Alisa Oether Gray: From Childhood Volunteer to Kentucky Humane Society CEO

By Alisha Proffitt • Photos By Matt Johnson

Alisa Oether Gray has spent her career building stronger communities by helping both people and animals. As president and CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS), she believes the two are closely connected. When families struggle, their pets struggle too. "Helping an animal often means helping an entire family, and that realization has become the foundation of my work and the mission we live every day at the Kentucky Humane Society," Gray explains. 

Gray's inclination to service surfaced in childhood. Growing up, her parents encouraged her love of animals by welcoming a variety of pets into their home. As a child, she started a neighborhood dog-walking business and volunteered alongside her grandmother delivering Meals on Wheels. Those experiences left their mark on her and taught her responsibility, compassion, and the value of giving back.

She joined the Kentucky Humane Society in 2014 and served in several leadership roles before becoming president and CEO in 2023. Along the way, her view of leadership has changed. "Earlier in my career, I thought leadership meant having the answers," she recalls. "Today, I believe leadership is much more about listening, asking the right questions, building trust, and helping other people succeed."

That approach has helped strengthen the organization. Nearly half of open positions at KHS are now filled through internal promotions, which gives real perspective to the organization's investment in employees and future leaders.

Gray has also guided KHS through a significant growth period. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded services outside of Louisville into communities across the state through the LOVE 120 initiative, providing veterinary care, disaster response, shelter support, and other resources in 105 Kentucky counties. A massive undertaking. Instead of applying the same solution everywhere, KHS works with local partners to understand each community's specific needs.

Fundraising has been another area of success for KHS. Gray views philanthropy as relationship building. By focusing on transparency, trust, and measurable results, KHS has seen remarkable support for its mission. The organization has raised nearly $29 million toward its $37 million ALL IN: Animal & Community Campus campaign, which will expand affordable veterinary care, increase shelter capacity, and strengthen emergency response services.

While KHS continues to rescue and care for animals in immediate need, Gray is equally focused on preventing future crises. Programs that provide affordable veterinary care, spay and neuter services, foster homes, and pet retention assistance to help families keep beloved pets at home whenever possible.

Partnerships also play an important role in their operations. "No organization can do this work alone, and I do not believe we should try," Gray says. Collaborations with shelters, veterinarians, businesses, volunteers, and community organizations allow KHS to reach more animals and families than it could alone. Gray points to the partnership with Purrfect Day Cafe, which has helped more than 13,000 cats find homes, as one example of what shared efforts can accomplish.

Gray's work always comes back to kindness. Wherever her focus, she believes every interaction has the potential to make a lasting difference. "That mindset has stayed with me throughout my life," Gray shares. "I truly believe smiling is important and that positivity is contagious. A smile, a compliment, a handwritten note, or simply taking the time to listen can completely change someone's day." That simple philosophy continues to guide both her leadership and the Kentucky Humane Society's growing impact across the Commonwealth. "We all have far more influence than we realize," she concludes, "and I hope to use mine to leave people, animals and communities better than I found them."

For more information on how you can support Kentucky Humane Society's Mission, visit: https://www.kyhumane.org/