Director Of Special Projects

• Jun 2020 - Present

I work on special projects for Española Humane, an open-admission shelter in the heart of Northern New Mexico. As a small shelter with a can-do attitude, we focus on community outreach and free resources for our animal-loving region. I am an animal welfare advocate, journalist, writer and photographer, and also do website design, grant-writing, program development, statistics, fundraising, collaboration, and whatever else is needed. I previously worked in development for Maricopa County Animal Care & Control in Phoenix, one of the nation’s largest open-admission shelters. My past experience includes work at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter and as a journalist in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico. I first became involved in animal sheltering in 2010 after creating an animal-related section for Santa Fe’s daily newspaper, The New Mexican. I share my space with many rescue dogs and birds and a loving husband of almost three decades. Show less

Development Manager and Animal Welfare Advocate

• Oct 2017 - May 2020

Ben Swan is the former development manager for Maricopa County Animal Care & Control. Prior to joining the Maricopa County shelter staff, he worked as a public information officer for the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, helping create new outreach programs that boosted the shelter’s live-release rate and community support of Northern New Mexico’s premier animal shelter. An award-winning journalist in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico for many years, he delved into animal sheltering in 2010 after creating an animal-related section for Santa Fe’s daily newspaper, The New Mexican. As development manager, he works to find untapped financial resources to support the shelters’ work, improve the shelters’ image in the community, enhance customer service and create lifelong bonds between humans and companion animals. He loves telling stories about shelter animals through photos, words and video. Show less

Public Information Officer

• Aug 2010 - Oct 2017

As public information officer for the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Ben helped create new outreach programs that boosted the shelter’s live-release rate and community support of Northern New Mexico’s premier animal shelter. An award-winning journalist in Alaska, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico for many years, he delved into animal sheltering in 2010 after creating an animal-related section for Santa Fe’s daily newspaper, The New Mexican. He loves telling stories about shelter animals through photos, words and video. Show less

Assistant Presentation Editor

• 2003 - 2010