Former Tucson City Councilman and current Pima County employee Steve Kozachik will be stepping in to temporarily lead Pima Animal Care Center when its current director departs in December.

Pima County announced Kozachik's position as interim director in an email Friday, with Kozachik set to begin in the new role on December 7.

Kozachik resigned from the Tucson City Council in March to take a position with Pima County Administration assisting with special projects, including the Mosaic Quarter project adjacent to Kino Sports Complex.

Tucson Spotlight reported earlier this month that Pima Animal Care Center Director Monica Dangler posted on social media that she'd be leaving for consulting work, taking a job with her predecessor, former PACC Director Kristen Hassen.

Dangler joined PACC in 2019 as part of a fellowship and was named permanent director in June 2021.

Kozachik will spend the next several months in a "listening and learning process," with the county anticipating hiring a new, permanent director, according to the county's announcement.

In addition to overseeing PACC's staff and operations, the new director will coordinate and collaborate with a variety of partners within county and local government and the animal care community.

The county said in its announcement about Kozachik that its representatives of those communities would be represented on the selection committee, with Deputy County Administrator Dr. Francisco Garcia leading the selection process.  

Caitlin Schmidt is Editor and Publisher of Tucson Spotlight. She previously worked for the Arizona Daily Star and has been reporting on Southern Arizona for a decade. Contact her at caitlin@tucsonspotlight.org.

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