Born and raised in Ventura County, Rhett graduated from San Diego State University before returning to the area to find an organization that allowed him to follow his true passion: rescuing dogs and giving them a renewed purpose in life.
Rhett joined the SDF team in 2009 as the Development Manager before advancing to Senior Director of Philanthropy. In that role, Rhett guided all fundraising efforts and strengthened donor engagement by nurturing opportunities to increase the impact of our supporters’ philanthropic objectives. He also contributed substantively to developing the capital fundraising campaign to build the facilities and then transition SDF to the National Training Center campus. Rhett had the opportunity to be involved strategically in SDF’s program and organizational areas through the years before assuming the Executive Director role in 2022 and the Chief Executive Officer role in 2024.
Alongside SDF’s dynamic and passionate staff, Rhett oversees day-to-day operations and explores innovative ways to further the goals and tangible outcomes of our work. He continues to be inspired and motivated by the SDF team’s ability to focus the natural abilities of rescued, high-drive canines into impactful work to change the world through the power of the human-canine bond.
Rhett is often accompanied at work by Roscoe, his Pitbull/Lab mix, who was adopted from the Humane Society of Ventura County.