Brian Hackett

New Jersey State Director, The Humane Society of the United States

As New Jersey state director for HSUS, Brian Hackett has engaged in all levels of government, placing an emphasis on effective collaboration with various stakeholders to advance animal protection policies. Locally, he has played a leading role in advancing the most anti-puppy mill measures of any state, with 140 NJ municipalities and nine counties passing measures addressing the puppy mill problem. Hackett has worked to advance humane community cat management through Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) policies with throughout NJ. He most recently served on an ad hoc committee formed by the Cumberland County governing body to study and promote TNVR. He also is a board member for People for Animals, a NJ-based network of low-cost spay/neuter and wellness clinics. On the state level, since becoming state director 4 years ago, Hackett has directly been a part of passing over a dozen new animal protection laws statewide. These include laws ending circus animal cruelty, banning the shark fin sales trade, and cutting off NJ markets to animal trophies. Hackett is magna cum laude graduate of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy management. He also briefly served as a local town council member before joining HSUS.