Learning Through Mentorship with Gary Willoughby

Gary serves as the President and CEO of the SPCA Serving Erie County, leading a team of nearly 120 employees and 1,900 volunteers. Gary joined the SPCA in 2016 after leading animal welfare organizations previously in Toledo, Ohio and Aiken, SC and volunteering and serving as a board member for animal welfare organizations in Florida. He had the privilege to play a role in capital campaigns leading to either new facilities, renovation of existing facilities or facility expansions in New York State, Ohio, South Carolina and Florida, as well as in construction projects in Florida in the mass transit and senior services field. Gary was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, but lived in Florida for most of his life. His undergrad degree was in journalism and communications from the University of Mobile in Alabama. He earned a certificate in non-profit management from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, another in non-profit management from the Harvard Business School of Buffalo, as well as a graduate certificate in Gerontology and a Master's in Public Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. He is a member of the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and is a board member for the New York Animal Protection Federation. Gary previously was a Rotarian in Toledo, Ohio and Aiken, SC and is a Paul Harris Fellow.