NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana SPCA has appointed five new members to its Board of Directors, has appointed five new members to its Board of Directors, adding leaders from business, law, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector.
The Louisiana SPCA says the new board members bring deep experience across multiple sectors that will help guide strategic growth, reinforce financial stewardship, and advance the organization’s mission to protect animals and support the people who care for them across Louisiana.
“Our Board of Directors plays a critical role in guiding the strategic direction of the Louisiana SPCA,” said Ana Zorrilla, Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana SPCA. “These new members reflect a shared dedication to animal welfare and public service, and their proven experience will help strengthen the communities we serve.”
Newly Appointed Louisiana SPCA Board Members
Melissa Bennett, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Bennett Simeon Insurance, brings extensive experience in insurance leadership, risk management, and business growth. She began her career in 2008 and expanded her portfolio to more than $20 million in managed business before launching one of the only woman-owned independent insurance agencies in the Greater New Orleans area. Bennett serves on several local boards and committees, including the Louisiana SPCA Finance Committee, and says she is committed to strengthening organizations through strategic planning and financial stewardship.
Jeffery Giavotella, a New Orleans native, has joined the Louisiana SPCA Board of Directors, bringing more than two decades of experience in financial leadership and organizational governance. He serves as Chief Financial Officer of IES Safety, directing financial strategy and oversight for subsidiaries operating nationwide. Giavotella said he has built a career centered on maintaining financial integrity while supporting disciplined, responsible growth. He previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Ballard Brands, guiding the company through a period of significant expansion. A longtime supporter of the Louisiana SPCA, Giavotella previously served on the organization’s Finance Committee. In his new role on the Board, he will provide strategic oversight and financial stewardship in support of the LSPCA mission to protect and advance animal well-being throughout Louisiana.
Nathan List, Assistant General Counsel at Entergy, brings nearly twenty years of experience advising executives and boards on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities, and strategic transactions. He began his legal career at Jones Walker in New Orleans and Briggs & Morgan in Minneapolis before moving in-house to Entergy, where he advises on complex, cross-functional initiatives and transactions. List has lived in New Orleans since 2007 and, with his wife, is raising two children and two rescue dogs.
Billy Rippner, President of Two Men and a Truck, says he is dedicated to the mission of the Louisiana SPCA, cultivating and preserving the human-animal bond. His professional experience includes working as an assistant district attorney with the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office and as the Executive Director for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children, and serving on the board of Crimestoppers. He says he is also dedicated to his two dachshunds, Macy and Lucy.
Tarik Sedky, President and Founder of Pure, a New Orleans-based full-service advertising agency, brings decades of experience in advertising, digital strategy, and brand development. Before launching Pure in 2011, he held senior leadership roles at Young & Rubicam, mcgarrybowen, and AtmosphereBBDO and previously led interactive marketing at Accenture. Sedky lives in New Orleans and serves on the board of the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation.
Each board member will contribute to the organization’s governance by supporting strategic direction, financial oversight, and long-term sustainability.
Through its programs and services, the Louisiana SPCA supports more than 73,000 animals annually through sheltering, veterinary care, humane law enforcement, community services, and disaster response across the state.
About the Louisiana SPCA
The Louisiana SPCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and advancing the well-being of Louisiana’s companion animals. As the oldest and most comprehensive animal welfare organization in the state, the Louisiana SPCA impacts more than 73,000 homeless and companion animals annually. For more than 130 years, the Louisiana SPCA has served the needs of people and animals across the region and is recognized as a 4-Star Charity Navigator nonprofit and a Platinum-level GuideStar organization.
