Sara Price, Executive Director
Sara’s drive and dedication show in everything she does: she’ll be the first to tell you she likes to keep busy! After an early career in business development and management consulting, Sara transitioned to the non-profit sector so that she could use her skills to do good in the world. Sara explains, “I joined an animal welfare organization as a cat care volunteer, and I was hooked! Not only did I love caring for the animals, but I could see that the industry was changing and seeking new ways to improve the lives of animals… I knew animal welfare was where I wanted to be.” In addition to making animal welfare her career, Sara has continued volunteering. She now serves as the President of Seattle Flying Dragons Boat Club, with whom she competes locally, regionally and Internationally. At home, Sara and her partner Denis share their home with two kitty siblings: Velvet, a friendly gray cat with stunning green eyes, and Rory, a scaredy cat who absolutely loves his flying bird feather toys. When she’s not working with nonprofits, Sara enjoys dragon boating, outrigger canoe paddling, hiking in the PNW, designing and crafting beaded jewelry, and reading.
Corrie McDonald, Shelter and Care Manager
Corrie is a true feline enthusiast, sharing her home with four cats of her own. Corrie’s lifelong love for cats, nurtured by her upbringing surrounded by animals and a chance encounter with a stray cat during her childhood, fueled her passion for cat care. After the passing of her old man cat, the feeling of wanting to get involved and help kitties in need started tugging at her—leading to her joining the SAFe Rescue Team. In her free time, Corrie can often be found diving into deep rabbit holes of knowledge and exploring new topics.
Cody Westfall, Adoption Center Manager / Retention Specialist
Cody’s connection with SAFe Rescue started years ago when she saw a cat named “Zippy” posted for adoption. Although this black cat was senior and missing some fur, Cody knew she was the one! Adopting Zippy turned out to be only the first step of Cody’s journey with SAFe Rescue. Cody explains: “After my newly adopted cat was all settled in, I started volunteering… And then later I started fostering… And then began my role as an adoption counselor!” As part of the Adoptions Team, Cody particularly enjoys matching cats with families and supporting humans and felines through the transition. Shy cats will always have a special place in Cody’s heart, and black cats too! Cody currently shares her home with foster triumphs Gandalf and Gabriela and Mr. Fred, who are all black or tuxedo kitties. When she’s not hard at work for the Rescue or spending time with her family, Cody explores her creative side. Her favorite hobbies are jewelry-making, encaustic and mixed media painting, and all kinds of crafts.
Scout Wesselman, Development, Communications, & Volunteer Manager
Scout has always connected with cats, but adopting her tuxedo cat, Toby, in college taught her what companionship truly means. His steady love helped inspire her path into nonprofit work. Though Toby has passed, his spirit lives on through Scout’s current kitties, Salem and Leo.
As SAFe’s Development and Communications Manager, Scout blends storytelling, data, creativity, and community-focused problem-solving to support cats and the people who love them. She is especially drawn to work that builds connection, strengthens systems, and makes thoughtful care possible. Outside of work, she’s usually thrift shopping for cute outfits and trinkets or searching the beach for carnelians and agates.
Lisa Winther (LVT), Veterinary Manager
Lisa’s always loved being around animals, and she has numerous family photos to show it! She keeps a full house: Suka the husky, Hopey Dude the cat (whom she describes as “the cat love of my life”), two sphynxes named High Priestess Raisin Bean and Prince Khonsu the Fool, a conure named Skittles and several reptiles…plus a pair of human kids to round out the mix!
A seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in veterinary care, Lisa was drawn to the field because, “Animals realize you are helping them. Many of these animals are in the situation they are due to human error or negligence, and it’s rewarding to see trust and love come back into their lives.” She has a soft spot in particular for special needs kitties—or as she calls them, the “handi-cat-able.” Her own Hopey Dude was once told his fused joints meant he would never walk again. Not only did he persevere; his story remains an inspiration for Lisa. “He is the sweetest, most appreciative boy,” she says. “He is the reason I pursue shelter/rescue work.”
Lisa is currently pursuing a Master’s in Veterinary Science at Unity College with the goal of helping even more cats like Hopey Dude!
Dr. Tessa King (DVM), Veterinarian
Dr. King has always had a passion for improving the quality of life for animals, which drives her work as SAFe’s Veterinarian. Since graduating from WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2002, she has gained experience across various settings, including shelter work, relief work, general practice, and end-of-life care. When it comes to the kitties at the Rescue, she finds fulfillment in seeing the tangible impact of her work. “You have the ability to help more animals in a short period of time,” she says, adding that it is rewarding to be involved in every step of their journey—from intake, through their medical treatments, to adoption day. Dr. King also just really likes spending time with cats, and her dedication ensures that each one receives the best care possible.
When she’s not at the rescue, she enjoys spending her free time at the barn visiting her horse, Farrah, or tending to her garden. She is also a pet parent to two cats, Tambaleo and Jaq, and a dog named Layla.
Michelle Flowers, Foster Program Manager
Certified in Applied Animal Behavior, Michelle is passionate about working with animals. After being with SAFe Rescue for the past 2 years as Foster Specialist, she is now excited to be in the role of Foster Program Manager. Michelle is dedicated to building relationships with people and animals alike, providing the support and the training that foster homes need to do their essential work, and having a little fun along the way. She has a soft spot for the shy, stressed, and undersocialized kitties who come through: “I love getting to know them, earning their trust, and helping them learn that the world isn’t such a scary place. Watching them relax and begin to thrive, their full personalities coming through is so rewarding and sets them up for lifelong success in a home.”
Michelle shares her own home with two elderly cats, a 19-yr-old Siamese who is queen of the house, and a small, 14 and 1/2-year-old black cat from a feral litter named Kitten Underfoot. “Kitten was a bottle baby, and she has become my puppy cat who follows me wherever I go.” In her free time, when she’s not creating new data collection spreadsheets or training goats, Michelle writes, sings, and performs music, goes birdwatching, travels with her husband, and watches reruns of Star Trek (Next Gen & DS9, of course!)
Dylan Shaffer, Community Support Manager
Dylan tells us that he finds a lot of value in the work he does because he is a purpose-driven person. “The role that I was hired for is the perfect combination of helping people, which I’ve spent the majority of my career doing, and helping animals stay in loving homes, which is something that as a pet owner I’m passionate about.” Dylan believes strongly in the intersection of humans and animals enriching and benefiting one another’s lives. What he enjoys the most about working with animals is getting to know their unique personalities and the ways they showcase their love and appreciation for you. Getting to look at cute cats all day is a nice bonus as well. Dylan and his partner live with a very lovely cat named Nora, who is loveable but aloof. As someone who is new to the Seattle area, Dylan spends a lot of his free time exploring the city and trying to find a new favorite place to eat and also enjoys hiking. When he is not feeling up for an adventure he enjoys reading, playing board games, and getting lost in YouTube rabbit holes.
Olivia Straubhar, Intake Manager
Olivia has worked with animals her whole life: she started volunteering at the local animal shelter at the age of 11. Having cared for many over the years, Olivia appreciates each species: “I really enjoy learning about different types of animals and how they uniquely experience the world.” When it comes to cats, Olivia’s favorites are the ones with a loud purr! Currently, two cats, Ripley and Link, fill Olivia’s home with purrs. Olivia also cares for pet reptiles including snakes and lizards. When Olivia isn’t helping cats at SAFe or spending time with her animals at home, you can find her with her wife exploring the Pacific Northwest. (Sometimes Ripley, who loves a car ride, joins them too!)
Julien Cox, Operations Support
Julien began volunteering with cats in high school to get community service hours, and somewhere along the way fell in love with shelter work. After graduating with a BA in climate justice and gender studies, they returned to the rescue world in 2022 to work in adoptions. “I resonate most with the people who have to make decisions every day to put their animals’ safety first, whether that be through seeking community aid and veterinary support or surrendering their animals during crisis,” Julien says. “We all show our love for these creatures in different ways, and understanding that without judgement is key.”
Julien shares their home with two orange cats named Merry and Pippin, who are just as mischievous and food-motivated as their hobbit namesakes. Merry’s hobbies include carrying around his Lambchop toy and sniffing guests’ shoes, Pippin’s are punching holes in cardboard and trying to lay on top of his brother. Julien’s hobbies are a bit more traditional: they love cooking, trying new food, dancing, and expanding their music library through CD collecting.
Hannah Cropf, Development and Communications Associate
You know how people talk about being “raised by wolves?” Well, Hannah was raised by cats (rest in purrs, Louise and Tango). Her early job experience as a vet tech and dog groomer, combined with her more recent role as art gallery admissions lead, has given her plenty of insight into the world of pets and people alike! She shares her home with her partner and their little moo cow boy Jazz, who would like to be fed right now, this instant, thank you very much. When not thinking about or actively surrounding herself with cats, Hannah sometimes makes time to read, paint, make crafts, and oops, she’s thinking about cats again.
Claire Klippel, Cat Care Lead
Claire’s compassion and curiosity shine through in everything she does. Having always been surrounded by animals, she felt an even deeper connection to animal welfare after adopting her black cat, Nori. Claire shares, “Once we adopted Nori, I felt especially drawn to helping cats in our community find their loving furever homes. I love watching shy cats come out of their shell and begin to feel safe and confident in their environment.”
At home, Claire and her partner share their lives with Nori, an adventurous cat who happily joins them on hikes in the woods and spends her downtime intently watching birds. Outside of work, Claire enjoys reading with a warm cup of tea, exploring tide pools in search of funky critters, and trying to track down the best pasta restaurant in Seattle.
Salem Mulligan, Veterinary Assistant
Originally from Texas, Salem made the move to Seattle–and rescue work–seeking new experiences. Salem brings 13 years of veterinary experience to our team, with a background in primary care, cardiology, internal medicine, and critical care. They’ve even worked with exotic animals! Salem was drawn to rescue work because, in their words: “Animals have never cared about my differences. I like being able to give back to the community and find cats loving homes.” Salem’s own home includes a 6-pound Chinese crested dog, plus their roommate’s 3 dogs and 4 cats. In their free time, they love playing video games with their dog in their lap.
Kaitlyn Murray, Volunteer Specialist
In Kaitlyn’s free time, she enjoys getting outdoors, reading, and spending time with friends and family—and at home, she’s kept company by her cat, Nellie. One of the things she loves most about working with animals is witnessing the enthusiasm people have for helping them: “The thing I enjoy most about working with animals is the passion that so many people have to help animals in need. I enjoy seeing the dedication people have to protect and care for animals.” To Kaitlyn, it’s especially moving to see how many people are willing to adopt cats of all ages and needs, offering them the care and love they deserve. Kaitlyn is constantly inspired by the dedication of SAFe volunteers and the compassion they show every day as they work hard to care for all the SAFe kitties.
Lindsey Neblina, Events and Outreach Coordinator
Lindsey first started at SAFe in 2019. After taking a brief leave to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Society, Ethics and Human Behavior with a minor in Human Rights, Lindsey was excited to return to SAFe in her new position as the Events and Outreach Coordinator.
Lindsey has been volunteering and fostering with Everett Animal Shelter since she was 12 years old; starting in the Cat Care rooms and later fostering over 60 kittens, from bottle babies to 6 month old kittens. Her favorite aspect of rescue work is cultivating relationships between animals and people alike. One day, she plans to write state and federal laws protecting human and animal rights. She shares her home with two SAFe alumni: black cats Jazzmaster and Telecaster as well as a golden retriever named Gibson.
Jordyn Nolz, Veterinary Assistant / Ringworm Specialist
Jordyn spends her time at the rescue caring for the cats and kittens in the Isolation Room. These felines are receiving treatment for a skin infection called ringworm. Jordyn gives the “Kitty Cadets” here in the Iso room (lovingly dubbed “Ringworm Academy”) the very best care. It’s always a good day when one of the kitties “graduates” and gets the green light for adoption. Jordyn’s family includes, Jet, a SAFe Rescue alumnus.