We are thrilled to announce an important leadership transition at Operation Kindness that reflects our continued growth and commitment to expanding our lifesaving impact across Texas and beyond. Meredith Jones, who joined Operation Kindness as Chief Community Initiatives Officer in July of 2022, will be transitioning to a newly created role as Chief of Staff.
In this expanded position, Meredith will oversee our development, marketing, community resources (including the pet food pantry), national programs, emergency/disaster response, and special projects.
A Proven Leader with Deep Expertise
Meredith brings extensive experience in animal welfare leadership. She has fought passionately for equal access for underserved pets and their people throughout her career.
Her impressive career journey includes diverse leadership roles that have prepared her for this new position:
- Led the fundraising and marketing efforts as Senior Vice President of Advancement for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County
- Led all daily shelter and clinic operations as the Vice President of Operations for the SPCA of Texas
- Managed spay/neuter and community pet program grants at PetSmart Charities
- Served as Executive Director for PetFix Northeast Ohio, an ASPCA-affiliated high-volume spay/neuter clinic
- Managed the daily operations of one of North Carolina’s most successful mobile spay/neuter clinics, Pet Overpopulation Patrol
- Was a charter member of the nationally-acclaimed community outreach organization, Beyond Fences
Meredith graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in government and from Duke University with a master’s degree in political science. This strong educational foundation, combined with her hands-on experience, makes her uniquely qualified to lead our organization through this exciting period of growth.
Strengthening Our Mission Impact
As the Chief Community Initiatives Officer for Operation Kindness, Meredith has strived to ensure that all community programs provide accessible, compassionate, and nonjudgmental assistance. These programs strengthen the bond between pets and their owners, keep pets in their loving homes, eliminate economic euthanasia, and improve the health and quality of life for all animals in our priority communities. During her time leading this department, more than 110,000 pets were impacted by our community programs – a remarkable accomplishment.
In her new role as Chief of Staff, Meredith will bring this same dedication and vision to an even broader scope of our operations. We look forward to connecting our teams in new and meaningful ways by aligning our resources and talents across departments to maximize impact during a period of tremendous growth for the organization.
Looking Forward
Operation Kindness has been a pioneer in Texas for assisting animals in need of veterinary care, companionship and most of all, a home, and we continue to expand our reach. In 2024 alone, we facilitated 5,785 adoptions, distributed 243,271 pantry food and supplies, served 36,188 community pets, and completed 15,048 shelter and community spay/neuters.
With Meredith’s leadership in this new capacity, we will continue to create a kinder world for pets and the people who love them by strengthening and expanding our lifesaving care, innovative programs and community resources. Her unique combination of operational expertise, fundraising acumen, and deep commitment to animal welfare positions us to meet the growing needs of our community.
Please join us in congratulating Meredith on this well-deserved transition and in supporting her as she takes on these new responsibilities. Together, we will continue creating a kinder world for pets and the people who love them.
