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.
Michelle Strickland-Kucerak
Vice President, Board of Directors
Michelle 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 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 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.
Jackie Noble
Strategic Advisor
Jackie Noble is an expert in neonatal kittens and shelter programs. She is the Director of Nursery and Placement for San Diego Humane Society and has overseen the first and longest-running shelter kitten nursery since 2010. Jackie is also the author of the 2022 book The Fantastic World of Baby Animals.
Nadia Oseguera
Strategic Advisor
Nadia Oseguera is an animal welfare professional with a passion for bringing and keeping people and pets together. She has a strong background in kitten and cat care, as well as removing barriers to fostering to make the joys of helping animals accessible to all. Currently, Nadia manages a grants program for the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program where she aims to uplift and amplify the efforts of front-line staff and promote funding practices that are equitable and inclusive and honor the diversity of the animal-human bond.
Janel Griffieth
Strategic Advisor
Janel 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.
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.
Dr. Yige Zhao
Kitten Caregiver
Yige 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 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.
Andrea Allison
Administrative Support Specialist
Andrea has had rescue cats from the time she was a little girl, and has been donating her time to charitable organizations since elementary school. She was even the President of her high school’s volunteering club! After college she began contributing time and resources to Animal Defense League in Texas and went on to TNR community cats with the help of Animal Care Services of San Antonio. After learning about Orphan Kitten Club in 2019 Andrea knew she needed to move to San Diego and become a part of the organization. And in 2021, she did just that! She continues to help Orphan Kitten Club in many facets including administrative support and donor relations.