Juan Taveras

Juan Taveras gets his passion for animals from his father, who was known for his love of all creatures and often brought stray and hurt animals to their home to feed and heal them. Growing up with dogs most of his life, Juan is no stranger to the love and loyalty that pets exude, the power of the human-animal bond, and how much better life is with them.

Juan is a certified Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional with 15+ years of experience designing, orchestrating, and championing inclusive HR initiatives that strengthen organizational alignment and increase engagement and performance. With a degree in Business Administration and Hospitality Management from Syracuse University, Juan started his professional career as a restaurant and hotel manager. Since then, Juan has held leadership roles in several innovative and growing nonprofit organizations and currently serves as the Director of HR & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at PetSmart Charities. In this role, he serves as a trusted partner to the leadership team and ensures that the People Strategy aligns with the overall organizational strategy, mission, vision, and DEI goals. Most importantly, Juan focuses most of his time and energy ensuring that PetSmart Charities maintains a positive, productive, and engaging work culture where associates feel valued, appreciated, and like they belong.

Juan lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife, Lauren, three daughters, Aurelia (5), Salomé (2), and Lucero (<1), their terrier mix, Fiona, and two Guinea Pigs, Fluffy and Lulu.