Staff and Board

kathryn@paws4ever.org
919.241.8438 ext. 101

Kathryn has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit operations and management. She enjoys working with the entire Paws4ever team to build real relationships with our animals and community, and getting to see hard work pay off as Paws4ever’s impact grows. She also enjoys spreadsheets, numbers, and the details that make organizations run smoothly. Kathryn loves raising her two children, reading, and spending time near water. She has a 9-year-old Boxer named Gilford who loves coming to “work” at Paws4ever!

kathy@paws4ever.org
919.241.8438 ext. 110

Kathy enjoys using her bookkeeping skills to support the animals she loves! You’ll often find Paws4ever shelter dogs lounging next to Kathy’s desk in the Admin office. She spends her free time with her grandchildren and her two cattle dogs, Bandit and Lucy. Her dogs keep her entertained with their fun games – as soon as she throws a ball for Bandit, Lucy takes it and drops it further away for Bandit to retrieve! Kathy is famous for her beautiful flower garden and her holiday cookie baking tradition.

sondra@paws4ever.org
919.241.8438 ext. 104

Sondra has a background in Sociology and has chosen to focus her work in philanthropy because it combines her love of building connections with people and her desire to make a positive impact in the world. She finds her work at Paws4ever is rewarding because she gets to be a part of a passionate, dedicated community of donors, volunteers, and staff who are all working together toward a common vision. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, trying new recipes, and attending community events in the Triangle. She adopted her sweet and energetic dog Abby from Paws4ever!

maddie@paws4ever.org 

Maddie has experience in social justice advocacy, and she loves to connect community members with ways to get involved. When she’s not busy engaging the community in creating positive change, Maddie likes to listen to true crime podcasts and drink iced mochas! She has two cats, Sheila Rae The Brave and Junie B. Jones, named after her sister’s favorite childhood book characters.

emily@paws4ever.org

Emily loves receiving photos and stories of adopted animals in their new homes, and sharing those updates with the community of supporters who made their journeys possible! When she isn’t at work writing true stories about the animals at Paws4ever, she writes and reads sci-fi and fantasy. She also enjoys cooking, playing board games, and spending time with her family. Emily’s home is run by her three affectionate and goofy cats – Samwise, Merlin, and Ollivander.

susan@paws4ever.org

Susan is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the CCPDT and she strongly believes that all clients and dogs should leave each class feeling great about their performance, potential, and future. She started training after adopting Chloe, a very “vibrant” dog, and hasn’t stopped since! She enjoys reading and watching TV and movies in her free time. Fun fact for movie buffs: Susan was an extra in the 80’s movie The Big Brawl!

Read more about Susan’s Dog Training experience.

jennifer.thornburg@paws4ever.org

Jennifer is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the CCPDT, and a graduate of both CATCH Academy for Dog Trainers and the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional Program. She loves learning and teaching about dog and human behavior. Jennifer has an enthusiastic Border Collie named Rufus. She enjoys hiking, reading, cross stitching, playing hopscotch with her daughter, beekeeping, and training Rufus to pick up odd things around the house and bring them to her.

Read more about Jennifer’s Dog Training experience.

melanie@paws4ever.org
919.241.8438 ext. 117

Melanie is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the CCPDT and has an extensive background in animal care, shelter pet behavior, adoption counseling, and coordinating foster programs. She has a Pitbull mix named Seamus, a Beagle named Shiloh, and a horse named Nick! Melanie enjoys hiking and spending time with her family.

Read more about Melanie’s Dog Training experience.

cecelia@paws4ever.org 

Cecelia loves helping dog owners build relationships with their pets and setting them up for success beyond the classroom. She especially enjoys working with exuberant adolescent dogs. Cecelia has two dogs, Pig and Beetle, a cat named Sookie, a rabbit named Eunice, two ponies, Brutus and Fiona, and a ex-racing horse named Barnaby! When she isn’t training animals, Cecelia loves to read science fiction.

Read more about Cecelia’s Dog Training experience