The Association Blog

Did ya register yet? We have such a juicy lineup for the Fall Conference for Animal Welfare Advancement, including Dalbin Osorio’s session, Virtual Equity: Using Tech to Increase Access for Emerging Communities. Log off Zoom, ditch the sweatsuit and join him in New Orleans for magic-making…

The Association: We can’t wait to see you in New Orleans—also known as the birthplace of jazz. In keeping with that theme, what are you most jazzed about these days?
Dalbin Osorio: To this day, the thing that keeps me jazzed is opportunities for collaboration. I live off the energy from others, and am enamored with this idea that we can all get in one room and solve every problem. All we have to do is set aside our egos and get to work…

The Association: What are you most jazzed about for our time together?
Dalbin Osorio: It’s that same belief that has me as jazzed as a Louis Armstrong track to be with all of you for this conference,  because I want us to ask ourselves: What do our communities need to be the place we already think they are? We answer that, and that’s magic.

The Association: We are looking forward to your session, Virtual Equity: Using Tech to Increase Access for Emerging Communities. What is one data point that shelters can look out for to ensure they are reaching their target audience, and how might they measure and track it?
Dalbin Osorio: To me, the most important data point is length of adoptions. When I worked in foster care, I wasn’t always focused on the number of adoptions we were able to complete, but on whether the adoptive parents kept at it long after we were out of the picture. With rescues and shelters, it is no different: if we are building out a system where people who are first-time parents do not feel supported leaving the shelter, then how soon after that interaction are they returning to you? We have to create the system to ensure every adopter has everything they need to be the best pet parent they can be, and the length of an adoption can usually tell us if we succeeded at that. 

The Association: What can attendees prepare or think about before your session?
Dalbin Osorio: I want attendees to ask themselves what they are trying to take away from my session. It’s important that we come into the space as we are, and that we commit to leaving with the exact thing we needed. Now, notice I didn’t say we leave with what we wanted: sometimes, we are our own barriers after all. It is important that we hear each other, and that we are able to find something that will apply to our own practice. 

The Association: What favorite Zoom meeting outfit will NOT be making it into your suitcase this November?
Dalbin Osorio: Oh man. So I have a bunch of sweatsuits that make it seem as if I am professional up top and casual on the bottom, and they will not be coming with me. But I am looking forward to wearing a suit and having some whiskey with everyone. 

More Presenter Q&As

Fall Conference: 5 Questions We Always Ask with Michael Kass
Fall Conference: 5 Questions We Always Ask with Lara Jakubowski