KAUA’I NOW — Kauaʻi Humane Society Executive Director Nicole Schafer Crane, who took the helm 4 years ago, led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and played a critical part in many of its recent intitiatives and successes, is stepping down and will return to the East Coast.

Padraic Gallagher, former disaster program manager for the American Red Cross in Līhuʻe, was tabbed by the Kauaʻi Humane Society Board of Directors to become the next executive director and will officially begin his duties Oct. 21.