Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
President & CEO, SPCA Cincinnati | Cincinnati’s Only White House Champion of Change | Former President, Cincinnati City Council Named Cincinnati’s only White House Champion of Change by President Barack Obama, Chris Seelbach is a nationally recognized leader known for driving transformational change in public and nonprofit institutions. Chris currently serves as President & CEO of SPCA Cincinnati, one of the nation’s oldest and the region’s largest animal welfare organizations. Since assuming the role, he has led a major organizational turnaround—modernizing operations, strengthening animal care and veterinary systems, and building a high-performing, mission-aligned culture. Under his leadership, SPCA Cincinnati has accelerated adoptions and foster placement to reduce length of stay for dogs, implemented the nationally recognized Dogs Playing for Life program to improve enrichment and behavioral outcomes, and launched a multi-year strategic plan to expand lifesaving capacity. Major initiatives include development of a new Medical & Foster Center and a new urban Adoption Center to increase access to adoption and veterinary care. Previously, Chris served as Executive Director of Ohio Alleycat Resource & Spay/Neuter Clinic, helping scale one of the Midwest’s leading high-volume, high-quality veterinary programs and expand access to affordable care. Before nonprofit leadership, Chris made history as President of Cincinnati City Council, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected in Cincinnati and the first openly gay man elected to public office in Ohio. During his tenure, the city experienced its first population growth in more than 65 years while advancing policies protecting civil rights and supporting inclusive economic growth. Chris also served as Executive Director of the Living with Change Foundation, leading a $2 million investment in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to expand care for transgender youth, and earlier as Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of The Seidewitz Group, advising progressive organizations on strategy and finance. His honors include White House Champion of Change, Cincinnati’s 100 Most Powerful People (multiple years), Elected Official of the Year from the National Association of Social Workers, and Humane Legislator of the Year from the Humane Society of the United States. Chris holds a JD from the University of Dayton, a BSBA from Xavier University, and completed a fellowship in the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard Kennedy School.