Government

Lee County's new director for its Animal Services Department is Donna Ward, formerly the executive director of the York County, Pa. SPCA since 1998. She assumed the position vacated in November 2007. The York County SPCA is a private, non-profit. Ward was also a board member for seven years before becoming executive director. She has dealt with sheltering over 4,000 animals per year and overseeing animal control contracts with 72 municipalities. During her tenure she lead the organization's fundraising efforts and community programs for education, spay/neuter, adoptions, and volunteers as well as reducing the agency's euthanasia rate. Ward's immediate goal when hired by the York County SPCA was to gear the organization for a three-year capital campaign and to balance the shelter's budget. Her efforts culminated in the opening of a new 17,000-square-foot facility in June 2006. During this time she also improved the agency's public image, customer service, and lowered the employee turnover rate.