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Tiffani Hill, Volunteers Manager

A native of southern California, Tiffani began her animal career in high school when she volunteered for the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species at the San Diego Zoological Society. Her main responsibility was to update the animal pedigrees, which were drawn by hand back then. (The orangutan's pedigree took several sheets of paper to complete!)

After finishing vet tech school, Tiffani worked in animal care as a zoo trainer by day and as an emergency clinic tech by night for several years. She then moved into volunteer management, taking the position of ZooTeen supervisor at the Oregon Zoo. After this temporary position ended, Tiffani took a position in the humane education department of the Oregon Humane Society.

During her 15 years of managing volunteers, Tiffani also volunteered herself as a board member of Second Chance Companions and as a dog-obedience class instructor for the Southwest Washington Humane Society. She became very active in professional development for the volunteer management field and served as a board member for the Northern Oregon Volunteer Administrators Association and as marketing chair of the 2004 International Conference on Volunteer Administration. In addition, she helped create the curriculum for the Coalition for Volunteer Impact's Volunteer Management 101 workshop series. She earned the professional certification of certified volunteer administrator in 2003.

Best Friends hired Tiffani in December of 2005 to start the virtual volunteer programs for the Best Friends Network and rapid response division. These programs are pioneers in modern civic engagement and have been exciting challenges for Tiffani and her staff. She works with volunteers in 11 regions around the country and internationally. She also continues to volunteer in professional development as a trainer with the Nonprofit Support Center of Santa Barbara County and as a contributing writer for Charity Channel, an international e-magazine.

Tiffani works from home in Ventura, California, sharing her office with a menagerie of animals, including an Amazon parrot. She enjoys kayaking with her dog, Molly, and her husband, who's a zoo veterinarian. They volunteer with Southland Collie Rescue and Best Friends Los Angeles program events and Catnipper clinics. Tiffani's husband also volunteers with Best Friends' rapid response division.