A passion for putting pets first — and for staying ahead of the curve — fuels the ASPCA’s innovative strategies, and kept it energized when Katrina-relief efforts, a rebranding campaign and the overhaul of its development department all converged.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

“The ASPCA has been a place where technology and innovation have been welcomed, not shunned,” she explains. “Some charities shy away from it. But any opportunity to marry our ability to talk to people through whatever channel they want to talk to us, whether it’s phone, e-mail, television or whatever, we’re right there to maximize that channel.