Samantha Brody, Executive Director
samantha@socialteesnyc.org 

Bosses everyone around whenever she feels like it. Jk! Sort of. Samantha started with us as a foster parent in 2012 and quickly started doing lots of other stuff it takes to manage this amazing, insane, wily, challenging, uplifting creature we call Social Tees. She does most of the boring administrative junk and also a lot of the cool things like running our social media, planning photo shoots, and playing with really cute animals. She has three ridiculous looking dogs (you may see them from time to time modeling in our Instagram pics) and a big badass cat. In her "past life," she was the senior editor of a parenting magazine and got her Masters in Environmental Conservation Education. 

Julie Ainsbury, Director of Programs
julie@socialteesnyc.org

This kid climbed her way to the top like the kittens she loves to foster climb every surface of her life. Way back in the day when she first showed up on our doorstep, we literally thought, “Not letting this one go… ever.” And we didn’t. We took over her life, but she says she’s met some of the greatest people in the world since joining, and what she appreciates most is: “That the animals’ well being is truly our top priority. We alway makes sure they come first no matter how much effort it takes. Everyone works hard, and we are all united in the mission of saving lives.” Word. Also, she's obsessed with Billy Pilgrim and Kimmy, her mischievous kitties, and Star, her literally perfect dog. 

Marisa Adler, Director
marisa@socialteesnyc.org 

Marisa joined us in 2008 after stumbling upon the shelter by accident. Thank goodness she did! She began as a regular old cage-cleaning volunteer and is now the Pied Piper of our volunteer team — she oversees recruitment, training, and adoption events. Marisa says we originally snagged her “because of our multifaceted personality as a socially conscious organization, serving both animals in need and greater societal good through our tee shirt fundraising activities and our environmentally sustainable outlook.” Wow, that makes us sound fancy! (It’s all true.) Outside of animal rescue, Marisa is a sustainable materials management professional and follows a vegan lifestyle. She has two quirky cats, brothers Purrrcy and Clawde. She can't imagine life without them. Two certainly are better than one!

Jessica Fass, Adoption Coordinator

Not that we’d want to, but we can’t figure out how to shut this girl off. She’s usually the first and last voice in our group texts every day. Jess is a unique balance of solid head on her shoulders plus a dry sense of humor that’s a blast to be around. She first became part of our fam as a devoted IG follower. Now knowing her, it wasn’t surprising to hear that just looking at dogs wasn’t enough… “It’s a great feeling to see a dog first arrive and follow their journey to the final stages of adoption,” she says, now totally entrenched. Somehow, she also manages to teach middle school art, and her favorite hobbies include petting dogs on every street corner and drinking lots of coffee.

Mari Irby, Foster Coordinator

A hands-on, all-in kind of gal with a passion for service and animals, she could barely control herself when she saw our call for volunteers. “I couldn’t wait to join. Working in rescue has truly opened my eyes — the way I empathize, my ability to be patient, and how I communicate have exponentially benefitted from working with these amazing people and serving so many deserving pups,” she says. In addition to her digital work, she’s fostered, helps on intake days, and has driven to VA to pick up vanfulls of new dogs. There’s literally nothing Mari wouldn't do for one of our rescue babies. Believe us, we’ve put her to the test. 

Lauren Stefaniak, Adoption Coordinator

Super soft heart, razor sharp wit. Lauren not only operates like every hour is power hour, she keeps us entertained with her compassion and scathing humor while doing it. She started volunteering with us after going through the adoption process herself (shoutout Dodge fka Patch!). “Seeing how much time, effort, and care went into the adoption, I realized I wanted to lend a hand to the small-yet-mighty team who made it all possible,” she says. And here we are! “It's a beyond rewarding experience seeing the process through,” she continues, “from an application submission to the happy adoption photos and beyond.” How this hero sans cape fits in time for us between managing three hounds of her own, we’ll admire forever and never understand.

Kimberly Barba, Adoption Coordinator

We’ve taken to calling her Kimmy. We don’t know if she’s ever gone by that nickname, but one of our directors has a cat named Kimmy, so it just felt right. She doesn’t seem to mind. She joined us in 2020… three years after adopting this little guy. “His name is Jensen, full name Jensen Kale because I love kale, but also because it sounds like a superhero name. I was always an avid follower of Social Tees on Instagram. When I saw that help was needed, I signed up.” Our favorite part of her adoption story besides how it eventually brought her to our family: “I waited years to adopt until I knew my schedule and setup could provide the stable life my pup would need.”

Katie Cornett, Merch Manager

A long time Chihuahua lover, … no wait, that’s not right. Like many of us, Katie gave zero shits about the breed that ended up becoming one of her faves once she fostered and then adopted it. She expected to fall for something very different, but a thousand foster pups later, she kept Otto. A few years down the road, the variety-is-the-spice-of-life bug bit her in the butt and she adopted a heeler mix named Scotch. Katie is one of our nearest, dearest, and longest serving intake day volunteers. Exciting: She was recently named Merch Manager, our merch program is finally getting off the ground!

Ester Antreoli, Adoption and Foster Coordinator

A veritable angel on this earth, we joke that Ester is the patron saint of Social Tees: so pure, so kind, just radiating generosity. She does double duty here with two different digital roles AND often helps out in person, too. She joined our crew after fostering once and deciding she wanted to play a bigger role in the second chance these animals were getting. “I love feeling like I’m part of the dog’s journey, watching them come out of their shell as we find them a forever home.” She has two furry babies of her own, Maple (affectionate Chiweenie) and Oliver (Cardigan Welsh Corgi who thinks he’s a cat). She hasn’t used an alarm clock in years because Maple wakes her up every morning with lots of kisses. “My dream is to live on a farm so that I could adopt and save more animals!”

Renee Berger, Dog Licensing Processor

Previously our super awesome and loyal Sunday shelter attendant, Renee now does our dog licensing offsite… and pops by at our request as often as we need to see her gorgeous warm smile. She is one of the happiest, most lovely people you'll meet! She spends her days hanging with her handsome dog and designing toys. Basically living every kid’s fantasy version of grownup life. She and her husband rescued their dog Zeke, who they say is the best ever, so she joined our team because she wants to help other people find their best pets ever — and to help the animals waiting for those people in the meantime.

Tiffany Chang, Foster Coordinator

This babe is another of our mostly offsite stars. Volunteering is important to her because her childhood dog was a rescue lab that, unbelievably, lived to age 19, and because all she wants in the whole wide world is to own her own dog one day when she’s ready. In the meantime, she’s helping other dog lovers find their soulmates. In her “real” life, she works at an advertising agency and specializes in healthcare. Something random and funny: Tiff is a serious foodie and has been to many of the best or scene-iest restaurants in town, but she’s a sucker for fast food and can never get enough McDonald’s. Go figure.

Jen Serban, Foster Coordinator

One of our volunteers who’s been with us the longest, this loyal and lovable wonder woman started as a foster parent back in 2017. She failed pretty quickly (adopted Bella on the left!) — fast forward 6 years worth of dedication to animal rescue as a foster coordinator, and she foster failed again with Buddy (right). “I have a passion for animals, I want to make a positive impact on the lives of these dogs and their owners,” she says. “I feel emotionally fulfilled when I am able to work with animals, and I adopted my most favorite beings in the world from Social Tees.” When she’s not playing a crucial role helping save lives, Jen is a business manager at an investment bank and horseback rides, paints, and runs.

Bhavneet Binder, Application Processor

“This firecracker is smart, affectionate, and goofy with not a care in the world,” …says Bhavneet about her Social Tees grad Carol. We’d say almost the same of Bhavneet, the difference being she has a lot of cares — about dogs in need. She volunteers because she thinks the mission to save animals noble, and she’s honored to contribute in whatever small capacity she can. “I also appreciate the kindness and the sense of community and support that defines Social Tees culture,” she says. “I am glad to learn from the team of excellent match-makers who pay attention to detail and take time to find families best suited for each pooch. The ultimate reward is to see these beautiful doggies find loving and warm homes.”

Paul Schoengold

Behold, our beloved and revered Canine Fecal Engineer! Inside joke. He's a dog walker, so we made him a shirt years ago featuring that title, and he still wears it. Paul has been with us longer than any other volunteer, and his help is invaluable. So is his sense of humor and creativity, which we rely on for pick-me-ups each day. He's one of those guys who somehow knows everything that's going on, so we constantly turn to him for neighborhood news. He has a dog named Brisket and two senior cats, all foster failures.  

Carey Winters, Foster Coordinator

Having grown up fostering and volunteering at her local rescue, Carey was a natural addition to the team. “I joined Social Tees after following along on Instagram for years,” she says. When she saw one of our calls for help, she couldn’t resist. “It's so rewarding to play even a small role in helping pups find their forever homes. I'm not in a position to have my own dog just yet, but I'm taking in all the knowledge and pro tips from the rest of the Social Tees team to be ready when I can one day adopt my own!”  

Nakita Bozinoski, Foster Coordinator

A kitty rescue junkie, Nakita volunteers with a few groups — and we’re lucky enough to have her as manager of our feline foster program. (She fosters for the NYCACC and ASPCA, mostly bottle babies and special needs kittens.) Nakita is originally from Ontario, Canada and moved to NYC to get her masters in Public Health. She raised and trained a guide dog for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and has occasionally fostered guide pups in training. “Being a foster for several years gave me great insight into the ins and outs of rescue work, and I really wanted to do more,” she says. “I saw the posting on the Social Tees site and had to apply! I'm so proud to be part of such an incredible organization that always puts its animals first!”

Carly Sebouhian, Foster Coordinator

It takes a round the clock kind of person do what our foster coordinators do — which is handhold our foster parents through ups and downs, thick and thin. That’s where Carly shines. She’s dedicated and eager to make sure each foster parent-dog duo she’s assigned gets top notch service. “If I could adopt every dog that came through Social Tees I would!” she says (and means it). “But the next best thing is getting to be a part of their journey from foster home through adoption.” Carly has “the best little furball named Maggie,” who we’re all pretty sure is the most spoiled dog that has ever lived. In the non-dog related part of her life, Carly is an actor performing on Broadway.

Alana Wo

Like most of us, this colorful says she joined rescue because she’s been “overly obsessed” with animals since she was in diapers. “Volunteering helped me realize that I could help fur babies in need, who have so much spunk and will to live, find homes with people who will love them.” Alana helps out with anything and everything around the office, from paperwork to sweeping to puppy sitting. We’re so grateful for her flexibility and positive attitude… and for her sense of style and creativity. She’s a graphic designer and illustrator, and we’re excited to see what hue her hair is each time we see her. It’s always different!

Chelsea Tulley, Foster Coordinator

Another over achieving, self sacrificing soul, Chelsea began volunteering in early 2022. “Throughout my time at Social Tees,
I have been lucky lucky to see firsthand the hard work and determination of Social Tees' directors Sam and Julie to save as many vulnerable dogs (and cats) as possible,” she says. Chelsea battles the heartbreak of knowing so many animals are unwanted and at risk of euthanasia by doing her part to help more of them find safety and love, and we’re so grateful to her for it. Outside of rescue, she’s the proud dog mom to a Shepherd/Husky mix named Tillie, who is her whole life. She wants a furry sibling for her one day, but for now she’ll live vicariously through our adopters.

Emily Blachorsky, Foster Coordinator

Here she is in her element — cozied up to a dog she loves, a smile bigger than her face can contain. This pup was Emily’s first foster dog, and the pic was snapped when they reunited at one of our fundraisers! In fact, this boy is how she found us. She’d wanted to foster, and her friend sent her our way. “I had such a great experience as a foster parent that I decided to become a foster coordinator as well,” she says. “Soon I started helping out with intakes, which are now my favorite part of volunteering. There is nothing better than seeing a dog come off the transport van and later seeing the photos of them adopted with their new family.”

Sarah Shuken

Sarah moved to Manhattan from the west coast in 2018 for a more “work hard, play hard” lifestyle. She said that, not us. And it’s accurate. She’s got her nose to the grindstone for her engineering job, and she lets loose with puppies. And, you know, other grownup stuff. ;) Unusual for our volunteer team, she grew up without pets because of family allergies. She makes up for lost time with all of the volunteering and fostering she does for us though. Other things she’s into besides animals? Nothing. Haha actually dancing, traveling to party cities, kickboxing, football, yoga, concerts, reading… this girl has a pretty full schedule. We’re so grateful she prioritizes our rescue animals and family!

Mary Koval, Application Processor and Medical Team Assistant

”I adopted my precious Mia from STAR and was very impressed with the emphasis on ensuring the prospective family was the right fit for the dog and the dog was the right fit for the adopter,” Mary says. “The compassion and empathy shown for both the animal and the adopter was evident in their communication and policies.” The admiration was mutual. We felt honored to help a dog find a home with her and were overjoyed when she applied to volunteer. She’s a retired registered nurse and long time animal lover. Sadly, Mia crossed the rainbow bridge in 2023, but Mary adopted another dog from a different rescue to keep her kitty Zippy company.

Scarlett Rodriguez, Application Processor and Foster Coordinator

Enthusiasm for days, a smile as bright as a nuclear reaction. Scarlett joined us after adopting her foster dog Disco, who’s now practically a neighborhood celeb. “I knew that the people who were a part of and running the organization were some of the most brave, life-giving, and benevolent people in NYC,” she says. She started as an application processor, has fostered on emergent occasions, lends a crucial hand during intakes, and most recently has become a foster coordinator. “I’m doing as much as I can to assist in saving these pups’ lives. My favorite part of volunteering is the puppies we get to see during intake. I LOVE puppies!” 

Jacob Andrews

Jacob is one of our favorite success stories — he started fostering during the COVID pandemic, tried to adopt his first foster dog, and totally got it when we said nah, not the right time. He’s been eternally grateful and a super active foster parent since! Jacob is the cheeriest person in any room and always offering to help with any random struggles we’re facing. A delightful social butterfly, he’s now helping us ramp up our volunteer hangout program. “My favorite thing about Social Tees and volunteering with them are the people and the dogs!” he says. “It's a great group of people that run an amazing organization with some truly great dogs! Each and every one that I've fostered, I've loved dearly!”

Erik Abazorius

We love Erik’s entry story: A really tall guy falls for a really tiny older dog, and the bromance of a lifetime begins. He adopted his pocket sized canine Walter from us back in 2017 and has been a supportive friend to the organization since. “After experiencing how thoughtfully and diligently Social Tees works to ensure both the adopter and the animal are a good match, I knew this was an organization that goes the extra mile,” he says. “The joy and companionship Walter has brought me compelled me to roll up my sleeves and help promote awareness about animal rescue and giving animals a deserving and true second chance at life.” He recently joined us as an adoption application processor to learn how we match pups to their forever homes, and he’s moving over to assist with our events planning as we restart that program.

Hana Katen, Foster Coordinator

Like many of us, Hana woke up one morning and realized her days were filled with two things: work and eating out too much. She reached out on a whim after meeting countless dogs on the sidewalks of NYC who found their forever homes via Social Tees. As she tells it, the anticipation was a bit like asking out a crush — will they respond? Will they like me back? Obviously! Hana has been with us since 2022, and she’s fostered in a pinch a bunch of times. She now lives in Scotland but is still helping out from afar.

Debra Cifone, Application Processor

Fast, efficient, and funny. A processing goddess. That’s the reputation she quickly earned herself here. She had adopted her small dog with a huge personality from us, and he inspired her to get more involved. “Since I can’t adopt them all, the next best thing is helping other people find their pups,” she says. Debra’s do-gooding doesn’t stop with us: She’s a social worker specializing in childhood trauma. Her hobbies include, “Stalking my dog Luca on his daycare cam. That’s it.”

Meranda Yslas, Foster Coordinator

Behind every great organization is a team of even greater volunteers. As quietly radiant as her smile, Meranda is one of our mostly behind the scenes foster coordinators who started out as a foster parent. "I first got to know Social Tees through fostering, and after realizing how much I enjoyed it, I wanted to get more involved.” She jumped in ready for everything we could possibly think of to throw at her, and like a true rescuer, she loves it. “I get to meet so many new people, and I enjoy helping foster parents with their new dogs. I learn so much from my fellow volunteers, they make me a better coordinator. It's such a great feeling knowing I get to help so many pups find their forever homes!"

Colleen Bourke, Application Processor

Tempy Nala, the kitty she and her husband own, is too camera shy for photos, so Colleen’s friend’s cat graciously posed with her for this pic. Colleen’s always had felines growing up, has always loved animals, and says she likes them better than most people. Which is probably why we like her so much. If you can’t tell, she’s a cat lady, which adds some mischievous variety to our team as most of us seem to lean in the dog direction. Colleen is one of our main application processors, and she got into rescue because she wanted to make a difference after burning out of 20 years in the restaurant industry. She still loves food and wine though, and she’s a certified sommelier. Cool!

Briana Cammarata, Foster Coordinator

Our favorite kind of addict, Briana is helpless when it comes to helping dogs. We landed on her radar when her roommate started fostering. “After learning about the organization, I knew immediately that I needed to get involved.” She’s now one of our foster coordinators, and true to her above and beyond nature, she still continues to foster for us regularly — and has even roped her family in Long Island into the fostering fun. “It brings me so much joy seeing all the smiling faces (humans and pups) when they’re introduced to their perfect match. I love that I can support fosters and follow along on each dogs journey to their forever home!”

Deanna Hehl, Foster Coordinator

What would we do if there weren’t so many energized, awesome dog lovers out there like Deanna? We’d be struggling. She fit right in the moment she started as a foster coordinator with us — polite, fun, on top of all her shit. She grew up with a golden retriever and loves the endless companionship they provide, but she has a soft spot for canines. Before she joined us, she’d get her pup fix by dog walking and sitting. Now our many critters fill that void… and she’s even fostered some! (Like the puppy pictured here.) “I love assisting with the process of linking our animals to their forever homes. Makes my heart happy,” she says. “Look forward to the day I can adopt my own rescue dog.”

Christine Cifone, Application Processor

Christine’s developed a reputation as a bit of a machine around here — she processes applications like she breathes oxygen. She, too, has a Social Tees grad in the family, and because he’s so amazing, she was inspired to head our way. Her original passion for rescue developed when she adopted her coonhound Phoebe from a place out on Long Island with which she didn’t have an awesome experience… she decided then that she wanted to be a part of the solution, and she’s grateful for the opportunity she’s gotten to play such a crucial role not only in saving lives but in making sure they are very well cared for for the long haul.

Angel Spadaro, Foster Coordinator

As if she were sent from above (see what we did there?), this bright light is such an industrious little bee that when we asked for bio info, she wrote her own in third person: Angel wants to live in a world filled with puppy kisses, endless free flights worldwide, and where pizza is calorie free. She joined us soon after foster-failing a sweet Chi girl in 2018. "Gabby has brought me so much joy. When I saw the volunteer post, I immediately applied because how incredible would it be to help others find the happiness I had found through this wonderful rescue?!" Her hobbies include ordering 2 meals for herself, triple checking that she’s walking the right way, and asking herself, "What did I come into this room again for?"

Zac Sweers, IT Guy

The boy next door we love to tease mercilessly, Zac’s got our back when we need tech help (he does fancy shit at Slack) or extra muscles. “I got into volunteering after fostering a few pups and being identified as someone that could fix tech problems/lift things out of basements,” he explains. “I think I’m also their friend now but tbd.” Lol. He doesn’t yet have any pets of his own, but he spends so much time fostering and at the dog-friendly cafe Boris & Horton nearby that he might actually be considered a canine himself at this point. Zac’s favorite part of volunteering is seeing the pups go to their forever homes — he makes sure to grab a photo of himself with each foster dog before or on that special day.

Hannah Rody-Wright, Foster Coordinator

Like many of our volunteers, Hannah started out in a digital position to learn how and why we do what we do — she kicked it up a notch by helping at intakes, which she says is the best part. “Getting to see how stunned and grateful the dogs are when they come off the van, and then seeing pictures of them as they settle into their foster homes and realize they're safe, there's honestly nothing more gratifying.” She doesn’t yet have her own pets, but her family dogs, Major and Lola, fill that hole in her heart for now. She’s currently in grad school for Education & Theatre and spends as much of her free time as she can in a garden or kayak. 

Chloe Grae, Foster Coordinator

This girl absolutely radiates sweetness. Chloe joined us in 2022 after she had started fostering in 2020. “With my work picking up, I knew I couldn’t continue to foster regularly so I wanted to find an organization that could use help in other ways — being a coordinator is a great way for me to stay involved in rescue,” she says. She does still foster from time to time and has totally saved everyone’s butts on multiple occasions by taking in dogs that nobody else will help with so they don’t get stuck in boarding. Hero! She also lends a hand and a warm smile at our fundraisers. Her extremely cute little companion is Potato, who she foster failed when he was a puppy.

Nicole McAlvanah, Foster Coordinator & Medical Assistant

Nicole started her Social Tees journey as a foster parent. We vividly remember the day she brought her foster puppy for a photo shoot — she was all business. And we thought, “JOIN US.” She did! (She also ended up adopting that foster puppy.) “I grew up obsessed with dogs,” she says. “It made perfect sense to get involved in animal rescue any way that I could. Once I saw how thoughtful and conscientious Social Tees is at every stage of the rescue process, I knew I'd be hanging around for a while.” Besides petting all the cutest puppies, her favorite part about volunteering is seeing how the dogs thrive in their foster and forever homes despite rough origins. “The difference we see between their intake and adoption photos is always incredible, and it's comforting to know we changed their lives for the better.”

Dr. Morgan Temple
Medical Director at First Avenue Veterinary Hospital

Affectionately known around here simply as “Temple,” this brilliant and compassionate woman is a rescue soulmate. She sees most of our pups and kitties when they’re injured or sick and has given us more of her time and energy than we could have hoped for over the past four years. “It has been a privilege and highlight of my career working with rescues,” she says. “There are so many steps on the way to a pet finding their forever home, and we get to be one of them. Working with rescue animals, you often never know what will walk through your door. From a puppy with no rectum, to a dog that was aged at 6 months but is actually 10 years old. Thankfully, Social Tees has the medical base and the compassion to make smart choices for their animals, always going above and beyond what is just necessary to what is the best care for the pet.” She doesn’t yet have any pets of her own, but she’s waiting for us to find her perfect match. “The hardest part of this job is not taking home every one of the dogs Social Tees sends me!”

Brett Bailey
Founder of Who’s a Good Boy Industries

It’s been, what, a million years since we met Brett? It’s hard to remember what it was like before we had this professional dog trainer’s wise, kind, patient advice helping us to better understand the dogs we take in… which has made us much better able to support our foster parents and adopters. Brett has spent countless hours teaching us about dog psychology and behavior and offering creative, gentle suggestions for more effectively communicating with dogs that exhibit challenging behavior. “I support rescues because my mission is to help sad dogs be happy,” he says. “It’s important to try to rescue them emotionally too, not just physically.” He got into dog training 20 years ago when a woman he was dating had two big dogs that wouldn’t let him near her apt — he vowed to connect with them, and that project snowballed into his current career. He’s got a dog of his own named Saga. “She knows how to give hugs. She loves them more than anything. It’s one of the most important things I ever taught all 80 lbs of her.”

Andrew Leal
Founder of Flobo Photo

Brains and talent with optimism for days and an uplifting smile. With a reputation like that, you can imagine how happy we are when this guy comes around to hang out and take pics of our adoptable pups and volunteers. Andrew got into rescue young — his family in Texas was big into fostering when he was a kid, and they adopted a few dogs. “We had a small herd,” he says. “Fostering and helping animal shelters is just part of my life, so I had to get involved when I moved to NYC. I'm so grateful that I found Social Tees. This group embodies everything I love about rescues, and the people behind it are some of the best people I've ever met.” Andrew lives up in Boston now with his 16-year-old “long haired Gremlin” — the “best little jerk” he could ask for — so we don’t get to see him as much as we’d like to. He does science stuff for a living and very beautiful and fun dog photography on the side.

Sally Petrick
Certified Public Accountant

We’d be lost without her. Years ago, during the transition to our current leadership, we found Sally when in need of reorganizing our accounting system. This unbelievably generous, patient, and funny woman with non-profit experience miraculously appeared in response to a post for help, and she’s been playing a key role at Social Tees since. “I learned about Social Tees from someone in my neighborhood walking his dog in the park,” she says. “I had recently retired and wanted to help a meaningful group. And almost every volunteer group welcomes a CPA! Social Tees has been just the group I’d hoped to find.” Sally lives in NYC and has a 10-year-old rescue pup named Sparky. “He's got some beagle, Jack Russell, Chihuahua, and who knows what else.  He's all Jack Russell with the ball in the AM, and all beagle walking in the PM.  And a total love all day. “