When Listening Leads: Centering Relationships in Community Veterinary Work

PetSmart Charities has partnered with the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC), five community-centered consultants, and 30 animal welfare organizations (Incubator partners) serving historically excluded communities across the U.S. Since 2023, Incubator partners have engaged with over 6,000 community members through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations about their experiences with veterinary care. This input has guided the co-development of programs that reflect the realities, values, and voices of each community, highlighting trust as a critical foundation for improving access to care.

Please join the Institute for Human-Animal Connection in this quarterly research seminar and hear about the challenges two Incubator partners, Seattle Veterinary Outreach and The Inner Pup, faced when entering communities historically excluded from veterinary care. Learn how they utilized community conversations and built individual relationships to better understand community needs and build trusting relationships to dismantle barriers to access to care.

The Institute for Human-Animal Connection would like to give a special thank-you to CBR YouthConnect for sponsoring the seminar series.

Learn more about our speakers below.

Mari Nerbovig, MT-BC, The Inner Pup:
Mari Nerbovig started working with The Inner Pup as a teenager, growing into her current role as Operations Manager. Along the way, she got her degree and MT-BC certification (Music Therapy), worked in forensic psychiatry, ran a few rescues, and spent the pandemic building Fairfax County Animal Shelter's community outreach programs. She dreams of a world where every person and pet has access to the care they deserve!

Jenny Turner, MA, Seattle Veterinary Outreach:
Jenny Turner is the Community Engagement and Volunteer Manager at Seattle Veterinary Outreach. She plays a critical role in building and maintaining the relationships that drive the work of Seattle Veterinary Outreach through a thriving volunteer program and a robust community engagement initiative across the greater Seattle area. Jenny is passionate about the role that One Health plays in uplifting individuals, families, and communities for the better. In her previous career she was a professional ballet dancer with Ballet Austin and the Miami City Ballet. Jenny holds an M.A. in Anthropology and Education from Columbia University where she was a Margaret Mead Fellow, a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, and an A.A. in Art History from John Cabot University.

Ximena Salgado-Santamaria, MSW, HAEI-SW, Institute for Human-Animal Connection:
Ximena (He-meh-nah) Salgado-Santamaria is a Research Associate II with the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC) at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, where she earned her MSW in 2020, along with a certificate in Human-Animal-Environment Interactions. With experience mentoring youth from immigrant and refugee backgrounds and eight years as a veterinary technician, she brings a deep commitment to working alongside marginalized communities, dismantling discriminatory practices and barriers to veterinary care, while advancing community-engaged research. At IHAC, Ximena currently leads the Research & Evaluation component of the PetSmart Charities Incubator Project, collaborating with more than 30 animal welfare organizations serving historically excluded communities nationwide. Her work supports the thoughtful design, implementation, and evaluation of programs that expand access to veterinary care. A proud Latina, daughter of Colombian immigrants, and devoted animal lover, Ximena lives in Queens with her husband, son, and two pets.

Rachele Raj, Seattle Veterinary Outreach:
Rachele Raj is the Executive Director of Seattle Veterinary Outreach, a mobile, public health–focused program providing veterinary care and human services support to people experiencing homelessness or financial hardship. They hold outreach clinics throughout Seattle, WA on Wednesdays, Fridays, and the second Saturday of each month. Care is offered with a suggested fee of $25/pet where no one is turned away for inability to pay. Through partnerships with trusted community organizations, they provide medical care for pets, connect clients to resources, and offer crisis support programs that help keep people and their animals together, all grounded in the belief that human and animal welfare are deeply connected.

Sarah Ocampo, PetSmart Charities:
Sarah Ocampo is a social impact leader with more than two decades of experience working alongside families and communities to expand opportunity and access. Much of her career has centered on designing and leading community-driven programs that support and strengthen outcomes for those in historically excluded and under-resourced communities. Through her work, Sarah has built deep partnerships with nonprofits, community organizations, researchers, and funders to create programs grounded in community voice. She is especially passionate about community engagement and advocating for equity for families and communities that have often been left out, ensuring resources and services are both accessible and culturally responsive. Originally from Mazatlan, Mexico, Sarah brings a bilingual and culturally grounded lens to her work. She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she continues to collaborate nationally with partners focused on strengthening community-based systems of support.

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