Emerging Leaders
Tabitha Treloar-Richmond SPCA
Tabitha has had a long tenure at the Richmond SPCA and has certainly distinguished herself in her role there as their Director of Communications. She has been innovative with media campaigns increasing adoptions of animals. But her role as an Advocate in the legislative category has seen her become an emerging leader for Virginia. She has helped pass some very significant laws in Virginia including better shelter laws for dogs, felony animal cruelty and the Envigo bills which were passed recently. She has also been a major voice in defeating anti-animal welfare legislation over the past several years. She has been an outstanding voice for animals in Virginia.
Molly Armus-Humane Society of United States-Virginia Representative
Molly has distinguished herself as Virginia’s state representative from HSUS and her zealous advocacy on behalf of better animal protection laws has really brought about systemic change for animals. Whether it was better shelter laws for dogs, animal protection in laboratories or overhauling the sexual abuse of animal’s statutes, she never shirks from trying to make things better for animals. In addition, she has been a leader in defeating some anti-animal welfare bills which were trying to undermine animal protection. Her leadership has made a difference in Virginia.
Tamsen Kingry-Richmond SPCA
Tamsen has served the Richmond SPCA for decades as the Chief Operating Officer and has taken over the helm of the Richmond SPCA in recent years. In her emerging role as CEO of the Richmond SPCA, she has distinguished herself and has aided so many localities throughout Virginia. She is tireless in her advocacy and aid of animal protection. She has lent the Richmond SPCA’s voice to protecting animals through progressive animal legislation in the General Assembly. She is an exceptional leader.
Alicia Prygoski - Strategic Legislative Affairs Manager - Animal Legal Defense Fund
Alicia Prygoski works to develop and advance the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s legislative campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels.
Before joining the Animal Legal Defense Fund, Alicia worked as a public policy coordinator for farmed animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States and as a policy associate at the Animal Welfare Institute. At both organizations she worked to enhance legal protections for farmed animals across the country and contributed to passing a ballot initiative in Massachusetts and legislation in Rhode Island banning the extreme confinement of animals in factory farming operations.
Alicia has a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Western Michigan University-Cooley where she founded and ran the school’s Animal Legal Defense Fund student chapter. In 2016 she received the Wanda A. Nash Award from the State Bar of Michigan Animal Law Section for advancing animal law in the state.