Meet the Team
Hannah Shaw
Founder and Board President
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.
Jackie Noble
Executive Director
Jenny Miller
Development Director
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.
Michelle Strickland-Kucerak
Vice President, Board of Directors
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
Treasurer, Board of Directors
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.
Dr. Rachel Wallach
Secretary, Board of Directors & Veterinarian
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
Board Member
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.
Valerie Neal
Board Member
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.
Sagar Patel
Board Member
Janel Griffieth
Strategic Advisor
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
Strategic Advisor
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.
Christina Ha
Strategic Advisor
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.
Dr. Tyler Junco
Strategic Advisor
Dr. Tyler Junco is a veterinarian with a passion for preventive care. After graduating with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University, he moved to the west coast to complete an internship at the San Diego Humane Society, where he discovered the difference a great veterinary program can make in the lives of shelter animals. Dr. Junco brings this expertise to his role on the Mightycat committee with Orphan Kitten Club.
Jordyn Purpura
Strategic Advisor
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
Strategic Advisor
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.
Dr. Yige Zhao
Kitten Caregiver
Yige Zhao is a lifelong animal lover who has volunteered for animal shelters and sanctuaries in varying capacities. She became fascinated by all the aspects of neonatal care a few years ago when she learned about the plight of young kittens in the shelter system. With a background in healthcare, Yige especially enjoys nursing the smallest and sickest babies to healthy and strong mini-panthers.
Jen Balinski
Administrative Support Specialist
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.
