Meet the ElderPet Board
Name/Position |
ElderPet Responsibilities |
Brief Bio |
|---|---|---|
Lisa Karakostas Chairperson |
Licensed Pet Partners Instructor Licensed Pet Partners Team Evaluator
|
Lisa works in Human Resources at Exeter Hospital and is coordinator of Animal Assisted Activities and Therapy there. She is also a volunteer at the NHSPCA. Lisa is Pet Partner with Billy, a mixed breed rescued dog. Billy has found his niche in R.E.A.D. at the Stratham Library. |
Doris Irwin Vice Chairperson |
Pet Partner Team Mentor | Doris is retired and she and Sebastian, her English Cocker Pet Partner, are in high demand as a Pet Partner Team. They most regularly visit at Wentworth Douglass Hospital. She resently added Tango, a female English Cocker, as an additional Pet Partner. |
Allison Powers Secretary |
ElderPet Service Volunteer Pet Behavior Consultant |
Allison is a Professional Technical Specialist at the Thompson School Small Animal Care Program where she has many and varied responsibilities. She delivers pet food for ElderPet, counsels elderly pet owners, does some emergency fostering, pet sitting and grooming for ElderPet clients. |
Jerilee Zezula, D.V.M. Treasurer |
Licensed Pet Partners Instructor Licensed AAT I Instructor ElderPet Service Coordinator ElderPet Fundraising Coordinator |
Jeri is a retired professor of Applied Animal Science at the Thompson School at UNH. She frequently presesents workshops on pets and the elderly. She has been a Pet Partner since 1997 with Abby, a German shepherd dog, who is now retired. |
| Pat Coughlin, M.S.W | Licensed Pet Partners Team Evaluator Hospice Liason |
Pat is a hospice social worker and includes her Pet Partner Scout, an English Cocker, in her day- to-day work. |
| Ginny Ann | LifeShare Representative Dedicated Volunteer for Evaluations
|
Ginny is a strong believer in the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy/Animal Assisted Activities. She is a long time volunteer with the UNH Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. Ginny includes AAT/AAA in her job as Program Manager for LifeShare, supporting people affected by Developmental Disabilities. |
Amee Abel
|
Monadnock Chapter Coordinator | Amee is an ElderPet volunteer who lives in southwestern NH. She currently has 4 dogs, all of whom are either registered Pet Partner Team members or candidates to become registered. Recognizing that the Monadnock region needed Pet Partner Teams, she has started an ElderPet chapter in the southwest corner of the state: Monadnock Therapy Pets. |