Kristen Hassen

Kristen Hassen
Kristen Hassen
Born
💼 Occupation	Animal welfare consultant
👩 Spouse(s)	Jackson Galaxy

Kristen Hassen is an American animal welfare consultant and former animal shelter director who is the founder and principal of Outcomes for Pets Consulting, LLC, a consultancy specializing in data-driven strategies for animal shelters and animal services agencies.[1][2][3] She is known for leading some of the largest open-intake shelters in the United States and for achieving sustained high live-outcome rates while promoting community-based approaches to animal welfare.[1][2][4]

Career

Hassen is the principal of Outcomes for Pets Consulting, LLC (also referred to as Outcomes Consulting), a firm that works with government and nonprofit animal welfare organizations on shelter operations, strategic planning and humane, data-informed lifesaving programs.[1][3][5] Her clients have included large municipal animal services departments and national animal welfare organizations.[1][49]

Over the course of her career, Hassen has directed or held senior leadership roles at several large open-intake shelters, including the Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Virginia, Austin Animal Center in Austin, Texas, and Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Arizona.[1][44] At Pima Animal Care Center, a municipal shelter taking in approximately 20,000 animals annually, she led efforts that were reported to achieve a live release rate of over 90 percent.[41][44] Prior to her work in Tucson, she served as deputy director of Austin Animal Services and assistant director of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.[44]

Through Outcomes for Pets Consulting, Hassen has worked with government animal shelters in major U.S. jurisdictions, including Los Angeles, Riverside County, San Diego County, Miami-Dade County, Dallas, San Antonio and Maui, providing assessments, operational guidance and strategic planning support.[41][49] A 2024 professional services agreement between Riverside County, California and Outcomes for Pets Consulting described the firm as bringing expertise in municipal animal services, leadership and management in animal welfare, innovation, animal control and animal protection, and strategic planning for enhanced animal welfare services.[49]

In addition to her consulting work, Hassen has collaborated with or advised national and nonprofit organizations such as the ASPCA, Petco Love, Pedigree Foundation, Banfield Foundation, VCA Charities, Best Friends Animal Society, Jackson Galaxy Enterprises, the Kitten Lady and Maddie’s Fund.[41] She has also been involved with initiatives focused on human–animal support and pet retention, and has been cited in discussions of the future of animal welfare and the use of data and artificial intelligence in sheltering.[47][53][60]

Academic and professional roles

Hassen has served as a Faculty Fellow at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, where she has mentored students and supported leadership development for future animal welfare professionals.[41] She has also served on the board of the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA) and co-founded the Human Animal Support Services project, a national initiative focused on keeping pets with their families whenever possible.[44][53]

She is a member of advisory and governance boards connected to animal welfare and technology initiatives, including serving as an advisory board member for Petszel and on the board of the Austin AI Alliance.[41] Hassen has presented at conferences and webinars on topics such as animal shelter operations, community-centered animal services and the application of artificial intelligence to animal shelter data.[47][53]

Outcomes for Pets Consulting

Outcomes for Pets Consulting, LLC is a privately held consulting firm founded by Hassen that focuses on creating “safe, humane communities for pets and people” through strategic planning, operational assessments and program design for animal welfare organizations.[41][46][52] The firm emphasizes balancing public health and safety, lifesaving outcomes, community programs, humane care and cost efficiency for animal services agencies.[46]

The consultancy has been engaged by large municipal agencies and national organizations for projects involving shelter audits, community engagement strategies, field services planning and long-term lifesaving initiatives.[41][49][55] Its work has included large-scale contracts such as a multi-year agreement with Riverside County, California, to provide an in-depth evaluation of the Department of Animal Services and assist with the development of a focused strategic plan to enhance animal welfare services.[49]

Publications and media

Hassen has written and been profiled in articles and opinion pieces on animal welfare policy, shelter management and community-based support models for pets and their families.[53][60] She has also been featured in podcasts, webinars and conference presentations discussing shelter data, lifesaving strategies and the integration of artificial intelligence tools into animal welfare work.[47][48][53]

Affiliations and recognition

Hassen has been associated with national coalitions and professional organizations in the animal welfare field, including NACA and Human Animal Support Services.[44][53] Her work and strategies have been noted for emphasizing data-driven decision making, transparency and community engagement in animal services systems.[41][60] She has been described by colleagues and partner organizations as a leading voice on modernizing animal sheltering and building humane, sustainable systems for pets and people.[41][52][59]

References

External links

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