After getting bitten by the animal welfare bug while volunteering with a cat rescue, Jess Townsend began her professional career in animal welfare in 2007 at the Maryland SPCA in Baltimore. Coming to the industry with an education in Psychology and Art from Providence College and a professional background ranging from graphic design to marketing, she felt she had found her calling working with pets in need and their families.  

Jess joined the Washington Humane Society (now the Humane Rescue Alliance) in 2009 and over the course of 5 years she was privileged to be part of a team making huge strides in life saving and learning the management of staff and programs in a large, urban animal shelter at an exciting time of growth and change.  Bringing that experience in innovation, flexibility and progress to New England, Jess was the Director of Operations at the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland for 6 years, before becoming the Executive Director at Midcoast Humane in 2021.