Kathryn Shewey

Meet Kathryn Shewey, an environmental scientist who started volunteering with 2nd Chance 4 Pets when health problems forced her to take a leave of absence from her job. Because animals always have been a part of her life and her family, Kathryn wanted to help an organization whose mission is close to her heart. Kathryn has been driving our veterinarian outreach project, and has enthusiastically helped with promoting our local workshops. Kathryn lives in Glen Allen, Virginia with her husband James and her two dogs, Kelsey and Chestnut. She adopted Kelsey from the Roanoke, Virginia SPCA. Chestnut was adopted from Save Our Shelters - Pen Pals, a program featured on Animal Planet in which inmates train shelter dogs that are about to be euthanized and turns them into adoptable pets. When not volunteering, Kathryn enjoys spending time with her family, pets, and friends.

Dan Vold

Dan Vold lives in Los Gatos, California (here shown with his best buddy, Barney). Dan has been volunteering with 2nd Chance 4 Pets since the organization was launched in May 2004. Dan manages much of the backend operations- accounting, mailing, organizing our participation at conferences to name a few! Dan's profession is as a Physical Therapist; his special interests are home remodeling and music.
(Photo courtesy of Gary Parker, www.catdogphotography.com)

Vicki Kerner

Meet Vicki Kerner who volunteers with the 2nd Chance 4 Pets' virtual volunteer team helping out with editing content and staffing the organization's booth at veterinarian and animal welfare conferences. Vicki lives in Truckee, California with her husband Dan where she telecommutes as an IBM software engineer. Vicki and Dan share their home with 5 rescued dogs and cats: Charcoal, Gus, Ashley, Abigail and Patches. Vicki enjoys hiking with the dogs, mountain biking with Dan, snow skiing, yoga, photography, movies, cooking and reading. Vicki also volunteers with the Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society Truckee Tahoe and Best Friends Animal Society.

Todd Bynon

Todd Bynon is serving in the United States Air Force, stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan. A new member of the 2nd Chance 4 Pets volunteer team, Todd has been helping out writing for the newsletter and creating the profiles of his wonderful co-volunteers. An avid surfer, Todd also enjoys volunteering with organizations to promote clean beaches and clean oceans. His other passions include serving as a youth mentor, and spending time with his wife Keiko, who taught him how to surf.

Wendy Feldstein

Wendy Feldstein lives in San Jose, California with her two adopted cats, Kiki and Yoshi. Wendy has a degree in Business Management and her background is in administrative work. She has always been an animal lover and volunteers with 2nd Chance 4 Pets to make a difference in the lives of pets. Wendy is an integral part of the virtual volunteer team helping with grant research and grant writing. Wendy enjoys volunteering with other nonprofit organizations, watching movies, attending concerts, and is a devoted San Jose Sharks fan.

Vicki Alexander

Vicki Alexander volunteers as a virtual editor with 2nd Chance 4 Pets. Vicki has her M.A. in Teaching (English as a Second Language and Spanish) and she is completing the Editing Certificate program through the UC Berkeley Extension. Vicki lives in San Jose and is the mother of a sixteen-year old boy and Duke, a border collie/cattle dog that she adopted from the local Humane Society. Vicki has been especially helpful with adding her magic touch to our website content and developing a blog for a very special foster dog.

Jana Owens

Meet Jana Owens, who joined the 2nd Chance 4 Pets team as a volunteer almost two years ago. Since then, Jana, a technical writer by profession, has parlayed her writing and layout skills into adoption magic by collecting digital photos of pets that need homes and creating beautiful "homeless pet flyers." Thanks to her flyers, which are posted locally in Northern California, these formerly homeless pets have found new forever homes. Jana helps with a variety of creative projects. Jana lives in Austin, Texas, where she writes user documentation for local software and hardware companies. She has a 12-year old Chihuahua/min-pin mix named Rikki and two cats, Spazz and Midnight. In Jana’s spare time, she enjoys walking Rikki, working out at the gym, reading, playing guitar, and volunteering for 2nd Chance 4 Pets.

Rachael Chambers

Rachael Chambers and her family live in Morgan Hill, California. Rachael has been volunteering her time with 2nd Chance 4 Pets since May 2007. Rachael has a deep passion for the well being of animals. She had wanted to be a veterinarian, but life took her down a different path. Now the mother of two (human) children, 4 cats, 2 dogs, 2 Chinese Water Dragon lizards and a giant goldfish named Lou. Rachael works as a Project Manager for a high tech company, volunteers for 2nd Chance 4 Pets, serves as a Master Instructor for UCSC Extension and is a huge San Jose Sharks hockey fan.

Claire Vath

Claire Vath lives in Birmingham, Alabama with the two loves of her life—Stephen, her husband, and Gracie, a well-traveled, incredibly smart miniature schnauzer. At four months old, Gracie had visited four states. Claire decided to volunteer for 2nd Chance 4 Pets as it was a perfect fit for her desire to volunteer virtually and make an impact helping pets. Her volunteer work includes writing and editing press releases and newsletter articles. Claire is the copy editor at a national farming magazine. In her spare time, Claire enjoys writing book reviews, traveling, reading and spending time with her family.

Amanda Fales

Amanda Fales lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband Steve and her Scottish Terriers, Casey and Gavyn. Amanda received a Masters Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame in 2009. Amanda initially signed up to volunteer with 2nd Chance 4 Pets as a virtual volunteer editor. The organization discovered her ability to do just about anything so Amanda often takes on a variety of projects including public relations, internet research and project managemen. Amanda volunteers out of her deep passion for the welfare of animals.

Sophia Marx

Sophia Marx resides in Santa Clara, California and is the owner of a professional writing services business. Sophia came across 2nd Chance 4 Pets and decided to volunteer her services for writing and editing projects. Sophia is of Greek descent, married for 16 years and has one son and a lab, Jazzmine. Jazzmine is also one of Sophia's babies and Sophia cannot imagine life without her. In addition to her volunteer and professional work, Sophia enjoys spending time with her family, going to the pool, riding bikes, and taking walks with Jazzmine.

Amy Farnham

Meet Amy Farnham, a graphic designer working in the high tech industry, who started volunteering with 2nd Chance 4 Pets in 2004 when her home was full to capacity with rescued dogs. Amy was looking for other ways to help animals. Amy has provided many hours of her free time to help design our newsletters, flyers and our brochure. Amy lives in Saratoga, California with her fur kids Sam, Libby and Jaegar.

Erin Vader

Erin Vader lives in Norfolk, Virginia, with her two cats (Henry and Brandie) and sometimes a foster cat or two. She volunteers for 2nd Chance 4 Pets as an editor because she truly believes in spaying and neutering, planning for the future, and just plain giving some thought to our own animals' well-being but also for the well-being of the millions of companion animals who are euthanized every year for lack of homes. Erin is vegan and works during the day as an editor for an animal rights group. She also paints, crochets, and volunteers backstage at a local theater.

Kevin Danson

Kevin Danson lives in in Manchester, United Kingdom with his cat Ra. Kevin has been employed as a Legal Secretary and is currently working on earning a degree in English Literature in anticipation of entering the publishing industry. Kevin first applied to volunteer with 2nd Chance 4 Pets because of his passion for pets. Since Kevin was young, has always been around animals. He has an incredible respect for elders and appreciates the company a pet provides to humans. Kevin serves as an excellent resource to 2nd Chance 4 Pets assisting with a variety of complex research projects. He also volunteers as a literacy and aspirational mentor for children in Primary and Secondary schools. Kevin enjoys travel, reading, writing, gardening and research.