Established in 2020, the Texas Humane Network is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the 501c4 Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) created to provide educational programs promoting the humane treatment of animals.
Mission: Promote the Humane Treatment of Animals Through Education, Training and Outreach.
Vision: THLN passes the animal cruelty laws, and Texas Humane Network aids the enforcement of them through education, training, and outreach.
By creating established educational programs through the c3 affiliate, we can educate Texans to be more humane for generations to come.
Board of Directors
Amy Hickox, Interim Board President
Amy Hickox is an experienced Educational Consultant. She creates Personalized Educational Accountability plans for clients that provide instructional strategies and solutions for families. With a Bachelor of Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Science in Education from Duquesne University, Amy is an experienced administrator and educator with extensive knowledge of educational models across diverse settings.
She has served as an advocate for both local school districts and statewide committees. Driven by the need to bridge the gap between school districts and families, she takes pride in providing outcomes-based teaching solutions that are measurable for the client’s daily learning. Amy has also served as a PTA President on several campuses and works to build a process where stakeholders connect and build consensus and a campus community.
Sharon Hotchkiss, Vice President
Sharon is an attorney licensed in Texas and California. In 2014, she started her Hotchkiss Law Firm, PLLC, which focuses primarily on assisting non-profit organizations with business transactions, intellectual property (trademark and copyright), and general counsel services. Her clients include museums, cheer organizations, animal welfare, and rescue groups. Sharon received her BBA from the University of Texas at Austin and her JD from Loyola Law School.
Sharon always loved spending time with her rescue dogs but had a strong desire to make a more significant impact on the welfare of animals. Therefore, she started volunteering with the Texas Humane Legislative Network in 2015 and is now serving on the Board of the Texas Humane Network. She is excited to assist Texas Humane Network in achieving its mission!
Clare Dye, Treasurer
Clare was born and raised in Fort Worth, TX. She moved to Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma and remained in Oklahoma City after graduating. Clare graduated with a BBA in International Business and Economics, with a Spanish Minor. She accepted a job with the Boeing Company and worked in various functions on multiple defense platforms there over nine years, including Finance, Project Management, and Program Planning.
In 2017, she accepted a job with Lockheed Martin in their Missiles and Fire Control division. Clare currently leads a team of eight Program Planners across multiple hardware and software redesign programs. In 2020, she received her MBA from Pepperdine University.
Clare has two rescue dogs, both seniors now. She is very passionate about animals and animal welfare. She loves traveling, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, reading, and hiking. She hopes to visit all of the National Parks in her lifetime.
Pam Boich, Secretary
Pamela had spent many years supporting various animal charities when she decided it was time to join THLN to help solve root problems affecting animals. Pamela is proud to be a Texas Humane Network board member while continuing to serve as an advisory board member to THLN.
Pamela holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in business, and her “day job” is an IT director at Salesforce, a Fortune 50 company. Before Salesforce, Pamela was a business consultant and employee at various global corporations in the high tech industry over her 20-year career. Pamela is also active in other charities, including mentoring students in the nationwide Year Up charity and volunteering with Salesforce’s Vetforce veterans group.
Pamela is married to Tony, a retired US Navy intelligence officer, and together they have a young son and two spoiled “foster failure” dogs. They enjoy travel, nature, music, horses, dogs, hiking, and time with friends & family. They currently reside in a suburb of Dallas, Texas.
Kenny Burns, Director
Kenny Burns is a Professor of Criminal Justice and Director of the Law Enforcement Academy at a college in West Texas. He has been in Law Enforcement for 24 years. He holds a Master Peace Officer License from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and a Master of Criminal Justice from New Mexico State University.
Kenny grew up an animal lover living in a rural area of El Paso, Texas, where he had many animals to care for, including dogs, chickens, horses, and even rabbits. He met the love of his life, Korey, in 1993 and soon after got married. They both instantly bonded on their love for animals. During Kenny’s law enforcement career, he and Korey shared frustrations about the small rural areas they lived in with overbreeding and excessive shelter populations of good dogs that never got a forever home. It wasn’t until they moved to Lubbock, Texas, in 2008 and later and found the South Plains SPCA that they finally found their calling, mission, and new “family.”
In the past six years, Kenny and Korey have fostered 70 + dogs through their home and successfully adopted them into loving homes. In addition, they are both active with the SPSPCA, where Korey serves on the board.
Dr. Melissa Draper, Director
Dr. Melissa Draper is a veterinarian with 30 years of experience in practice, with 23 years of that time in Nonprofit shelters and Animal Control facilities. She has served as Chief Veterinarian for San Antonio and Corpus Christi. She is completing her master’s degree in Veterinary Forensics and will also be teaching Veterinary Forensics at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
In addition to working full-time as a shelter veterinarian, she runs her own business called The ACT to educate and train animal control officers in the state of Texas. She is a recipient of the Eslinger Shelter Medicine Fellowship and has spent countless hours advising shelters on proper Shelter Medicine standards of care.
Melissa is married to James, a retired Animal Control Officer, and they enjoy spending time on the beach with their adopted shelter pets. She also loves to travel as well as hike, and spend time in nature. She is a committed animal welfare advocate and is looking forward to serving The Texas Humane Network mission.
Gemma Galeoto, Director
Gemma is a Dallas trial attorney and a partner at an international law firm. She is licensed to practice law in four states and focuses on trade secrets and banking disputes.
She attended law school at Southern Methodist University and adopted her first rescue dog in 2009. That began her long history of animal rescue volunteer work, including pro bono representation of animal welfare organizations in court, animal advocacy, and fostering dogs through local animal rescue organizations. She became involved with THLN in 2017 and looks forward to giving back to animals through Texas Humane Network’s education efforts.
Staff
Karen Rankin, Office Manager
Karen joined the organization in May 2019 to provide administrative support to the staff, board members, and volunteers. Karen has a passion for service and working with nonprofits.
She recently worked for a local river authority coordinating their grant program and says giving money to other nonprofits in need is the best. Originally from Houston, Karen loves day-tripping in central Texas, jigsaw puzzles, and baking sweet treats.