Maui Humane Society Names New CEO

The Board of Directors of the Maui Humane Society announced the selection today of Steve MacKinnon as the new CEO for the nonprofit organization.  MacKinnon will start at the shelter in Puʻunēnē on Nov. 4, 2019.

MacKinnon holds a Master’s Degree in public administration and a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. During his career Steve has worked to integrate his love of animals with his enforcement and community outreach experience, most recently as Chief of Humane Law Enforcement and Vice-President of Community Response at the San Diego Humane Society.

According to the MHS announcement, MacKinnon “believes strongly in the concept of a humane community, which seeks to facilitate collaboration between the animal shelter and the community so that everyone is working together to find the best possible solutions for our Island’s animals.”

“The opportunity to serve as CEO for the Maui Humane Society aligns strongly with my professional and personal aspirations to create a better world for animals, their owners and the greater community. It will be a privilege to work with the outstanding MHS team whose lifesaving work has already accomplished so much for Maui’s animals,” said MacKinnon.

“We are very excited about the breadth of experience that Steve brings to MHS,” says MHS Board Chair Ron Schmidt. “In addition to animal welfare and humane enforcement experience, he has impressive management and strategic planning expertise and is dedicated to expanding community outreach and involvement. We are confident that Steve will be an exceptional leader for our agency and a compassionate advocate for the animals on our island. We hope the community will join us in welcoming Steve, his wife Dianna and their rescue dogs to Maui.”

MacKinnon’s appointment is the culmination of a search process to fill the CEO position vacated by Jerleen Bryant, who left MHS in August to take the position of Executive Director with the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation. With the assistance of a professional executive search firm, MHS sought qualified candidates both locally and nationally. Through a multi-level screening process, applicants were eventually narrowed down to those with the highest level of expertise and credentials within the Animal Welfare and Humane Enforcement field, and after multiple interviews, the final selection was made this week.