Celebrating ‘National Puppy Day’ with Danielle Gunter ’06

Danielle Paiz Gunter ’06 is helping feed dogs and cats in no-kill shelters. As executive director of Puppy Food Bank, she spearheads efforts to collect donations that fuel the work of rescue organizations across the country.

Since its founding in October 2022, Gunter has helped Puppy Food Bank distribute more than 500,000 pounds of dog and cat food to rescue shelters in eight states.

“Puppy Food Bank was established to help no-kill pet rescues across Texas by providing dog and cat food to help with the financial burden rescues are facing during the capacity crisis,” Gunter said. “We went public in January 2023 and due to the number of applications and donors beyond Texas, we expanded to serve rescues in the continental United States in April 2024.”

She said her experiences at Ripon were instrumental in shaping her life’s work. Gunter came to Ripon with intentions of a career in public relations or sports marketing. Her role as philanthropic chair for Alpha Chi Omega, however, led her down another path.

“I grew up with parents who were very altruistic. They would take my brother and me along when they were helping different causes,” said Gunter. “I loved my role as philanthropic chair with AXO because I, too, was now able to raise money and help make a difference.

“A number of my fellow communication majors were pursuing careers in law or politics, but I realized after a few internships that nonprofit was my path.”

Gunter previously worked with national nonprofits the American Heart Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association as a senior corporate marketing director as an executive director, respectively.

She credits Professor of Communication Jody Roy, who “had a few tough conversations with me over the years,” for helping her to develop a “tough skin, stand up for myself and to persevere.”

That perseverance and the many activities she pursued at Ripon help her manage her hectic lifestyle today. In addition to her role with Puppy Food Bank, she also serves as executive director for TEXAS YES, an educational nonprofit committed to closing the gap for educational equality through the support of Title 1 students in San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, Corpus Christi and Austin.

“I love it because I get to work with students and dogs — best of both worlds,” said Gunter, who with her husband, Brad, has three dogs and two kids of her own.

“At Ripon, you can be involved in so many activities at the same time, which is exactly what I did,” she said. “This taught me how to balance my schedule. Balance has been key when running two non-profits, raising two kids and managing countless events.”