Gretchen Gallagher, Director of Gift Planning & Capital Gifts

Gretchen joined SPCA Tampa Bay as the director of gift planning in March 2006. Her expertise includes 24 years in the nonprofit industry. You name it and she’s done it - including special events, team management, corporate partnership development, major gift solicitation and gift planning.

During her time with us Gretchen has worn many hats, serving as a team and project leader as well as the Board team lead from October 2010 until the July 2011 hiring of our new CEO Martha Boden.

We snapped this photo of Gretchen at our January all-staff meeting (January 18th) when much to her surprise Gretchen was honored with our Moe’s Kisses recognition. (Moe is our resident donkey and gives teammate Donna Stiteler – annual fund director – monthly input on which staff member has gone ‘above and beyond’ to merit Moe’s endorsement and a large bag of Hershey’s Kisses.

For free planning assistance or if you are interested in learning more about leaving a legacy or joining our Heritage Society, supporting our 2012 Kennel Renovation campaign, or becoming a member of SPCA Tampa Bay’s Women’s Giving Circle, contact Gretchen for details. GGallagher@spcatampabay.org

January 2012

Sharon Hauser, Director of Education & Community Outreach

You might never know it but Sharon works on a number of projects behind the scenes in addition to her primary responsibilities.  Last May that meant hosting two visiting shelter veterinarians ~ ~ Amandus Pacificus Muhaiwra (Eastern Tanzania Animal Welfare Society in Tanzania) and Juan Chacon Rincon (Friends of the Earth Foundation - Humane Society in Bogota, Columbia. This cultural exchange program is sponsored through the Humane Society University International (HSU).  Sharon and her husband Clayton generously hosted our visiting guests for their week in town.  Staff in many departments shared their time and exchanged insights with our guests.  We all learned a lot, and we cannot thank Sharon enough for the lead role she took in giving us this enlightening cultural opportunity.

Four Paws up!!!! Thank you Sharon for making SPCA Tampa Bay part of your life.

 Bio:

Sharon has been on staff at SPCA Tampa Bay for nearly 22 years. After teaching for two years in Wisconsin and in Pinellas County Schools for five years, Sharon joined the staff at SPCA Tampa Bay in August of 1989 to help start our humane education program.

Her love for children and animals was the perfect combination to provide education about the SPCA to children and adults all over Pinellas County. Sharon, a Florida certified teacher, assisted in writing the curriculum for the well-known Pet Professor program for elementary schools.  She also wrote curriculum and introduced Humane/Character Education into the 4^th and 5^th grade classes in Pinellas County Schools. 

In 2000, Sharon wrote the “ACT” (Against Cruelty Together) curriculum and presented materials for middle and high schools about the link between animal cruelty and human violence. By sitting on the Steering Committee for the Pinellas County Domestic Violence Task Force, she is able to train, educate and collaborate with a variety of human providers on the serious link between domestic violence and animal cruelty.

Today, Sharon serves as the organization’s Education & Community Outreach Director. In addition to presenting a variety of educational programs to reach out and educate the Tampa Bay community, she oversees our volunteer recruitment and management initiatives.

Rusty, the SPCA's fluffy-orange education mascot, lives with Sharon and her husband Clayton.