Jennifer Brehler asked if she could pose with an animal for the photos accompanying the Sedona Red Rock News article about her. She said holding a cat or dog would make her more comfortable in front of the camera, which is fitting for the position she holds — executive director of the Humane Society of Sedona.

Brehler officially started the job on Thursday, May 30, occupying the position her friend and fellow Michigan native, Austin Gates, resigned from on April 2. 

While Brehler has been working and living in Sedona for less than a month, her relationship with animal welfare is a long-lasting one. Twenty-three years, to be exact, working in her home state, North Carolina, and California.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in humane leadership from Duquesne University and was an intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, serving during Operation: Desert Storm and under the NATO Operation: Joint Endeavor in the Balkan Peninsula. Back home after her years with the army, Brehler saw a “help wanted” sign in front of the Michigan Humane Society, walked into the shelter and, as she put it, “that was it.”

From there, she moved first to Durham and then to Ashville, both in North Carolina, and, most recently, was the senior vice president and chief operating officer for the San Diego Humane Society, one of the largest organizations of its type in the country. For comparison, Brehler oversaw 420 employees in her last position, while the staff of Humane Society of Sedona is made up of 20 people.

“I am really looking forward to a much smaller, close-knit organization,” she said. “Sedona [is] such a beautiful place …. I’ve been here really four or five times in the past few years and really enjoyed my time here, just visiting my friend who actually used to have this position, Austin.”

“In general, the work in itself is very similar, it’s just the scale,” she continued, explaining how Sedona differs from San Diego. “Smaller needs, so smaller resources, right? But we still run into the same challenges, still animals that need to find homes, animals that may need a little extra special medical or behavior care. Also, I think that the main difference is the Humane Society of Sedona does not handle wildlife, and in San Diego we did have an entire arm of the organization called Project Wildlife.” 

Brehler’s experience in larger organizations means she’s seen a lot of different programs and ways to run animal shelters and, there¬fore, can bring many new ideas to Sedona. However, she plans to take it slow and put the needs of the community above all.

“Of course for me coming from a larger organization, I’m like ‘We should do this and this,’ but I do want to make sure and be mindful that’s the right thing for the community,” Brehler said. “I think that the future has kind of endless possibilities for the Humane Society of Sedona, I certainly, just being here one week, don’t want to come in and be like ‘Oh, we’re going to do this and we’re going to do this.’ I would rather come in, understand the community too.” 

“So I know, in talking to the board of directors here, one of the things that we’re getting ready to do … [is] to do more of a community needs assessment, to find out what does the Sedona community need from the Humane Society of Sedona and then what are they interested in doing? So maybe not a strong need but maybe they’re interested.” 

Understanding what are the ideal projects for HSS, as well as getting familiar with the place itself, might still take a while however, she was already able to notice some unique aspects about the town and the people who live here.

“Both the staff and volunteers that work here, they are incredibly compassionate and supportive to not just the animals but also the people. I have really been taken aback by how wonderful and kind everyone has been here and how supportive they are of each other,” she said. “And then just the number of people who have come by just to meet me and say hello and welcome me to Sedona … just individuals in general just coming in the community and being, ‘Oh hey, you’re the new executive director, I wanted to come meet you.’ It’s just nice, it’s like everybody knows everybody, I guess, here. [It’s] just a different feel, which is nice, to get away from the … hecticness but also kind of the impersonal aspects of a large city, I think that’s nice.”

Brehler also praised the work done at the organization prior to her arrival.

“The really nice thing about the Humane Society of Sedona is they are already very progressive, which is also a change for me, coming to an organization that is doing really, really well and doing great work. I’m kind of use to going in and having a little bit of a mess to clean up so to speak, so this is an interesting time for me and an interesting journey,” she said. “I really just hope to continue helping to build progressive programs, help connect our citizens in Sedona to the animal shelter.” 

Natasha Heinz can be reached at 282-7795 ext. 117, or email at nheinz@larsonnewspapers.com