Miranda K. Workman, PhD

Miranda K. Workman, PhD, is a nationally recognized leader in animal welfare and behavioral sciences with more than 25 years of experience advancing evidence-based practices across sheltering, education, and organizational systems. She currently serves as Director of Shelter Behavior Education & Outreach at the ASPCA, where she leads national initiatives that integrate medical, behavioral, and operational frameworks to improve animal well-being. Her work focuses on elevating behavioral care as a core component of humane sheltering, expanding access to science-based resources, and strengthening professional standards across the field.

Throughout her career, Dr. Workman has bridged academic research and applied animal welfare practice. She previously served in leadership and research roles at SPCA Serving Erie County, where she guided behavioral program transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and spent over a decade as teaching faculty at Canisius University, instructing graduate and undergraduate courses in anthrozoology, animal learning, and nonprofit leadership. She also founded and operated a behavior consulting practice, further grounding her expertise in real-world behavioral assessment, training, and welfare outcomes.

Dr. Workman holds a PhD in Sociology from the University at Buffalo and an MS in Anthrozoology from Canisius University, along with executive education in nonprofit leadership from the University of Notre Dame. She is an active contributor to national and international discourse in animal welfare, including her role as Chair-Elect of the Animals & Society Section of the American Sociological Association. A frequent keynote speaker and published researcher, she is known for advancing interdisciplinary collaboration and advocating for ethical, data-informed approaches to complex welfare challenges in animal care systems.