Animal Care Expo 2026
Uplifting BIPOC voices is an act of intention.
We’ve curated this list of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color who are speaking at Expo to help you intentionally support and learn from voices shaping the future of animal well-being.
We encourage you to show up, engage, and amplify the perspectives that are often underrepresented in our field.
Overview of Events
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Tuesday 4/7
Events include Learning Labs, Welcome Session and Exhibit Hall (dinner provided)
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Wednesday 4/8
Events include round tables, workshops, exhibit hall and Trailblazer Awards
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Thursday 4/9
Events include workshops, main stage session, exhibit hall and expo party
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Friday 4/10
Final day of workshops
Tues. April 7 | 9:30am - 3pm
Learning Labs
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Leading for change: Building inclusive, resilient and collaborative leadership in animal welfare
Location: Room 303-305
Speaker: Sherron Washington, CEO at The P3 Solution
Session Details -
Implementing the ‘new gold standard’ to increase access to care
Location: Room 317-318
Speaker: Dr. Christina Tran, Executive Associate Dean & Clinical Professor at Roseman University of Health Sciences
Session Details -
No barriers, just beginnings: Rethinking your adoption process
Location: Room 403-405
Speaker: Rachael Villaseñor, Adopters Welcome Trainer at Humane World for Animals
Session Details
Tues. April 7 | 3:30pm - 5pm
Welcome Main Stage Session | Location: Hall B
Humor, hope, and imagination: Evolving our work to be more joyful and effective
Keynote Speaker: Vu Le, Speaker/Author/Writer at NonprofitAF.com
5pm - 8:30pm
Welcome Social & Exhibit Hall | Location: Hall A
Opening night of the exhibit hall!
Dinner provided from 5-7:30pm
Stop by the BIPOC in Animal Well-Being Collective booth #119 during exhibit hall hours.
When you enter the exhibit hall, head to the left near the dining tables to find our booth. Thank you to Maddie’s Fund for sponsoring our scholarships and booth!
Wed. April 8 | 8am - 10:30am
Round Tables Discussions | Location: Hall B
Breakfast (served from 7am - 9am) and networking Round Tables
“A unique opportunity, Round Tables offer the chance to have deep, meaningful conversations with peers and colleagues in a small-group setting. Space at the tables is first-come, first-served.”
Each table offers a different topic of discussion and are color coded. BIPOC voices are encouraged!
8am - 9:15am Spanish Language Session:
Acceso a experiencias inmersivas de
capacitación veterinaria en esterilización y castración en América Latina
Led by: Diana Rodríguez,
Senior Program Manager,
Companion Animals and Engagement,
Humane World for Animals
9:15am - 10:20am Spanish Language Session:
El rol veterinario en las leyes
de bienestar animal
Led by: Claudia Edwards,
Program Director, Campaigns, Mexico,
Humane World for Animals
Wed. April 8 | 10:45am - 12pm
Workshops
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Canine arousal-related aggression: Understanding, managing and modifying behavior
Location: Ballroom B/C
Speaker: Dr. Wailani Sung, Senior Director of Animal Admissions and Wellbeing at Joybound People & Pets
Session Details -
Lifesaving in the middle of nowhere: Turning rural challenges into community wins
Location: Room 303-305
Speaker: Dr. Louiza Chan, Senior Strategist of the South Central Region at Best Friends Animal Society -
Finite resources, global demand: Designing animal welfare programs that last
Location: Room 408-410
Speaker: Dr. Amit Chaudhari, Principal of Monitoring, Evaluation and Assessment at Humane World for Animals
Session Details -
Driving pet-inclusive housing solutions in your community
Location: Room 315-316
Speaker: Sara Maria Muriello, Sr. Program Manager of Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative at Michelson Found Animals
Session Details -
Strengthen your influence through inclusion and collaboration
Location: Room 306-307
Speaker: Sherron Washington, CEO at The P3 Solution
Wed. April 8 | 12pm - 3pm
Exhibit Hall & Lunch | Location: Hall A
Lunch provided from 12pm-2:30pm
Stop by the BIPOC in Animal Well-Being Collective booth #119 during exhibit hall hours.
Wed. April 8 | 3:15pm - 4:30pm
Workshops
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Bridging the critical gap: Urgent veterinary care for underserved communities
Location: Room 301-302
BIPOC Speaker: Marisa Hernandez, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering -
From conflict to connection: De-escalation for tough customers
Location: Room 407
BIPOC Speaker: Lily Yap, Executive Director of Stanislaus Animal Services Agency -
Rooted in respect: Strengthening connections with Latino communities
Location: Rooms 315-316
Speakers: Jacqueline Hernandez, Vice President of Shelter Operations of Nebraska Humane SocietyEsteban Rodriguez, Director of Ventura County Animal Services
Wed. April 8 | 4:45pm - 6pm
Main Stage Session | Location: Hall B
“Why conversations matter: Compassion, productivity and preventing burnout”
*Non-BIPOC main stage session
7pm - 8:30pm
Humane World for Animals Trailblazer Awards
Reservation Required | Reservations closed as of March 13
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Rooted in Community Collective Gathering
Reservation Required | Event is for BIPOC-only.
Thurs. April 9 | 8am - 9:15am
Workshops
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Beyond the kennel: Navigating the new era of pet acquisition
Location: Room 319-320
BIPOC Speaker: Ronnie Matthew, Sr. Manager Consumer & Marketplace Insights at Nestle Purina PetCare Company -
Maggots don’t lie: What bugs can tell us in animal cruelty cases
Location: Room 407
BIPOC Speaker: Dr. Michelle Gonzalez, Veterinarian in the Rascal Unit of Mobile Veterinary Practice -
Stereotypes are costing us: Rethinking our assumptions about people and pets
Location: Rooms 408-410
BIPOC Speaker: Sheila Donya Kouhkan, Founder & Principal at Moving Mountains Solutions / Senior Education Specialist at Maddie's Fund -
Tackling overpopulation with compassion: A proven model on the Galápagos Islands
Location: Rooms 303-305
BIPOC Speakers: Jessica Gonzalez, Director of the Galapagos Islands/Ecuador Program at Animal BalanceJorge Vazquez, Technical Representative at Animal Balance
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Bringing your team along on the Adopters Welcome journey
Location: Ballroom A
BIPOC Speaker: Clare Callison, Lead Adoption Grants Manager at PetSmart Charities
Thurs. April 9 | 9:30am - 11am
Main Stage Session | Location: Hall B
Popsicle Hotline 2.0: Creating the ultimate team and adopter experience
BIPOC Speakers:
- René Moreno, Chief Lifesaving Officer at Petco Love
- Steven Martinez, Executive Director at York County SPCA
11am - 2pm
Exhibit Hall & Lunch | Location: Hall A
Last chance to explore the exhibit hall!
Lunch provided from 11am - 1:30pm
Thurs. April 9 | 2:15pm - 3:30pm
Workshops
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Don’t make me dig: Making your website easy to find and use
Location: Room 319-320
BIPOC Speaker: Jen Zhao, Principal Product Designer at Adopt a Pet -
Reducing friction: How post-adoption services can improve outcomes
Location: Room 303-305
BIPOC Speaker: René Moreno, Chief Lifesaving Officer of Petco Love -
Find it! Courage to work through difficult conversations
Location: Room 403-405
BIPOC Speaker: Victoria Russell, Community Solutions Manager at Joybound People & Pets -
Unleashing access: Community-centered support services
Location: Room 301-302
BIPOC Speaker: Charles Stanton, Executive Director at New Hampshire Humane Society -
Animal-Friendly Communities: A community-driven approach to harmonize companion animals, wildlife and people
Location: Room 317-318
Speakers: Sofía Herra, Senior Program Manager of Cruelty and Companion Animals at Humane World for AnimalsGrettel Delgadillo-Molina, Director of Programs and Policy for Latin America at Humane World for Animals
Thurs. April 9 | 3:45pm - 5pm
Workshops
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From prompts to practice: Building AI skills for animal welfare
Location: Room 319-320
Speaker: Brian Rivera, Director of Technology & Administration at Tree House Humane Society
Thurs. April 9 | 8pm - 11pm
Animal Care Expo Closing Party | Location: TBD
Fri. April 10 | 8:15am - 9:30am
Workshops
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Dogfighting: From wounds to witness
Location: Room 407
BIPOC Speaker: Dr. Michelle Gonzalez, Veterinarian for the Rascal Unit at Mobile Veterinary Practice -
The power of connection: Fundraising and messaging for access-to-care programs
Location: Room 301-302
BIPOC Speaker: Anibal "Memo" Fachino, Social Media Coordinator at Wisconsin Humane Society -
The Rocky Boy way: Building lasting veterinary partnerships with tribal communities
Location: Room 306-307
BIPOC Speaker: Christopher WolfChief, Tribal Fish and Game Officer at Chippewa-Cree Tribal Fish and Game
Fri. April 10 | 9:45am - 11am
Workshops
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Enrichment evolution: Crafting a sustainable enrichment program at any resource level
Location: Ballroom B/C
BIPOC Speaker: Dayna Villa, Director of Medical and Behavior at Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia -
Managing up: Building better communication with your supervisor
Location: Room 403-405
BIPOC Speaker: Brian Rivera, Director of Technology & Administration at Tree House Humane Society
Fri. April 10 | 11:15am - 12:30pm
Workshops
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Driving community-based change in a global context
Location: Room 301-302
BIPOC Speakers: Dalia Jacob, Senior Manager of Community Engagement for India at Humane World for AnimalsKeren Nazareth, Senior Director of Companion Animals and Engagement for India at Humane World for Animals
🍽️ Support Local BIPOC-Owned Restaurants 🍽️
Check out these BIPOC-owned restaurants during your time in Pittsburgh that are easy access from the Convention Center. It’s a chance to support local businesses, enjoy great food, and connect with the local community.
Within a few miles from the Convention Center
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Sree's Food
Indian - Hyderabadi
7 min walk from Convention Center -
Täkō
Asian-Mexican fusion
12 min walk from Convention Center -
Arepittas
Venezuelan Street Food
13 min walk from Convention Center -
Caribbean Fine Cuisine
Authentic West Indian Food
15 min walk from Convention Center -
ShadoBeni
Trinidadian Vegan Cuisine
7 min drive from Convention Center -
Cilantro & Ajo Lawrenceville
Venezuelan Restaurant
8 min drive from Convention Center -
The Parlor Dim Sum
Dim Sum & Cantonese BBQ
9 min drive from Convention Center -
Aria Persian & Turkish Grille
Authentic Persian and Turkish Cuisine
14 min drive from Convention Center
