Camp Maddie: Foster Edition - Special Foster Initiatives

Sam has loved dogs for as long as she can remember, even though she wasn’t allowed to have one growing up. As an adult, Sam got her first dog, and after discovering that her new companion was extremely reactive to other dogs, she immersed herself into the world of animal behavior…and never wanted to leave. Sam said goodbye to her career path in fashion merchandising, and began her work at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in 2019 helping animals find new homes. Sam was so inspired by the passion and knowledge of those working with and around her, that she jumped at the chance to join the behavior team at the shelter in 2020. After working with a variety of dogs, and a variety of behaviors, Sam received her CPDT-KA in 2021 and she is constantly looking to expand her knowledge, while supporting and enriching the human-animal relationship

Gloria spent the last year as a bottle baby feeder in the neonatal nursery, and a kitten foster, but this year she has really stepped up. Gloria is now the rescue coordinator for bottle baby kittens. She gets the calls from shelters that there are kittens with a life & death deadline. She coordinates with the Nursery Manager to assess room, and has the daunting task of potentially saying "no" if there is no room for more kittens. Not only that, but she also coordinates transport for the babies. This is an immense amount of pressure, but Gloria handles the volunteer position with gusto, compassion and a positive attitude. She is perfect for this position, and is doing a stellar job.

Faith is the Shelter Management Advisor for American Pets Alive! and conducts site visits and responds to crises from other shelters. She began her journey volunteering for APA! in 2009 and in 2011 became the Operations Manager for APA!. In 2016, her role shifted to Facilities, Information, and Legal Services Manager. Faith and her family have fostered over 500 animals since the beginning of her time with APA!. Faith has helped spread the word of the No Kill mission by moving temporarily to Edinburg, Texas and working as the temporary shelter manager at Palm Valley Animal Center. She helped increase their live release rate to almost 50%, up from 37%. Since her return to Austin, she has been taking weekly trips to area shelters in Texas and New Mexico to evaluate intake process, animal flow, and rescue efforts. Faith prides herself in taking home an animal to foster from each shelter she visits.

Shelter Intake Diversion/Community Support Programming (PASS) Manager with Austin Pets Alive! Providing consultations, resources, and strategic support for pets and humans to help keep 10k+ animals from being surrendered to the Texas shelter systems.

Tori Fugate joined the KC Pet Project team in March 2012 – shortly after the organization took over the Kansas City, MO, animal shelter in January 2012. She is a graduate of Drury University in Springfield, MO, with a B.A. in Advertising and minors in Global Studies, Sports Management, and Women & Gender Studies. Tori’s past work experience includes working with the St. Louis Cardinals’ Double-A affiliate, the Springfield Cardinals, the Kansas City Chiefs, and various retail management positions. Her past non-profit experience includes working with the Missouri Restaurant Association and the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association, and she served on the Kansas City Restaurant Week Committee in 2011.