"Mission First, AI Second: How Two Leaders Navigated AI Adoption for a National Nonprofit"
"Mission First, AI Second: How Two Leaders Navigated AI Adoption for a National Nonprofit"
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Session: Mission First, AI Second: How Two Leaders Navigated AI Adoption for a National Nonprofit
When Best Friends Animal Society, a leading U.S. animal welfare organization, moved to integrate AI into operations for its 900-person team, leadership faced a familiar challenge: how do you drive tech-led transformation among staff who came for the mission, not the tech?In this fireside chat, Amy Starnes, Principal of Growth Initiatives who led the strategic AI launch, and Michelle Dunivan, Senior Director of Insights & Analytics who designed the organization's AI training and adoption measurement program, share how they moved from theory to integration in a sector where the most important currency is trust.
They'll discuss aligning vision and values with practical implementation, and building feedback loops that revealed what was actually beneficial to staff- and ultimately the mission. Attendees will leave with insights on leading technology change in mission-driven environments where the work feels personal and the stakes feel high.
Key Takeaways
- How to align strategic vision with operational reality when launching organization-wide technology initiatives
- Practical approaches for building AI adoption in environments where staff prioritize mission over technology
- How to measure what's actually working—and adjust when it isn't
Bio
Michelle DunivanSr Director, Insights & Analytics-Best Friends Animal Society
For 15 years, Michelle Dunivan has transformed how mission-driven organizations use data to drive impact. A researcher by training and a change leader by practice, she has built analytics infrastructure, designed training programs, and led teams through technology transitions that stick.
Michelle has modernized data operations for organizations including Best Friends Animal Society and Arizona's Judicial Branch, where she achieved a 65% improvement in data quality through training and change management. She holds a PhD in Communication from the University of Arizona and has taught 33 college-level courses across five institutions. She currently leads the Insights & Analytics division at Best Friends Animal Society as Senior Director, overseeing data strategy, visualization, advanced analytics, and governance.
Amy Starnes
Principle, Growth Initiatives-Best Friends Animal Society
For over 20 years, Amy Starnes has been a trusted and authentic voice in the social impact field. From people, to animals, to the environment, her technology-enabled work has modernized organizations and movements at local and global scale.
Amy has launched programs and campaigns that move the needle, working with organizations including Best Friends Animal Society, MSPCA-Angell, Massachusetts General Hospital, the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the University of Maine, and Wildlife SOS. She currently leads innovation initiatives for Best Friends Animal Society as Principal, Growth Strategies.
