John began volunteering at the SPCA of Northern Nevada in 2000, first by walking dogs, and then by fostering and as part of the PetSmart adoption team.
He joined the Board of Directors in 2001, and served as Board Chair from 2002 – 2008. Over the years, he has adopted 13 SPCA adoption center dogs and cats (mostly special needs), fostered several hundred puppies, kittens, and mothers, and helped bring Maddie’s Fund support to Reno/Sparks. John is a wildlife biologist with the Great Basin Bird Observatory, where he and his colleagues conduct applied research, monitoring, and conservation planning projects in Nevada and throughout much of the western United States.
In addition to his wildlife work and his work with the SPCA, he serves as Vice-Chair of the Alliance for Contraception in Cats and Dogs, which facilitates the development of effective non-surgical tools for pet sterilization and contraception.
