Pasadena Humane appointed Chris Ramon as the new president and chief executive officer of the organization on Tuesday, Aug. 12, ending a search triggered after the departure of former chief Dia DuVernet.
Ramon has served as interim CEO for the animal care nonprofit organization since February, when DuVernet resigned after leading the organization for five years.
Pasadena Humane has provided services for animal care in the greater Los Angeles community for more than 120 years. The organization helped 56,518 animals in 2024, including providing shelter for 5,671 pets. Pasadena Humane is also one of two organizations in the state permitted to rehabilitate wildlife.
As interim CEO, Ramon led the organization during the recovery from the Eaton fire as Pasadena Humane provided animal care to burn-affected pets and assisted in search and rescue operations.
Pasadena Humane assisted over 1,500 animals in need, reconnecting found pets to their owners and offering emergency boarding, pet food supplies and evacuation centers. To this day, the organization is still providing care to animals displaced by the fire.
“So much of what we were able to accomplish during the Eaton fire was because of the support from our community,” Ramon said. “It was a chance for us to show that we’re also more than a shelter. We’re a resource for people and animals.”
As a La Cañada Flintridge local, with deep roots in Pasadena Humane, Ramon started out as a volunteer in high school.
He previously held leadership roles at Michelson Found Animals, an animal welfare non-profit based in Los Angeles, and served on board positions at other animal welfare organizations such as Wrenn Rescues and San Gabriel Valley Animal Advocates, offering guidance on strategic planning and building capacity.
Ramon served as vice president and chief programs officer of Pasadena Humane and prioritized strengthening community partnerships through expanding the organization’s foster program to include all species of animals and increasing accessibility for community members to afford spay, neutering and vaccine services. Under his leadership, the foster program grew from 40 foster homes to nearly 500.
“That really leans into what I believe we can accomplish when we have those deep ties with the community,” Ramon said. “It’s those 500 community members that open their doors to their homes to be a part of our mission for that safety net that allows either underage animals, some of our most vulnerable populations, to have a safe place to rest or grow older until we can find loving homes — and it’s been something that sets us apart from other shelters.”
Moving forward, Ramon hopes to identify further service areas and communities the organization can connect with, along with expanding Pasadena Humane’s Helping Paws program which connects free pet supplies and veterinary services to local residents. More than 5,500 pets received assistance under this program in 2024, according to the organization’s annual report.
“I am so humbled by this opportunity to be able to lead this organization that has been very close to me and my family’s hearts for more than 30 years,” Ramon said. “I recognize that Pasadena Humane has a reputation in sheltering in Southern California that is different from other animal shelters, and it’s because of the intimacy in which we engage with the community.”
Camelia Heins is a freelancer writer in Southern California.