Founders, established 2015:

Pictured left to right: Carleen Everett-Bauer, Debra Westerhof, Christina DeConinck, Sara Bennett

Board of Directors:

President

• Carleen Everett-Bauer volunteered at Harbor Humane Society from 2000-2009 and was employed by them in humane education 2007-2009. She co-founded BestPals Animal Rescue Center (BARC) in 2009 and served as Board President through November 2014. Carleen was employed at PETCO from 2012-2015. Education and humane, no-kill solutions to animal welfare issues have remained a primary focus in her life.

Vice-President/Treasurer

• Sara Bennett She has been the event manager for a non-profit producing fundraising events and has volunteered with various others including BestPals Animal Rescue Center in 2014.  She continues to provide support to A Feral Haven’s first feral cat colony that consists of 7 cats at “Mary’s Many Paws Manor” named in honor of their caregiver.  She spends most of the time snuggling her furry friends.

Other Members

• Debra Westerhof has volunteered at Harbor Humane Society since 2008 and fosters bottle-fed kittens. She has served on the Harbor Humane Society Board of Directors since October 2013 and is currently serving as Treasurer. She volunteered and served as Board Treasurer at BARC from September 2012 through November 2014.

Veterinarian Oversight

• Dr. Wendy Swift graduated in 1996 from Michigan State University with a degree in Animal Behavior and Neurobiology and again in May of 2000 with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. She started working at Ottawa Animal Hospital shortly after graduation. She enjoys internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, exotic animal medicine with an emphasis on small mammals, animal behavior including aggression, multi-animal family interaction, noise phobias, and inappropriate behaviors (inappropriate elimination issues, barking, digging, etc), purebred cat/dog predispositions, and sporting dog medicine/kinesiology.

Past Board Members:

• Christina DeConinck has volunteered at Harbor Humane Society since January 2011 and served on the Board of Directors of BestPals Animal Rescue Center from January 2013 through June 2014. She has experience with cat socialization and grant writing. (active 2015-2024)
• Tracey Arb transports animals, twice a week, for CSNIP.  She also volunteers at Harbor Humane Society as the bank route coordinator.  She schedules volunteers to pick up donation banks located at local businesses. (active 2016-2017)