07/15/2025
With both heavy hearts and heartfelt congratulations, we announce that Jennifer Deen has officially retired from her role as Executive Director at GHRS.
Jennifer's leadership, dedication, and vision have left a lasting impact on our organization. Her contributions over the past 12+ years have helped shape GHRS into what it is today, and we are deeply grateful for the guidance and passion she brought to every endeavor.
Known lovingly as "Jenn" by those closest to her, she began her time as a volunteer, later becoming a part-time employee during the transition from the founders of this organization, then to Shelter Manager, and most recently to Executive Director. In the beginning, she was living over an hour away and spent countless hours in the tiny house-turned-shelter where it all began.
Jenn helped guide the organization forward with positivity and purpose, leading GHRS toward a brighter and more impactful future. Between coordinating the large effort of the Pets Parties Plus rescue (she made it happen from a cruise ship in 2016), to personally combing the woods catching our large blockhead buns like Quill at Big Trees in 2017. From being threatened by homeowners with guns in Centerville in 2018 while catching 40 plus buns with Animal Control, to catching more than 30 rabbits in a neighborhood in Gwinnett in 2019. From a record adoption month in May of 2020 (72 adoptions), to the Mayday Hoarding case of 2021, resulting in the rescue of 150 buns from horrific suffering. From being shut down due to RHDV-2 four months later that same year, to holding 42 rabbits for a cruelty case from Dawson county in 2022. From taking in 32 backyard breeder buns from Cherokee later that summer.
To say Jenn has been there through every stage — and been there for each and every rabbit and person along the way — would be an understatement. She also developed a deep, collaborative partnership with our vet of record, Dr. Colby, to facilitate the spay and neuter of well over 4,000 rabbits. This allowed the shelter to create an incredibly productive bond with Windward Animal Hospital that has helped countless rabbits and is unlike any other vet/shelter relationship out there.
Rescue can be an ugly place full of sadness and heartbreak, but Jenn brought an energy and joy to her job and to the rabbits like none other. No one could ever doubt the innumerable hours she spent here at the shelter or worrying about a rabbit from home. No one ever had to question her dedication and love. She was the first to reach out if there was a sick rabbit, whether a bun still at our shelter or adopted 10+ years ago. She would stay with a rabbit as they passed and give them the love and kisses they deserved. No GHRS rabbit ever left this Earth without a smudged lipstick kiss to the forehead from Jenn. It is a love that some of these rabbits never received before arriving at GHRS. Which made it all the more special.
While we will miss her deeply, we are also excited for what the future holds for Jennifer in this new chapter of her life. Please join us in wishing her all the best in retirement — may it be filled with joy, health, and well-deserved relaxation with her two beautiful grandchildren.
And may a few more buns receive a smudged lipstick kiss along the way too.
Please share your favorite memory with Jenn below!
