Maddie's Candid Conversation with Allison Cardona

Maddie's Candid Conversation with Allison Cardona

Author: Maddie was a beloved Miniature Schnauzer whose unconditional love, loyalty and spirit inspired a revolution in animal welfare. Dave & Cheryl Duffield started Maddie's Fund in 1994 to help pets and the people who love them. Learn more @ maddiesfund.org May 11, 2022 Duration: 28:19
Join us for an open, informal 30-minute conversation and Q+A with Allison Cardona, Deputy Director of Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control. In this discussion with Maddie's Fund Executive Leadership Team member Mary Ippoliti-Smith, Allison speaks of overcoming her own experiences with systemic bias and what she sees as initial steps we can take to widen diversity, equity and inclusion in our field while strengthening the human-animal bond.

At the heart of Maddie's Candid Conversations is a simple, powerful story: a Miniature Schnauzer named Maddie, whose spirit inspired Dave and Cheryl Duffield to start Maddie's Fund, an organization dedicated to helping pets and the people who love them. This podcast carries that legacy forward through honest discussions hosted by Maddie's Fund executive leader, Mary Ippoliti-Smith. Each episode sits down with influential figures from the animal welfare world, but these aren't just interviews about policy or procedures. Instead, the focus is on the personal journeys and human stories behind the work. You'll hear how leaders are actively weaving principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the fabric of their daily efforts, from caring for animals to supporting shelter staff. The conversations reveal the challenges, insights, and motivations that drive people in this field, reminding us that respecting each other's paths is fundamental to creating a better world for homeless pets. Tuning into this podcast offers a unique look at the intersection of compassion, community, and systemic change, all grounded in the belief that every life has value. It's a series for anyone who believes that building a more inclusive society is inseparable from the mission of animal welfare.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 14

Maddie's Candid Conversations
Podcast Episodes
Maddie’s Candid Conversation: Dianne Prado [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:31
Our Season 3 premiere features Dianne Prado, Founder and Executive Director of the Housing Equity & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART LA), a unique non-profit that was truly born from the heart. Heart LA is a legal non-profi…
Maddie’s Candid Conversation with Geraldine D’Silva [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
Growing up in India, Geraldine D'Silva developed a deep understanding of equality and the human-animal bond. From an early age, she’d care for stray dogs in her neighborhood, feeding them and taking them to a local shelt…
Maddie's Candid Conversation with José Ocaño [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:52
From a very early age, José Ocaño learned to care for animals thanks to his mom who instilled a love of living things and helping people. Growing up in Barrio Anita gave José the grit, tenacity and life skills he would l…
Maddies Candid Conversation with Elijah Brice Middleton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:45
In our Season 2 premiere, Elijah Brice-Middleton, Director at Plainfield Area Humane Society (PAHS) in New Jersey, reveals the values and skills he uses to face challenges of being, in his words, "a brown face in a white…
Maddie's Candid Conversation with Dr. Lila Miller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:42
Dr. Lila Miller is known as the mother of shelter medicine and throughout her career, she’s forged bold, new paths for veterinarians and especially for women of color. She’s won many awards and acclamations, not the leas…
Maddie's Candid Conversation with Akisha Townsend-Eaton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:21
A former legislative attorney for Best Friends Animal Society and for the Humane Society of the United States, Akisha's current work involves supporting groundbreaking advancements for animals through Animal Legal Defens…
Maddie's Candid Conversation with James Evans and Jennifer Evans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:42
Join us for an open, informal conversation and Q+A with James Evans, founder of Companions and Animals for Reform and Equity (CARE), and Jennifer Evans, CARE's Chief Operating Officer. With a mission to amplify BIPOC voi…
Maddie's Candid Conversation with Ariel Zhang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:54
As a young immigrant who moved across multiple continents and countries, Ariel watched her parents work hard to start something better for their family. They had no roots or connections in the US, but that made Ariel rec…