Karen Hollish

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona board of directors has announced that it hired Karen Hollish as the Chief Development Officer. 

She started her new role at the organization Jan. 9.

Hollish returns to HSSA where she began her philanthropy career as a development coordinator in 2012. In 2014, she was recruited by Pima Animal Care Center to build its fundraising and communications program as its first director of development and marketing. During her tenure as a core member of PACC’s leadership team, PACC went from having animals in a tented facility and a reputation as a “pound,” to becoming a nationally recognized lifesaving leader and donation destination in the animal welfare community.

Most recently, Hollish served as the director of development at the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences. She brings significant experience in fundraising, with proven success raising support for programmatic growth. She holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health and rehabilitation counseling from the University of Arizona; and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Ohio University.

“I’m incredibly excited to come back to HSSA and partner with our supporters to help us become an even stronger lifesaving force for our community,” Hollish said. “I am passionate about supporting companion animals and the people who love them, and I’m honored to be in this role.”

“Our team is excited to welcome Karen back home to HSSA and to animal welfare,” said Interim CEO Beth Morrison. “Her passion for animal welfare is tremendous and we are so fortunate to put this passion and her expertise into building a stronger HSSA.”

Hollish said her focus in her first 100 days will be reaching out personally to HSSA’s generous supporters to build rapport and trust, and collaborating with her colleagues to better understand their roles and how philanthropy fuels their lifesaving impact.