Leadership

KAREL MINOR, Chief Executive Officer: Karel is the President & CEO of Humane Pennsylvania, one of Pennsylvania’s largest animal welfare organizations. Karel has over 30 years of professional experience in the animal welfare sector. He has brought his skills in non-profit management and organization transformation to numerous animal welfare and environmental organizations. He has served in a wide variety of positions ranging from executive leadership to operations, education, fundraising, and development.

Minor served as past president of the boards of the Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team and Federated Humane Societies of Pennsylvania, past member of Humane Society of the United States Companion Animal Advisory Committee, and other state and national committees and advisory boards. Minor is a regular presenter and trainer at state, regional, and national animal welfare conferences. In addition to his role at Humane PA, Karel is Executive Director of the Humane Pennsylvania Foundation and CEO of Animal Welfare Management Services, LLC., Humane PA’s national consulting company.

Karel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Earth/Space Science from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, is married to a brilliant educational administrator, and has three equally brilliant and beautiful daughters.

DR. ALICIA SIMONEAU, Chief Veterinary Officer: Dr. Simoneau is a graduate of Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine located in Southern California. Prior to vet school, she attended Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA, attaining a BS in Biology. Her special interests include access to veterinary care initiatives, high-volume spay/neuter, and acupuncture. In her spare time, she enjoys the outdoors and attending sporting events with her husband and daughters, and relaxing with her adopted Chihuahua, cats, and horse.

MICHAEL BACH, Chief Financial Officer: Mike obtained his Chartered Accountant from England (the English equivalent of a CPA and MBA) in 1979. He has more than 25 years of demonstrated history working in a variety of industries and brings to Humane Pennsylvania a strong background in financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, insurance, strategic planning, and accounting department management as well as HR administration. Mike aspires to improve the financial reporting and HR and IT systems within the organization; to strengthen its relationship with outside business partners; and to ensure that the organization is financially able to achieve its vision of enhancing and continually improving animal welfare services to the communities it serves.

Mike and his wife Lee of 33 years, are involved in the Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue and adopted two rescue Bagels (Basset/Beagle Mix) named Tilly, aged 8 in June 2019 and Pearl, aged 4, in December 2022.

JENNIFER HENNE RVT, Veterinary Team Director: Jennifer has been with Humane Pennsylvania since 2018. Starting as a Veterinary Technician, Jennifer applied her in-depth knowledge of veterinary medicine and was recently promoted to Lead Veterinary Team Manager. As a graduate of Columbus State Community College majoring as a Veterinary Technician, Jennifer applies her 15 years of experience in veterinary medicine to both Humane Veterinary Hospitals (Reading and Lancaster).

In Jennifer’s spare time, you will find her at home spending time with her family, hiking, and scrapbooking.

ALEXANDRA YOUNG, Community Outreach Programs Manager: Alex has a diverse background in retail, food & beverage, international trade, apparel, and medical device industries and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a BFA in Textile Design. She has lived in several states and overseas, but her driving passion for animal welfare and rescue has always been the one constant factor. A cardiac assist device technology transfer project resulted in her relocating from Cleveland, Ohio (go Browns!) to Reading in 2001, where fostering rescued kittens quickly led to her total immersion in trap-neuter-return (TNR) and an ongoing mission to slow down kitten overpopulation. She led animal rescue relief efforts with Alley Cat Allies after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. She is experienced in helping a shelter reach no-kill status by creating and implementing progressive cat life-saving programs.

Her hobbies include gardening, reading, dog agility, long-range travel trailer road trips with her husband, and rescued dogs, Onya and Rotor. She loves to design and build outdoor cat enclosures (catios) and custom indoor cat playgrounds as enrichment for her furry crew of feral, reformed ferals, other rescued cats, foster kittens, and clients.

SHERRY DIEHL, Accounting & Human Resources Manager: Sherry joined Humane Pennsylvania in 2022. She has over 25 years of experience in Office Management and Law Firm Administration in the Berks County area. She brings extensive experience in AP/AR management, bookkeeping, HR administration, payroll, benefits analysis and proven skill in employing financial best practices. She is also a Notary Public in PA.

Sherry lives in Temple with her partner Mike and their 13-year-old rescue cat, Fred. She enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, camping and all things outdoors.

MAGGIE McDEVITT, Communications Manager: Maggie joined Humane Pennsylvania in 2022. Starting as Media Specialist, then Coordinator, Maggie has managed marketing, media, and communications efforts across the organization. Known for her creativity and adaptability, she now brings these strengths to her new role as Communications Manager. Maggie is a Berks County native and 2018 Shirk Scholar and Summa Cum Laude graduate of Albright College, where she earned a B.A. in Communications and Music Industry Studies, with a specialization in Public Relations & Advertising.

Outside of work, Maggie is a dog mom to Stevie (Nicks), a six-year-old Goldendoodle, and (Mick) Jagger, a two-year-old rescue mutt, and she enjoys painting, reading, films, music, trips to Boston, and time with loved ones.