Social Work Program Development Director
Alexis Telfair-Garcia is a licensed Master level social worker, and native New Yorker. She has over 17 years of professional experience, with a background in forensics, advocacy, and facilitation. Prior to joining Austin Pets Alive! Alexis worked as a Forensic Social Worker helping to overturn death penalty convictions in Texas. In NYC, Alexis assisted in plea negotiations and alternative to incarceration opportunities for indigent folks living with severe mental illness, experiencing homelessness, and other difficult circumstances.
As a member of the leadership team at Big Brothers Big Sister of NYC, Alexis worked with youth involved in the justice system, in foster care, as well as children with incarcerated parents for close to a decade. Her work with BBBS, created positive outcomes for children and teens.
As the first Social Work Program Development Director at APA!, she is excited to help bridge the gap between human and animal services. Alexis oversees the Pet Pals Program, an 8-week, job-readiness program that exposes career pathways in animal welfare to at-risk youth, managing employee mental wellness, and heading up APA!’s Social Work Internship program. Through building partnerships with human organizations, Alexis hopes to propel APA!’s motto of “Helping people help pets,” to ensure residents of Austin and all of Central Texas receive services that ensure people, families and their companion animals stay together.
Alexis has dedicated her career to serving vulnerable populations. She is thrilled, and humbled to continue doing this work as a member of the animal welfare community. She lives in Cedar Park, with her husband, two children and three dogs.
