OTTAWA, ONTARIO / AGILITYPR.NEWS / October 21, 2026 / New op-ed and live panel highlight the contributions of Latina professionals shaping Canada’s animal welfare sector.

Humane Canada, the national animal welfare organization, has published a new op-ed spotlighting the contributions of Latina professionals shaping Canada’s animal welfare sector, in recognition of Latin American Heritage Month.

Written by Natalia Hanson, Events and Education Digital Marketing Specialist at Humane Canada, “We Are Here: Latinas Shaping Animal Welfare in Canada” profiles four women building careers in the field: María José (Jota) Botía, marketing coordinator at Toronto Humane Society; Ester Mora, corporate campaigns manager at World Animal Protection Canada; Dr. Michelle Tuma, veterinarian at Northwest Territories Veterinary Services; and Dr. Bianca Vandresen, Scientific Officer at BC SPCA.

The piece details concrete contributions from each subject, including a Toronto Blue Jays partnership that raised over $80,000 for wildfire-displaced animals, advocacy work behind McDonald’s Canada’s permanent plant-based menu item, a wildfire emergency response that sheltered over 100 animals in the Northwest Territories, and published research addressing barriers faced by Global South scientists in animal welfare research.

“When I look at the sector where I’ve built my career, I notice that we, Latinos, are still few and far between,” said Hanson. “This month, I want to highlight four fellow Latinas advancing animal welfare in our country, and to recognize that visibility matters, not because our stories are the same, but because they aren’t, and so few people get to hear them.”

Live Panel Discussion

Humane Canada will host a live panel discussion simultaneously on its Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages on Wednesday, October 28 at 12 p.m. ET, featuring Hanson alongside Ester Mora, Dr. Michelle Tuma, and Dr. Bianca Vandresen. The 45-minute conversation will cover the panelists’ career journeys, the barriers they’ve navigated as Latina professionals in a niche sector, and the work they’re most proud of.

The full op-ed is available on the Humane Canada website: We Are Here: Latinas Shaping Animal Welfare in Canada.