Executive Biographies

Jan McHugh-Smith

Jan McHugh-Smith was appointed President of The San Francisco SPCA in February, 2007.  She is only the eighth president in the Society’s 139 year history, and the first woman to hold this position.

McHugh-Smith is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare, with 23 years of extensive experience in the field.  She began her career at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley in Colorado.  From 1984 – 1987 she held several positions at this organization, including Humane Education Coordinator and ran Eagle County Animal Control from 1987-1990.  She was Associate Director for HSBV from 1990 – 1995.  In 1995 she was named CEO of the Humane Society, a position she held until joining The SF/SPCA.

During her 12 years as CEO of the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, McHugh-Smith reduced the euthanasia rate of shelter animals in the community from 45 percent to 15 percent, and increased the live release rate to 86 percent, with 100 percent placement of healthy animals.  She raised approximately $6 million and managed the design and construction for a new shelter facility.  She also oversaw the business development of a Veterinary Clinic, Thrift Store and a Behavior and Training Center, to create alternative funding sources.

McHugh-Smith is a prominent member of the animal welfare community.  She chaired the AHA Animal Advisory Committee, before recently stepping down, and was President of the Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies.  She is a member of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Companion Animals Advisory Council, and is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator and a member of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA).  McHugh-Smith was a contributor to the drafting of the landmark Asilomar Accords which set uniform standards for reporting shelter statistics.
 
Jan McHugh-Smith was born in Albany, New York, and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut. She has a BS in Biology from the University of Southern Connecticut, and a BA in Music from the University of Colorado.  She has three dogs, all humane society alumni, and is an avid cyclist.  She and her husband, Jeffrey Smith, live in Marin County.

John (Jack) P Aldridge DVM
Director of Veterinary Services

Dr. Aldridge attended Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, for both his undergraduate and veterinary medical studies. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in 1971.

After a 4-year stint at a very busy private veterinary hospital in Long Island, New York, Dr. Aldridge moved to San Francisco, joining the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1976. After Dr. Richard Stowe's retirement in 1978, Dr. Aldridge assumed the position of Chief of Staff of the Hospital department, a position he held until the Medical Care department was divided into multiple divisions. For the past several years Dr. Aldridge served as Lead Veterinarian for Outpatient Services and in October, 2004 Dr. Aldridge assumed the position of Director of Veterinary Services.

Dr. Aldridge's wife is a veterinarian and owner of Especially Cats Veterinary Hospital in San Francisco. His Daughter recently graduated from Cornell University and is now attending the University of Illinois in a PhD/MD program in neuroscience. The Aldridge family currently has two dogs (both rescue animals from shelters), and three cats.

Dr. Aldridge is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, California VMA, American Animal Hospital Association, and for the past several years has served as Vice President of the San Francisco VMA, having also served in other officer capacities, including President, in years past. He sits as veterinarian on the toxicological committee of the North American Mycological Association.

Dr. Aldridge's hobbies include organic vegetable gardening, mycology, writing (regular features in SF Chronicle newspaper on gardening), and winemaking.

JEAN DONALDSON
Director of Education

Jean Donaldson, who joined the San Francisco SPCA in 1999, is the Director of the Academy for Dog Trainers. Ms. Donaldson established the Academy with the intent of improving public education about a dog's quality of life, and prevention of relinquishments to animal shelters for behavior reasons. Until Ms. Donaldson spearheaded the creation of the Academy for Dog Trainers, there was no similar comprehensive program that educated people on how to become dog trainers and behavior counselors.

Ms. Donaldson has over thirty years of experience in dog behavior and training. Prior to working with the SF/SPCA, Ms. Donaldson founded the first positive reinforcement school and counseling service in Montreal, Canada called Renaissance Dog Training.

Ms. Donaldson is the author of several books on dog behavior. Her first book, The Culture Clash, won the Best Behavior Book of 1997 from the Dog Writers Association of America and is the #1 book recommendation for dog owners from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. MINE! A Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs also won the Best Behavior Book from the Dog Writers Association for the year 2002. Her latest book, published this past October, is FIGHT! A Guide to Dog-Dog Aggression. Ms. Donaldson has given lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences on animal learning, behavior and aggression since 1993 in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and Japan.

Ms. Donaldson graduated from McGill University, Montreal, in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in comparative psychology and is currently pursuing a doctorate in evolutionary biology. Ms. Donaldson resides in the Bay area with her husband Al and chow chow, Buffy, adopted from SF/SPCA.