City of Austin

Austin, TX – The City of Austin has announced three finalists for the Austin Animal Services Director position.

A public Meet & Greet with the finalists will be held on Thursday, December 18, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Permitting and Development Center (PDC), 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Room 1405, Austin, TX 7875. The doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the event begins at 6:00 p.m. Parking tickets for the PDC garage will be validated at the event entrance.  

This event provides an opportunity for the public to:

• Meet the finalists in person.
• Submit questions for a moderated discussion.
• Share feedback that will be considered by City Manager T.C. Broadnax during the final selection process.

The Austin Animal Services Director is responsible for overseeing animal shelter operations and animal control services, ensuring effective program delivery, fiscal oversight, and community engagement to promote public safety and animal welfare to the Austin/Travis County community.

Finalist Bios

Monica Dangler has more than 15 years of experience in animal sheltering, consulting with Riverside County Department of Animal Services in California, one of the nation’s largest systems, to reduce unnecessary euthanasia. She previously served as Director of Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson, Arizona, leading lifesaving efforts for more than 18,000 pets annually. Dangler previously also managed Austin Pets Alive!’s volunteer program, including the emergency response during Hurricane Harvey. Her experience also includes serving as the Shelter Director for PAWS Shelter and Humane Society in Kyle, Texas where she doubled adoptions and secured $1M in donor gifts. As an Event Coordinator for Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, she managed more than 250 annual adoption and fundraising events. She is passionate about innovative, people-centered solutions and believes helping pets begins with supporting the people who love them. She strives to find creative and collaborative solutions to increase positive outcomes in animal shelters.                                     

Rolando Fernandez Jr. has dedicated more than 19 years to public service with the City of Austin and currently serves as Interim Director of Austin Animal Services, overseeing a $26.5 million budget, 135 employees, and more than 800 volunteers who provide compassionate care for the city’s animals. His career includes leadership roles as Deputy Director of the Austin Convention Center Department, where he helped guide the $1.6 billion redevelopment project, and as the City’s Capital Contracting Officer, managing procurement and contracting for citywide capital improvement projects. A former Aerospace Physiologist in the United States Air Force, Fernandez supported reconnaissance missions across the Korean Peninsula, Southwest Asia, and the Mediterranean. He earned a Master of Public Administration from St. Mary’s University with Distinguished Graduate Honors.  Fernandez is dedicated to developing strong teams and delivering outcomes that make a meaningful difference in the community.

Lee Ann Shenefiel brings more than 20 years of experience in local government and a decade of executive leadership in animal welfare. She currently serves as Senior Director of Community Programs for Austin Pets Alive! where she expands pet-centric resources, strengthens safety-net support for pets in need, and builds partnerships with human and social service agencies to improve outcomes for both people and pets. Previously, from 2017 through 2019, she served as Interim Chief Animal Services Officer at Austin Animal Center, achieving save rates of 97–99% for over 16,000 animals annually while maintaining open intake. Later, as South Central Regional Director for Best Friends Animal Society, Shenefiel applied her expertise in strategy, stakeholder engagement, and shelter operations.  Known for her collaborative leadership and innovative approach, Shenefiel has consistently focused on advancing lifesaving programs and strengthening community trust.

Accessibility:
American Sign Language and Spanish interpretation will be available.