Stephanie Willis has been rescuing animals for as long as she can remember. As a child, she’d flag traffic and gently redirect butterflies drinking from potholes before vehicles could pass by. She protected anthills from lawnmowers, offered aid to injured wildlife, and advocated for the safe and swift release of lightning bugs from mason jars throughout her childhood. Today, her passion for animal welfare is being used to support the mission of Agape Animal Rescue as a Board Member where she leads the PR and Media Relations Committee.
Previously, Stephanie has served with Agape as a volunteer team member, event chair, communications advisor, and friend! She is the visionary behind Agape Animal Ball, and her talent and creativity are on display at Agape’s largest fundraising event of the year. Willis plans to focus her attention on bringing awareness to Agape’s revamped training and education program now available to adoptive families and the general public.
In 2009, Willis retired from the country music industry, where she’d been signed as a songwriter and recording artist, and re-enrolled in college to finish her Public Relations Management degree at Belmont University. It was an environmental ethics class that made her aware of puppy mills and ignited her drive to get involved with an organization on the frontlines of rescue.
Most recently, Stephanie has taken on a new role as Director of Content & Branding at STEP, Inc., where she can put her media and PR talents to great use. In her spare time, Stephanie loves to spend time with her husband and son Chase, as well as her beloved pups Rock, Jazz, and Agape alum,Treesy!
Celebrating her 10th anniversary with Agape Animal Rescue, it’s clear Willis’ passion for rescue runs as deep as her roots with the organization itself.