National Board Members
Kaja Sonik Zon
President
Passionate advocate for responsible dog parenting, social media influencer, and President of the American Dog Society (ADS), leading initiatives to support dog parents, promote adoption, and reduce shelter surrenders. Experienced in digital storytelling, fundraising, and community engagement, with a dedicated online community of 4.8 million followers across TikTok and Instagram.
Built a global platform to educate and inspire dog lovers, honoring the legacy of her beloved pitbull, Macho, by raising awareness about responsible dog ownership and advocating for fair treatment of pitbulls. Expertise in leveraging digital media to drive advocacy, shift perceptions, and expand ADS’s reach and impact.
Committed to ensuring every dog has a loving forever home and that pet parents have the knowledge and resources to provide the best possible care.
Steve Polgar
Executive Director
The youngest recipient of the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from Barack Obama for work with charities. Executive Director of American Dog Society, leading a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and advocating for better, more educated pet parents. Over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, bringing strong strategic, financial, and operational expertise to oversee advocacy efforts, resources, and programs.
Founder of the Children’s Learning Foundation, an all-volunteer educational charity, and former Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley. Passionate about social responsibility, innovation, and entrepreneurship, committed to creating effective, mission-driven initiatives that make a positive impact on communities.
Holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Delaware Valley University and an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology.
Mat Zon
Board Member
Serial entrepreneur and devoted Pit Bull advocate with 16 years of experience founding, scaling, and successfully exiting five companies across the EU and US. A passionate dog lover, inspired by a remarkable red nose American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), Macho, whose companionship sparked a deep understanding of Pit Bull behavior and training in diverse and challenging scenarios.
Built a legacy of traveling across the Atlantic Ocean and throughout the US with Macho, gaining unique insights into the breed’s nature and advocating for its fair treatment. Following Macho’s passing on January 1, 2025, dedicated efforts to raising awareness about the true temperament of Pit Bulls and promoting responsible ownership.
Driven by a mission to honor Macho’s memory through advocacy, education, and community engagement, while leveraging entrepreneurial expertise to champion initiatives that support dogs and their families.
Elizabeth Benegas
Director of Legal
An experienced counselor to companies at various stages of growth, from early-stage to post-acquisition and IPO preparation. A creative problem solver with the ability to execute at all levels of an organization and lead cross-functional initiatives from planning through completion. Thrives in high-energy, fast-paced, innovative environments, leveraging legal, privacy, compliance, and leadership skills to tackle new challenges.
Demonstrated success as General Counsel to several B2B SaaS companies, with expertise in corporate governance, venture financing, debt financing, private equity acquisition, M&A, commercial transactions, compliance and regulatory, intellectual property, litigation, data privacy, data security, labor and employment, international expansion, and stock administration. Proven leadership in roles such as DPO, Privacy Officer, CISO, and corporate secretary.
Holds a Doctor of Law degree from Penn State Dickinson Law. Licensed in California, Delaware, and Utah.
shreyas khandate
Board member
An experienced professional with a background in Global Macro Hedge Funds, specializing in building models for Portfolio Managers, risk management, and P&L reporting. Transitioned into Management/Product Consulting, advising Buyside and PE/VC firms on product strategy and execution.
Currently focused on building fintech and data products for Investment Banks, Hedge Funds, Asset Managers, and PE/VC firms. Proven track record of taking products from 0-1, including OMS/EMS/Execution platforms, customer data platforms, B2B marketplaces, automated onboarding platforms, CLO portfolio optimizers, and wealth management platforms.
Expertise in product strategy, management, business development, financial compliance, and both front office trading and back office operations. Skilled in Python, SQL, VBA, and Looker, with experience across asset classes such as Credit, Rates, Equity Derivatives, and PE/VC funds. Certified AWS Cloud Practitioner with experience in quantitative analysis and data science.
Melissa Santos
Chief Financial Officer
Portfolio valuations expert at Nomura, leveraging analytical and quantitative finance expertise to provide accurate valuations for various financial instruments. Over 6 years of experience, with a strong understanding of financial markets and risk management.
Volunteer work with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and board membership at the American Dog Society, contributing to their mission of promoting animal welfare and education.
Holds a Master’s in Operations Research from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in Actuarial Science from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Wine Professional Diploma candidate with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Martin Robatti
Chief HR Officer
Global HR and business transformation leader with a proven track record in orchestrating large-scale organizational changes. Expertise in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to align with workforce strategies, driving growth, resilience, and innovation in both Fortune 100 companies and nonprofits. Passionate about integrating AI, digital transformation, and human-centered solutions to create sustainable business ecosystems.
Led the workforce transition of over 50,000 employees globally, balancing technological integration with cultural alignment. Developed AI-driven skills programs and talent frameworks for 30,000 employees, enhancing talent acquisition, upskilling, reskilling, and mobility.
Core competencies include AI-driven workforce innovation, digital transformation strategy, stakeholder collaboration in large-scale change, corporate governance, talent management, mergers and acquisitions, and nonprofit/community engagement.
Chapter Presidents
Ginnie Hebb
ADS Florida-Georgia
Human Resources Executive & Change Agent who connects people and business for mutual benefit. Experience in Fortune 100/500 fast growth companies and start-ups across industry sectors. High energy, hands-on strategic team leader committed to diversity, equity & inclusion, people excellence, and quality to drive business performance.
Recipient of numerous awards for leadership, recruitment strategy, diversity outreach/inclusion , workforce/team development, community involvement, and excellence in business.