The York County SPCA, York County's nonprofit animal shelter, has hired for two key leadership positions: Canine Behavior and Enrichment Manager Katie Keith and Director of Philanthropy Chad Myers. These positions are critical to addressing the increased needs of the organization and the community it supports.
Katie Keith joins the organization with a wealth of animal care and training knowledge. Katie was most recently a service dog trainer with Walter Reed Medical Center. Before that, she worked in animal husbandry at a variety of organizations. Katie holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Penn State and a Master of Professional Science in Marine Conservation from the University of Miami.
The Canine Behavior and Enrichment Manager will develop and implement canine programs to improve live outcomes and decrease canine length of stay in the shelter. This position will be critical to addressing the organization’s number one challenge – stray canine intake. In 2023, the organization saw a 34% increase in stray dogs entering the shelter over the prior year. Expanding its canine department will increase the quality of care and improve adoption rates.
"I am so grateful for the opportunity to join this amazing team," said Keith. "I am eager to support the dogs and people of York County."
Chad Myers is an experienced and passionate leader with more than 22 years of fundraising and community development experience. Beginning in 2018, Chad served as Director of Development for the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation and led the fundraising efforts to construct the new UPMC Memorial Hospital and create a wellness trail and, most recently, a working farm on campus. Chad's prior experience includes leading the United Way of York County fundraising efforts and community development roles at Downtown Inc. and the former Housing Initiatives Corporation. Chad's fundraising experience includes annual, major, corporate, and legacy giving, planning, and executing special projects and capital campaigns.
The Director of Philanthropy oversees the formation and management of relationships between the York County SPCA and its funders. This position ensures the sustainable growth of the organization through strategic fundraising efforts.
"I am excited to work alongside the passionate staff and volunteers of the YCSPA to continue to drive the organization's mission and vision through philanthropic efforts," Myers said.
Since embarking on an organizational transformation to improve lifesaving outcomes, the York County SPCA has increased its save rate by 41 percentage points in four years. The average save rate in 2023 was 94.2%.
"The number one threat to maintaining a 90% or greater save rate and our no-kill status is the tremendous increase in stray dog intake," said Steven Martinez, York County SPCA Executive Director. "Our board of directors and I have strategically decided to invest in expanding our fundraising and canine departments. With Chad Myers at the helm, overseeing our fundraising strategy, we believe he will bring in the resources we need to grow our canine department. Just as exciting, Katie brings an innovative mindset to our organization that seeks to build an impactful canine enrichment program that will efficiently place more dogs into loving permanent homes and meet our community's growing demands on the York County SPCA's services."
