Strolling through a Fall festival, I was taken aback when someone called out, "Hey, aren't you Reggie's Mom?!" It's quite amusing and somewhat surreal how having a popular dog on Facebook can turn you into a local celebrity. Our journey with Reggie, our lovable deaf pit bull whom we adopted in 2011, led us to create a Facebook page for him.

 

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

This opened a doorway into the expansive world of animal welfare and rescue. Inspired by this newfound passion, we founded a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, through which we have had the privilege of rescuing over 2,000 animals, each one capturing a piece of our hearts.

​

In my role as the Rescue Director, the learning curve was steep but incredibly rewarding. I honed the ability to make swift decisions, juggle logistical challenges, manage finances, and maintain emotional resilience. Rescue work demands a delicate equilibrium, necessitating collaboration and strong partnerships with other organizations. Building enduring relationships with fellow rescue groups has been crucial in addressing the significant challenge of animal overpopulation that is particularly prevalent in the South.

​

Leading Reggie's Friends has been an extraordinary journey. It has brought me immense joy, tested my limits, and introduced me to some incredible individuals. This experience has been my most profound "on-the-job" training. It has sculpted me into someone who is calculated, thoughtful, and action-driven, qualities that I cherish and continue to apply in all aspects of my life.

 

As my full-time career has evolved, we have dialed back our street rescue efforts and I have put my time and expertise into assisting other groups with invaluable community spay/neuter/vaccination events. These events literally take a village and require strong interpersonal skills to navigate fast-paced and often very chaotic days.  

​