Louisiana State Director

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Purpose: State directors for Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Center for a Humane Economy (CHE) help animals by extending the reach of the organization’s branding, programs, and priorities into key states. State directors are generalists who works to advance our organizational goals through a wide range of strategies, across a wide range of animal issues, and with a wide range of people who have diverse political views, backgrounds, and beliefs.

Here are priority projects and areas of focus for the state director

• Setting a statewide agenda for reform
• Identify legislative priorities in the state legislature and lobby on priority items as available.
• Play defense on anti-animal efforts undertaken by animal-use players.
• Support pro-animal county and city ordinances and resolutions where appropriate.
• To the extent practical, and only with AWA resources, organize electioneering activities to favor pro-animal candidates and to oppose anti-animal candidates, regardless of political party. Track voting records of candidates.
• Monitor state agencies and their respective activities and develop executive agency reform goals. Become familiar with workings of agencies such as the state Dept of Agriculture, Animal Care & Control, and Game & Fish agencies. Examine issues related to:
  • Extreme confinement, state check-off programs, state reporting and transparency regarding animal facility inspections, tail docking and other farm animal mutilations
  • Wildlife Killing Contests, the use of lead ammo, canned hunts, inhumane predator killing
  • Euthanasia rates in animal shelters
  • Oversight in animal care facilities
• Empower local animal advocates and supporters
• Develop a state council that will allow you to harness the energy of advocates. Work with them to find tasks and activities that they can meaningfully invest time and energy in. Coach and develop local volunteers and support them in their goals to be effective in their advocacy for animals.
• Consider establishing a lobby day once there is a critical mass of support.
• Build local and state coalitions to enhance the prospect of legislative progress.
• Establish relationships with other animal protection groups, including shelters, rescues, sanctuaries, wildlife rehabilitation centers. Activate them to the extent practicable on our legislative and other programmatic campaigns.
• Recommend candidates to open positions on various state agency boards and commissions.
• Be a cultural change agent and leader
• Define the high level vision for the desired changes in the state. Implement the principles of change management, marketing, and influence makers to set the course to realize those changes.
• Identify a list of major businesses in the state that include animals in their supply chains, R&D programs, or operations or whose extractive or waste disposal activities have an impact on wildlife, habitat, and biodiversity. Rely on staff with the Center for a Humane Economy to conduct research on corporations.
• Participate in or plan an annual day of awareness around roadkill, animal adoption, plant-based eating.
• Follow the work of affiliated organizations, including the Animal Wellness Foundation, Center for a Humane Economy, and Karner Blue Capital, and direct supporters with a keen interest in their work to the leaders of those organizations.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ability to present yourself in a friendly, professional and non-partisan manner
• Attend biweekly check-in meetings with supervisor
• Respond to AWA/CHE leadership emails and calls within 48 hours
• Be prepared and on-time for meetings and events
• Share and support AWA’s mission and core values; adhere to AWA’s
• Other duties as needed

Skills and Qualifications

• Excellent communication skills - both written and spoken
• Ability to do independent research
• Basic computer literacy
• Conduct a ZOOM video conference
• Ability to energize and motivate volunteers
• Self-motivated
• Ability to present yourself in a friendly, professional, and nonpartisan manner
• Ability to work independently, follow instructions, and meet deadlines
• Working knowledge of Google Drive and Trello, or a willingness to learn

Training Requirements

Training on policies, mission, and legislative agenda.

Time Commitment Required

Approximately 7-10 hours per week.

Location

Most of the meetings will be conducted via Zoom, though occasionally in-person meetings in your state may be required.

Benefits to the Volunteer

• Know that you are key to making a difference in the betterment of animals
• Take your passion for animal protection and put it into action
• Be a valued AWA team member
• Build your volunteer resume and develop excellent communication skills

Supervisor

Natalie Ahwesh, Director of Grassroots Advocacy

What Volunteers Can Expect From AWA

• Support of AWA leadership and members
• Respect and appreciation for your contribution and input

AWA Mission: Helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty.

Helping animals helps us all

AWA backgrounder: Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.