Meet Robin Lapre | President of the nonprofit Saving Cheatham Animals Mission PAWSible (SCAMP), and physician.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Robin Lapre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I attribute the success of Saving Cheatham Animals Mission PAWSible (SCAMP) to having a mission that resonates with others (to help the animals of Cheatham County Animal Control), and clearly articulating what we have done to stay true to that mission. When running a nonprofit, or a private business, I find it important not to hide behind the name of the organization. It’s important to be the face of the business/organization, so that others know you are holding yourself accountable for what gets done, or what doesn’t get done. People want to know that you take responsibility for what transpires, and that you can be reached when needed. Being visible helps others have confidence investing in your mission, or product or brand.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I never know which I am supposed to talk to, when asked about my work. I have been a physician for over 25 years, so that has been my longstanding career, the one I studied and trained for, and the job I get paid for. I have worked part time for most of those 25 years because I realized early on that I would never let all the work stress go, if I worked full time. I generally love my work as a doctor. I enjoy helping people and I enjoy the science of medicine, and I enjoy my coworkers. The other half of my work week is the work I do for free, as the President of the nonprofit Saving Cheatham Animals Mission PAWSible (SCAMP). This came about really out of sheer need for a nonprofit to help provide medical care for the animals at a small underfunded county shelter just one county west of my own. I am proud of what we have accomplished at SCAMP, because we started with nothing, and now two years later we have a successful nonprofit that is helping the Cheatham County community in meaningful ways. I am proud of being a doctor because I know what it took to complete the training. I am equally proud of starting a nonprofit from scratch. Two very different accomplishments, both have brought me joy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Going to say right here that I don’t go into Nashville much, so we’re going to have to talk about things to do in the surrounding areas! I have been a Franklin girl for the past 22 years, so we would certainly walk around downtown Franklin. They have done a nice job keeping historic Franklin clean and friendly. I am a hiker, so if we are going to grab lunch in downtown Franklin (think Meridees), then we are going to walk over to Pinkerton Park and take the short hike up to Fort Granger. That’s a little Civil War site right in the heart of downtown Franklin that few people know about. If my friends were here for longer, we certainly would do some more walking! I would go to Edwin Warner Park, as that is a beautiful park with nice trails, right in Davidson County. We might do some canoeing – and we could say hi to our friends at Foggy Bottom Canoe and Kayak in Kingston Springs, right in Cheatham County!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d have to give a shoutout to my husband Michael, who stands by me no matter what big idea I have. Michael has been a great sounding board about how to run an organization efficiently, and he is a great ear to bend when I need to talk about the stressors that invariably come with running an organization. He always stays supportive and gives practical advice and always makes me feel heard.

Website: www.savingcheathamanimals.com

Instagram: cheatham_scamp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savingcheathamanimals