Emily Sprong, Executive Director
Emily got an early start in animal welfare: her first volunteer and employment experiences were with vets, kennels, and feral cat organizations. After studying wildlife biology in graduate school and working for wildlife-focused non-profits for many years, the opportunity to apply for the ED position at SAFe crossed her path at just the right time: “It feels like I’ve come full circle and I’m very happy to have returned to my roots.” Emily appreciates the respect and compassion the SAFe Rescue community demonstrates, and her favorite moments are when people and kitties find the perfect match: “I love when someone comes into the rescue and our adoption counselors find them just the right fit. Their ability to listen and connect with both people and cats and to help adopters through transition challenges, makes me very proud of the work we do. (I’m also a sucker for torties).” Not surprisingly, Emily’s fur-family includes a tortie named Tiger Lily, as well as a dog named Zarby. When she’s not at the rescue, you can find Emily spending time with her husband and two daughters, hiking, attending the theater, and driving back and forth between the girls’ practice and rehearsals, of course!
Sara Price, Operations Director
Sara’s drive and dedication show in everything she does: she’ll be the first to tell you she likes to keep busy! After an early career in business development and management consulting, Sara transitioned to the non-profit sector so that she could use her skills to do good in the world. Sara explains, “I joined an animal welfare organization as a cat care volunteer, and I was hooked! Not only did I love caring for the animals, but I could see that the industry was changing and seeking new ways to improve the lives of animals… I knew animal welfare was where I wanted to be.” In addition to making animal welfare her career, Sara has continued volunteering. She now serves as the President of Seattle Flying Dragons Boat Club, with whom she competes locally, regionally and Internationally. At home, Sara and her partner Denis share their home with two kitty siblings: Velvet, a friendly gray cat with stunning green eyes, and Rory, a scaredy cat who absolutely loves his flying bird feather toys. When she’s not working with nonprofits, Sara enjoys dragon boating, outrigger canoe paddling, hiking in the PNW, designing and crafting beaded jewelry, and reading.
Michelle Flowers, Foster Program Manager
Certified in Applied Animal Behavior, Michelle is passionate about working with animals. After being with SAFe Rescue for the past 2 years as Foster Specialist, she is now excited to be in the role of Foster Program Manager. Michelle is dedicated to building relationships with people and animals alike, providing the support and the training that foster homes need to do their essential work, and having a little fun along the way. She has a soft spot for the shy, stressed, and undersocialized kitties who come through. “I love getting to know them, earning their trust, and helping them learn that the world isn’t such a scary place. Watching them relax and begin to thrive, their full personalities coming through is so rewarding and sets them up for lifelong success in a home.” Michelle shares her own home with two elderly cats, a 19-yr-old Siamese who is queen of the house, and a small, 14 and 1/2-year-old black cat from a feral litter named Kitten Underfoot. “Kitten was a bottle baby, and she has become my puppy cat who follows me wherever I go.” In her free time, when she’s not creating new data collection spreadsheets or training goats, Michelle writes, sings, and performs music, goes birdwatching, travels with her husband, and watches reruns of Star Trek (Next Gen & DS9, of course!)
Corrie McDonald, Volunteer and Shelter Manager
Corrie is a true feline enthusiast, sharing her home with four cats of her own: Boris, Sally, Ash, and Bruce. Corrie’s lifelong love for cats, nurtured by her upbringing surrounded by animals and a chance encounter with a stray cat during her childhood, fuelled her passion for cat care. After the passing of her old man cat, the feeling of wanting to get involved and help kitties in need started tugging at her—leading to her joining the SAFe Rescue Team. In her free time, Corrie can often be found diving into deep rabbit holes of knowledge, exploring new topics, or getting lost in the woods.
Kaitlyn Murray, Volunteer Coordinator
In Kaitlyns free time, she enjoys getting outdoors, reading, and spending time with friends and family—and at home, she’s kept company by her cat, Nellie. One of the things she loves most about working with animals is witnessing the enthusiasm people have for helping them: “The thing I enjoy most about working with animals is the passion that so many people have to help animals in need. I enjoy seeing the dedication people have to protect and care for animals”. To Kaitlyn, it’s especially moving to see how many people are willing to adopt cats of all ages and needs, offering them the care and love they deserve. Kaitlyn is constantly inspired by the dedication of SAFe volunteers and the compassion they show every day as they work hard to care for all the SAFe kitties.
Mia Hua, Cat Care Lead
Mia is a lifelong animal lover! She came to embrace this love after her tech career, inspired to join our community by a devoted SAFe Rescue volunteer. Mia volunteered with the Cat Care team for two years where she found purpose and structure during a transitional period in her life. Finding purpose and community with SAFe Rescue cats and cat lovers alike, Mia enjoys getting to know kitties’ unique personalities and quirks. “Most of the cats have been through so much and might not have consistently experienced love, care, and compassion from humans,” Mia says. “We are able to give that to them at the shelter as well as an opportunity to find a happy and safe home.” She loves watching SAFe Rescue cats get more comfortable and trusting in our care!
When she isn’t caring for cats at the rescue, Mia comes home to a cat of her own, Pax, and her husband Loc in Bothell. Pax is a 7-year-old sweetheart who is a rescue herself from partner animal welfare organization Pasado. In addition to cuddling with Pax, Mia enjoys reading, playing video games, and bouldering!
Angie Kirchan (LVT), Veterinary Manager
For Angie, the joy of working with animals lies in the unpredictable nature of each day. As Veterinary Manager, this means she is ready for each furry patient that walks through the door. Her journey into animal rescue began at the age of 15, starting with volunteer work that evolved into a 10+ year career as a Licensed Veterinary Technician. While she has experience in a variety of environments, her passion lies in shelter medicine and she finds fulfillment in “being able to help animals from all different backgrounds move on to their next chapter”. She also enjoys the opportunity to provide senior and hospice care, ensuring comfort for cats in their golden years. Outside of work, she loves to travel and cook alongside her husband, attend fiber art festivals, and has recently taken up rockhounding and collecting houseplants. During the summer months, she dedicates even more time to animals by participating in sheep-showing events! At home, Angie has a mastiff mix named Gracie and two cats named Lola and Denali.
Dr. Tessa King (DVM), Veterinarian
Dr. King has always had a passion for improving the quality of life for animals, which drives her work as SAFe’s Veterinarian. Since graduating from WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002, she has gained experience across various settings, including shelter work, relief work, general practice, and end-of-life care. When it comes to the kitties at the Rescue, she finds fulfillment in seeing the tangible impact of her work. “You have the ability to help more animals in a short period of time,” she says, adding that it is rewarding to be involved in every step of their journey—from intake, through their medical treatments, to adoption day. Dr. King also just really likes spending time with cats, and her dedication ensures that each one receives the best care possible.
When she’s not at the rescue, she enjoys spending her free time at the barn visiting her horse, Farrah, or tending to her garden. She is also a pet parent to two cats, Tambaleo and Jaq, and a dog named Layla.
Jordyn Nolz, Surgical Assistant
Jordyn spends her time at the rescue caring for the cats and kittens in the Isolation Room. These felines are receiving treatment for a skin infection called ringworm. Jordyn gives the “Kitty Cadets” here in the Iso room (lovingly dubbed “Ringworm Academy”) the very best care. It’s always a good day when one of the kitties “graduates” and gets the green light for adoption. Jordyn’s family includes, Jet, a SAFe Rescue alumnus.
Dylan Shaffer, Community Support Manager
Dylan tells us that he finds a lot of value in the work he does because he is a purpose-driven person. “The role that I was hired for is the perfect combination of helping people, which I’ve spent the majority of my career doing, and helping animals stay in loving homes, which is something that as a pet owner I’m passionate about.” Dylan believes strongly in the intersection of humans and animals enriching and benefiting one another’s lives. What he enjoys the most about working with animals is getting to know their unique personalities and the ways they showcase their love and appreciation for you. Getting to look at cute cats all day is a nice bonus as well. Dylan and his partner live with a very lovely cat named Nora, who is loveable but aloof. As someone who is new to the Seattle area, Dylan spends a lot of his free time exploring the city and trying to find a new favorite place to eat and also enjoys hiking. When he is not feeling up for an adventure he enjoys reading, playing board games, and getting lost in YouTube rabbit holes.
Olivia Straubhar, Intake Manager
Olivia has worked with animals her whole life: she started volunteering at the local animal shelter at the age of 11. Having cared for many over the years, Olivia appreciates each species: “I really enjoy learning about different types of animals and how they uniquely experience the world.” When it comes to cats, Olivia’s favorites are the ones with a loud purr! Currently, two cats, Ripley and Link, fill Olivia’s home with purrs. Olivia also cares for pet reptiles including snakes and lizards. When Olivia isn’t helping cats at SAFe or spending time with her animals at home, you can find her with her wife exploring the Pacific Northwest. (Sometimes Ripley, who loves a car ride, joins them too!)
Sarah Theriault, Adoption Center Manager
When Sarah was only 7 years old, she read a book called Koko’s Kitten—and the rest is history! Her love of animals and her drive to help them has stayed with her throughout her life. Sarah finds Adoption Counseling especially rewarding on two different levels: first of all, there’s “the instant satisfaction of meeting people with big hearts who are opening their homes to adoption.” On a broader level, there’s also “the long-term satisfaction of being a part of a team that is actively working on decreasing the homeless cat population and improving feline welfare.” When she’s not busy helping adopters find the perfect kitty, Sarah enjoys adventures with her dog Clay, watching movies, and trying new recipes. (She’s especially talented at baking sweet treats!)
Cody Westfall, Adoption Counselor / Retention Specialist
Cody’s connection with SAFe Rescue started years ago when she saw a cat named “Zippy” posted for adoption. Although this black cat was senior and missing some fur, Cody knew she was the one! Adopting Zippy turned out to be only the first step of Cody’s journey with SAFe Rescue. Cody explains: “After my newly adopted cat was all settled in, I started volunteering… And then later I started fostering… And then began my role as an adoption counselor!” As part of the Adoptions Team, Cody particularly enjoys matching cats with families and supporting humans and felines through the transition. Shy cats will always have a special place in Cody’s heart, and black cats too! Cody currently shares her home with foster triumphs Gandalf and Gabriela and Mr. Fred, who are all black or tuxedo kitties. When she’s not hard at work for the Rescue or spending time with her family, Cody explores her creative side. Her favorite hobbies are jewelry-making, encaustic and mixed media painting, and all kinds of crafts.
Rebecca Pauza, Adoption Counselor / Retail Specialist
At home, Rebecca shares her life with two cats—her cat Soot, and her husband’s cat, Sega. It all makes perfect sense once you meet them; they’ve become substitute caregivers to each other’s feline companions. When she’s not hard at work caring for the kitties, Rebecca enjoys painting figurines, writing books, crafting, playing cozy video games, and binge-watching anime. Working with animals, especially cats, brings her a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose: “Working with animals, especially kitties, gives me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. I get to be a part of their precious lives before they go on their next big adventure to their homes. I am honored and humbled to be a part of lives as precious as theirs”. Rebecca’s journey into animal rescue began with a previous job where she cared for fish, reptiles, birds, and small animals. That experience sparked a lasting passion for animal care, and continuing on that path with cats—her favorite animals—was an easy and natural choice.
Hannah Cropf, Development and Communications Associate
You know how people talk about being “raised by wolves?” Well, Hannah was raised by cats (rest in purrs, Louise and Tango). Her early job experience as a vet tech and dog groomer, combined with her more recent role as art gallery admissions lead, has given her plenty of insight into the world of pets and people alike! She shares her home with her partner and their little moo cow boy Jazz, who would like to be fed right now, this instant, thank you very much. When not thinking about or actively surrounding herself with cats, Hannah sometimes makes time to read, paint, make crafts, and oops, she’s thinking about cats again.
Scout Wesselman, Donations Coordinator
Scout has felt connected to cats her whole life. In college, she adopted her first cat, a handsome tuxedo named Toby. Later on, a black cat named Salem joined the family. Though she grew up with cats, adopting Toby and Salem (a.k.a. “the boys”) has been a light in her life. Toby is considered to be an “old man in a cat’s body”, and Salem loves to bounce off the walls and interfere with Toby’s naps. Scout is excited to be working with animals because she wants people to find their purrfect cat companion and believes in the positive impact the relationship can have on mental health. She has always wanted to work for a meaningful cause and so being a part of the SAFe team is exciting and motivating! Aside from spending time with her boys, she loves to hike in the PNW, get artsy with some crafts, or go antiquing to add to her collection of eclectic home decor.
Lindsey Neblina, Events and Outreach Coordinator
If Lindsey’s name looks familiar, it’s because she previously worked on SAFe’s Volunteer and Cat Care team! Lindsey first started at SAFe in 2019. After taking a brief leave to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Society, Ethics and Human Behavior with a minor in Human Rights, Lindsey is excited to return to SAFe in her new position as Events and Outreach Coordinator. An animal advocate since her very first job at a pet store, Lindsey also volunteers and fosters with Everett Animal Shelter. Her favorite aspect of rescue work is cultivating relationships between animals and people alike: whether it’s seeing the difference in an animal’s personality after a smooth 48 hours of scheduled care or witnessing the community get together for a shared cause. One day, she plans to write state and federal laws protecting human and animal rights. She shares her home with two SAFe alumni: black cats Jazzmaster and Telecaster (Jazz and Tele for short), as well as a very large golden retriever named Gibson, who recently celebrated his tenth birthday.