VVAPL Humane Society, the first animal shelter in the Victor Valley, serving the community since 1958, is pleased to announce the promotion of Terry Saenz to Media & Community Relations Director.
Saenz started as a public relations volunteer in January 2010. “Since this was a new position, we didn’t have a set job description, but Terry hit the ground running becoming active in the community, partnering with Adelanto Animal Care & Control to implement an animal education program, designing promotional material, engaging supporters on social media, and so much more to become an amazing advocate for our animals,” said Executive Director Kathy Williamson. By September 2012, her volunteer responsibilities grew to a paid position.
As the Media & Community Relations Director, Saenz will focus on building relationships in the community, program development to aid pet parents, finding innovative ways to increase pet adoptions and continue to be a voice in the community for animal welfare, keeping VVAPL’s commitment of always doing what’s best for the animals as a top priority.
Alumni sweethearts Victor and Karen Suarez welcomed their first daughter Maia Victoria Suarez on August 9, 2015.
Currently, Tory is an English Language Fellow with the U.S. Department of State. He is posted in Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa where he lectures on English Language Teaching Methodology at The University of Free-State, Qwaqwa campus and hopes to make a difference in the community through community projects as well as training teachers in the latest ESL practices.
Example project:
Background- Phuthaditjhaba is a rural township about 3 hours’ drive outside of Johannesburg in the Free-State of South Africa. The majority of the children in the region do not speak English inside of the home and unless enrolled in private school, aren’t really exposed to English on a regular basis outside of the home either. Seeing as how most parents cannot afford to send their young children to private schools where the LOLT (Language of Learning and Teaching) is English and strictly enforced, most township children don’t start speaking English until much past the optimal age for 2nd language acquisition.