The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society wishes CEO Doug Brooks a fond retirement and welcomes Charmaine Brett as new CEO & President
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Stouffville, ON (May 29, 2025) – Ontario SPCA and Humane Society President & CEO Doug Brooks has announced his official retirement. Having served as President & CEO for four years, Brooks has led the organization through the amalgamation with the Humane Society of Durham Region, the announcement of the merger with the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society, partnered with a number of colleges and universities and launched the community focused strategic plan, aimed at supporting communities, increasing awareness of animal welfare challenges and keeping pets and people together.
“Doug Brooks has led with a steady hand and a kind heart, always guided by the Ontario SPCA’s core values of compassion, collaboration, accountability, transparency and excellence,” says Renata D’Innocenzo, Chair of the Board. “We are incredibly grateful for all he has done for our organization and the communities we serve.”
Doug Brooks’ last day will be July 11, 2025. The Ontario SPCA has appointed Donna Healey, current Society CFO, to be Interim CEO until the new CEO starts in September.
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society welcomes Charmaine Brett as new CEO & President
Respected global animal welfare and humanitarian leader to lead the organization into its next chapter
After a search that spanned North America, Charmaine Brett has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer and President of the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, starting September 8, 2025.
“Charmaine is joining us at a crucial moment for the Ontario SPCA as we deepen our impact across the province, continue to champion animal well-being through community-based care and deal with the impact of a shortage of veterinarian services,” said Renata D’Innocenzo, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Charmaine brings more than 20 years of global non-profit leadership, spanning animal welfare, humanitarian response and community-led development. Prior to her role at Veterinarians Without Borders, she held senior leadership positions with organizations including Doctors Without Borders, Action Against Hunger, Habitat for Humanity and the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies—one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Her work has consistently focused on improving lives through locally driven, sustainable solutions across health, housing, and humanitarian sectors.
Most recently, Charmaine served as Executive Director of Veterinarians Without Borders North America, a registered charity in both Canada and the United States. Under her leadership, the organization significantly expanded its reach across more than 13 countries and continues to be an active member of VSF International, a global network working in 55 countries to improve the health of animals, people and the environment.
Charmaine is widely recognized for her leadership in emergency response, having directed complex operations in Ukraine, Turkey and wildfire-affected regions of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Northern Ontario. Her ability to respond with clarity, compassion, and coordination during times of crisis has earned her strong respect across the animal welfare and humanitarian sectors.
In Canada, she has led efforts to increase access to veterinary care in remote and underserved communities, particularly through her work with Indigenous partners in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Through mobile clinics, education initiatives and the introduction of innovative models such as tele-triage, she has helped build more sustainable systems of care for animals in hard-to-reach regions.
“I am honoured to join the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society at such a pivotal time for animal welfare,” said Charmaine Brett. “Across Ontario, there is an incredible opportunity to strengthen local partnerships, support underserved communities, and build a future where every animal receives the care they deserve. I’m excited to work alongside this dedicated team and all those who make this mission possible.”
Based in Ontario, Charmaine shares her home with her two children and a lively crew of rescue pets. Her leadership is rooted in collaboration, equity, and a belief in the power of community to drive meaningful change.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
Media relations
905-898-7122 x 375
media@ontariospca.ca
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and does so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy and spay/neuter services.
The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Provincial Office sits on the traditional territory of the Wendat, the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of Scugog, Hiawatha and Alderville First Nations and the Métis Nation. This territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. The treaties that were signed for this particular parcel of land are collectively referred to as the Williams Treaties of 1923.