{{Short description|President and CEO of American Humane}} '''Robin Ganzert''' is the president and CEO of American Humane, the country's oldest national humane organization.<ref>{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Kerry|title=Robin Ganzert's mission: Protecting children and animals from abuse|url=http://magazine.wfu.edu/2011/09/28/robin-ganzerts-mission-protecting-children-and-animals-from-abuse/|website=Wake Forest University|date=28 September 2011 |accessdate=3 March 2015}}</ref> American Humane works to protect animals and children from abuse and harm.<ref>{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Kerry|title=Robin Ganzert's mission: Protecting children and animals from abuse|url=http://magazine.wfu.edu/2011/09/28/robin-ganzerts-mission-protecting-children-and-animals-from-abuse/|website=Wake Forest University|date=28 September 2011 |accessdate=3 March 2015}}</ref> Ganzert is the author of the book ''Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors'' (2014).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Allen |last2=Anderson |first2=Linda |last3=Ganzert |first3=Robin |title=Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with your Favorite Animal Actors |url=https://www.americanhumane.org/publication/animal-stars-behind-the-scenes-with-your-favorite-animal-actors/ |website=American Humane |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref> In February 2017, Ganzert was elected to the Forbes Nonprofit Council for Chief Executive Officers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2017/02/06/three-easy-steps-to-run-a-lean-mean-humanitarian-organization/#2b916d17e2dd|title=Three Easy Steps To Run A Lean, Mean Humanitarian Organization|last=Council|first=Forbes Nonprofit|work=Forbes|access-date=2017-04-10}}</ref> ==Education and career== Ganzert received her B.S. and M.B.A. from Wake Forest University, and her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. Biography |url=https://www.americanhumane.org/person/robin-r-ganzert/ |website=American Humane |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref>
Before working at American Humane, Ganzert served as deputy director of philanthropic services at the Pew Charitable Trusts, and she also was a national director of philanthropic strategies with Wachovia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. Biography |url=https://www.americanhumane.org/person/robin-r-ganzert/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=American Humane}}</ref>
As CEO of American Humane, Ganzert works to increase global awareness about the organization, improve its efficiency, and boost the effectiveness of its programs. She also conducts numerous interviews and makes frequent public appearances on behalf of the organization.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alumnus Dr. Robin Ganzert ('87, MBA '91) Wins Fiduciary Leadership Award|url=http://business.wfu.edu/newsroom/alumnus-dr-robin-ganzert-87-mba-91-wins-fiduciary-leadership-award/|website=Wake Forest School of Business|accessdate=3 March 2015}}</ref> When Ganzert took over as CEO in 2010, American Humane had operated at a substantial deficit each of the previous four years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3029733/bottom-line/how-to-save-a-137-year-old-humanitarian-organization-three-easy-steps|title=How To Save A 137-Year-Old Humanitarian Organization In Three Easy Steps|date=2014-04-29|work=Fast Company|access-date=2017-04-18|language=en-US}}</ref> By consolidating American Humane's 40 programs into five platforms — American Humane Conservation, American Humane Farm Program, American Humane Hollywood, American Humane Rescue, and the Lois Pope LIFE Center for Military Affairs — the organization now operates with annual surpluses.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3029733/bottom-line/how-to-save-a-137-year-old-humanitarian-organization-three-easy-steps|title=How To Save A 137-Year-Old Humanitarian Organization In Three Easy Steps|date=2014-04-29|work=Fast Company|access-date=2017-04-18|language=en-US}}</ref> During her tenure as CEO, American Humane has quadrupled the number of children and animals under its protection.<ref>{{cite web|title=Two Champions of Compassion Join Our Mission|url=http://behumane.org/march-2013/two-champions-of-compassion-join-our-mission|website=Be Humane|accessdate=3 March 2015}}</ref>
In 2015, Ganzert successfully spearheaded the effort to change U.S. law, ensuring the return of retired military working dogs to American soil after their service overseas and reunion with their handlers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/military-working-dogs-now-guaranteed-a-trip-home-with-their-handlers/|title=Military working dogs now guaranteed a trip home with their handlers|date=2015-12-10|work=Fox News|access-date=2017-04-10|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/life/pets/congress-bring-military-dogs-home-to-retire-with-their-handlers/|title=Congress: Bring military dogs home to retire with their handlers|date=2014-07-23|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=2017-04-10|language=en-US}}</ref> The following year, she launched the world's first certification program dedicated solely to the welfare of animals in zoos and aquariums.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4364671/zoos-improve-lives-of-animals/|title=Zoos Are Not Prisons. They Improve the Lives of Animals.|magazine=Time|date=13 June 2016 |access-date=2017-04-10}}</ref>
Robin Ganzert is the author of the book ''Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with Your Favorite Animal Actors'' (2014), which discusses the animals and trainers featured in popular movies and TV shows.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Allen |last2=Anderson |first2=Linda |last3=Ganzert |first3=Robin |title=Animal Stars: Behind the Scenes with your Favorite Animal Actors |url=https://www.americanhumane.org/publication/animal-stars-behind-the-scenes-with-your-favorite-animal-actors/ |website=American Humane |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref> == Awards == Ganzert is a recipient of the Brava Award for top female CEOs in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smartceo.com/2016-washington-brava-robin-r-ganzert-ph-d/|title=Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. {{!}} SmartCEO|website=www.smartceo.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-04-10}}</ref> She was also named the Rare Life Leadership Award winner for her work in the humane field.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eaglerarelife.com/rarelives_winners_2016|title=Eagle Rare Life|website=eaglerarelife.com|access-date=2017-04-10}}</ref>
==Position on animal welfare== Ganzert is a proponent of the Five Freedoms test to determine the state of an animal's welfare. The Five Freedoms stipulate that animals should be free from pain, free from fear, free from discomfort, free from hunger, and free to express natural behaviors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D. Biography |url=https://www.americanhumane.org/person/robin-r-ganzert/ |website=American Humane |access-date=19 October 2022}}</ref>
She has stated that American Humane's intent is "to have food supply animals treated as humanely as possible, at the same time our goal is to work with agriculture, educate them as to the best standards of humane animal welfare — and not put them out of business."<ref>{{cite news|title=Robin Ganzert Steers American Humane Association From a Celebrated Past Into a Promising Future|url=http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2011/01/robin-ganzert-steers-american-humane-association-from-a-celebrated-past-into-a-promising-future/|accessdate=3 March 2015|publisher=Chicago Mag|date=January 27, 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130109/http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2011/01/robin-ganzert-steers-american-humane-association-from-a-celebrated-past-into-a-promising-future/|archivedate=2 April 2015}}</ref>
Ganzert advocates for the federal reimbursement of military veterans who use service dogs to treat symptoms of PTSD.<ref>{{cite web|title=American Humane Association Calls on VA to Support Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD|url=http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/2012/10/02/american-humane-association-calls-on-va-to-support-service-dogs-for-veterans-with-ptsd/|website=Swords to Plowshares|accessdate=3 March 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924112415/http://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/2012/10/02/american-humane-association-calls-on-va-to-support-service-dogs-for-veterans-with-ptsd/|archivedate=24 September 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{People in animal welfare}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Ganzert, Robin}}
Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American animal welfare workers Category:American women chief executives Category:American nonprofit chief executives Category:Wake Forest University alumni Category:University of North Carolina at Greensboro alumni