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Executive Director
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 Nancy Longacre, Executive Director, joined PAWS Atlanta in 2011. “My favorite thing about working here,” says Nancy, “is working with such an exceptional group of people – which includes the board, staff and our growing base of dedicated volunteers. They are truly awesome! It is a privilege to work towards the achievement of our organization’s mission of promoting responsible pet care, preventing pet overpopulation and enhancing the pet-human bond. PAWS Atlanta has a great future and it is exciting to think about all of the possibilities!” At home, Nancy has two cats and a puppy named Rosco, who was recently rescued from PAWS Atlanta.
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Business Manager
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Susan Thorburn, Business Manager, has been with PAWS Atlanta since 2001, when it was still called Dekalb Humane Society. Susan is responsible for the financial and business operations of the shelter. Susan is dedicated and deeply passionate about the shelter and its mission to provide for homeless cats and dogs. Susan has three dogs and two cats at home, all of whom came from PAWS Atlanta. She also takes care of the shelter cats who need a break from the Cat Cottage or some extra special attention and TLC. These cats spend time with Susan in the business office, cuddling with her, sleeping on her printer and keyboard and inviting themselves to her meetings. Luther, pictured here, was a long-term resident of the shelter and one of Susan's "cats-in-care”.
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Shelter Manager
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Phillip Smith, Shelter Manager, has been with PAWS Atlanta since 2004. Not only does Phillip work tirelessly to ensure that the animals are well cared for, but also he takes care of the shelter buildings and grounds. He also manages the volunteer orientations. Phillip says that he is grateful to the donors and volunteers who help PAWS Atlanta provide for homeless cats and dogs. Phillip and his family have four dogs and one cat at home. Here, Phillip is pictured with Bear, a Great Pyrenees who is now in his forever home with one of PAWS Atlanta's dedicated and loving volunteers.
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Animal Care Specialist
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Jasmin Butler, Animal Care Specialist, has worked at PAWS Atlanta since 2007. She cleans, feeds, exercises and loves each of the animals in her care, daily. Jasmin, originally from Providence, RI, now lives on a horse farm with her four cats and a pit bull mix named Brady, who was originally from PAWS Atlanta. Jasmin loves to work with the animals and appreciates the hard working volunteers who help the shelter function smoothly. Jasmin is pictured here with Grayson. "Grayson is beautiful," she says. "I chose him because he is one cuddly cat!" Jasmin is happy that Grayson found his forever home where he is loved and takes plenty of cat naps.
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Animal Care Specialist
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Rhonda Erline, Animal Care Specialist, has worked at PAWS Atlanta since 2008. She works with the sick and injured animals in the Animal Treatment Center. Her goal is to provide a peaceful and healing environment. Each animal's health, diet and medications are monitored to ensure a quick recovery and so that each may be moved to the adoption area to find a forever home. "Everyone here has a love and a passion for the animals in our care," she says. Rhonda has two rescued dogs at home, a Jack Russell named Lulu and a Papillion named Pepe. She chose Pierre for her picture because she formed a bond with him while he was in her care before he was adopted.
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Animal Care Speclalist
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Lawrence Mitchell, Animal Care Specialist, has worked at PAWS Atlanta since 2004. Lawrence works with the small- and medium-sized dogs, feeding, walking, socializing and nurturing them. He has an intuitive sense about the animals in his care and can tell when one is not feeling well or needs extra attention. At home, he has an older German Shepherd. Here, Lawrence is pictured with Blitz, an energetic and playful beagle/hound mix, who was adopted into his forever home shortly after this picture was taken!
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Animal Care Specialist
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Lillie Pender, Animal Care Specialist, was originally hired in 2003 to work with the dogs, but during her first days at the shelter, she noticed that the cats and kittens needed attention. From then on, Lillie has made it her mission to nurture the felines at PAWS Atlanta in the best way possible. Lillie's favorite thing about working in the cat cottage is witnessing a family falling in love and adopt one of the cats in her care. She is grateful for the volunteers who help her socialize the cats. She emphasizes the necessity of spaying and neutering as she often sees litters of abandoned kittens brought to the shelter. Here, Lillie is pictured with Webster, a handsome, affectionate cat who has now found a loving, forever home.
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Animal Care Speclalist and Adoption Counselor
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 Michael Knutsen, Animal Care Specialist and Adoption Counselor, joined the staff of PAWS Atlanta in 2007. Mike takes great care of the larger dogs and has three dogs at home, all pit bulls, whom he adopted from PAWS Atlanta. "I am an animal lover," Mike says, "and I enjoy being a part of the animal rescue process." Mike also facilitates the volunteer orientations and mentoring sessions and if you volunteer for the shelter, you will see how committed he is to the animals.
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Mascot
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 Cheeks, Mascot, lives in the PAWS Atlanta vet clinic. He is responsible for protecting the clinic and keeping it cozy. He also aids us in fostering little puppies so they grow up to be well-rounded individuals with a soft-spot for cats, and orange tabbies in particular. Cheeks loves people and has adopted several humans. He keeps the vet techs and vets particularly close, taking them on walks first thing in the morning and in the evening before bedtime. You will often see Cheeks tanning in his window box at the shelter or sleeping in the air conditioning on one of his many beds. Cheeks has made several cameo appearances on television, most recently on Victoria Stilwell’s “It’s Me or the Dog” on Animal Planet. He has found his niche at PAWS Atlanta, and plans on staying here and helping as many homeless pets as possible.
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Director of Operations
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Tara Mitchell, Director of Operations, has been with PAWS Atlanta since 2003. "My favorite thing about working here," says Tara, "is adopting deserving dogs and cats into loving homes!" Tara takes pride in making sure that the PAWS Atlanta dogs and cats have the best experience possible while they are at the shelter. Tara has a PAWS Atlanta rescue at home, a husky and chow mix named Bean. Here, Tara is pictured with Tenchi, a playful, three-and-a-half-year-old lab mix who was a long-term resident at the shelter before his adoption.
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Director of Marketing and Development
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 Kathy Akopov, Director of Marketing and Development, joined the PAWS Atlanta family in 2011. “I love everything about working at PAWS Atlanta,” Kathy smiles, “from greeting the animals first thing each morning, to being walked by dogs on the trail in the afternoon, to stealing puppy kisses at the end of the day! What's not to love?” She is thrilled to be surrounded by such dedicated animal lovers and looks forward to the next chapter in PAWS Atlanta’s rich history. Pictured here with a five-week-old puppy, Kathy shares her home with a nine-year-old, rescued Golden Retriever named Jake.
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Senior Veterinary Technician
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 Mechelle, Senior Veterinary Technician, joined PAWS Atlanta in 2002. Mechelle leads the rest of the vet staff and oversees the overall health of all the animals at PAWS Atlanta. After working in regular veterinary practice for many years, Mechelle finally feels like she’s truly making a difference helping homeless pets find their forever families. At home, Mechelle has several rescued cats, a Great Dane, and a Pomeranian. She has also opened her home to several elderly PAWS Atlanta dogs who were in need of permanent foster homes due to various medical conditions. She says, “The most rewarding part of the job is being able to help the sick and injured animals who come to us become healthy and adoptable.”
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Front Desk and Adoption Counselor
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Heather Hartman, Front Desk and Adoption Counselor, emphasizes that the love and care PAWS Atlanta gives to the dogs and cats is unconditional. "If everyone would come together as a community, we could improve the lives of abandoned, mistreated and homeless animals," Heather says. She stresses the importance of volunteers and donors to supporting the shelter. Heather has one dog, named Fancy, and four cats, Harry, Little Girl, Andy and Tilly, all of whom were adopted from PAWS Atlanta since Heather started working here in 2003. She is pictured with Firebird who was abandoned in 2007 with her litter, each of whom were named after classic cars. Firebird has a shy, sweet beauty about her that Heather admires. Read more about Firebird on our I Need a Hero page.
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Animal Care Specialist and Adoption Counselor
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Laura McKelvey, Animal Care Specialist and Adoption Counselor, does a little bit of everything at the shelter. She works in the kennels, socializes the animals, interviews potential adopters and even helps the vet techs. Laura has been with PAWS Atlanta since 2008. She has three rescued dogs at home, Phoenix, Madeleine and Sergei. "I love meeting the animals when they first come to the shelter and watching them as they overcome their initial fears and seeing their true personalities blossom," she says. Laura chose Bonita for her picture. Bonita is a six-and-a-half-year-old, Staffordshire Terrier mix, who loves people, eats fruit and snorts like a pig when she is excited, but hates snow and her own reflection! To read more about Bonita, please visit our I Need A Hero page.
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Veterinary Technician
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 Julie Stubblefield, Veterinary Technician, joined the PAWS Atlanta family in 2007. The most rewarding part of the job for her is helping all the animals become healthy and ready for adoption. "Many come to us sick, injured, or suffer from neglect and abuse; some are just sad and terrified. To be there from the beginning, being able to aid them in their recovery, and then getting to watch them leave with their new families, now happy, healthy, and loving life...nothing beats that!" she says. Pictured here with Julia is Tommy, a three-month-old Chihuahua who, with the help of the dedicated vet staff, was able to overcome Parvo. Julia has two Chihuahuas at home Thor and Peso, and two cats, all of whom were adopted from PAWS Atlanta.
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Veterinary Technician
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Natasha King, Veterinary Technician, has been loving and caring for the animals at PAWS Atlanta since 2004. "I love putting smiles on the animals' faces and feeling the love they have to offer," says Tasha, "and I am proud of the commitment that we demonstrate in caring for our cats and dogs!" Tasha is pictured here with Itsy, a toy poodle who was severely anemic and hypothermic when she was rescued. Itsy weighed just three pounds and was malnourished. Itsy is a graduate of the Help Me Heal Fund. She has been adopted into her adoring forever home where she is getting all the pampering that she deserves!
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Honorary Employees
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 Betty and Barbara, Honorary Employees, have worked and played at PAWS Atlanta since 2001. Barbara loves to dig and is often creating outdoor sculptures, canals, and caves with her paws and nose. Betty is a strong runner and ball player. In her spare time, she likes to chew on Barbara’s head, which seems to be okay with both of them. They have tennis balls hidden all over the place, a timeline of all the play dates and years that have come and gone. They have a nice little house that is climate controlled, has electricity, a nice wooden porch, and a privacy fence that surrounds their backyard. They have a calming effect on the staff and volunteers, encouraging them to go forward with their work and love as many animals as possible.
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