Best Friends Animal Society Welcomes New Chief Information Technology Officer to Drive Technological Advancements

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Best Friends PR Team prteam@bestfriends.org
Raj Kamachee to join organization dedicated to making U.S. shelters no-kill this year

Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in America’s shelters, announced today that it has hired Raj Kamachee to serve as the organization’s Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO).

In this pivotal role, Kamachee will champion the organization’s efforts to harness technology and data-driven solutions to achieve Best Friends’ goal of saving dogs and cats in U.S. shelters and ultimately making the country no-kill.

Kamachee brings over 20 years of experience leading technology and digital transformation initiatives across startups, non-profits, and large enterprises. He joins Best Friends from ChangeUp, where he served as Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer since 2021. Prior to ChangeUp, Kamachee served as CIO & CTO at Team Rubicon from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure, he spearheaded technology advancements that improved disaster response efforts and witnessed the devastating impact disasters have on communities and animals, including during Hurricane Harvey. These experiences further inspired his commitment to using technology to drive social good. Earlier in his career, Raj developed custom software and financial management solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense while at Integrated Data Services.    

“We are incredibly fortunate to be bringing someone on board who understands the critical role that technology plays in advancing Best Friends’ goals to create meaningful change and social impact in this country,” said Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society. “Raj’s expertise will enable us to better identify and implement lifesaving opportunities for communities across the country.”

Kamachee shared his enthusiasm for the role: “I look forward to bringing transformative changes to the animal welfare space. By leveraging technology, we can gain critical insights to drive even greater progress toward no-kill. Witnessing the impact disasters have on animals and communities, including during Hurricane Harvey, reinforced my belief in the importance of this work, and I’m eager to contribute to Best Friends’ lifesaving mission.”

Kamachee embarked on his new journey with Best Friends on January 2, 2025.

To learn more, visit bestfriends.org.  

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters in 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to 415,000 last year. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 5,000 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org