Podcast Summary: RKD Group: Thinkers

Episode: Meet Laura Baker of Nashville Humane Association
Date: February 27, 2025
Host: RKD Group
Guest: Laura Baker, Executive Director, Nashville Humane Association

Overview

This episode features an insightful and heartfelt conversation with Laura Baker, Executive Director at Nashville Humane Association. Laura shares her unique journey through animal welfare, her advocacy for community-focused care, and the strategic, empathetic leadership that guides her nonprofit. The discussion offers practical lessons on adapting to shifts in animal welfare, innovative community engagement, leading with inclusion, and finding balance in mission-driven work.

Laura Baker’s Journey into Animal Welfare

[00:50 – 03:04]

• Early Beginnings:

  • Laura fell into animal welfare, starting as a volunteer in Ohio while pursuing a biology degree.
  • Shifted from dreams of being a veterinarian or ballerina to hands-on shelter work.
  • “I started as a kennel tech in Florida, taking care of 10,000 animals with no air conditioning. So that was like boot camp from the start.” – Laura [01:33]

• Career Progression:

  • Gained experience in Florida during the 2008–09 housing crisis.
  • Moved to Tennessee for her son’s specialized care and led Williamson County Animal Center.
  • Transitioned in 2017 to Nashville Humane as Executive Director.

• Personal Connection:

  • Laura’s son's autism diagnosis influenced her perspective on accessibility and community needs.

Core Value: Collaboration Over Competition

[03:19 – 04:08]

• Collaboration as a Through Line:
  • Emphasizes team lifts and resource sharing across agencies.
  • “Animal welfare is a community problem and solution.” – Laura [03:32]
  • Much gratitude for exposure to both challenging and celebratory aspects of animal welfare.

Evolving Animal Welfare: Outward-Facing Programs

[04:21 – 06:32]

• Community Resources Focus:

  • Growth in Nashville drives the need to adapt facilities and expand services.
  • Shift from solely adoption to preventing shelter surrenders through support: training, resources, food banks.
  • “We don't want your animal. If you love your animals, do you need training? Do you need resources?” – Laura [04:44]

• Rural Outreach & Ripple Effect:

  • Nashville Humane supports neighboring rural counties, amplifying regional impact and public health.

Changing the Messaging & Fundraising Approach

[06:36 – 09:04]

• Beyond the Save Rate:

  • Moving away from “sad animal” narratives to transparent, honest community messaging.
  • Focus on reporting all impactful programs, not just adoptions.
  • “We've had so many other programs like our food bank, our temporary crisis fostering, our monthly vaccination clinics that impact animals in our community...That's about 22,000 animals a year.” – Laura [07:54]

• Donor Communication:

  • Emphasizes ongoing honesty and resisting shame-based or sensational storytelling.
  • “We simply just want to be a resource, and I think that's very important to share with not only those that you serve, but your donors.” – Laura [08:56]

Building Inclusive & Accessible Spaces

[09:23 – 12:24]

• Culture City Sensory Inclusion Certification:

  • Inspired by her son’s autism and his sensory experiences at the shelter.
  • NHA implemented quiet rooms, noise-canceling headphones, weighted blankets, fidget toys, and specialized training.
  • “We're creating a sensory inclusive environment for the animals and for the humans. We're increasing adoption opportunities, ...and we're promoting community engagement.” – Laura [11:08]

• Leading Regional Inclusion:

  • First animal shelter in Tennessee, and the southeast, to achieve Culture City certification.
  • Actively welcoming individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, and needs.

Leadership Insights: A Day in the Life

[12:35 – 14:56]

• Unpredictability and Variety:

  • No two days are alike—ranging from policy advocacy at the state capitol to fundraising events and hands-on shelter work.
  • “Working at animal welfare is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.” – Laura [12:38]
  • Major events like “Unleashed” raise significant funds and engagement.

• Finding Magic in Chaos:

  • Enjoys flexible, dynamic problem-solving with her team in high-pressure situations.

Leading by Example: Work-Life Balance & Burnout

[15:05 – 16:47]

• Personal Boundaries:
  • No longer sends late-night emails; prioritizes family and personal health.
  • Encourages staff to set boundaries and watch for burnout in each other.
  • “I'm no good to anybody if I'm burnt out...we will hold each other accountable and be like, ‘why don’t you just leave at 3 today and turn your phone off.’” – Laura [15:54]

Navigating Challenges: Inclusion & Resilience

[16:55 – 18:51]

• Diverse Audience Dynamics:

  • Balances urban-progressive and traditional Southern audiences.
  • “Animals aren't political, but some of those themes…can bleed onto animals.” – Laura [17:08]

• Female Leadership Hurdles:

  • Faced gender bias in past roles, driving her toward more supportive environments.

• Community Hope:

  • Despite societal division and global “fires,” NHA supporters continually exceed expectations, especially post-COVID.

Evolving as a Leader: Key Skills

[19:01 – 21:02]

• Listening & Communication Growth:

  • Admits to needing improvement in active listening and resisting assumptions.
  • “I make it worse sometimes when I could just listen…Listening is something that's always a challenge and something I'm working on.” – Laura [19:16]

• Taking Risks:

  • Weighs risks thoughtfully and values pilot programs with measurement and review.

• Organization Tools:

  • Uses Asana and Slack to coordinate teams, especially vital across multiple buildings.

Innovation: Recent Risk-Taking Initiatives

[21:14 – 24:00]

• Reunification Station:

  • First in Nashville; provides a way for the public to scan found pets for microchips.
  • “We've had zero issues with it. And there's an average of six animals that are being scanned a week via that.” – Laura [22:30]

• Text-to-Give Fundraising:

  • With RKD’s help, piloted text-to-give on Giving Tuesday, netting $20,000 from minimal investment.
  • “Not every risk pays off like that, but clearly that one paid off. And it informed how we approach 2025.” – Laura [23:21]

Advice to Animal Welfare Peers

[24:17]

• You Are Not Alone:
  • Encourages nonprofit professionals to seek support from peers and industry organizations.
  • “What I want to tell my peers is that you're not alone. You always have somebody that can help you...” – Laura [24:22]

Memorable Quotes

• “Animal welfare is a community problem and solution.” – Laura Baker [03:32]
• “We don't want your animal. If you love your animals, do you need training? Do you need resources?” – Laura Baker [04:44]
• “We're creating a sensory inclusive environment for the animals and for the humans.” – Laura Baker [11:08]
• “Working at animal welfare is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.” – Laura Baker [12:38]
• “I’m no good to anybody if I'm burnt out.” – Laura Baker [15:54]
• “What I want to tell my peers is that you're not alone. You always have somebody that can help you...” – Laura Baker [24:22]

Key Timestamps

• 00:50 – Laura’s career origin story
• 03:19 – Value of collaboration in animal welfare
• 04:21 – Pivoting to community support, not just adoption
• 06:36 – Evolving fundraising and transparent messaging
• 09:23 – Sensory inclusion and Culture City certification
• 12:35 – A day in the life as executive director
• 15:05 – Managing burnout and modeling work-life balance
• 16:55 – Navigating diversity, bias, and community hope
• 19:01 – Growing as a leader: listening, risks, organization
• 21:14 – Reunification stations and text-to-give innovations
• 24:17 – Closing advice: “You are not alone.”

Summary prepared for listeners seeking actionable insights, inspiration, and a comprehensive understanding of leadership, innovation, and inclusivity in the nonprofit animal welfare space.