Katie Roche

Background

About Katie Roche

My former boss recently joked that she took a risk when she hired me to work at an animal shelter. I had never owned a dog or cat, knew nothing about animal behavior or handling, and undoubtedly seemed like a bite report waiting to happen. Luckily for me, she recognized that I am genuinely passionate about helping people, a trait that is not always prioritized in animal welfare. My passion for people only grew stronger during my three years at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, and I hope to find a similar environment that will help further develop my interpersonal skills in my next position. I became interested in nonprofits after taking a course titled "NGOs and Nonprofits" through the Frank Batten School of Public Policy and Leadership at the University of Virginia. After being uncertain of what I wanted to do for a career, the class added some much-needed clarity to my future. This clarity was further sharpened during my time as an intern at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, a group that provides consulting, training, tools, and resources to local nonprofits in order to promote a strong community. I had the opportunity to join in on workshops and meetings with community leaders, which exposed me to a wide variety of groups and ignited my passion for the nonprofit sector. After graduation, I applied to work at the local animal shelter in order to gain some more hands-on experience at a nonprofit. I wore many different hats during my time at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA and took on a wide variety of projects, such as- Directed annual Critter Camps, supervised camp counselors, and created camp programming - Launched a reading program that allowed children to read to shelter animals - Created a "Community Canines" program where shelter dogs visited schools, assisted living facilities, summer camps, and workplaces -Oversaw the "Pets for Vets" program that offered free adoptions for veterans - Managed the pet food pantry which provides pet food to families in need, helped organize distribution through local food banks- Restructured the shelter's surrender protocol and created guidelines for the front desk team that prioritized empathy and understanding When I am not at work, I am usually exploring Charlottesville's beautiful natural areas with my dog Bueller. I am an avid runner and cyclist, and I am always on the lookout for my next good read. I also rediscovered my love of sewing during the pandemic, and have spent an unmentionable number of hours tinkering away at my machine.