Our Staff
Hannah Armstrong
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: video games, anything and everything cute
Could Easily Live Without: frogs, corn
Karen Aseltine
Sanctuary Feline Wellness Specialist
Best Things in Life: bicycles, scented candles, gummy bears, warm summer nights
Could Easily Live Without: snow days, paper cuts, family members who complain about my cooking.
Edie Bonneville
Helpline Manager
Best things in life: Family, big smiles, nature and all its miracles, books, a good belly laugh and the unconditional love of animals
Could easily live without: TV, bills, traffic jams and lima beans
Lucas Brozyna
Canine Team Assistant Manager - Behavior Cottages
Best things in life: spending time outdoors, bike rides, and disc golf
Could easily live without: bad drivers, cold weather, and poor grammar
Michelle Christensen
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best things in life: Family, all animals and nature, Fall and Winter, chocolate
Could easily live without: Hot and humid weather, spiders, mosquitos, fireworks
Toni DeLorenzo
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Family, friends, dogs, old Jeeps, my motorcycle, being outside, being able to help others, ice cream, and baking delicious snacks.
Could Easily Live Without: Narcissism, hot and humid weather
Erika Duplessis
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Family and friends, animals and plants, art and music, ocean and the woods, humor and optimism, and enjoying good food!!
Could Easily Live Without: War, corruption, toxic people, harmful expectations, and definitely commercials.
Deb Fox
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Ailis Frost
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Friends. A really good book. And a full day to yourself.
Could Easily Live Without: Student loans!
Caroline Gaetano
Veterinary Program Manager
Best Things in Life: Fresh mountain air, hiking with dogs, my vacuum cleaner, and chocolate.
Could Easily Live Without: Glitter, bananas, and snakes.
Sara Geriak
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best Things in Life: My dog Sam, Autumn, books, music, and strawberries.
Could Easily Live Without: Spiders and tuition expenses.
Mark Heinrich
Chief Financial Officer
Best things in life: Family and friends at Lake Sunapee, NH. Anything outside. Any sporting event: anywhere – anytime!
Could easily live without: Commercials and taxes.
Paul Johnson
Office Manager
Best Things in Life: Classical music, craft beer, and cartoons.
Could Easily Live Without: Sports
Marie Joyner
Canine Behavior Manager
Best Things in Life: In the woods with the dogs, The Maine Cabin, and Hound Hugs.
Could Easily Live Without: Social Media
Miles Lindell
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Animals, nature, video games, and music
Could Easily Live Without: Hot weather and traffic
Susan B. Linker
Chief Executive Officer
Best Things in Life: Soft cat fur, Summer, and Home.
Could Easily Live Without: Country Music
Krystal Makowski
Canine Wellness Specialist &
Assistant Team Manager – Volunteer Cottages
Best Things in Life: All things sparkly, Photography, Mac and Cheese, and shopping.
Could Easily Live Without: Hitting my funny bone -the irony is too much.
Beth Merow
Community Cat Program Coordinator
Best Things in Life: Pets, all things nature and wildlife, repurposing stuff into other neater stuff, nerding out on popular science books, and true crime podcasts.
Could Easily Live Without: Poison ivy, sunburn, and mayonnaise.
Stephanie Montemerlo
Executive Director of Programs
Best Things in Life: Family, home, pasta, reading, traveling, and animals of course!
Could Easily Live Without: Cold weather, driving
Caitlin Moses
Adoption and Helpline Program Assistant
Best Things in Life: the amazing flora and fauna of this earth! Being by a body of water, and any form of cooked potato
Could Easily Live Without: a little less anxiety would be nice, confusing highways, meanness
Deanna Nickels
Canine College Program Manager
Best Things in Life: hot fudge sundaes, teaching dogs new tricks, sunshine, gardening, family, and friends.
Could Easily Live Without: snakes, cold weather, and bad coffee.
Jill Nugent
Canine Team Manager - Volunteer Cottages
Best Things in Life: Bicycle rides, dogs, fall, winter, and Christmas!
Could Easily Live Without: Humidity
Alayna O'Callaghan-Chausse
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: a good movie with a dog on your lap, coffee with chocolate
Could Easily Live Without: commercials, raisins in food that shouldn't have raisins
Alyssa Oppelt
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: wrapped up in warm blankets on a rainy day, sunsets & sunrises, puppy kisses and love
Could Easily Live Without: traffic jams, anxiety & stress, bills, & close minded people
Lindsey Pellino
Sanctuary Feline Team Assistant Manager
Best Things in Life: bike rides, hot sauce, lipstick, and reading on a hammock.
Could Easily Live Without: mosquitos, cold weather, and my own clumsiness.
Katie Popiela
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: driving with the windows down on warm nights, iced lattes, watching dogs remember/find out what snow is
Could Easily Live Without: people who ONLY drive with their highbeams on
Jon Phillips
Sanctuary Director
Best Things in Life: Watching TV on the couch with my wife and assorted furballs and all things musical.
Could Easily Live Without: Reality TV
Josie Redding
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: music, art, movies, animals, family and friends, the ocean
Could Easily Live Without: holes in socks, cold pizza, raw tomatoes
Courtney Schramm
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best things in life: dogs, chocolate, vegan restaurants, tea, fuzzy socks, a fire in the fireplace, and Christmas music
Could easily live without: filling up my car with gas
Odera Smart
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best things in life: animals, rugby, the gym, mortal kombat, traveling, art/history museums, family and friends, and summertime
Could easily live without: asparagus, bugs, being yelled at, Bartholomew the spider that lives in LS, traffic, and being hungry
Jennifer Strong
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Disney World, Halloween, The Drive-in Movies (yes they still exist!), Dogs (of course), Spending time with my husband and our fur kids, and Christmas movies!
Could Easily Live Without: Snakes and Spiders.
Kiana Torres
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Anything Chocolate, Music, Animals, Heated Blankets, Traveling
Could Easily Live Without: Bills, Snow, Traffic, Pineapple Pizza
Kelsie Viel
Sanctuary Feline Caregiver
Best Things in Life: Spending time with my dogs, thunderstorms, sleeping in, traveling, movies, being at home, sunsets
Could Easily Live Without: Large crowds of people, pickles, spiders, heights
Montana Voisine
Sanctuary Canine Caregiver
Best Things in Life: All animals, nature, spending time with my fur babies, and Green Tea!
Could Easily Live Without: the cold, anxiety and college tuition
Alissia Vroom
Sanctuary Canine Behavior Assistant
Best Things in Life: Disney, Harry Potter, crafting, and being outdoors
Could Easily Live Without: Tuna fish, running, and cooking
Janice Wehner
Community Outreach Coordinator
Best Things in Life: Love of my family and pets, dark chocolate, purple, horses, dragonflies, movies, musicals, concerts, dancing, and uncontrollable laughter
Could Easily Live Without: Ticks, winter, wet socks, and reckless drivers.
Heather Wildman
Adoption Program & Social Media Manager
Best Things in Life: Mountain adventures, purple hair dye, Indian food, sunbathing with some furry friends, front row at a concert, and laughing until your stomach hurts
Could Easily Live Without: Stubbing your toe and the feeling of having something stuck in your teeth
Heidi Van Flatern
Feline Team Manager
Best Things in Life: A glass of wine, Michael's cooking and a cat in my lap
Could Easily Live Without: Cleaning the bathroom, driving in a snow storm, and mosquitoes
Peyton Winter
Director of Canine Behavior Programs
Best Things in Life: Trees, Nice Views, Cool Rocks, Dogs, Stevie Nicks, and Iced Oat Milk Lattes
Could Easily Live Without: Traffic, Styrofoam, and Laundry
Leadership
It is our pleasure to welcome our Board of Directors. While this diverse group of individuals offers a myriad of skills and expertise, they share a common bond: a deep commitment to the mission of Our Companions Domestic Animal Sanctuary. We look forward to many accomplishments through the dedication of our new leadership.
Officers
Maria das Neves - Board Chair
Jennifer Coffey, Esq. - Secretary
Maneesh Shanbhag, CFA - Treasurer
Directors
James Dolce - Willington, CT
Pat Foley - West Hartford, CT
Valerie Friedman - Washington Depot, CT
Frank Gaetano, CPA (Licensed in MA, CT, NY, and NJ) - Grafton, MA
Marie Joyner - Union, CT
Mitchell H. Linker - Bloomfield, CT
Susan B. Linker - Bloomfield, CT
Kerry Mansberg- Ashford, CT
Tony Menchaca - Westport, CT
George Trumbull - West Simsbury
Advisory
Janet Bailey - Farmington, CT
Colleen Bridgeman - Willington, CT
Risa Davidson, M.S- West Hartford, CT
Diana Garfield, Esq. – Acton, MA
Linda Hatten - Farmington, CT
Anne Llewellyn - Enfield, CT
Lauren Mascola, D.V.M. - West Hartford, CT
Joleen Nevers – Storrs, CT
Barbara Ruben - Middletown, CT
Chris Shivery - Avon, CT
Kathy Sullivan - Bloomfield, CT
Kim Zimmermann - Farmington, CT