Rancho Santa Fe, CA (Aug. 5, 2026) – This week, Helen Woodward Animal Center is welcoming distinguished international educator Dr. Neelima Kamrah as the inaugural recipient of the Center’s first-ever Educator Fellowship, which is making a global impact by expanding Humane Education around the world.
Dr. Neelima Kamrah, Principal of the KIIT Campus in Gurgaon near New Delhi, India, is spending the week shadowing Humane Education Associate Director Haylee Senita, observing innovative teaching methods and learning how the Center’s award-winning Humane Education curriculum inspires compassion for both animals and people.
The Educator Fellowship was created after Helen Woodward Animal Center developed an important partnership with four schools in India that have adopted the Center’s Humane Education curriculum and established Animal Fan Clubs inspired by its educational model. It is designed to make a global impact by equiping outstanding educators with practical tools and global best practices they can bring back to their own schools and communities; practices to help ensure humane education becomes a primary guiding principal for the next generation of academics.
“This Fellowship is representative of the exact impact Humane Education is supposed to have,” said Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms. “Humane Education doesn’t just change the way we view animals. It creates a more humane world. By sharing these programs with educators around the globe, we’re creating a ripple effect that will benefit both animals and people for generations.”
Helen Woodward Animal Center has long extended its mission beyond Southern California. Through international initiatives including Home 4 the Holidays®, Remember Me Thursday®, and The Business of Saving Lives workshops, the Center has collaborated with animal welfare organizations in Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Estonia, Ethiopia, India, Ireland, Kenya, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, Singapore and others. In 2022, the Center was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), further expanding its ability to advance animal welfare on the global stage.
The Center’s relationship with India began in earnest in October 2024, when Humane Education Associate Director Haylee Senita and the Center’s United Nations Ambassador Jacqueline Kelleher presented at the Global Youth Peace Fest in Chandigarh, India. Their workshop, “How Compassion for Animals Translates to Compassion for People and the Community,” introduced educators and students from across Asia and Africa to the Center’s Humane Education philosophy.
Following the conference, the Center provided participating schools with Humane Education resources, guidance for creating Animal Fan Clubs, and ongoing virtual mentorship. Those efforts culminated on India’s Martyrs’ Day, January 30, 2025, when four schools formally launched Animal Fan Clubs inspired directly by Helen Woodward Animal Center’s curriculum: The New Public School, Chandigarh; GD Goenka Public School, Mohali; Kitabghar; and Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36-B, Chandigarh.
Inspired by the enthusiasm of the participating teachers and students, Arms established the Educator Fellowship to bring one exceptional educator each year to Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Humane Education Campus. Applicants are evaluated on their educational leadership, commitment to Humane Education, and potential to create lasting change in their communities.
Dr. Kamrah emerged as the Fellowship’s inaugural recipient. A recipient of India’s State Award for Best Teacher as well as numerous national and international honors, she has dedicated more than 32 years to education. In addition to serving as Principal of KIIT Campus, she is the CBSE City Coordinator and CBSE Training Coordinator, mentoring educators and leading professional development programs that promote excellence in teaching and school leadership.
In her Fellowship application, Dr. Kamrah wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Guided by this belief, I have dedicated over 32 years to the field of education, considering it the greatest service to society.”
Dr. Kamrah will be available for media interviews throughout the week. To arrange an interview, contact PR Manager Michael Makie at MichaelM@animalcenter.org or (858) 756-4117 ext. 379.
For more information about Helen Woodward Animal Center and its Humane Education programs, visit www.animalcenter.org or call (858) 756-4117 ext. 318.
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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: www.animalcenter.org.
