Denise Deisler and Lawrence Nicolas
A new year always brings change, but the announcement in early January that Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) CEO and President Denise Deisler had stepped down, promoting Lawrence Nicolas as her successor, was a significant change.
After guiding the organization through 13 challenging years, Deisler has begun a year-long transition, now serving as JHS Executive Advisor and CEO Emerita. Deisler and her JHS team achieved a new model for animal welfare care, services, and programs – one that is now replicated by progressive shelters nationwide.
Nicolas is already at home inside the JHS campus on Beach Boulevard, where he has worked as JHS COO since Deisler recruited him in 2021, activating the organization’s future succession plans.
“This is my dream job, to work with an amazing organization like JHS. From our volunteers to the front-line staff, donors, supporters, and board of directors, we are committed to keeping the momentum going,” he said. “We’re not going to miss a beat.”
Deisler said that Nicolas’ 15-plus years of deep, varied animal shelter and welfare experience steadily advancing from pet adoption counselor to increasing levels of management,have well-prepared him. She emphasized that he and the JHS team will always have her full support during the transitional 2025 year, with key organizational initiatives and beyond.
“Too many organizations falter or fail due to failure of their leadership to plan for ‘what’s next,’” Deisler said. “If you’ve invested your life and love into something, recognizing when it’s time to let go and allow someone else to lead is important.”
Inspired Leadership
Nicolas first came to experience JHS on a tour of the facility when he attended a Best Friends Animal Society conference in Jacksonville in 2013.
“It was after their catastrophic fire but before the rebuilding,” Nicolas said. “I was struck by the dynamic leadership here and how they continued saving animals despite such a catastrophe; they never stopped their work.”
He said Deisler asking him to join JHS was a “full-circle moment.”
Nicolas is a University of Colorado graduate with a communications degree, emphasizing public relations. His wife, Tiffany Deaton-Nicolas, works remotely as Best Friends Animal Society director of national operations.
Nicolas notably built his career working for respected, nationally recognized organizations including Best Friends Animal Society (Utah), Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League (West Palm Beach), and Denver Dumb Friends League before joining JHS. He is a University of Colorado graduate with a communications degree, emphasizing public relations. He joined JHS in 2021.
Under Deisler’s Direction
Deisler’s regional and national animal welfare advocacy have profoundly impacted JHS and the city. Her nationally recognized initiatives and successful efforts to improve local animal welfare policies, shelter statistics, adoption rates, community coalitions, education and outreach programs will stand as her legacy.
…“My involvement [with JHS] began when a group of inspired city and shelter leaders joined to create a more humane community and end the needless shelter deaths during the early 2000s,” Deisler said. “They wanted a better, new model of sheltering and caring for animals, focusing on lifesaving.”
It was then that Deisler began providing consulting and training services, working with those leaders to find a way to achieve those goals here in Jacksonville.
At that time, more than 30,000 animals entered the two Jacksonville shelters and barely half left alive. By 2011, JHS had made progress, but considerable work was still needed to achieve the no-kill shelter goal. With sharp focus, increased collaboration, additional financial resources, and community engagement, the lifesaving “finish line” came closer.
By 2014, Deisler noted that fewer than 16,000 animals were entering the shelters, and more than 90% were saved. Jacksonville had become the largest city in the U.S. to meet the definition of no-kill animal shelter status: only those animals with severe medical conditions or behavioral issues are euthanized.
Deisler said there are “countless” people to credit for the drastically improved statistics for Jacksonville shelters, from the government and private businesses to staff and volunteers – and beyond.
“The result has been a new animal welfare standard here, viewed as a model across the country,” she said. “It has been my privilege to serve as JHS CEO during this challenging and rewarding period in their history…”
Rebuilding and Recovering
Few could forget Deisler’s fundraising and rebuilding role after the catastrophic early-morning fire at JHS on April 7, 2007. The inferno sent flames shooting 30 feet high, destroying the main building that housed cats, dogs, puppies, kittens, and exotic animals. Jacksonville Fire & Rescue responded in force, sending 70 emergency responders, 10 fire trucks, and seven ladder trucks.
Firefighters rushed in and out of the blazing building until it collapsed, saving more than 80 animals at great risk to themselves in an extraordinary effort. The 86 animals that perished in the fire – 67 cats and 19 dogs – are still remembered by those who witnessed the tragedy. The next day, people arrived in droves, asking how to help. The cause of the fire was never determined.
“It was a traumatic day for responders who could not save all the animals after the roof collapsed. Firefighters who fought the deadly, raging fire are still haunted by what happened,” Tom Francis recalled.“That night, many firefighters adopted surviving animals on the spot, with more adopted later.”
At the time, Francis was the Jacksonville Fire Rescue spokesperson in 2017 when WJXT television station’s News4Jax interviewed him about the fire.
Incredibly, JHS re-opened after just one week, and Deisler led a $15 million campaign to rebuild a state-of-the-art shelter. She oversaw the design and construction of a new 44,000-square-foot facility with extensive fire suppression systems that opened in November 2017.
Regarding her new position and plans, Deisler said she is extremely happy to celebrate the successes of 2024 and thanks everyone who collaborated to make those achievements possible. She said the efforts and dedication of JHS leadership and staff, volunteers, community supporters, and other friends saved the lives of more than 8,000 dogs and cats last year. JHS has helped hundreds of families and individuals keep their pets despite difficult life situations.
Visit the JHS website (www.jaxhumane.org) for information about volunteering or donations, which can be dropped off during public hours (weekdays, noon to 7 p.m.; weekends, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).JHS is located at 464 Beach Blvd.
