Dr. Ganzert of American Humane Society discusses the organization’s massive scale—protecting over 1.7 billion animals annually—and shares her insights on leading through financial reckoning, the power of storytelling through award-winning documentaries, and why nonprofit leaders must operate with a business mindset to achieve maximum social impact.

Key Takeaways for Nonprofit Leaders

  • Collaboration Over Competition: Organizations with limited resources should avoid duplicating existing local services. By joining forces with other groups, nonprofits can ensure donor dollars achieve more significant social impact rather than dividing assets and lessening their reach.
  • Social Impact as a Business Product: Nonprofits must be treated as businesses where the “product” is social impact. Success requires rigorous financial management, fiduciary practices, and data-driven evaluation to meet the demands of the mission.
  • Engage “On the Ground” to Lead at the Top: True leadership requires being in the field to understand the reality of the mission. These ground-level insights are essential for making informed board-level decisions regarding resource allocation and strategic direction.
  • Amplify Your Message Through Diverse Media: Storytelling—through books, op-eds, or high-end documentaries—is a powerful tool to reach new audiences and build credibility. Dr. Ganzert utilizes documentary filmmaking to bring the urgency of the biodiversity crisis to global viewers.

The Q&A: Inside the Mission with Dr. Robin Ganzert

American Humane has a storied history. Can you share a bit about its founding and its holistic approach to animal welfare?

Dr. Robin Ganzert: We were founded coming out of the Civil War at a time when there were no protections for farm animals being shipped across the country via railroad. Farmers and ranchers actually approached us to promote legislation to protect animals in transit. Interestingly, this led us into the space of child abuse in the 1870s because, at the time, children were legally equated to property. American Humane put protections in place for children based on animal cruelty laws.

Today, our programs cover everything from protecting animals on film sets and farms to rescuing animals on the battlefields of World War I and supporting modern-day service dogs. We operate in 91 countries, using science and evidence-based practices to determine what it truly means to be “humane”.

You joined the organization in 2010 during a “reckoning.” What called you to take on that challenge?

Dr. Robin Ganzert: When I joined, American Humane was re-imagining its future after a financial crisis and a period where it had strayed too far from its mission. I came from a background at the Pew Charitable Trusts and the banking sector, where I managed philanthropic strategies for thousands of nonprofits.

I felt called to lean into those lessons and use my PhD in nonprofit financial management to stabilize this institution. It was a challenging situation, but it allowed me to grow as a leader. Every day, I get to use my financial training and evaluation skills to serve as a voice for animals.

How does your national and global organization interface with the thousands of local shelters across the country?

Dr. Robin Ganzert: There are roughly 5,000 shelters and 10,000 rescue groups in the U.S., mostly locally funded and championed. Our business model focuses on thought leadership, standard setting, and grant-making. We are the only group in the world that certifies animals in various working environments.

I always tell local organizations: make sure you are collaborating and not replicating services. If everyone is chasing the same cause in a small community, you divide the assets and have a lesser impact. Egos must be left outside the door because the animals don’t care about our titles—they just need medical care and rescue.

You’ve used documentaries to spread your message. How has that helped your work?

Dr. Robin Ganzert: I believe in the power of storytelling to reach hearts and minds. Our film series, Escape from Extinction, narrated by Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep, has reached global audiences on airlines and streaming platforms like Amazon Prime.

A documentary gives you a level of credibility and substance that an op-ed might not. It allows us to educate people on the biodiversity crisis in a visually beautiful and digestible way. We even saw our first film shortlisted for an Oscar, which shows that if you’re going to do something, you should do it big.

Support American Humane Society today at americanhumane.org