Rebecca Baylies has dedicated her career to advancing the well-being of animals and the communities that care for them. A lifelong animal lover, she has been a vegetarian for more than 20 years and vegan for over a decade. Her journey into animal welfare began during college with a semester-long internship at the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society in California, an experience that inspired a lifelong commitment to advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and creating meaningful change for animals.
Over the past 15 years, Rebecca has held leadership roles in animal welfare organizations, most recently serving as Executive Director of the Providence Animal Rescue League in Rhode Island. She holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and is passionate about building strong organizations, supporting dedicated teams, and expanding programs that create lasting impact for both animals and the people who care about them.
Leading Animal Place feels like a natural culmination of Rebecca’s personal and professional journey. She is honored to steward one of the nation’s oldest and largest farmed animal sanctuaries, where rescue, education, and advocacy come together to inspire a more thoughtful and compassionate world. She believes that every rescued animal has a story capable of changing hearts and minds, and that meaningful change begins with creating opportunities for people to connect with animals in new ways.
Rebecca has a particular soft spot for cows and is continually inspired by their intelligence, curiosity, and gentle nature. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and her two dogs and two cats, enjoying live music and theater, and exploring Nevada County and the surrounding region.