SAN FRANCISCO (April 29, 2026)—The San Francisco SPCA is proud to announce that Dr. Jena Valdez, Chief Medical Officer, has been honored with the Humane World for Animals Access to Care Visionary Award at the HumanePro Animal Care Expo in Pittsburgh. The Visionary Award recognizes a veterinary leader whose innovation, dedication, and vision are transforming access to care.Â
As CMO for the San Francisco SPCA, Dr. Valdez oversees all clinical veterinary programs, including hospital, shelter, and community programs, ensuring that people and their pets have access to high-quality care regardless of their circumstances. She serves on various committees and advisory councils working to make animal welfare more inclusive, and has been a longtime volunteer with Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS) since 2006, first as a veterinary student at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and continuing today with teaching at RAVS field clinics. She is a nationally recognized speaker and advocate for expanding access to veterinary care and increasing diversity in veterinary medicine and animal welfare. Dr. Valdez pioneered the launch of the SF SPCA Community Veterinary Clinic, a first-of-its-kind preventive care center in San Francisco’s Excelsior district—a longstanding veterinary-resource desert—and is working to export the scalable Community Clinic model to under-resourced communities throughout California.
The HumanePro Animal Care Expo, held April 7–10 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA, brought together more than 2,800 animal welfare professionals to exchange ideas and advance the field. The four-day event is the largest international professional development conference and trade show in the animal welfare sector, drawing professionals and volunteers from around the world for sessions covering the latest programs and best practices in companion animal care.
About the San Francisco SPCA
The San Francisco SPCA is an independent, community-supported, nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving, protecting and providing immediate care for cats and dogs who are homeless, ill, or in need of an advocate. The SF SPCA also works long-term to educate the community, reduce the number of unwanted kittens and puppies through spaying and neutering, and improve the quality of life for animals and their human companions. The organization does not receive government funding. For more information, visit sfspca.org.