who has produced and served as Slam Master for two national Detroit Poetry Slam Teams. In addition, he is a proud co-founder and former producer of one the oldest Black LGBT pride celebrations in North America – Detroit’s Hotter Than July (1996) which continues to operate today.

He is grateful for the opportunity to share his lived experiences and expertise to increase racial equity, diversity and inclusion in animal welfare. This is shared through his service as Co-Lead of PetSmart Charities’ Racial Equity Advisory, Steering Committee Member of PetSmart’s MOSAIC Associate Resource Group, Vice President of PetSmart’s Pride At Work (PAW) Associate Resource Group, and as a Co-Chair of The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) DEI Committee. 

Mueni Rudd, Senior Director of Research & Development

Mueni is a Kenyan American scholar advocate with years of experience in racial justice, social activism, and evaluative research. She graduated from Huston-Tillotson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. Then went on to earn a Master of Social Work graduate degree from Texas State University. She has a consistent history of membership and participation in professional academic associations and service organizations. She is a published writer and proud TEDx speaker committed to filling the gaps of current Western training and approaches that avoid issues of racial diversity and ethnic cultural differences. She prioritizes Black and other historically marginalized group liberation in all her professional and community contributions. Her focus on accountability can be seen in her efforts to acknowledge systemic and institutional oppression by centering these populations. Mueni is always willing to dive deeply into literature and lived experiences to suggest equity centered and research informed recommendations. Her work amplifies historically oppressed communities, promotes authentic multicultural dialogue, and creates cross-cultural communication which fosters awareness and healing.

Hakeem Ruiz, Director of CARE Centers Philly/Camden

Hakeem Ruiz is a 29 year old born and raised in Philadelphia. While attending Lincoln High School, Hakeem and other friends started a group called The Block. Years later that friend group went on to become a very successful non-profit called ” The Block Gives Back”. Hakeem became the Vice President and was given the task of hosting block parties, street cleaning events, and networking with the adults and youth of the community. In 2019 the group was recognized by KYW radio as a winner of the Black History Month “GameChangers” award, for the continued efforts in minority communities. 

Aside from community volunteering Hakeem formerly worked in the social work field as a Case Manager before joining the CARE team. Spending parts of 3 years working with at risk youth from ages 13-17 to earn expungement of permanent charges. Hakeem will now be the CARE Center Director of Camden/Philly. He looks forward to being able to continue to create and build connections for more organizations along with CARE and being able to assist an unaddressed need in a forgotten area. Having raised a 13 year old stray dog, Gucci, Hakeem has seen the low points of the animal care system locally and is determined to change it for the better of the community. 

Alana Yañez, Director of Operations

Alana Yañez recently joined CARE as Director of Operations in 2022 bringing more than 15 years of experience in animal care, control and veterinary operations as well as high-impact public outreach and marketing campaigns. Alana’s career in animal advocacy began in 1998 as a volunteer and then as a staff member at the Santa Cruz SPCA. After graduating from U.C. Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Biology and working as a field deputy for former Assembly member Kevin De Leon, she returned to animal advocacy. Alana joined the Humane Society of the United States in 2012 and initiated the startup of the Pets for Life program in Los Angeles. She managed the program for nearly decade, overseeing innovative outreach services and providing no cost veterinary care, pet supplies, and food to an expanded service area covering over 300,000 residents in the communities of Boyle Heights, unincorporated East Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights and El Sereno. Committed to public service, Alana was appointed to the City of Los Angeles Animal Services Commission in 2012 where she applied her civic engagement expertise and advanced policies to eliminate barriers for low income and undocumented residents in need of spay/neuter services. Alana also served four years on the California Veterinary Medical Board where she established a committee dedicated to increasing access to veterinary care for California’s most vulnerable pet owners. 

“A more inclusive movement is a stronger, more effective movement benefitting animals and those who care for them.”

– Alana Yañez