Megan Webb, an animal shelter professional with more than 15 years of management experience and extensive knowledge of both shelter and field operations, has been named the new executive director and chief executive officer of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.
“Megan's knowledge and management expertise within the sheltering community will enhance the AWLA's growth and strengthen our relationships within the Alexandria community,” said AWLA board chairman Charlotte Hall in making the announcement.
Webb will formally assume her new position beginning Monday, March 11, and will lead AWLA's staff and volunteers to operate the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, an open-admission facility and Alexandria's only animal shelter, and implement the city's animal control contract.
Webb served as the director of Oakland Animal Services in Oakland, Calif., for the last three and a half years. OAS is a unit of the Oakland Police Department and cares for more than 6,000 animals each year.
Webb improved the care of the shelter's animals, increased the number of animal adoptions and transfers, and led her team of Animal Control officers to investigate and rescue animals from multiple felony abuse cases.
Before serving as director, Webb was the volunteer manager at OAS and gained national recognition for her volunteer program. Webb also founded Friends of Oakland Animal Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising donations to enhance the quality of life of the animals at OAS.
"I chose to join the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria because it has such a strong foundation to develop projects that will make a real difference in the lives of animals in the community,” said Webb in a statement. “The staff is compassionate and knowledgeable, the board of directors is composed of individuals with a wide range of expertise, the shelter is modern and progressive, and the city has a wealth of people who truly care about animals.”
Webb added that she is impressed with Alexandrians' compassion and activism and plans to harness that energy to assist more animals in need.
Webb earned a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an EMBA from a joint program between the University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University in New York City. Joining her in Alexandria will be her shelter rescue animals: Suzie, a Chihuahua/Dachshund; Rosie, a Shepherd mix; and Flips, a cat born with a brain disorder similar to cerebral palsy in humans.
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is an independent, local, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and recognized by Charity Navigator as a Four Star Charity. Operating the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, an open-admission facility and Alexandria's only animal shelter, the League provides care for thousands of animals every year, including strays, lost pets, local wildlife, rescue animals and pets surrendered by their owners. Serving the community since 1946, the League has contracted with the City of Alexandria to provide animal care, control and sheltering services since 1989. The AWLA is committed to ending animal homelessness, promoting animal welfare and serving as an educational resource for the community.www.AlexandriaAnimals.org
— Jeanne Theismann