After a months-long search, the embattled Montgomery County SPCA has named veteran animal shelter manager Abigail Smith to be its new chief executive officer, writes Max Marin for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Smith will take over in June, overseeing facilities in Conshohocken, Perkiomenville, and Abington. She steps into the role following the departure of longtime CEO Carmen Ronio, who vacated the position in October amid intense scrutiny over the shelter’s finances and oversight.
The new CEO previously led the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine, a similarly sized nonprofit rescue with approximately $3 million in annual operating expenses. Prior to that, she ran an animal shelter in New York and served as chief animal services officer for the city of Austin, Texas.
In her new role, she will oversee the century-old institution that runs the only open-intake shelters in Montgomery County. She will also help manage how the nonprofit’s $67 million nest egg, reported in its most recent federal filing, is being spent.
“She is deeply committed to our cause, and has the experience and expertise to help bring our shared vision to life,” said Art Howe, the shelter’s new board president.
Read more about Abigail Smith’s new appointment with the Montgomery County SPCA in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
