Michael Roach, strategist
Prior to joining Best Friends, Michael worked at a municipal shelter helping the community and their animals have a better life as the shelter achieved no-kill status. Over a decade ago, Mike co-founded Taysia Blue Rescue, one of the most progressive, all-volunteer, foster-based breed rescues in the country. The rescue now has hundreds of volunteers in seven states working directly with more than 80 shelter partners. Along the way he helped lead the organization in innovative ways to increase life-saving capacity by breaking the rules about intake, adoptions, volunteering, technology… anything to make the organization more agile and able to save more lives.
Before his work in animal welfare, Michael ran a marketing, photography and web design firm which served clients nationwide. This followed a career as a professional architect working for a large multi-national firm. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in architecture. He also taught architectural design courses as a part-time professor and was frequently asked to evaluate student designs. He takes great pride in being a lifelong learner and educator, always considering other viewpoints with empathy and without prejudice.
Mike was born in Toronto and has traveled to all 50 states and four continents. Mike shares his passion with his wife and partner, Jackie Roach, who also works for Best Friends. They have four Alaskan Malamutes: Danbee, Bettie Page, Walter, and Reed as well as one Siberian Husky, Mr. Blue.