The Board of Directors and shelter staff of the Santa Cruz SPCA are an extraordinary team of well-qualified leaders who are commited to excellent animal care and welfare. 

Deb Walt joined the Board in October 2013, served as Board President from 2016 through 2017, and is beginning a new term in 2021. An active shelter volunteer for 19 years, Deb has served in a variety of leadership and hands-on roles at several regional shelters, including Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) and Pets in Need. While at HSSV, Deb was four-time co-chair of The Fur Ball — the annual black-tie fundraising gala — and also served as dog socializer, mentor, writer, event volunteer, and member of numerous task forces and committees. Deb brings 25+ years of experience in marketing and communications to the SPCA. She has managed comprehensive programs for many major national consumer brands, as well as numerous biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Her background includes PR agencies in New York and Silicon Valley, and she also directed the marketing communications team at Stanford University Hospital. Deb generally has a house full of senior cats and dogs. In addition to her passion for animals, Deb’s enthusiasms include theatre, ballet, skiing, and haunting bookstores.

Moira Gagen has served on the Board since May 2013, acting as Board President from 2018 through 2020. She has volunteered at the SCSPCA for the past 12 years and at the county shelter for eight years before that. A dedicated animal welfare advocate, Moira has two dogs and a cat of her own as well as the occasional foster. Now retired, Moira worked in Corporate Training, specializing in Train-the-Trainer and Train-the-Designer programs and has consulted all over Silicon Valley. She has taught at both UC Santa Cruz and Stanford and spent most of her corporate career at Apple Computer. In what little time is left over, Moira is an avid mystery reader, amateur thespian, and Scrabble nut.

Nina believes that people who love and respect animals will be better stewards of the planet, and be kinder human beings in general. Given the opportunity as a child, she always chose to cat-sit or dog-sit versus babysit. Nina joined the board of directors in April 2017, and brings an extensive financial and tax background. She earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and her LL.M., Taxation from New York University. Nina recently retired from a career with Apple, Inc. as Senior Director, International Tax & Senior Tax Counsel. In addition to their daughters, and many animal companions throughout the years, Nina and her husband have raised three golden retrievers.

Sheri Billings has served on the Board since February 2011. She is a CPA and owner/principal of the Summit Accountancy Group, Inc., in Soquel, specializing in income taxes and business valuations. A fancier of all things feline, Sheri shares her home with two rescue cats, Buddy and Bentley.  Her hobbies include fly fishing.

Shortly after retiring, Malcolm and his wife adopted a wonderful tabby kitty from Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV). He sent them a couple photos of their new kitty with a note stating how wonderful she was. Marketing staff asked if he would be willing to volunteer and photograph shelter cats and kittens for the HSSV website, newsletters, calendar, and other collateral. Thus began his volunteer life in 2008. Malcolm has also participated in the HSSV Volunteer Advisory Committee, aimed at enhancing collaboration between volunteers and staff.

During his 10+ years as a volunteer, Malcolm has thoroughly enjoyed the interaction (mainly with cats, but dogs too), and the photographic opportunities offered. Cats, of course, are not the most cooperative of photographic models, but he feels that patience is worth the end result. Malcolm has also photographed felines for Town Cats and The Dancing Cat in San Jose, and conducted photography classes at the latter. He also enjoys reading, with a glass of wine, and a cat on his lap.

When a family pet is brought out of a shelter kennel, s/he's scared, sometimes completely shut down, sometimes literally shaking with fear. The constant noise, uncertain fate and shelter environment all contribute to this. And then there's whatever neglect, mistreatment or even cruelty they endured in the past. But when they leave the shelter something magical happens. They can sense they're safe. They relax, often drinking an entire bowl of water before falling asleep. On arrival at the SPCA they can't wait to get inside, sensing something good is waiting for them. And because of people like you they're right.

Linda Powers joined the Board in October 2021.  She has been a Kitty Parent most of her adult life.  When her precious Roscoe died in 2009, she first looked to the cats at the SCSPCA for feline companionship.  The mention of a planned new facility, where the cats would have daylight and fresh air, had her hooked.  Linda and her husband Bob have been contributors to making this dream a reality, and she looks forward to helping the dedicated SPCA staff realize the full potential of this wonderful place.  Linda and Bob worked as a 2-person bubble of cat socializers during the pandemic.  Their new passion is fostering cats who have special needs — including a year with the infamous Pluto — or cats who simply are not thriving in the shelter environment.  Linda’s educational and career background is in mathematics and physics, having spent over 25 years as a theoretical researcher in Inertial Confinement Fusion.  Since retirement she has more time to dedicate to travel, fitness, piano, and creating stained glass “masterpieces.”