Rebecca Holmes
Vice President of People and Strategic Initiatives
With a passion for creating exceptional employment experiences for employees, Rebecca Holmes joins the Dumb Friends League team as Vice President of People and Strategic Initiatives.
Rebecca earned her bachelor of liberal arts and masters of business administration degrees from Colorado State University. With a career spanning 25 years in human resources primarily in the medical device and healthcare industries, Rebecca is a recognized, trusted human resource advisor and strategist. Rebecca is committed to the care and development of employees as an organization’s primary strategic advantage because she believes employees are the key to fulfilling a company’s mission. Rebecca is excited to work with talented and compassionate individuals committed to advocating for our companion animals and the people who love them, as well as being a part of an organization that is led with integrity and is a visionary in animal and community welfare.
Izzy was Rebecca’s first rescue cat but certainly not her last. Several pets followed, but the boy that truly changed Rebecca’s heart was Duncan, her rescue Golden Retriever and best friend for 11 years. At a year old, Duncan was 35 pounds and found wandering the streets after having been abandoned by two previous owners for being a “runner.” Rebecca knew the moment she met him that he was her soulmate. While he never did learn the very elusive command of “come,” the two had amazing on-leash adventures together and his free-spirit, gentle nature and endless charm touched the lives of everyone he met.
In her free time, Rebecca is the board chair for the YESS Institute, which is a local nonprofit that builds inclusive learning communities to support students on their road to success. Rebecca is a 30-year Colorado resident and is an avid outdoor enthusiast with a love of backpacking and skiing. She lives with her two rescue dogs: Golden Retriever, Maddie; Flat Coat Retriever, Maya and one rescue cat: Maine Coon, Jaws.