IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stouffville, ON (Might 29, 2025) – Ontario SPCA and Humane Society President & CEO Doug Brooks has introduced his official retirement. Having served as President & CEO for 4 years, Brooks has led the group by the amalgamation with the Humane Society of Durham Area, the announcement of the merger with the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society, partnered with a lot of schools and universities and launched the group targeted strategic plan, geared toward supporting communities, rising consciousness of animal welfare challenges and retaining pets and other people collectively.
“Doug Brooks has led with a gentle hand and a sort coronary heart, all the time guided by the Ontario SPCA’s core values of compassion, collaboration, accountability, transparency and excellence,” says Renata D’Innocenzo, Chair of the Board. “We’re extremely grateful for all he has carried out for our group and the communities we serve.”
Doug Brooks’ final day might be July 11, 2025. The Ontario SPCA has appointed Donna Healey, present Society CFO, to be Interim CEO till the brand new CEO begins in September.
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society welcomes Charmaine Brett as new CEO & President
Revered international animal welfare and humanitarian chief to guide the group into its subsequent chapter
After a search that spanned North America, Charmaine Brett has been appointed the brand new Chief Government Officer and President of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, beginning September 8, 2025.
“Charmaine is becoming a member of us at a vital second for the Ontario SPCA as we deepen our influence throughout the province, proceed to champion animal well-being by community-based care and cope with the influence of a scarcity of veterinarian providers,” mentioned Renata D’Innocenzo, Chair of the Board of Administrators.
Charmaine brings greater than 20 years of world non-profit management, spanning animal welfare, humanitarian response and community-led growth. Previous to her function at Veterinarians With out Borders, she held senior management positions with organizations together with Medical doctors With out Borders, Motion In opposition to Starvation, Habitat for Humanity and the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies—one of many largest non-public foundations in the US. Her work has constantly targeted on enhancing lives by regionally pushed, sustainable options throughout well being, housing, and humanitarian sectors.
Most not too long ago, Charmaine served as Government Director of Veterinarians With out Borders North America, a registered charity in each Canada and the US. Beneath her management, the group considerably expanded its attain throughout greater than 13 international locations and continues to be an lively member of VSF Worldwide, a worldwide community working in 55 international locations to enhance the well being of animals, folks and the atmosphere.
Charmaine is widely known for her management in emergency response, having directed complicated operations in Ukraine, Turkey and wildfire-affected areas of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Northern Ontario. Her skill to reply with readability, compassion, and coordination throughout occasions of disaster has earned her sturdy respect throughout the animal welfare and humanitarian sectors.
In Canada, she has led efforts to extend entry to veterinary care in distant and underserved communities, significantly by her work with Indigenous companions in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. By cell clinics, training initiatives and the introduction of revolutionary fashions reminiscent of tele-triage, she has helped construct extra sustainable methods of take care of animals in hard-to-reach areas.
“I’m honoured to affix the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society at such a pivotal time for animal welfare,” mentioned Charmaine Brett. “Throughout Ontario, there may be an unimaginable alternative to strengthen native partnerships, assist underserved communities, and construct a future the place each animal receives the care they deserve. I’m excited to work alongside this devoted workforce and all those that make this mission doable.”
Based mostly in Ontario, Charmaine shares her house together with her two youngsters and a energetic crew of rescue pets. Her management is rooted in collaboration, fairness, and a perception within the energy of group to drive significant change.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
Media relations
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The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been altering the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society supplies care, consolation and compassion to animals in want in communities throughout Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to deal with them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to maintain pets and households collectively and does so by quite a lot of group assist providers, reminiscent of sheltering and adoptions, together with emergency sheltering, feral cat administration applications, animal transfers, meals distribution, humane training, animal advocacy and spay/neuter providers.
The Ontario SPCA doesn’t obtain annual authorities funding and depends on donations to offer applications and providers to assist animals in want. To be taught extra, or to donate, go to ontariospca.ca. Charitable Enterprise # 88969-1044-RR0002.
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Provincial Workplace sits on the standard territory of the Wendat, the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of Scugog, Hiawatha and Alderville First Nations and the Métis Nation. This territory was the topic of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an settlement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and take care of the assets across the Nice Lakes. The treaties that have been signed for this explicit parcel of land are collectively known as the Williams Treaties of 1923.
