Ali joined the SCSPCA team in November, 2018. Ali has spent over 25-years working in and with animal shelters; she has been working with companion animals since 1991! Ali has held leadership roles at the East Bay SPCA, at the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga, TN, and she spent more than 10-years at Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV).

During her time at HSSV, Ali was a key leader on their Operations Team where she focused on animal behavior and training, but also played cross-functional roles across the organization. Ali feels very fortunate to have been with the organization during their Capital Campaign and to have been a part of the team that moved the operation from their traditional shelter to the state of the art Animal Community Center. Prior to her work at HSSV, Ali received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the UC Davis Animal Science Department where her studies were focused on companion animal welfare and animal shelters.

Ali's four-legged family currently includes three cats and one dog, all of whom are--of course--former shelter animals. In her free time, she enjoys photography, road-trips, live music, gardening and spending quality time with her family. Ali looks forward to leading the organization into the future, including the SPCA's new purpose built forever home!

Mandi has been a part of the SCSPCA team since 2009. With over 20 years of experience working in the animal care industry, she brings an extensive knowledge base related to animal care, medicine, behavior, and training. Along with shelter management, Mandi coordinates many of the organization’s marketing campaigns, social media presence, community engagement, and programming efforts. During her time with the SCSPCA, she has also taken an active role in animal welfare legislation, attending the Humane Society of the United States’ Lobby Day in 2012, and testifying at a Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting to help pass SB 1221, a bill banning the use of hounds for bear and bobcat hunting.

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Mandi has lived a life that revolves around animals. She took pride in caring for her childhood dogs, cats, horses, goats, chickens, and rabbits, and currently enjoys riding her horse Biggs and walking her dog Sage. Mandi has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with an emphasis in PR from California State University at Northridge.

Pete joined the team in 2022, bringing with him around twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Originally from New Zealand, Pete has worked in a variety of advocacy / campaigning roles, with groups such as Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and the Environmental Investigation Agency, in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

Pete moved to the US in 2020 and enjoys exploring Santa Cruz's forests and beaches with his two rescue dogs.

Lynn first joined the team in 2005 and has managed the shelter’s accounting needs since 2011. A CPA by profession, she works primarily with local non-profits and enjoys her time at the shelter, where she can pair her accounting skills with her love for animals, on any given day gaining a “lap assistant” or a “keyboard helper.” She enjoys playing soccer, reading, and doing jigsaw puzzles.

 JoAnna made the transition from long-time volunteer to Client Care staff in 2019. She self-identifies as a “dog person” and loves being around lots of them, including her four at home, all adopted from the SPCA. Her fantasy is to have a large sled team made up of Chihuahuas. When she did Agility trials with her Cattle Dog, Tallulah, she loved spending the weekend with hundreds of excited, happy dogs and their owners.

For over 20 years, JoAnna worked for the Dickens Project at UCSC. In 2018, her short play, “Christmas with Dickens” was performed at local libraries, and her short stories have been read on the radio.

Maddy joined the Santa Cruz SPCA Team in as an Animal Care Coordinator in 2021, after graduating from California State University Monterey Bay with a Bachelors of the Arts Degree in Communication with a concentration in Creative Writing and Social Action.

Maddy moved into a Development Coordinator role and an Adoptions and Client Care Coordinator role hybrid in 2022. Maddy's favorite part about her job is getting to know all the animals that come into our care and being able to give them a voice and tell their stories to the community. During her free time, she loves hiking and camping with her Alaskan Malamute pup, Willie, as well as cuddling up with her cat, Leona, and reading a good book.

 Nicole joined the Santa Cruz SPCA Team as an Adoptions and Client Care Coordinator in 2021. Originally from Vancouver Island in Canada, she grew up riding and training horses. Nicole has lived in Santa Cruz for the last 9 years and feels incredibly lucky to call such a beautiful place home.

Nicole moved into the new role of Adoptions and Client Care Lead at the end of 2022. Aside from spending time with the animals, her favorite part about her job is getting to know potential adopters and community members so as to match them with the perfect four-legged family member. To put it simply: taking the pets, taking the people, and putting them together! During her free time, she loves sharing a good meal with close friends, searching for vintage clothing and books, and taking walks with her SCSPCA Alumni cat, Walt—on leash of course!

 Ana has been an important part of the SCSPCA’s animal care team since 2012. She works incredibly hard to ensure the health and well-being of each animal that comes through our doors, and she carefully maintains a high level of care throughout their stay. Ana also assists with volunteer orientation and training as well as the management of in-kind donations. When she’s not working hard for the animals, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, and watching movies.

 Luisa joined the SCSPCA facilities team in 2015. With a natural desire to clean and organize, Luisa dives into her sanitation duties with vigor. She enjoys creating an environment conducive to the health and happiness of all the shelter guests, and she meticulously delivers just that. In her free time, Luisa enjoys socializing with friends, crocheting, and baking.

 Jenna joined the SPCA team in 2022 after working as a restaurant and production cook for over a decade. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota as well as an associate degree in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management from Cabrillo College.

Jenna’s favorite part of her role at the SPCA is learning about the complexities of animal behavior. She particularly enjoys strategizing with coworkers and volunteers about how best to train the shelter dogs and then going home to her own dog Winnie who thinks all commands are 100% optional.

 Rhiannon joined the Santa Cruz SPCA Animal Care Team in 2022. After obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Zoology from San Francisco State University she eventually made her way back to her hometown of Santa Cruz. She has spent the last few years working with animals, from dogs to harbor seals, and it gives her great joy to be able to do so.

Rhiannon loves getting to know each and every one of the cats and dogs that come through the shelter, through her care she hopes to help make their stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. When she is not at work she enjoys hiking and camping, going out to try new foods, and snuggling up with a good book and her cat Adrian.