Age: 24

Location: Portland, Ore.

Education: B.A. in French from the University of Iowa in Iowa City

Job Title: Executive director of the Pixie Project

What She Does: As the executive director of the Pixie Project—an animal adoption center and nonprofit pet-supply store working to fight pet overpopulation—Amy takes on many tasks on a day-to-day basis. “I spend a great deal of time with potential pet adopters talking with them about what they hope to find in their new companion animal and then either finding that animal for them in a shelter or matching them with one of our adoptable animals at the Pixie Project,” she says. Additionally, Amy creates a welcoming atmosphere at the retail store and keeps it stocked with pet-related products.

How She Got Her Gig: “My very first networking experience in the animal rescue world was with a wonderful woman named Pat Farrant, who was the president of the local Humane Society in my college town,” she says. “I came across an elderly man who was struggling to feed several stray cats that were living around his house. I decided I wanted to make it my project to get all of the cats spayed or neutered, but I had no idea how to go about doing it,” says Amy. After setting up a meeting with Pat, Amy quickly became the Humane Society coordinator for all of the large-scale spay/neuter projects in the area and started networking within the local animal rescue community. During her college years, she also learned the industry ropes by volunteering for various organizations benefiting homeless animals. Last year, she returned home to Portland and put together a business plan for the Pixie Project. With the help of her parents, she founded the organization that turned her lifelong passion for animals into a career.

Ongoing Networking: Amy makes a point to share the story of the Pixie Project with someone new every day. “I am a firm believer that you never know where your next adopter, volunteer, donor, or rescue partner may be coming from, and for this reason I consider everyone I meet a positive contact,” she says.

The Tough Stuff: To deal with the sadness and stress that goes hand in hand with working in animal welfare, Amy focuses on the victories she’s achieved by pairing pets with owners. She also tries to remember that one person cannot solve a huge problem like pet overpopulation overnight. “Pat told me that if you let yourself get overwhelmed you will no longer be effective and you will become part of the problem rather than part of the solution,” she says.

Creating Companionship: The best part of Amy’s job is pairing an animal that has never been loved with a new adoring
family—particularly when that owner is in need of companionship as well. “About six months ago, the Pixie Project took in a 10-year-old Lab who was abandoned…. One day I received a call from an older gentleman who had recently lost his wife and was struggling terribly with loneliness. He had never owned a dog but felt he desperately needed a companion. He came in, met our wonderful senior Lab, and it was a match at first sight,” she says.

This Job’s for You if: You’ve got a great deal of energy, a strong desire to embrace challenges, a high frustration threshold, and a true love for animals. Amy also recommends that anyone wanting to start their own pet-related organization begins by doing hands-on research. “I worked with at least five different rescues and adoption centers before starting the Pixie Project, and I learned an enormous amount from observing both their strengths and weaknesses,” she says. A strong support system is also invaluable. “Having people in your life that will be there through the ups and downs of the nonprofit world is hugely important to sustaining one’s own energy and effectiveness.”