Robin R. Ganzert, Ph.D.

Biography

Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., serves as president and CEO of American Humane, the country’s first national humane organization and the first to serve animals, whenever and wherever they are in need of rescue, shelter, or protection.

Under her leadership, American Humane continues to earn recognition for its commitment to transparency, accountability, efficiency, and financial responsibility, including the top Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, the “Seal of Excellence” from Independent Charities of America awarded to fewer than three percent of charities nationwide, a “Top-Rated Charity” designation with an “A” rating from CharityWatch and Great Nonprofits, and membership in the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance for meeting all 20 standards of charity accountability.

Since her appointment in 2010, Dr. Ganzert has spearheaded unprecedented growth and transformational change at the historic 144-year-old nonprofit, which has reemerged as the most effective humane organization, directly impacting the lives of more animals around the world than any other organization through innovative, life-changing and life-saving programs that set the gold standard in animal welfare and protection.  Dr. Ganzert has dramatically expanded the scope and scale of the organization’s programs globally, and has provided oversight for iconic humane programs, such as No Animals Were Harmed® protecting animals in film and entertainment and American Humane Certified® protecting animals in agriculture.  She launched a first-of-its-kind humane certification in global conservation for animals in zoos and aquariums, and an innovative humane certification effort for the airline industry dramatically improving the safety and protection of companion animals in transportation.  She created the Pups4Patriots™ program providing service dogs for wounded warriors facing PTS and TBI.  American Humane is now the largest certifier of animal welfare in the world, overseeing the care of some 1 billion animals each and every year.  This represents over a 2,000% increase during her tenure in the numbers of animals protected every year.

Additional programmatic efforts include leading American Humane’s emergency rescue missions to help the animal victims of catastrophic disasters from Superstorm Sandy to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma; creating a groundbreaking clinical trial documenting the efficacy of therapy dogs in helping childhood cancer patients; founding the bipartisan Congressional Caucus for the Humane Bond; and securing a major legislative victory with the passage of language in the National Defense Authorization Act mandating that all American military working dogs must retire on U.S. soil.

Dr. Ganzert is the presenting host and executive producer of the long-running television special, American Humane Hero Dog Awards™ on Hallmark Channel.  She serves as the executive producer of a new documentary feature film, Escape from Extinction, featuring Dame Helen Mirren as narrator. She is the author of Mission Metamorphosis (2020) and Animal Stars (2012). A highly sought-after public speaker, Dr. Ganzert regularly offers her experience and expertise to a diverse range of international audiences, from speaking engagements at global industry forums to Congressional briefings delivered to top U.S. policymakers.

She is regularly featured in the nation’s leading news and media outlets as an authoritative voice on animal welfare. She has appeared on the TODAY Show, World News Tonight, CNN, Fox Business News, Fox and Friends, among many other media. Her perspective has been featured in leading newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Globe.

She holds a B.S. in Business & Accounting, an MBA, and a Ph.D. In addition to her academic background, Dr. Ganzert is also an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, a Certified Cash Manager, a Certified Management Accountant, and is Certified in Financial Management. Dr. Ganzert is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council and the International Women’s Forum, and the recipient of several prestigious executive level honors, including the Global CEO Excellence Award, the BRAVA Awards for Top Female CEOs, and the Eagle Rare Life Award.  She serves as a trustee for the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of the governing board of the LIFE Foundation.  She previously served as the vice chair of the governing board of the National ALS Association.  Prior to her appointment at American Humane, Dr. Ganzert directed philanthropic services and charitable giving at The Pew Charitable Trusts and Wachovia Wealth Management.