by Conner Sura
Marit Ortega will be the new executive director of the Tri-County Humane Society starting in February, and it’s not surprising because Ortega has had a lifelong love for animals.
The current executive director, Vicki Davis, will retire after 40 years of leadership and stellar achievements.
Ortega has had a long journey with the humane society. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with a biology degree with all of the required pre-veterinary courses to apply for veterinary school.
At that time, she was working at the Tri-County Humane Society to get experience in animal care. After she graduated from SCSU, she decided to take a break before launching into four more years of schooling. At that time, she decided to focus on the humane society. However, that one year turned into 19 years. She worked a full-time position as an animal care manager for her first five years. Having started a family, she said she thought that full-time was too much. She decided to move to part-time, but quickly realized she missed working full-time.
From 2009 to 2012, Ortega worked as the humane society’s humane education and events coordinator. Then, she worked as the director of philanthropy until her departure in 2018.
In 2018, her eldest child, was about to enter the seventh grade. Ortega wanted her daughter to attend Cathedral High School, but with her wages at the shelter, she said she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford her daughter’s tuition if she stayed with the humane society. She heard about an opening at Cathedral High School that offered tuition relief. Ortega made the difficult choice of saying goodbye to the shelter.
Fast forwarding to 2023, Davis reached out to Ortega telling her that she (Davis) was planning to retire in 2024 and would she (Ortega) be interested in becoming the shelter’s next executive director. It was like a dream come true. She said she knew Davis would not be the one choosing the next director because that decision was up to the board of directors. The possibility excited her. Ortega threw her hat into the ring. Many months later, Ortega was nominated as the shelter’s next executive director.
When asked about her plans for the future of the shelter. Ortega said she wanted to extend its community-outreach programs. One of her ideas was a dog-bite prevention workshop for children.
“For children under the age of 12, statistically 50 percent of them will have been bitten by a dog before their 12th birthday,” she said during an interview with the Newsleaders.
In addition, she hopes to bring back birthday parties for children held at the shelter. Another aspect she is looking forward to is fundraising. The shelter is non-profit. Last year, a couple decided to host a community event that raised awareness and funds for the humane society. The couple invited Davis and other members of the humane society to join them.
The event was a casual silent auction hosted by the couple in their yard. The event was a huge success, well received by the attendees.
Ortega would like to do more events like that.
“We’re looking for people who’d be willing to host these neighborhood events to help raise some money and draw awareness to the animals at the humane society,” she said.
Vicki Davis, the current executive director, had this to say about Ortega:
“She (Ortega) always had a soft spot in her heart for the Humane Society,” she said. “Once you’ve worked here or volunteered here, you get attached to it. It’s a great organization.”
Ortega had high praise for Davis, her mentor.
“I would love to pay tribute to her,” she said. “I am honored to be stepping into this role following her. She has been an amazing leader for the Tri-County Humane Society for the last 39 years, and it’s big shoes to fill. I feel that I’m up for the challenge because she’s prepared me so well, and I’m very grateful to her and all that she’s done for the animals and our community. It’s with great honor that I step in and follow her.”
Although Davis’s retirement is bittersweet among her colleagues and friends, the staff at the Tri-County Humane Society is hopeful and excited for the future under Ortega’s leadership.
