Speakers from SPARC (Supporting People and Animal Relationships for Change): Hanna Lentz, Executive Director, and Jillian Sergio, Community Initiatives Manager
September 24, 2025
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. on Zoom
Stories and messages shape what people think is true. They trigger our brains to ask: What's the problem? Who is responsible? And what's the solution? They have a big influence on issues like overwhelmed shelters, access to care, animal cruelty, and pet ownership.
The problem is that most stories and messages don't give us the answers we need. We often get stuck with stereotypes, shaming, and villainizing. Stories don’t tell us about the real root causes of problems. During this webinar, explore new messaging principles and practices that can help us talk about problems and solutions in clear, effective ways. You'll be introduced to Supporting People and Animal Relationships for Change (SPARC) and explore why better messaging is critical now. We’ll offer practical tips on how to use better messaging in everyday work for pets and people.
Find out more about SPARC here.
ABOUT HANNA AND JILLIAN
Hanna Lentz has been part of animal well-being and sheltering organizations across the U.S, doing everything from mucking barns to adoptions to behavior. She spent a decade focused on dog and cat programs around the globe, supporting local projects and helping develop workshops for communities to define and implement their own solutions. In 2016, she co-founded Impact by Design, a consulting firm for animal welfare, conservation, and environment organizations. The organization continues to thrive today.
She has a Bachelor’s in English with Honors in Writing from University of Michigan, a Master’s in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University, and a Global MBA from IE University in Madrid, Spain. Today she brings all of these experiences together as the Executive Director of SPARC, supporting a mission close to her heart.
Jillian Sergio has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit management and brings a wealth of knowledge in program development, operations, and building strategic partnerships. Jillian is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA). In her previous role as the Executive Director of Companion Animal Alliance in Baton Rouge, LA, Jillian’s work demonstrated a commitment to the bond between pets and people. She prioritized programming that created access to care and treated pet families across diverse communities with dignity and compassion. She understands the realities of animal sheltering and the barriers we often face to change.
REGISTRATION FEE
$0 for Ohio Fed Webinar Bundle participants with code
$25 per organization for Ohio Fed members
$50 per organization for non-members
Registration fee includes a link to a recording of the webinar that will be emailed after the program and available for a limited time. Not sure if your organization is a member? Click here.
Ohio Animal Welfare Federation is an approved provider of content which enhances professional competence and aligns with the 5 domains of the CAWA Exam specifications. Every hour of training equals 1 CE towards CAWA Recertification.
This webinar has also been approved for Continuing Educational Units by the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA). National certificate holders can submit for credit consistent with the NACA CEU policy located here.
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