Tracy Goldfine, Executive Director

Tracy grew up in the Mad River Valley town of Waitsfield, Vermont. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Business, she moved West where she worked in public relations and publishing in Utah and Wyoming. Upon returning to Vermont, Tracy worked as a freelance grant writer, helping local nonprofits strengthen their development efforts. She has served as executive director for Hope Grows Community Farm in Hyde Park and River Arts in Morrisville. She earned her Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate from Marlboro College and pursued graduate work in grant writing. Tracy joined NCAL as executive director in July 2016.

Growing up with many animals including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and birds, Tracy developed a passion for rescue at an early age. Her early efforts included rescuing barn kittens, mending injured birds and squirrels, and even once helping a raccoon. She began assisting the local veterinarian at the age of ten with farm calls and surgeries. Today at NCAL, she is committed to furthering the mission dedicated to promoting responsible and compassionate relationships between humans and animals. 

She lives in Stowe with her husband and two children and in her “off time” enjoys playing guitar, mountain biking, skiing, and hiking with her dogs.

Carlee Brion, Shelter Operations Director

Carlee Brion began working for NCAL in 2012 after graduating college in New Hampshire and moving to Vermont. Carlee has spent a few years caring for dogs and cats as a Shelter Associate, caring for customers and animals alike as NCAL’s Customer Service Manager, and was promoted to Pet Adoption Center Manager in May of 2017. Carlee now serves as NCAL’s Shelter Operations Director. Growing up, Carlee always had animals living in her home and currently has three rescue pups. She loves living in Vermont and exploring all that it has to offer with her dogs Winnie, Roscoe and Josie, especially hiking and running in the warmer months (although Winnie is secretly is a couch potato at heart).

Lusana Masrur, Development & Communications Manager

Lusana’s earliest memories include farm animals, cats, dogs, rabbits and a crane, all of whom helped her become an animal lover. After college, she worked as the E-Coordinator for the SPCA of Erie County, in Buffalo, New York. She was also the Communication Coordinator for Obhoyaronno – Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation and continues to be invested in her home country’s animal welfare movement. In addition, she has worked in youth development in Buffalo, NY and in disaster management and climate change mitigation in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Work and education have also taken her to Malaysia, Singapore, the UAE, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Thailand, but she now calls Vermont her home. Lusana’s love for animals also inspires her to follow a plant-based lifestyle. She hopes to contribute to NCAL’s diverse pool of talents with her non-profit background in animal welfare, communication, development and special education.

Jamie Dutil, Medical Care Manager

Jamie has been working with animals in a professional capacity for over a decade, ever since graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in Animal Science in 2009. While working in a veterinary clinic, she realized her passion for helping to combat pet homelessness through the nonprofit sector, and went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Walden University and a certification in humane education. She carries a wide diversity of experience in the animal welfare field, including private practice veterinary clinics, high-volume/high-quality spay/neuter clinics, other animal shelters and humane societies, and volunteering as a first responder for the Vermont Disaster Animal Response Team. She also spent two and a half years living in deep South Texas, fundraising and working to implement life-saving programs in a severely under-served city with an overwhelming pet overpopulation crisis.

Tasha Baker, Pet Adoption Center Manager

NCAL has been part of Tasha’s life since she was about 7 years old, when she began to volunteer by walking dogs. She has also worked at NCAL previously from 2012 to 2015 as a Shelter Associate and then the Feline Supervisor. Tasha has always had a passion for helping animals and has also worked at an emergency vet office and a doggy daycare as well! She currently has one cat, Pippin, and one dog Alexander, both of whom were adopted from NCAL! She has a soft spot for giant breed dogs and senior animals.

Becky Wheeler-Percy, Barn Manager

Becky grew up in Connecticut, but spent a lot of time at her family’s cabin in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Beginning at a young age being inspired by avid equestrians in her family, riding is truly in Becky’s blood. Throughout high school she spent her days as a working student for a local A-level Pony Clubber, where she eventually assumed the role of assistant trainer. During this time, Becky had the privilege of spending weekends volunteering at the most prestigious 3-day events in New England. Following this period, Becky embraced a series of opportunities all over the US working for renowned trainers such as Mark Weissbecker and Frank Conway, spending time in Washington State, Kentucky, and Florida, among others. She moved back home to be with her family in Vermont in 2009, and has been living with her husband, stepdaughter and four boxers in Wolcott since 2011. The highlight of Becky’s equestrian accomplishments is Dior – her most prized accomplishment, whom she brought fresh off the track to a Novice Level event horse. Becky’s goal is to impart the knowledge she has gained from her experiences throughout the years with the younger generation. And her philosophy is that exceptional horsemanship is the root of building healthy bonds with horses, which reflects NCAL’s core mission of promoting compassionate relationships among all beings, and she looks forward to sharing this vision with the community we serve.  

Meagan Ferris, Animal Care Coordinator

Animals have always been a big part of Meagan’s life, and she has considered each one of her adopted pets as family. Prior to joining NCAL in November 2016, Meagan’s worked at an SPCA veterinary clinic in Orlando, Florida, and before that at a daycare and boarding facility where she enjoyed interacting with the animals. When she is not busy with the animals, Meagan enjoys photography, painting, kickboxing, hiking, and taking part in any long outdoor adventures with her daughter, Ryker, and Labrador retriever, Endo.

Emily Peterson, Customer Care Coordinator

Emily has had animals her whole life, from dogs and cats, to lizards, birds and fishes! She majored in Wellness and Alternative Medicine at the Northern Vermont University in Johnson. She has worked with an animal shelter in the past and wanted to continue in the field when she moved back to Vermont. Her favorite part about this job is playing matchmaker and helping people find their four-legged family members. Emily is also very interested in exploring how to apply her learning from wellness and alternative medicine to the world of animals.

Jess McLeon, Animal Care & Adoptions

Jess began working at NCAL in 2012. From a very young age, she has had a love for animals and has always hoped to find a career that would allow her to work with them. At NCAL, she enjoys and takes pride in caring for the dogs and cats and playing a part in their second chance at life. Jess also serves as NCAL’s staff photographer, capturing the beauty in every animal and helping market each one which improves their chances at finding forever homes.

Schae Wolff, Animal Care & Adoptions

Schae has had a passion for animals her whole life. Working with cats and dogs in need is very important to her and gives purpose to her life. Her two spoiled cats, Sylvester and Wilbur, are both adoptees from NCAL and according to her, are the greatest of all cats! Schae also has an artistic side which she gets to apply to run her family business where she partners with her dad to create custom products.

April Taylor, Riding Instructor 

April grew up in Europe and Vermont, and has spent a lifetime around horses. She started horse showing when she was 10 years old at what is nor her family’s horse farm in Stowe. After high school, April lived in Santa Fe for several years where she worked as a raft guide and white water kayak instructor, as well as leading backcountry hiking trips and volunteering on a local Search and Rescue team. She returned home to attend UVM and earn her degree in Philosophy and Wildlife Biology. After college, she worked in development for the Trust for Public Land, before becoming a mother and finding her way back to the barn and horses, as well as teaching and showing. For the last 10 years, April has owned and run Merry Mount Farm in Stowe, a Hunter/Jumper facility that specializes in teaching kids horsemanship. She continues to run Merry Mount as a horse show barn, and is excited to transition her summer camp programs and lessons to NCAL, in order to bring riding opportunities to a wider swath of the community. April lives in Stowe with her husband Zachary, their three children, various dogs, many horses, and two adorable barn cats.