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Leadership

Leadership

Denise Fleck

Interim Executive Director
Denise Fleck was raised by a Great Dane and has spent her life loving animals. As a dog mom to thirteen amazing canines, she feels there is no greater love than can be found in the adoring eyes of a senior dog. Known as the...

Dana M. Tharp

Director of Engagement
Dana began her career in Operations Management and Marketing within the financial industry, working with several Fortune 500 companies. However, her passion for animal welfare led her to co-found All Fur One Pet Rescue and Adoptions in 2018. Since then, she has specialized in engagement...

Heather O. Hayes

Director of Stewardship & Communications
Heather’s professional career began in architecture after graduating from the College of Design at NC State University, but her lifelong devotion to helping animals led to finding her passion and purpose in animal welfare. As a longtime admirer of Grey Muzzle, Heather is grateful and...
Amanda Grant

Amanda Grant

Manager, Grants & Volunteers
Amanda started volunteering with Grey Muzzle in 2014 while living in NC, inspired by her senior Chihuahua, Rudy. Being on the grant review team fueled her interest in using her writing skills and English degree in the non-profit world, and she accepted a more permanent...
Nancy Amo

Nancy Amo

Business Finance Manager
Nancy is a nonprofit professional who counsels mission driven organizations in the areas of strategy, finance, operations and compliance. Having adopted and raised many dogs into their senior years, Nancy was excited to begin working with the Grey Muzzle team in 2020. Nancy and her...

Ashlei Roa

Administrative Assistant
Ashlei Roa is a dedicated animal advocate born and raised in New York, with a bachelor's degree in communication and sociology from Colorado State University. She has fostered and adopted many dogs over the years. Now based in Florida, Ashlei shares a home with three...

Board of Directors

Board of Directors
Denise Fleck

Denise Fleck

Denise Fleck was raised by a Great Dane and has spent her life loving animals. As a dog mom to thirteen amazing canines, she feels there is no greater love than can be found in the adoring eyes of a senior dog. Known as the...
Marc Zaretsky

Marc Zaretsky

Vice President
Marc and his wife live in Long Island, New York. Marc is a Vice President with a Construction Management Company in New York City and holds a Business degree, Law degree and MBA from Hofstra University in Long Island. Marc and his wife have been...
Kelli Chickos

Kelli Chickos

Secretary
Kelli Chickos is a life-long animal advocate with a soft spot for seniors. For more than two decades, Kelli has volunteered in various capacities for many shelters/rescues, fostered more than 30 pets, adopted nearly 20, and helped animals after natural disasters. She is a former...
Jim Pikula

Jim Pikula

Treasurer
Having grown up in a family that has a love for animals and considers dogs to be a part of the family, Jim is excited and honored to serve as a Board Member of Grey Muzzle. He has been fortunate to be around dogs that...
Ashley Ackley

Ashley Ackley, DVM, MS, cVMA

Board Member
Dr. Ashley Ackley is a small animal veterinarian and a lover of all creatures, especially the stinky, lumpy, crunchy, and grey faces of senior canine companions. She is thankful that her job allows her to witness the strength of the human-animal bond on a daily...

Tara Hare

Board Member
Tara has spent her life in the South, where the need for animal advocacy is stronger than ever. Her now senior dog inspired her to begin volunteering with rescues and she has never looked back. Tara also serves on the Board of Directors for Alabama...

Barbara Giannini

Board Member
Barbara is a life-long supporter and adopter of older rescue dogs. After working in corporate finance and strategic planning for over 25 years, she now spends her time writing rescue-dog-themed children’s books, contemporary romances, and screenplays. She’s also an editor and writing coach. Through her...

Jan Shellhammer

Board Member
Jan started volunteering in the 1990s as an early morning dog-kennel cleaner at the Dumb Friends League’s very large Denver shelter (a memorable, if odorous, experience). She later joined the League’s board of directors and then served for 12 years on staff. As senior writer...

Advisory Board

Advisory Board
Dr. Becker

Marty Becker, DVM

Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. He is the founder of Fear Free with the mission to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating...
Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell

Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer best known as the star of the international hit TV series It's Me or the Dog (Animal Planet US) as well as Greatest American Dog on CBS, Dogs Might Fly on Sky TV, Dogs with Extraordinary Jobs for...

Mikkel Becker

A skilled dog trainer, Mikkel is an honors graduate of the rigorous and prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers at the San Francisco SPCA. Mikkel is also a graduate of the Purdue University DOGS! course and the Karen Pryor Academy. Mikkel is the National Disaster Search...

Dr. Ernie Ward

Dr. Ernie Ward is an award-winning veterinarian, internationally known speaker, impact entrepreneur, author of several books, columnist, and media personality. A 1992 graduate of the University of Georgia, he was voted Speaker of the Year at both VMX and WVC conferences, the 2018 Veterinary Journalist...
Dr. Pia Salk

Dr. Pia Salk

Dr. Pia Salk specializes in social justice and the human-animal bond. In both her clinical work and in her writing, Pia addresses topics ranging from the loss of a personal companion animal to the climate of animal welfare as it relates to social justice on...

Wendy Diamond

Wendy Diamond is Founder/Editorial Director Animal Fair Media and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, Premier Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Social entrepreneur, Humanitarian, Best-selling Author, and TV personality. You might recognize her from her appearances on NBC’s Today Show, and as the face of the Chicken...

Dean Vicksman, DVM

Dr. Dean Vicksman, a Denver native, graduated with honors from Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. He was then accepted into Angell Memorial Animal Hospital’s internship program in Boston for advanced training in small animal medicine and surgery. He has owned and...

Dr. Julie Buzby, DVM, CAVCA, CVA

After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Julie Buzby earned certification by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in 1998, and by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2002. As an integrative veterinarian, Julie seeks to blend the best of Western medicine, alternative therapies, and creative tools...
Dr. Cooney and pets

Dr. Kathleen Cooney

Kathleen Cooney, DVM, CHPV, CCFP has been practicing advanced end-of-life care since 2006. Dr. Cooney is Senior Director of Medical Education for the Companion Animal Euthanasia Training Academy (CAETA) and a past President of the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) where...

Julie Dudley

Julie Dudley brings more than 25 years of business knowledge, financial experience and compassion towards people and pets to The Grey Muzzle Organization. After a career that culminated as a program manager for Microsoft, Julie hung up her corporate attire and began dedicating her time...
Dr. Roark

Dr. Andy Roark

Dr. Andy Roark is a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, and media personality. He is the founder of the Uncharted Veterinary Conference and DrAndyRoark.com. He has been an award-winning columnist for DVM360 and his popular Facebook page, website, podcast and YouTube show reach millions of...
Laura & Coco

Laura T. Coffey

Laura T. Coffey is a self-avowed dog nut and the author of the bestselling non-fiction book My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts. A journalist with more than 30 years of experience, Laura has written and edited hundreds of high-profile human-interest stories and...

Steve Dale

Steve Dale, certified animal behavior consultant (CABC), has reached more pet owners over the past few decades than any other pet journalist in America. He is the host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute (together heard on...

Dr. Steven Wolchinsky

Dr. Wolchinsky, a Brooklyn, New York native, has worked at Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital since 1987. He enjoys all aspects of canine and feline medicine but has special interests in internal medicine, cardiology, diagnostic imaging, and many other cutting-edge advances. In 2017, Dr. Wolchinsky received...
Dr Mary Gardner

Mary Gardner, DVM

Dr. Gardner loves nothing more than a dog with a grey muzzle or skinny old cat! Her professional goal is to increase awareness and medical care for the geriatric veterinary patient and to help make the final life stage as peaceful as possible, filled with...

Jill Rappaport

Jill Rappaport is an award-winning animal advocate, network journalist and best-selling author. Most recently, she hosted and was a consulting producer for Animal Planet’s inaugural Dog Bowl, an idea she created and championed to highlight older animals in need. Considered a voice for the voiceless...

Michael Levitt

An Emmy nominated showman who specializes in unforgettable, innovative, 'appointment' television, Michael Levitt has emerged as one of the industry's most sought-after producers of event TV programming. His Hollywood-based production company, Michael Levitt Productions, has become a tried and true creative factory for prime-time hits...

Dr. Heidi Lobprise

Dr. Heidi Lobprise graduated from Texas A & M University in 1983 and became a board certified veterinary dentist in 1993. In 2003, she joined the Veterinary Specialty Team of Pfizer Animal Health, and in 2010, she became the Senior Technical Manager for Virbac Corporation...