Meet Our Team

Carlee Brion, Pet Adoption Center Manager

Carlee Brion began working for NCAL in 2012 after graduating college in New Hampshire and moving to Vermont. After a few years of caring for the dogs and cats, she took on the customer service roll and really enjoys working with both people and animals. Carlee has recently been promoted to Pet Adoption Center Manager. Growing up, Carlee always had animals living in her home. She currently has her rescue pup and two cats. Carlee loves living in Vermont and exploring all that it has to offer. Carlee and her dog, Winnie, enjoy hiking and running in the warmer months (although Winnie is secretly is a couch potato at heart).

Meagan Ferris, Animal Care & Adoptions

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.

Kevin Gallagher, Animal Care

Kevin was unable to adopt his first dog until age 21, which may explain why now Kevin’s life now is so dog-centric. After spending “too many years” in the Banking and Insurance industry, Kevin found his perfect retirement job helping to care for the dogs at NCAL. At the shelter, Kevin provides care and nurturing to the dogs as they await their forever home.

Tracy Goldfine, Executive Director

Tracy grew up in Waitsfield, VT, where from a young age she was a passionate animal rescuer. She would regularly bring home barn cats, injured squirrels, and birds with broken wings, and luckily her parents fostered this passion. After graduating from the University of Vermont, Tracy moved to Wyoming with her dog, Kota, where she fulfilled her dream of becoming a cowgirl while working on ranches and managing the care of large herds of horses. Tracy’s professional career included working in public relations, publishing, and marketing in Utah, Wyoming, and California. She returned to Vermont in 2007, and became involved in the nonprofit field through grant writing and development work, and went on to earn her graduate certification in nonprofit management from Marlboro College.

Tracy was founding director of Hope Grows Community Farm, a nonprofit in Hyde Park dedicated to working with at-risk youth and horses. She later joined River Arts in Morrisville as development director and then executive director. Most recently she worked as communications director for Children’s Literacy Foundation.

Tracy is excited to combine her passion for nonprofit work with her deep belief in animal rescue, adoption, education, and spay/neuter. She lives in Stowe with her husband, two children, two dogs, cat, and pony.

Danielle Hoppe, Animal Care & Adoptions

Originally from Maine, Danielle moved to Vermont to pursue a degree in Biology at Johnson State College. While at JSC she began at NCAL as an intern then soon after became employed. Being an animal lover from a young age Dani knew she always wanted to work in the field of animal care and NCAL was the perfect place for her. After graduating Dani decided to stay in Vermont to continue to work with the dogs at NCAL and loves caring for them until they can all find their furever homes. She has a soft spot for senior dogs and one day hopes to open her own senior dog sanctuary.

Marie Kingsbury, Dog Trainer

A Maine resident who spent several years traveling found her home away from home in Stowe Vermont. After spending long hours managing, serving, or hosting at a few local restaurants in town she slowly changed her career path by starting a dog walking business in 2010.

In 2015/2016 Marie was accepted into The Victoria Stilwell Academy, traveling back and forth to Atlanta Georgia to study Positive Reinforcement Training and Behavior with Victoria Stilwell and Brad and Lisa Waggoner. She graduated in August of 2016. Marie believes that positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools for shaping or changing behavior.
Positive Reinforcement Training uses praise and or treats to reward your dog for doing something you want him/her to do. Because the reward makes your dog more likely to repeat the behavior. She has seen first-hand how this method can strengthen the bond between owner and dog.

Bronwyn Mandigo, Feline Care Specialist

Bronwyn started her work at NCAL in October 2016 as a Shelter Associate after spending a year working in another Vermont shelter. She has always been interested in animal care and received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Captive Wildlife Care & Education from Unity College. She has experience working with all sorts of exotics and pocket pets as well as cats and dogs. Bronwyn was promoted to Feline Care Specialist this spring and oversees all aspects of our feline program including daily care, medical, intakes and adoptions.

Nicole Ludwig, Animal Care & Adoptions

Nicole started working at NCAL in May of 2017. She grew up in Holland, VT always alongside a family pet. When Nicole was 19 she took on her first puppy and has raised her to be a wonderful therapeutic dog. Continuing her love for animals Nicole graduated from the University of Vermont after receiving a Bachelor’s of Science degree in animal science. Currently Nicole lives in Westfield raising two dogs, two goats and two fish. In her free time she enjoys artwork, fishing, playing hockey and exercising.

Sallie Scott, Operations Director

Sallie joined NCAL in 1999 and has spent nine years as Executive Director and nine years as Operations Director. Sallie majored in Psychology at the University of NH, but after taking a part-time position at NCAL one summer, discovered her passion for animal welfare. Sallie has a diverse background with 14 years in retail management including staff training and development, customer service, operations management, and finance. In her capacity as Operations Director, she created NCAL’s low cost spay/neuter program and is responsible for the medical care of NCAL’s animals, facility management, HR, bookkeeping, and managing NCAL’s Facebook and Instagram pages. In addition to her “day job,” Sallie is NCAL’s medical foster and she and her husband have fostered and taken in for hospice care almost 500 cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies!
Sallie lives in Hardwick with her husband, Mark, and their three dogs and six cats (all of whom started out as medical fosters!). Sallie is also proud to be “owned” by Thomas, NCAL’s resident cat of all trades.

Jess McLeon, Animal Care & Adoptions

Jess began working at NCAL in 2012. As a Shelter Associate, Jess helps care for the daily needs of both dogs and cats. From a very young age, Jess 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 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.

Connie Riggs, DVM – Veterinarian

This year marks the 30thanniversary of Connie’s entry into the practice of small animal veterinary medicine and surgery. After graduating from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine she sought out an additional year of advanced training by completing a small animal internship in medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Returning to her roots in the Northeast, she then took a job in Derry, New Hampshire at an internal medicine referral practice receiving ongoing learning and clinical training from three board certified medicine specialists. Connie moved to Vermont after the birth of her first son and joined and became a co-owner of one of the largest veterinary practices in Central Vermont, where she remained for eleven years. After her second child, she founded and ran a small full-service MASH unit vet hospital in rural Worcester, VT for 10 years.

Having been owned by animals her whole life, Connie has a thorough understanding of the nuances of animal health, behavior, and nursing care. She enjoys using her knowledge and training to help the shelter animals that come through NCAL, while also helping to maximize financial efficiency in veterinary care, allowing NCAL’s resources to reach more animals in need.

Schae Wolff, Animal Care & Adoptions, Veterinary Assistant

With a passion for helping animals and becoming familiar with the different personalities in each animal that comes through the door, Schae’s work is driven by seeing the great changes in each animal’s health and disposition while at NCAL as they await their forever home. Schae helps with the daily care and adoptions for both the dogs and cats at NCAL, and assists our veterinarian with all surgeries and exams. Schae began working at NCAL in 2013.

Thomas, Cat of all Trades

Thomas has been at NCAL since 2006 and is now 11 years old. We discovered his love for dogs early on and quickly “employed” him to cat test all of our dogs who are available for adoption. Thomas is also the unofficial spokescat for NCAL on our social media pages and writes the occasional advice column for cat owners in our newsletter. During his downtime, Thomas enjoys spending time in our outdoor Cat’illion room, visiting with staff and visitors, and taking long naps in the afternoon sun.