Tuesday, May 17, 2016 | NHS Staff
OMAHA, (Neb.) May 17, 2016: The Nebraska Humane Society board of directors has announced the appointment of Nancy Hintz as its new president and CEO, following the announcement in December, 2015 by current president and CEO, Judy Varner, of her retirement.
Hintz is well known in the Omaha community having spent most of her adult life advocating for those individuals who couldn’t advocate for themselves.
“I believe this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to utilize my skills advocating for animals the same way I have advocated for children.” said Hintz.
Hintz developed and implemented a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program in Douglas County, growing the grassroots non-profit to become the largest CASA program in the state and serving the largest number of abused and neglected children through the use of screened, trained and supervised citizen volunteers. In 2012, she left CASA to become the executive director of NOVA Treatment Community serving individuals and families with substance abuse and mental health illnesses while offering co-occurring treatment services, education programs and foster care and in-home services for children, adolescents, adults and families.
“I’ve always had a love for animals, which inspired me to introduce therapy dogs to CASA and the Douglas County Juvenile Court, easing the fears of children who attended or testified at court hearings,” said Hintz. “I also strongly believe in giving back to the community and made it a point to incorporate my own dogs and volunteer for Domesti-PUPS, a non-profit that trains therapy and service dogs.”
Hintz said she wants to carry on the legacy of Judy Varner who led the Nebraska Humane Society for the past 18 years, calling the Humane Society, a “premier” organization. The Nebraska Humane Society is the fifth oldest Humane Society in the U.S. and the sole organization within the Omaha metro-area designated for the protection of animals.
Search committee chairman, Jerry O’Flanagan said Hintz was chosen following a national search during which several hundred contacts were made where potential candidates were sought out and referrals to potential candidates were requested. The search committee narrowed the list of applicants to several very qualified finalists and then conducted in-person interviews.
“Following the interview process, it was clear that Nancy Hintz was the candidate to lead the Nebraska Humane Society forward,” said O’Flanagan.
Hintz was approved at a special meeting of the full board of NHS Tuesday, May 17, 2016 and is expected to start her new position June 20, 2016.