With both joy and sadness, we say goodbye to Theresa Zingery as a CAA staff member and wish her all the best as she begins a well-earned retirement.
2022: Theresa Joins CAA Staff
Theresa joined Compassionate Action for Animals in February 2022 after a long career as an Adult Basic Education and Community Education manager. She semi-retired to join CAA as a staff member, working half time as Communications Director. In that role, she led many of our key communications, including the Veg Living magazine, weekly newsletters, blogs, website proofreading, and social media.
“Theresa not only led our communications, she made them stronger,” said Executive Director Laura Matanah. “She was the driving force behind improvements to our newsletter, blog, and overall communications.”
Transitions and New Roles
After two years, Theresa chose to reduce her hours further, and social media coordination was transitioned to new staff member, Sara Olson, who we were lucky to have join us as our Graphic Design, Social Media, & Marketing Coordinator. (And now, due to Sara’s strong skill set, she will also be adding the newsletter to her duties and transition to being the Communications Director.)
For Sara, jumping into a new role, taking over some of Theresa’s duties and becoming her supervisor could have been awkward with anyone else. But Theresa’s kindness, compassion, and work ethic made the transition seamless. Sara and Theresa became the communications team and collaborated together on everything from social media to newsletters and blogs to the MN Veg Living magazine.
Theresa’s Volunteer Work Before Becoming a Staff Member
Before joining staff, Theresa was already deeply connected to CAA. She served four years on CAA’s board of directors after beginning her involvement as a volunteer, drawn to outreach events where she could talk with people about living more compassionate lives. Over the years, she also volunteered on the Annual Banquet auction committee, helped proof Veg Living, and supported CAA’s strategic planning work.
When the opportunity came to turn that passion into a staff role, Theresa jumped at the chance. Reflecting on her time at CAA, she shared, “Who knew that my last paid job would turn out to be my favorite job ever! Where else could I do the kind of work I love for a cause that I feel so passionate about? I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity.”
Accomplishments and Highlights
Theresa is especially proud of several accomplishments during her time on staff. These include launching the monthly featured sanctuary animal and Volunteer Spotlight in the newsletter, helping transition Veg Living into Minnesota Veg Living with a broader statewide focus, creating the annual Vegan Holiday blog, and moving CAA to a more robust newsletter platform. She also helped refresh the look and feel of the weekly newsletter, expanded the use of blogs, created templates for event pages and recurring blog themes, and developed clearer communication systems to support collaboration among staff.
At the same time, Theresa is quick to credit the entire CAA team: “CAA staff work very collaboratively and well together,” she said. “We pool our ideas and come up with the best approach to accomplish our goals, which are always front and center. On top of it all, the staff are dedicated, skilled, and friendly people who put the mission first under strong leadership.”
Theresa’s supervisor Sara noted that she will miss her regular meetings with Theresa, saying “She always stays on task and gets things done, but also infuses every meeting with humor, personality, and friendship. Theresa is an excellent collaborator and I’ve often said she’s the glue that holds CAA together. She gives her all to everything she’s involved in — whether it means volunteering extra hours or helping another staff member with something beyond her job description. She’s always been quick to jump in and help. Theresa leaves a legacy of improvements to CAA’s communications and will be greatly missed.”
What’s Next for Theresa
While Theresa is stepping away from her staff role, she is not stepping away from advocacy for animals. She currently serves as president of the Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry, an international organization, and looks forward to spending more time supporting its mission to build justice and compassion for all beings.
She also made it clear that CAA is still very much part of her future. “You haven’t seen the last of me at CAA,” she shared. “I plan to return as a volunteer, supporting the work of staff and other volunteers. And I’m glad I won’t have to say goodbye to all the wonderful people involved — I’m sure I’ll still see them around.”
We’re very glad to hear that — and we already have a few volunteer roles in mind. Thank you, Theresa, for your years of dedication, creativity, and heart. We wish you happiness in this next chapter and look forward to continuing this work together in new ways.
