Lifetime Achievement
Robin Starr
Robin has literally saved thousands of animal lives in Richmond, across Virginia and the United States. As the former CEO of the Richmond SPCA, she brought about a sea change in how we treat shelter animals, ensuring that every shelter animal is saved. She coined the term that every Life is Precious. Beyond the animals she has impacted, she has been instrumental in getting a myriad of animal protection laws passed in the General Assembly for over twenty years, including one of the best animal fighting laws in the country. She is a true Titan.
Debra Griggs
Debra has spent her whole life rescuing animals and founded ART (Animal Rescue of Tidewater). She has served her community with distinction and valor by saving 100s of animal lives. She took the helm of the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and modernized that organization by creating programs that saved even more animal lives and created a solid foundation for passing effective laws in the General Assembly, which elevated animal welfare and protected animals. She has been a fierce Advocate for over 20 years and a voice for the
animals.
Sharon Adams
Sharon spent her career at the Virginia Beach SPCA saving animal lives and assisting animal control with their cases. Her role there was a career well spent, but she pushed the envelope and spent countless hours at the General Assembly getting laws passed that benefited animals. There are too many good laws she shepherded to count but some of the highlights are the commercial breeder laws and our dangerous dog laws. She also founded VAAS (Virginia Alliance of Animal Shelters), which assists public animal shelters and Animal Control Officers.
She and VAAS have trained shelter workers and Animal Control officers for over a decade. She is a formidable Advocate.
Kathy Strouse
Kathy spent her career as a passionate Animal Control Officer, rising through the ranks to head Chesapeake Animal Control. She has saved animals from abuse, neglect and animal fighting her whole career. She helped professionalize Animal Control in Virginia and was a respected Board Member of VACA and the Virginia Animal Fighting Taskforce. She epitomizes what a professional Animal Control Officer should be. But that is not all she did: she helped pass so many good animal laws in Virginia. Two of the best laws she played a role in getting passed were the Commercial breeder law and our exceptional Animal Fighting law.