Whitney Drake

• Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to improve animal pathways.
• Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
• Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
• Supervise and support department heads. Providing any performance correction and performance evaluations.
• Cultivate a collaborative and positive team environment, promoting professional development and high performance.
• Develop, implement, and enforce policies and procedures to animal intake, spay/neuter, medical care, and behavior management.
• Ensure the Adoption Center facility is in safe and operational conditions.
• Responsible for adhering to purchasing policies and for submitting monthly credit card reports.
• Monitor the daily animal population and collaborate with appropriate staff to plan and implement any necessary resolutions.
• Create opportunities for staff professional development and regular training opportunities.
• Participate in daily rounds and lead conversations that ensure quality care for animals both on and off site.
• Pinpoint bottlenecks and lead team discussions and examine ways to increase outcome pathway efficiencies.
• Manage logistics of intake that promotes proactive population management, reduced length of stay and humane care. Communicate the Adoption Center’s capacity for daily to weekly intake.
• Oversee that Spay & Neuter and Pull Fee Invoices are tracked, coded, and submitted for payment.
• Monitor program metrics and outcomes, providing regular reports.
• Seek out, share, or create training opportunities for staff development geared towards Community Support Services and Adoptions.

Graduated from the Victoria Stilwell Academy in 2020 and created my own dog training business. I offer group classes, private lessons and virtual sessions. I also offer cat behavior advice to pet owners. I am Fear Free Certified and have completed a Shelter Animal Behavior Management Certification. I am also an AKC CGC Evaluator as of 2023.

• Conducted orientation sessions and organized on-the-job training for new hires for safe animal handling practices.
• Evaluate all new animal intakes and assign volunteer levels.
• Implement training plans and behavior modification as needed.
• Provide support to adopters and offer free training and behavior advise.
• Offer free training classes.
• Train all employees on playgroups and handle all volunteer training for animal handling.
• Manage and maintain enrichment program.
• Conduct routine training with dogs onsite and for foster dogs.
• Develop strategies to decrease LOS and FAS in a shelter environment.
• Evaluate animals after bite quarantines and lead conversations about behavioral euthanasia as needed.
• Conduct lunch and learns for volunteers and staff.
• Support intake, foster, volunteer, medical and adoption departments.
• Write behavior and training articles/handouts for adopters.

• Work with the Content/Creative Team on both organic and paid social media content.
• Strategize the best ways to optimize social media engagement.
• Provide and analyze social media audits.
• Manage social media platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook.
• Increase social media presence and develop SOP.
• Create scheduled social media posts.
• Run monthly Google Analytics reports for 20+ clients.
• Create informative blogs for industry topics.

• Responsible for the creation, development, and implementation of marketing communications as well as coordination of signature special events.
• Create engaging content for social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), perform quarterly audits and strategize best practices.
• Design all organizational branded materials and documents (Adobe, InDesign, Canva).
• Assist with organizational fundraising efforts including: creating digital fundraising campaigns, promotional materials, calls to action and fundraising events.
• Coordinate organizational event planning including budgeting, logistics, and evaluation.
• Develop event program materials in coordination with organizational leadership including invitations, sponsorship packages, and other collateral material as necessary.
• Keep accurate and detailed records related to all aspects of events, year-to-year stats, etc.
• Maintain vendor and donor database related to events (DonorPerfect).
• Generate publicity and media coverage for events and programs, handle all media relations, press releases and formal interviews.
• Assist with preparing budgets and providing periodic progress reports for each event project.
• Keep track of event finances including check requests, invoicing, and report.
• Develop annual communications plan, including social media and general marketing strategy.
• Ensure use of consistent brand design standards, messages, and terminology across the organization.
• Create bi-weekly E-News emails to send out to subscribers, update subscribers and track the amount of email open rates.
• Oversee and maintain the organization’s website (Wordpress).

• Provides leadership and direction for the efficient and smooth operations of the Adoption Center including behavior, training, customer care, medical care and adoptions.
• Oversees quality animal care and Adoption Center cleanliness, with a strong focus on excellent customer service.
• Ensuring that animals brought into the shelter provide a balance to optimize lifesaving opportunities and maintains the organization's desired goals.
• Facilitate discussions on placement decisions of animals, behavior plans and other animal related concerns including decisions pertaining to euthanasia.
• Approve vet visits and medical treatments.
• Complete reports involving staff or volunteer incidents.
• Order any necessary supplies the Adoption Center needs as well as maintaining inventory on items sold.
• Act as the point of contact for staff or volunteers at the Adoption Center.
• Coding financial reports monthly as well as submitting monthly credit card statements.
• Creating Board Reports, summarizing monthly departmental numbers.
• Conduct interviews for new staff, organize training and onboarding process as well as provide feedback for them and to make sure they follow all protocols.
• Work with staff to ensure animals are being placed into safe and appropriate homes but monitoring and modifying the adoption screening and placement process.
• Ensure strict adherence to health and safety legislation and policy.
• Responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction and difficult situations by responding appropriately
  to complaints about staff, volunteers and Adoption Center policies.
• Collaborate with department heads and create/edit SOP's for all departments inside the Adoption Center.
• Enroll in additional trainings, online learning opportunities and regularly send out webinar trainings for continued education on a variety of animal welfare topics.

• Lead a team of Adoption Counselors to help provide an Adopter's Welcome Approach to adoption counseling.
• Help provide resources to potential adopters and post adoption support to keep animals in homes.
• Write bios for all available animals to create engaging information to increase adaptability.
• Lower LOS with creative marketing ideas for animals.
• Develop relationships with industry partners and breed rescues to find creative pathways for animals.
• Send weekly animal highlights for social media.
• Create an annual calendar for adoption promos.
• Help hire and train new staff on front desk duties, customer support and adoption counseling.
• Be a point of contact for volunteers.
• De-escalate situations with members of the public when needed.
• Track outcome data to improve program metrics.

• Responsible for daily cleaning of kennel areas, feeding animals and administering medications.
• Facilitate dog playgroups and introductions for potential adopters.
• Understand basic animal care, behavior and safe handling techniques.
• Transport animals to adoption events and vet visits.
• Set up and operate pop-up offsite adoption events.
• Administer vaccines, dewormer, provide fluids and blood draws when needed.
• Understand disease transmission and ways to prevent disease transmission specific to animal shelters.
• Train volunteers on safe handling practices with animals.
• Assist general public and volunteers with questions/concerns.

Intaking injured or displaced wildlife. Assessing health and appropriate triage methods. Finding transport to other rehab facilities for long term care. Prepping meals and enrichment for animals in the park. Assisting zookeepers with daily tasks and cleaning enclosures. (314 hours)

While attending NC State, I was selected for a work study program at the School of Veterinary Medicine. My role was with the Clinical Studies Core that assisted Veterinarians with clinical research. My main tasks would include, but not limited to, searching client databases and appointment schedules to recruit animals for clinical studies, collecting blood and plasma samples. Assisting DVM's with their research and logging data.