June/July2024
Last month, the Humane Society for Boone County (HSforBC) announced the appointment of Melanie Evans as its new Executive Director. This change follows the retirement of the former Executive Director, Susan Austin, as the organization continues to pursue excellence in its mission to care for the animals of Boone County.
We sat down with Evans to learn more about her background and vision for HsforBC at a time when Boone County is experiencing and planning for exponential growth. After all, with more people comes … more pets and more responsibilities.
Extensive Background in Animal Welfare
During our conversation, Evans shared that she has an extensive background in animal welfare, behavior modification, training and environmental enrichment for animals. Additionally, Evans has experience in related program development, project management, public education and communication.
“As a young child, my dream job was to grow up and be a zookeeper,” Evans said. “I’m from the Cincinnati area, and with that field, it’s—statistically speaking—harder to get a job than it is to be drafted into the NFL. It’s highly competitive. I went to school and earned degrees in environmental science and natural science. I started college at 17 with a four-month-old baby, and I was nursing her, working, and [going] to school full-time to pursue my dreams. I tell people this because I am proud and because life is messy. It is a journey. My daughter is 20 now, and she’s in the equestrian field. She was kind of the fire that was lit under me. I knew it was going to be hard, but I went after it. I did end up having a career at the Cincinnati Zoo Botanical Garden and was a zoologist there for 14 years.”
During her tenure at the Cincinnati Zoo, Evans was sent abroad for fieldwork. In 2018, she went to Madagascar to assist with the largest tortoise confiscation on record, involving more than 10,000 critically endangered radiated tortoises that Turtle Survival Alliance rescued from poachers. Additionally, she was sent to Panama, where she participated in primate research.
After nearly a decade and a half with the Cincinnati Zoo, Evans fulfilled a long-held dream by purchasing a log cabin in the woods of Kentucky.
“I took a position with the Kentucky State Parks as a naturalist and was stationed at General Butler State Park in Carrollton, Kentucky,” Evans shared. “I was also a recreation supervisor there and got to wear the curator hat at the park’s historic museum. I wrote curriculum[s] for the schools so they had nature and science-based field trips and create[d] programs for groups like the Girl Scouts on how to respect the environment and stuff.”
Evans added, “I’ve always been in the field of wanting to conserve animals, speak for wildlife and help nature. I’m all about being a good steward of the earth.”
Rising Above Tragedy With Renewed Purpose
During our discussion, Evans openly shared that a couple of years ago, she suffered the tragic loss of her husband, who had battled with his mental health. Evans moved to Indiana on a whim, looking for a new sense of direction and purpose.
“When I moved [to Indiana], I got a job with Indiana DNR’s Division of Fish & Wildlife,” Evans said. “I was an executive-level project manager. It was an office job downtown, and I really missed being in a nonprofit and having a more direct impact helping animals. When I worked at the Cincinnati Zoo, I worked with a lot of volunteers—over 300—and I really valued my relationships with them. I’ve always wanted to be in a position where I could make positive and effective decisions that are super impactful. That’s always been my drive.”
Evans shared that she sincerely appreciates having gone through the interview process with HSforBC and how it allowed her an opportunity to share and highlight parts of her background beyond the functions of the job title. She was able to show where she took initiative and made opportunities happen where she was able to further develop herself.
Evans added, “Seeing other people notice and believe in me was just so humbling and uplifting. This has been a good refresh and renewal for my abilities and my strength.”
Education Is Paramount to Leading HSforBC into the Future
Recognizing that Boone County is on the verge of a significant growth period that will expand and transform the trajectory of HSforBC’s mission, Evans eagerly delved into the data presented to her. She is collaborating with board members and volunteers to learn everything she can about the Boone County community, aiming to best assess the immediate and future needs of the organization.
“We are aware of the growing population and the growing need to help pets as the community builds,” Evans said. “It’s so exciting to be on that cusp of growth and change. We’re going to try to stand up to that test of growing with the community to be able to serve greater numbers as well. Our volunteers have such diverse backgrounds, and a lot of them are from the community, so we have that history. I have such respect for their perspectives in comparison to mine. I’m dedicated to gathering all the information before decisions are made, and that includes hearing from their side of things, knowing this organization from its start is a grassroots organization. I’m super fortunate and grateful for our board of directors. They are also very talented. In addition to Susan [Austin], we have a lot of people that are here for the right reasons and have a lot of talent and skills that they bring … we just rock it over here!”
Calling All Animal Advocates and HSforBC Supporters!
There are myriad ways you can contribute positively and support HSforBC. Fostering, volunteering and sponsoring events are the most impactful ways to offer your assistance.
“You can also give us Kroger points by setting us as your [preferred] organization when shopping at Kroger,” Evans explained. “There’s also an app called ‘WoofTrax,’ and if you’re a walker or runner, tracking your miles gives us points if you set us up as your shelter of choice. There’s more information about that on our website under the ‘Get Involved’ tab. We are also looking for sponsors for our 5K-9 Run for Rescue on October 26. It starts at L.A. Café and ends at Moontown Brewery in Whitestown. Interested individuals and/or businesses can reach out to me for sponsorship information. [Those] who want to register to run/walk can do that on our website at hsforbc.org.”
