A Change is Coming
Dear friends, family, and supporters,
I’m thrilled that FieldHaven is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Reflecting on our humble beginnings with just a few litters of kittens in my tack room two decades ago, I am filled with excitement when envisioning where we stand today.
We share a lot with all of you, yet you still only see a small fraction of the lifesaving and life-helping work that occurs at FieldHaven every week. Around the clock, our dedicated staff, veterinarians, and volunteers relentlessly contribute their time and effort to support cats and kittens. We truly operate 24/7, touching the lives of hundreds of animals and individuals each day.
FieldHaven owes its success to the exceptional talent, dedication, and functionality of our board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters. The management team leads with professionalism, competence, and compassion, while the Board of Directors contributes their extensive knowledge and experience to ensure FieldHaven operates as a well-run business. Saving and helping lives may be driven by heart and soul, but it is still a business that requires good practices and sustainability to secure FieldHaven’s future for many years to come.
I have been contemplating the future of FieldHaven beyond my leadership, and today, as we celebrate our 20th year, we have become a robust organization with an exceptional team, making it the opportune time for change. I am delighted to announce that we have begun a national search for an executive director to assume some of the responsibilities I currently hold. Rest assured, I am not leaving FieldHaven. Let me emphasize, I am not going anywhere! We cannot predict how long it will take to find the ideal candidate. We will not settle; we are committed to finding the perfect person. I will continue in my current role until that individual is found, comes on board, and has ample time to transition. Throughout this process, I will be beside the team every step of the way.
Once the transition is complete, I will assume the role of Ambassador at FieldHaven. In this capacity, I will continue to work towards expanding our current programs, fostering collaborations, and developing new initiatives. I will forever be a voice and advocate for FieldHaven, the cats, and their caregivers. Furthermore, I will remain on the Board of Directors. However, the general management of FieldHaven will become the responsibility of the new executive director.
I am genuinely excited about this transition. It will allow FieldHaven’s future to be entrusted to a strong, capable, and passionate executive director who, together with the board, will propel FieldHaven’s growth, enabling even more lifesaving and life-helping endeavors.
Most importantly, I look forward to utilizing my talents to enhance our community programs, introducing more supporters to FieldHaven, and spreading the word about the remarkable work this organization does!
The job posting can be seen here; we have enlisted the help of Humane Network, a nonprofit consulting organization with a team of passionate, proven animal welfare experts. They played a crucial role in hiring several of our current managers and board members, showcasing their expertise in finding exceptional candidates.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for being part of my dream and for sharing it with such unwavering dedication. The dream lives on!
With love, gratitude, and utmost respect,
– Joy Smith, executive director of FieldHaven
P.S. I want to reiterate because I know many of you will have questions, but I am not going anywhere! I am changing directions in my role to allow for more personal time as well as doing the things that I love the most, like community outreach, sharing stories, and advocating for cats. The cats need me – and you – for sure!
Print Friendly