Betsy McFarland

CAWA, Principal, Adisa

Betsy McFarland is a strategist, facilitator, and problem-solver who has forged a unique professional niche focused on empowering staff and volunteers committed to tackling challenging societal issues. She brings 25 years of experience in animal protection, including 18 years at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) where she served as vice president of the Companion Animals section. During her tenure, Betsy developed programs aimed at keeping pets in homes and increasing adoption of pets from shelters and rescues—including the Pets for Life program which brings spay/neuter and other critical services to underserved communities, and The Shelter Pet Project, a national advertising campaign with the Ad Council and Maddie’s Fund to promote pet adoption. She also led policy campaigns to eliminate gas chamber euthanasia in animal shelters and increase non-lethal solutions for managing cat populations. Passionate about engaging the community, Betsy also has extensive experience growing volunteers within organizations large and small. She is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) through the Association of Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA), holds a degree in psychology from George Mason University, and completed Executive Certificates in Facilitation as well as Organizational Consulting and Change Leadership through Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership.