Maddie's Candid Conversations

Our Season 3 premiere features Dianne Prado, Founder and Executive Director of the Housing Equity & Advocacy Resource Team ( HEART LA ), a unique non-profit that was truly born from the heart.    Heart LA is a legal non-profit that helps ensure people and their pets remain housed.  Dianne's compelling story reveals the values, mind-set and skills she's used create meaningful and impa...

How can we as animal care professionals help pets in service deserts where access to care is extremely limited or even non-existent?  How can we better reach and build trusting relationships with their caregivers?  Both Bobby Mann and Shakela Brown of Humane Rescue Alliance have answers.  Their impact on the programs they manage is palpable, especially in communities with limited access to basic i...

Growing up in India, Geraldine D'Silva developed a deep understanding of equality and the human-animal bond.  From an early age, she’d care for stray dogs in her neighborhood, feeding them and taking them to a local shelter for further care.  Later, that compassion expanded using her degree in Sociology which took her to remote villages to study the caste system and women’s empowerment, and t...

From a very early age, José Ocaño learned to care for animals thanks to his mom who instilled a love of living things and helping people. Growing up in Barrio Anita gave José the grit, tenacity and life skills he would later need to work in some of the most challenging ecosystems. But just like the people from his community, José's resilience and heart carry him forward. Nothing shows that mo...

In our Season 2 premiere, Elijah Brice-Middleton, Director at Plainfield Area Humane Society (PAHS) in New Jersey, reveals the values and skills he uses to face challenges of being, in his words, "a brown face in a white world."  Maddie's Fund Executive Leadership Team member Mary Ippoliti-Smith hosts the conversation and Q+A. Growing up in a household that cared for a menagerie of...

Join us for a special, 45-minute edition of Maddie's Candid Conversation where we will be talking with Justin Marceau, author of Beyond Cages: Animal Law and Criminal Punishment .   The discussion will center around the role of fines and fees, civil penalties, conviction and punishment in achieving positive outcomes for animals - and how current enforcement models can in fact produce negative...

Dr. Lila Miller  is known as the mother of shelter medicine and throughout her career, she’s forged bold, new paths for veterinarians and especially for women of color.  She’s won many awards and acclamations, not the least of which is our 2021 Avanzino Leadership Award.  Watch the recording of our recent conversation with Dr. Miller where she talks not only about her amazing achievements, but als...

A former legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society and for the Humane Society of the United States, Akisha's current work involves supporting groundbreaking advancements for animals through Animal  Legal Defense Fund's litigation, legislative and criminal justice initiatives as well as for members of the public seeking legal assistance for animal-related matters. In this discu...

Join us for an open, informal conversation and Q+A with James Evans , founder of Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity ( CARE ), and Jennifer Evans , CARE's Chief Operating Officer. With a mission to amplify BIPOC voices to promote human and animal well-being, the team at CARE acts to create equitable experiences with a multidisciplinary approach focused on addressing unconscious and h...

As a young immigrant who moved across multiple continents and countries, Ariel watched her parents work hard to start something better for their family. They had no roots or connections in the US, but that made Ariel recognize, in her words, a "world of opportunities." Yet those came at a steep price - one that forged Ariel's determined drive for compassion among humans and animals....

Internationally recognized as a specialist in animal shelter medicine, Dr. Robertson examines societal and race dynamics that influence policy choices that impact access to veterinary care and the overall success of lifesaving efforts. Her most recent passion project has been the development of Journey You Own, a platform for weaving spirituality and awareness through highlighting social injustice...

Ed's philosophy of helping animals by helping people - and how important it is for leaders to be intentional and inclusive - was once an eye-opener to many in the field of animal welfare. With a history of providing lifesaving care for homeless pets since 1976, Ed’s goal is to impact the most vulnerable shelter animals and that often includes the people who care for them.  Currently CEO of Op...

Join us for an open, informal 30-minute conversation and Q+A with Allison Cardona, Deputy Director of Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control. In this discussion with Maddie's Fund Executive Leadership Team member Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Allison speaks of overcoming her own experiences with systemic bias and what she sees as initial steps we can take to widen diversity, equity and inclusion i...

Join us for an open, informal 60-minute conversation and Q+A with Dr. Michael J. Blackwell, DVM, MPH.   As the Director of the Program for Pet Health Equity, College of Social Work, at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Blackwell’s self-professed mission is to improve access to veterinary care, especially for families with limited means. He also chairs the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition.   In t...