“During the AVA conference 2025, we heard again and again how strategic planning sometimes requires stepping on the brakes, slowing down, looking inward, and reassessing where you’re going. For an animal sanctuary, that’s incredibly hard. The animals still need daily care, no matter what, and slowing down can feel impossible.

Being part of the amazing SPAA cohort of 2025, and doing this work alongside Jill, our new Executive Director, has been transformative. We’ve grown incredibly close through this process, and we’ve taken a deep, honest look at who we are as an organization and where we know we can go. That wouldn’t have been possible without being forced (in the best way..) to slow down and really do the work.

Krista and Kyle are so much more than teachers. They are mentors, role models, and genuinely wonderful humans. They created a space where we felt safe, seen, and capable. They believed in us when we needed it most, encouraged us when things felt uncertain, and pushed us to take the necessary steps forward.

I have nothing but gratitude for them. I rave about them constantly, because this course is something every organization should do when they’re ready to roll up their sleeves and truly commit to their future.

If you’re considering strategic planning and you know it’s time to pause, reflect, and realign; SPAA is not just helpful, it’s essential.

I am deeply grateful, and I will always be grateful, to Krista and Kyle.