Communicating for nonprofits & advocating for animals: An interview with Jenna Riedi

“I remember thinking, ‘You declined a dream job. What’s happening? What are you doing?’ I realized there has to be a better fit for me, something that wouldn’t burn me out and wouldn’t have me doing things that won’t actually lead to a significant impact on the world. I wanted to help more than just cats and dogs—I wanted to help all animals.”

Jenna Riedi is the Communications Manager for Faunalytics, a nonprofit that conducts research and shares data to help inform effective strategies for animal advocacy. With over 20 years of work and volunteer experience in various nonprofits, Jenna’s path to her current role involved significant reflection, experimentation, and shifting directions. We chatted recently about her career journey, day-to-day work, and advice for others in the field. This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What did you originally want to do with your career? And how did that change?

When I was in my undergrad, I was never sure what I wanted to do. I was an undeclared major until junior year. At that point, I realized I’d taken a lot of classes I liked in history, so I thought, ‘I guess I’m a history major,’ without having concrete plans of what I’d do after.

For my college job, I was working for the Student Leadership Board. This kind of sparked my career interest in nonprofits (the student union was technically a nonprofit). As a theater kid and singer, I was drawn to the nonprofit arts world and initially planned to work in that field after graduation. But when I graduated, I just couldn’t find a job. I actually ended up getting a job as a kennel manager for a boarding facility for companion animals. It was part of the money-making arm of a nonprofit animal shelter. They used the profit boarding facility to support their work, which is genius in my mind, but I I didn’t know the intricacies of those things at the time. I was just looking for work. 

While I was working as a kennel manager, I realized that everyone working there was extremely competent in their programming work. They knew how to best take care of the dogs and the cats—from behavior training to medical care. But I started to recognize that they were really bad at things like organizational communication and fundraising. They weren’t good at all the big picture stuff that’s needed to run an organization, and you could tell they were just trying to figure it out as they went. That’s when the lightbulb went on for me. I thought maybe I could be the person who’s good at the organizational side.

After about 6 months, I applied to a Master’s program. I think my mother was reading a newspaper article and cut out an article about a new nonprofit management and leadership master’s program in my hometown. I immediately applied and became the first graduating class out of the program. This experience solidified me into this kind of organizational admin for the nonprofit world. I haven’t worked for a for-profit organization since I was 23.

How did your journey end up in your current role working in animal welfare?

I grew up with all kinds of companion animals and always loved them. My father is a part-time herpetologist, so we would often have salamanders and tortoises in the house. I also loved going to the zoo and thought it was the best place in the world, but I didn’t really understand it wasn’t the greatest place for the animals. When I was in girl scouts, I shadowed a veterinarian and actually fainted during the surgery, so that direction was a no for me. I thought, then, I’d work on a farm. As a kid, it’s not explained to you that farms also aren’t the greatest place to be if you love animals because the animals are being raised to be slaughtered or exploited. Still, I always had this connection with animals and wanted to work with them somehow.

Fast forward to years later, after I finished my master’s degree, I started pursuing jobs with companion animal rescues and shelters. I was hired as the first full-time employee at an organization called Austin Pets Alive in Austin, Texas to do fundraising and marketing. At that time (and up until five years ago), I was working towards my biggest career goal: to become an executive director of an animal shelter.

However, shortly after starting at Austin Pets Alive, I experienced severe burnout. I was too young to realize I shouldn’t be working 80-90 hour weeks, barely getting paid, and going into debt—all the stressful aspects of working for a small nonprofit that wasn’t equipped to support its staff. I left the animal shelter world and transitioned to working for children’s charities, which were more established. Large organizations like the Boys and Girls Club offered benefits and stability, which made me feel more supported. But deep down, I knew I wanted to return to working with animals.

I spent a few years learning how to achieve a better work-life balance, advocate for myself, and become a better leader, all while preparing for what I thought was my dream role—executive director of an animal shelter. But when I finally started applying for those positions and going through the interview process, something didn’t feel right. I realized the work I’d be doing and the impact I’d be having no longer excited me. The outcomes I’d be striving for didn’t feel as meaningful to me anymore, and I felt a sense of dread.

Eventually, an animal shelter did offer me the executive director position. I gave myself a few days to think about it and decided I don’t actually want this. This decision led to a bit of a breakdown… What do I want? 

I sat in that uncertainty for a while. I remember thinking, ‘You declined a dream job. What’s happening? What are you doing?’ I realized there has to be a better fit for me, something that wouldn’t burn me out and wouldn’t have me doing things that won’t actually lead to a significant impact on the world. I wanted to help more than just cats and dogs—I wanted to help all animals.

So I decided to pause. I had worked at a library when I was in college, and I’ve always loved data and information. Around that time, I applied to a library information sciences program for a second master’s. I thought, ‘Maybe that’s the transition. Maybe I’ll go into working for libraries. They’re still nonprofits. I’m still helping others in some way—then maybe I can figure myself out.’

A few months later it clicked: maybe there are animal libraries? I literally just googled it. Sure enough, there are several animal law programs. Michigan State University has a law library specifically dedicated to animal rights and policy… but they only have two staff members.

Finally, after a lot of looking around, I found Faunalytics. I’d never heard of them but saw they were hiring a communications manager. I read through every page on their website and got so excited. I knew that this was it. It’s focused on the bigger picture. It has a wider reach beyond companion animals. And, if I were to get the position listed, I’d get to deep dive on marketing and communications which is my favorite part of working with nonprofits. And it’s like a library! So I applied, got the job, and it’s been amazing.

What sorts of things do you think helped you get this job or improve your application?

I think my background in library science played a significant role. I love the concept of using research and data to support the work that animal advocates are doing. Relying on gut feelings isn’t always the best approach, so having data to guide decisions is incredibly valuable. This mindset resonates with me, especially after working in nonprofits with limited budgets. We’re always trying to figure out how to survive and still be impactful. Faunalytics’ commitment to using data to identify the most impactful thing to do (instead of just wasting money trying to figure it out) was something I found inspiring. 

A lot of people at Faunalytics come from the farmed animal advocacy side, and I came in from the companion animal advocacy side. I think this was initially seen as a drawback to my resumé because so much of the companion animal side is centered on gut feelings. For example, there are myths like not adopting out black cats during Halloween due to fears they’ll be harmed, or the idea that mandatory home checks and 24-hour wait periods before adopting a dog ensure serious commitment. But these things don’t work. They actually make things worse for animals and perpetuate problems. 

When I was interviewing for Faunalytics, it was so refreshing to see they were actually using research and data to back up what they do. I remember I really poured my heart into this in my cover letter. I felt like this job was created for me because it ties together helping animals with communications/marketing with the library nerd side of me.

What does your day-to-day look like as a communications manager?

It’s different every day, which is exciting. Our research team is producing original research—averaging a new study coming out every other month to every month. I’m always reading the research as it’s getting approved, then thinking about things like: Who do we want to connect with this information? Which advocates do I think would be most excited to learn about this topic? Which media outlets would be most excited to see this?

It’s the same with all our other resources. We have infographics, a continuously updated library, blog posts written by guest writers, etc. I make sure all those resources get in front of the people that I know would benefit from them. I feel like I’m a matchmaker half the time. For example, I’ll note that people over at the Aquatic Animal Alliance would love to know about this new study that just came out. I’m going to make sure to email it to them and let them know to check it out or meet with our research team. I make sure to answer any questions and translate the mumbo-jumbo research language into a more accessible form. 

Otherwise, I manage our day-to-day social media and outreach. I also manage our volunteer team—checking in with them and ensuring they feel supported. I also help with our translations. A lot of our studies are beneficial to multiple areas of the world. We’ll do a study that covers China, India, Brazil, Latin America, and more. We don’t want to assume everyone speaks English, so I identify the resources that would benefit from translation and work with our translation partners to make them accessible in other languages.

Another big part of it is thinking about how to get people to understand why the work matters. We do a lot of Faunalytics 101 training and webinars on why/how the research can help you. I also oversee an ambassador outreach program where we have ambassadors who work with the organizations to tailor a presentation on how our research can be useful at their specific organization.

So I do a lot of different things, and each day is completely different. Each week is completely different. It’s a lot to keep organized, but the leadership at Faunalytics is a major reason we operate smoothly. Working in nonprofits, a lot of times burnout happens because the higher-ups can’t or won’t support you. Your health benefits are crap. Your PTO doesn’t exist (or you’re made to feel bad if you take it). There are plenty of jobs I’ve had that had this culture of: if you take a day off, it means you don’t care.

At Faunalytics, it’s a complete 180. The culture focuses on taking care of yourself. We’re a small nonprofit, so we’re not rolling in money, but we do our best to take care of employees and make sure everyone has health benefits, PTO days, etc. I think that’s why we all stay here because we’re supportive and feel it from the board level down.

What kinds of traits do you think make someone a good fit for communications work?

Number one is flexibility. You can make all the lists you want. I do, and I love them. I love tasks. I love workflow assignments. But you also have to be flexible and find excitement in the unexpected. If something gets moved up and is suddenly due next week instead of three weeks from now, you need to be able to say, “Okay, let’s do it!” and genuinely find excitement in those surprises. If you thrive on that kind of unpredictability and don’t get frustrated by it, then this work is a great fit.

Liking people is crucial too. I really dislike the saying, “I work in animal advocacy because I hate people.” That’s just not true—you have to like people because they’re the ones making change happen. In my role, I’m constantly communicating with journalists, advocates, and others through social media. Sure, some people can be difficult, but most are great, and you need to enjoy engaging with them and finding common ground.

Networking is a must. If you’re the type of person who can be dropped into the middle of a networking event and not only survive but actually enjoy talking to people, then you’re in the right place. In my job, when I go to conferences, I’m not attending sessions; I’m out there making one-on-one connections, managing our booth, and building relationships. You need to be someone who thrives in that kind of environment.

A lot of people think communications careers are all about writing. Would you say other skills are just as important?

It really depends on your role. If you’re the overall communications or marketing person, then yes—you need to be outgoing, a strong writer, and capable of disconnecting your personal opinions. You have to remember that you’re representing an organization, not yourself, which can be challenging. But there are more niche positions as well. In larger nonprofits, you might have a content editor who focuses on crafting beautiful writing, a graphic designer who creates stunning visuals, a media specialist who handles outreach and works with journalists, or a social media manager who runs the online presence.

In my case, because we’re a smaller group, I wear all those hats, though I do get assistance from others in specific roles. But if you’re someone like my friend Gerry, for example—he’s not even in nonprofits, but he’s a comic book artist who does incredible design work. He wanted a steady paycheck, so he transitioned into graphic design. Now, he creates amazing visuals for his company, and I could see that skill set translating well into the nonprofit world. If you’re an artist who loves creating, nonprofits often need graphic designers, people who can create infographics, or even data visualization experts. There’s a place for those creative talents in this field.

Do you have any general advice for someone interested in a career in animal welfare or nonprofits in general?

Honestly, my advice is to start by exploring. If you feel that itch to work in nonprofits, animal welfare or advocacy, just dive in—use Google, or whatever tool works for you, and start visiting the pages of different groups, even ones you’ve never heard of. See what they do, and notice if anything resonates with you. For me, I’ve always loved animals, so I’d search for animal charities, see who comes up, and learn about them.

One big piece of advice: if you find a position that excites you, but you look at the qualifications and think, “I don’t know if I’m fully qualified,” apply anyway. Let them decide. When I applied for my job at Faunalytics, I met all the required qualifications but only about half of the recommended ones. Twenty-something-year-old me would have thought, “This is a waste of time for both them and me.” But the truth is, job descriptions often list an ideal candidate that may not exist. Show your capabilities in your resume and cover letter, and if you get the interview, demonstrate that you can do the job. More often than not, the qualifications are more of a wish list than a set-in-stone requirement.

I understand that applying for jobs takes time, and not everyone has the privilege to pursue every opportunity, but if you can, take the chance. It’s worth it.