Heidi Colonna
Hi! I’m a longtime animal welfare professional focusing on youth education and engagement. In my role with Kind News magazine, I write stories for grades K-6 students about everything from humane role models and rescues, to behavior, to sheltering trends. I’ve worked with children of all ages in outreach, teaching, and student mentoring positions.
Before joining RedRover, I served as student outreach director and curriculum manager for The HSUS as well as board member of the Association of Professional Humane Educators. I’ve written hundreds of articles for publications including Animal Sheltering, All Animals, Humane Education Quarterly, NACA News, and Humane Activist. I'm a member of the APHE and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and published Canis magicus, a middle grade novel inspired by the dogs of my childhood and Dear Gretchen, a pet loss grief memoir. I studied coyote policy and animals in literature at the Tufts Center for Animals & Public Policy and animal science at UMass.
It all started with a little shepherd mix named Gretchen found at the Springfield MSPCA. She inspired my work as a shelter volunteer, veterinary technician, and MSPCA project coordinator before moving to youth education. I live in western Mass with my husband, sons, and howling Husky mix.
Please tell me your story ideas for Kind News and let's talk about bringing it to your schools!
Sessions in which Heidi Colonna attends
- Registration and Breakfast Crowne Plaza Warwick - Grand Ball Room
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour
- If this is your first day attending, stop by the registration table on your arrival. Pick up your packet and name badge.
- Welcome to the Conference Radisson Hotel Nashua - Grand Ballroom
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | 30 minutes
- Is It Really Change We're After? Crowne Plaza Warwick - Grand Ball Room
- 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | 1 hour 15 minutes
- Though we often say that the work of our organizations is to "make change," much of the work we do i...
- Talk
- Break
- 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- Does Every Pet Need to be Spayed or Neutered? Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | 1 hour
- Spoiler alert: the answer is no. Our preconceived notions and how we express them impact culture wit...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Lunch
- 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | 1 hour
- How to Tend to the Human Side of the Human-Animal Bond Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM | 1 hour
- Trauma-informed care is the belief that the individual you are providing care to has experienced som...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Break
- 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- Preconceptions that can limit access to veterinary care: looking behind the curtain Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | 1 hour
- There are widely, although not universally, held potentially inaccurate, perceptions about clients, ...
- Talk
- Registration and Breakfast Radisson Hotel Nashua - Grand Ballroom
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour
- If this is your first day attending, stop by the registration table on your arrival. Pick up your packet and name badge.
- Welcome to the Conference Radisson Hotel Nashua - Grand Ballroom
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | 30 minutes
- The Problem With Messaging: How Our Words are Holding Us Back & How We Can Do Better Crowne Plaza Warwick - Grand Ball Room
- 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | 1 hour 15 minutes
- Animal sheltering in the U.S. has a messaging problem. Current messaging stokes divisions amongst th...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Break
- 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- Professional Fosters: A life-saving program for shelter pets Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | 1 hour
- With increasing numbers of pets entering shelters in need of...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Lunch
- 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | 1 hour
- Active Listening for Animal Welfare Professionals: Turning Insights into Action Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM | 1 hour
- As animal welfare professionals we are always looking for ways to improve outcomes. Is it possible t...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Break
- 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- The Community Cat Initiative: A Case Study in Creating a Targeted TNR & Adoption Program Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | 1 hour
- Outdoor cats can be found in almost every neighborhood across the country. These cats include community cats and owned cats that are allowed out...
- Talk
- Registration and Breakfast Radisson Hotel Nashua - Grand Ballroom
- 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | 1 hour
- If this is your first day attending, stop by the registration table on your arrival. Pick up your packet and name badge.
- Welcome to the Conference Radisson Hotel Nashua - Grand Ballroom
- 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM | 30 minutes
- Ask the Trainers! Behavior & Training Solutions for Lifesaving Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM | 1 hour 15 minutes
- This session will review behavior intervention plans for common behavior challenges in shelter dogs ...
- Panel
- Vendor & Exhibitor Break
- 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- Reputation Management for Social Media Marketing Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track C - Bristol
- 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | 1 hour
- This presentation will discuss reputation management for the social media marketing presence for ani...
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Lunch
- 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM | 1 hour
- It's a Date! (Offsite)
- Signup required Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track A - Ocean
- 1:15 PM - 4:45 PM | 3 hours 30 minutes
- Speakers: Katenna Jones (Jones Animal Behavior) & Erika Lessa (Cooperation Canine)
- Talk
- Vendor & Exhibitor Break
- 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | 30 minutes
- Visit our sponsors and exhibitors in the grand ballroom. Network with other attendees. ...
- Moving Relocation from a program to a strategy to combat overpopulation issues Crowne Plaza Warwick - Track B - Patriots
- 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | 1 hour
- Many New England Shelters have developed relocation programs to...
- Panel