Jenny Miller is a dedicated animal welfare advocate based in Maui, Hawaii. Over the past decade, she has held various director positions at the Maui Humane Society, including that of Interim CEO. Jenny leverages her corporate sales background to drive fundraising efforts and has successfully raised $25 million for animal relief following the 2023 Maui wildfires. Jenny spends her free time working to improve animal outcomes on the less-resourced Hawaiian islands and with her 8 dogs.

Suzy Clayton is an experienced operations leader with a strong background in neonatal kitten care, program development, and shelter operations. At San Diego Humane Society and later the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services, she led placement and engagement programs focused on saving the most vulnerable populations. Most recently, Suzy served as Manager of Operations for the National Embed Project at Best Friends Animal Society, partnering with shelters across the country to provide on-site support to strengthen lifesaving initiatives. She is passionate about building strategic partnerships and advancing innovative programs, and she brings that dedication to her current role as Grant Program Manager, working to improve outcomes for neonatal kittens nationwide.

Dawn Barr serves as the Operations Coordinator for Orphan Kitten Club, dedicated to building crucial, efficient administrative and operational systems to enhance the team’s lifesaving mission. Dawn leverages a unique blend of process optimization and relationship building skills from her previous roles in customer success management, education, and curriculum development. Her commitment to vulnerable felines began when she rescued a five-week-old orphaned kitten, leading to her journey as an experienced foster parent for neonatal kittens, mamas, and juveniles since 2019. When she’s not nerding out on data and streamlining systems, she enjoys baking, hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband, two cats, and dog.

Hannah Shaw is an award-winning kitten rescuer, humane educator and unwavering animal advocate who has dedicated her life to innovating kitten care and protecting the most vulnerable felines. Known for her educational resources and advocacy work as Kitten Lady, she is passionate about finding lasting solutions to the most pressing issues kittens face. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Tiny But Mighty: Kitten Lady’s Guide to Saving the Most Vulnerable Felines, Cats of the World, and several other books about cat welfare.

Michelle Strickland-Kucerak is a powerful advocate for all animals and is a founding board member of Orphan Kitten Club. She is the Senior Vice-President of Programs and Public Policy for the international animal advocacy organization The Humane League, and has worked in the nonprofit sector for 3 decades.

Justin Yabumoto has always loved working with animals, so after moving to San Diego, he and his wife built a nursery in their home to care for neonatal kittens. He particularly likes to help socialize shy/spicy kittens so that they can be adopted into loving homes. Justin also has over 10 years of experience in corporate finance where he manages budgets and provides strategic advice for his business partners.

Sagar and his wife have fostered hundreds of Oahu’s street kittens, from bottle-fed babies to awkward kit-teens discovering their independence. He is the sole proprietor of ‘Sagar’s Snuggle School,’ where kittens are lovingly introduced to human affection after their first flea bath. As an attorney, Sagar combines his expertise in contracts and regulatory compliance with his passion for animal welfare to support OKC’s mission of saving the most vulnerable felines.

Dr. Rachel Wallach is a veterinarian with a passion for animal rescue. She obtained her veterinary degree from the University of Glasgow in Scotland and is the co-owner of Oaks Veterinary Urgent Care in Agoura Hills, CA. She has a special interest in advancing neonatal kitten medicine and brings veterinary pediatric expertise to her role with Orphan Kitten Club.

Andrew Marttila is a professional animal photographer specializing in cats. Over the years he’s taken millions of photos of our feline overlords, which have been used in worldwide media in both digital and print, from the cover of National Geographic to Good Morning America. He is the creator of several books including Cats of the World, Shop Cats of New York, Cats on Catnip, and How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats, and is a foster parent to neonatal kittens.

Val Neal is a two-time Orphan Kitten Club adopter of Chloe (2017) & Momo (2023). Val’s love for the feline community started with her first cat, Doogie, and after adopting and learning how to care for Chloe, a kitten with rear-leg paralysis, she was thrilled to give back to the organization that had given her so much. Val is an HR professional working in the tech industry, with a MS in Organizational Development. She lives in San Jose, California with her husband, two human daughters, Holly & Collins, and their precious kitties.

Janel Griffieth is a passionate non-profit leader who has dedicated nearly a decade to human and animal well-being. Janel began working at the Oklahoma Humane Society–the largest animal non-profit in the state–as a Pet Adoption Specialist, where she also began fostering. She found her niche in neonatal animal care. This led her to become the Neonatal Volunteer Coordinator, where she grew a volunteer and foster training program for neonatal kittens and puppies. From the success of the training program and the dire need from the shelter and community, she was tasked with creating a more comprehensive neonatal program. Under her leadership as the Neonatal Nursery Program Manager, the program has saved thousands of neonatal kittens and puppies and hundreds of moms.

Lee Domaszowec is the Founder and Chief Strategist of PhoenixFire Strategic Consulting. He is known for driving transformational growth in non-profits and cause-focused businesses; including helping Orphan Kitten Club create our original grant programs. With over 20 years of expertise, Lee and his team have successfully raised over $120 million, grown the teams and strengthened the systems of their clients, and pioneered the integration of cutting-edge technologies in non-profit. Currently based in Spain to spearhead PhoenixFire’s international expansion, he is also launching a new non-profit, the Gryphon Foundation for Global Change, to tackle pressing national and global challenges. Lee is a servant leader with a deep commitment to sustainable, impactful solutions for causes he is deeply passionate about.

Since finding her first cat on the streets 11 years ago, Christina Ha has been obsessed with cats. Christina is the co-founder and Pastry Chef at the popular patisserie, Macaron Parlour. Christina combined her passion for baking and adoration for cats as a co-founder of New York’s first cat cafe, Meow Parlour. Meow Parlour has served as a foster home for over 3000 cats since opening in December 2014 and has had its own nonprofit since 2018. In 2017, Christina created Cat Camp, now known as Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp. Christina and her partner, Simon, are the parents of 5 well-fed cats. Every year, they foster several dozen neonatal kittens and several fospice seniors.

Jordyn Purpura has been fostering neonates for over 12 years. His original exposure to pediatric medicine began in wildlife conservation. Jordyn completed a bachelor’s degree at UC Davis while facilitating clinical research in improving standards of care for kittens, as well as working for both municipal shelters and private rescue organizations. For the last 6 years, Jordyn has worked in small animal emergency and critical care while retaining a directorship for Yolo County SPCA’s feline program. He is now in his first year of veterinary school at the University of Arizona, hoping to ultimately marry his loves for critical care and pediatrics as a doctor. He enjoys cooking, reading and exploring new places with his fiancée and border collie. Together, they have 3 amazing cats.

Jenna Kretschman is a nonprofit communications professional dedicated to advancing animal welfare. Based in western Colorado, she serves as the Communications Coordinator at Roice-Hurst Humane Society, where she established the shelter’s first foster program for kittens. In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, her two former bottle babies, Peach and Plum, and her poodle, Kiwi.

Mikel has been working professionally with cats for almost 25 years, as a shelter worker, behavior consultant, and researcher. She is co-founder of Feline Minds, a cat behavior consultancy, which helps cat caregivers, rescues, and corporations understand the needs of cats. She received her PhD in Psychology/Animal Behavior from UC Berkeley and was a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. Her research has included the health and development of orphaned neonatal kittens, cat play and predatory behavior, and the feeding behavior of cats. In addition to publishing dozens of scientific manuscripts, Mikel is author of the 2024 book “Play With Your Cat!,” and co-author with Jackson Galaxy of the 2017 book “Total Cat Mojo.” Mikel lives in Sacramento, CA with her partner Scott, and their three cats, Coriander, Ruby, and Professor Scribbles.

Dr. Erica is a shelter medicine veterinarian and medical director at Collier County Domestic Animal Services with more than a decade of experience in animal sheltering and welfare. She earned her DVM from Mississippi State University and later completed a Master’s in Shelter Medicine from the University of Florida. Her career has been dedicated to advancing feline medicine, with a particular focus on pediatrics and neonates. Over the years, Dr. Erica has partnered with facilities such as Miami Dade Animal Services and the ASPCA working to improve programs, elevate medical care, and strengthen lifesaving outcomes. Before stepping into her current role, she owned and operated Meows & Purrs Feline Hospital, the first mobile feline practice in South Florida. Additionally, she is a strong supporter of Full Circle TNR and a staunch advocate for promoting humane and sustainable solutions for community cats.

Jen Balinski has had a lifelong passion for animals, but owes her fascination with felines to her “void” Obi. After relocating to San Diego from the east coast, she dove head first into year-round kitten season, volunteering with Orphan Kitten Club, Feral Cat Coalition, and the jetty cats of Mission Bay. With an M.S. and decade of experience in public relations and a love for spreadsheets, Jen is a communications and admin whiz. She is also a San Diego Zoo volunteer and loves educating people of all ages on kitten care, TNR, and the conservation of endangered and vulnerable species.