Alumni Spotlight: Allyson Hester MA '20

A Heart and Head Aligned

How earning the MA NML degree has strengthened my twenty-year commitment to animal rescue.

by Allyson Hester MA ’20

Having worked in a volunteer capacity in animal rescue for two decades in Athens and currently employed full-time with the Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, my head and my heart felt perfectly aligned when I made the decision to pursue my Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management and Leadership through the UGA School of Social Work. I graduated two months ago from the program, and it was without a doubt, one of the greatest experiences of my life. Every class was packed with authentic, relevant information I could use to further my impact in our nonprofit world, particularly as it pertains to animal welfare.

Animal rescue has been part of my core since I was a young child who would always choose stuffed animals over dolls as my playthings. It is definitely an inherent passion! For the past 20 years, I have worked to lower the animal euthanasia rate in our community, and we’ve made massive positive progress! In the year 2000, the euthanasia rate in the Athens area was near a heartbreaking 70%. To change these statistics I created and helped maintain www.Athenspets.net, and immediately we started seeing promising results. We grew our volunteer base to help in the effort, and in 2015, Athenspets became a 501(c)(3) charitable organization where I currently serve on the Board of Directors and serve on the ground, working directly with the dogs at the municipal shelter. In 2020, less than 5% of animals at the municipal shelter were euthanized. We have come so far and are working tirelessly to maintain that momentum!

Hester with her two rescue dogs, Scruffy (17 years old) and Maya (7 years old).

Photo by Regina Fitzpatrick

This substantial impact would be much less if not for partners like the hundred-year-old Athens Area Humane Society (AAHS) where I serve as the Vice President of the Board of Directors. As a Board member, part of my duty is to help fundraise for the organizations I serve, especially during a capital campaign. Applying the knowledge learned in the MNML program, particularly from Joan Prittie’s fundraising class, I am crafting an intensive fundraiser soliciting corporate and individual gifts paired with an upcoming long-distance hike to generate revenue for both Athenspets and AAHS. If you would like to learn more, please visit my blogsite at www.AppalachianTrailClarity.com/JMT.

Happy trails and happy tails!