Our Mission
To drive change in our community through innovative programs that promote adoption, outreach and a better life for pets and the people who love them.
Our Culture
To keep our mission at the forefront of everything we do, at Great Plains SPCA we uphold a culture where:
- We treat animals and people with respect, dignity and compassion.
- We focus on the “we” versus “me” driving results with flexibility, efficiency and integrity.
- We are a diverse, proactive team with a solution-focused mindset that strives to be the best animal shelter in the Midwest.
Welcome to Great Plains SPCA – A note from Tam Singer, CEO
Great Plains SPCA provides lifesaving services for approximately 4,000 animals annually in the greater Kansas City area. Great Plains SPCA exists because of our caring Kansas City community and generous donors. We offer a lifelong, full-circle approach for pets and their human companions with our three-pronged approach: prevention, adoption, retention.
When we began as Animal Haven in 1966, we committed to working as the community shelter, filling in a need that didn’t exist at the time. Today, our commitment remains to the cities and residents we support. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the nine municipalities with which we are contracted, including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Shawnee, Bonner Springs, Lake Quivira and Johnson County Parks Department and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department.
We work every day to provide best in class care for homeless pets, reuniting lost pets with their owners, and serving those in greatest need through our HERO program, collaboration with Puppies for Parole, public behavior classes and Pet Food Pantry program. Our commitment to matching pets with forever homes is at the center of everything we do.
As CEO, I am committed to creating an inclusive and diverse organization and ensure that our mission to be “A Hero for Pets; Partners for Life” is possible.

Tam Singer
Chief Executive Officer
Our Team
Great Plains SPCA is fortunate to have the support of highly respected business leaders on our Board of Directors to help us drive our mission forward. They work alongside the experienced business professionals and experts in the animal welfare field that form the Great Plains SPCA team.
Board of Directors
Chuck Laue, Chair
Jill Truitt, Vice Chair
Thad Hubler, Treasurer
Pam Scott
Paul Weber
Amy Fowler
Jared Coleman
Carter Quirk
Counsel to the Board
Corporate Secretary
Brennan Tucker
Emeritus Board Member
Tom Rensenhouse
Executive Leadership Team

Tam Singer
Chief Executive Officer Click for Bio

Tracy Lewandowski
Director of Operations Click for Bio

Danielle Husted
Director of Finance Click for Bio

Ashley Flores
Senior Director of Animal Behavior, Foster & Rescue Click for Bio

Emily Wallace
Director of Animal Care and Adoptions Click for Bio
Young Professionals Board
The Young Professionals Board (YPB) at Great Plains SPCA is a team of service-driven young professionals in the Kansas City metro dedicated to helping save homeless animals through fundraising and networking events. The Pup Crawl is the YPB’s largest fundraiser for Great Plains SPCA.
Since the board’s inception in 2015, members have been helping us increase our awareness by promoting adoption, outreach, veterinary care services and a better life for pets and the people who love them!
If you’re interested in getting involved with the board, please email greatplainsypb@gmail.com.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Young Professionals Board.