Denise led the campaign to replace the JHS shelter that burned to the ground in 2007 and raised $15 million. She oversaw the design and construction of the new 44,000 square foot facility. The building includes an adoption and education center and a community resource center attached to the previously constructed public hospital. JHS moved into the new center in Nov. 2017 – ten years after the devastating fire.
Denise enjoys training, mentoring and consulting on a wide variety of topics including building successful partnerships, community engagement, board and staff development, and model no kill programs. She currently serves on Best Friends Animal Society’s No Kill 2025 steering committee and leads the No Kill Florida committee. She is also honored to participate with Petco Foundation and Purina leadership groups. Denise was named a 2018 Maddie’s Fund Hero and a 2019 Best Friends Animal Society National Advancement Award winner.
Prior to coming to Jacksonville, she was the executive director of the Humane Society of Manatee County. Denise orchestrated a public/private partnership that ended trap and kill for feral cats and she led lobbying efforts which resulted in the county becoming the first municipality in the state of Florida to formally adopt a no kill plan.
As the Chief Operating Officer of the Richmond SPCA, Denise collaborated on efforts that transformed the City’s approach to animal homelessness and a capital campaign that raised $14.2 million for the construction of a new humane care and education center.
Denise shares her life and home with husband Bernie, granddaughter Emma, and dogs Yogi and Shelli.
Lawrence graduated from the University of Colorado in Denver with a Bachelor’s degree in communications and an emphasis on public relations. After graduating, Lawrence began working at Dumb Friends League in Denver and the direction his life took changed forever. After spending nearly five years with that organization, Lawrence began working for Best Friends Animal Society in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he held many positions overseeing various aspects of sheltering operations as well as coalition building and relationship cultivation. Lawrence then moved to Florida and worked for Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League for nearly two years prior to joining the Jacksonville Humane Society in 2021. Lawrence lives in Jacksonville with his wife, son, and three shelter pets.
Dr. Stan Hill, DVM, graduated from Ross University in St. Kitts and then completed his clinical year of veterinary medicine at Auburn University. He has served at both emergency and high-volume veterinary clinics. In addition to his work as the Chief Medical Officer at JHS, Dr. Hill is the current president of the Jacksonville Veterinary Medical Society. Most recently, Dr. Hill led his team through training at the ASCPA Humane Alliance program to help improve practice and efficiency at the JHS hospital. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Kara, son, Austin, and their three rescue pets – Sally, Cracker Jack, and Lexi.
Lauren earned a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work from the University of North Florida. She appreciates working for an organization that emphasizes the importance of compassion towards both animals and humans.
Through her work at JHS, she also discovered her love for data and enthusiastically believes in the importance of tracking, analyzing, and predicting shelter data to improve operations. When Lauren started at JHS, she had one dog. Over her years working at JHS, she has welcomed three more dogs, three cats, and her son, Tripp.
Sean Lueck – Chair
Cici Anderson – Vice Chair
Gary Meeks – Treasurer
Lisé Everly – Secretary
Christine Baker
Allison Fillmore
Jonathan Hanson
Marc Munago
John Rockwell
Linda Stein – Honorary Board Member Emerita
Kristine Cherek & Kirk Larsen – Honorary Board Members
Betty & Tom Petway – Honorary Board Members
David & Linda Stein – Honorary Board Members
J. Wayne & Delores Barr Weaver – Honorary Board Members
