Board of Directors

Joy Smith founded FieldHaven Feline Rescue with her sister, Jann Flanagan in 2003. Prior to starting FieldHaven, Joy worked as a volunteer with various California animal organizations in Marin County, Benicia and Santa Cruz. Joy is a Partner in The FieldHaven Group, a healthcare revenue cycle consulting company. A percentage of all income to The FieldHaven Group is donated to FieldHaven. Joy and her husband Preston enjoy boating in classic wooden boats and riding with Red Rock Hounds.

Diane began volunteering for FieldHaven in 2010 with gentle coaxing from her in-laws, Cherie Altevers and Donna Lamkin who are fellow volunteers. She has been a foster parent, adoption counselor, and part of the CC&C planning team at FieldHaven. In August of 2011, Diane accepted the position of treasurer for the FieldHaven Board. She is also the treasurer for the PTC at the elementary school that her children attend and has been on the board for the Rocklin Girl Scouts service unit. Diane has worked for 21 years at the state agency Calrecycle where she is an engineering geologist. She has been married 15 years and has two children ages 14 and 10. Her daughter, Rachel, is also a volunteer at FieldHaven and just loves the kitties.

Jennifer Tindall began volunteering at FieldHaven in 2008. At that time she was part of the adoption follow up phone program. As time went on she gradually got integrated into "business" end of FieldHaven and became a board member in 2009. Jennifer’s past experiences include working for Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies and she was also the proud owner of Happy Tails Pet Sitting. Currently Jennifer works for the Employment Development Department as a trainer. Jennifer enjoys the great outdoors, travelling and spending time with her husband Steve and their Labrador retriever Rosie.

I grew up on my family's farm in central California surrounded by animals, especially cats. I began volunteering for FieldHaven in 2004 when I moved to the Lincoln area. I have volunteered in many different areas with FieldHaven over the years and enjoyed them all -- the foster program, as an adoption counselor, on the CAT team, community outreach events, board member and planning for CC&C. Currently, I work for Yuba County Office of Education Regional Special Education Programs while residing with my 7 rescue kitties and 1 rescue dog.

Jeri & husband David moved to the Auburn area from Bellevue, WA in 2004, relocating their business - Northwest Classic Boats - to be closer to Lake Tahoe. Jeri spent years volunteering for the schools and the PNW chapter of The Antique & Classic Boat Society. While still in Bellevue, antique boat customer Preston Smith told Jeri all the wonderful things about FieldHaven and what Joy was doing to help the kitties, so after the move, FieldHaven seemed like the right place to meet new people and love the kitties. Adopting 3 FieldHaven kitties, volunteering and watching FieldHaven grow has been very rewarding.

Kim Davy-owner of Kimberly Davy Insurance-moved to Lincoln in 2007 with her husband and two rescue cats. She joined the Chamber, became an Ambassador and immediately became entrenched in the community. As well as being a business owner, volunteering at the Chamber, she and her husband are also actively involved in their own charity work with the Red Hawk Charity Foundation-putting on events for the Fire Fighter’s Burn Institute to aid severely burned children. Last year-she adopted a cat from FieldHaven (Homer) and was immediately impressed with this fabulous organization. After much thought-she felt her next move was to volunteer to sit on the Board of Directors and is excited about contributing time/effort in the years to come.

Born in Paris, France to an American military officer and a German mother, she grew up in such diverse places as Managua, Nicaragua and Bern, Switzerland. Following her step-father’s election to the State Assembly in 1983, Pellissier moved to Sacramento to begin her career in political fundraising. During the next 25 years, she worked with three U.S. Presidents, numerous U.S. Senate and Congressional members, California state legislative candidates and on several statewide initiatives. Later in her career Sabina served as the Development Director for Capital Public Radio, adding strong non-profit experience to her knowledge of fundraising. A strong booster of the FieldHaven family, she primarily focuses her attention on helping raise money for our programs through grants, events and special projects. Pellissier lives in Auburn with her fiancée Tony Brown, an antique wood boat restoration expert.

Reba and her husband Bob came to Lincoln from the Bay Area after Reba’s retirement from 25 years as an administrative assistant for various large companies. In 2004, while seeking something they both could do after retirement, these animal-loving people found FieldHaven. Reba joined the Board as a member in 2006, served as Board Secretary for 3 years and currently does the accounts payables. Bob and Reba have been married for 48 years, have 3 grown children, 8 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Reba is also active in the First Baptist Church and enjoys reading, traveling and being with family. Reba says "I love being a FieldHaven Board Member – working with a wonderful group of talented and professional people in a very professional non-profit organization."

Berta grew up in S. Cal loving animals, knowing at an early age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. Math & science were favorite subjects in high school, so she obtained her BS in zoology with a minor in physiology at Cal Poly Pomona. In 1993, she graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She started her career in private practice at Lincoln Pet Clinic. Enjoying variety, she worked part-time at several clinics in the south Placer area - Placer Vet Clinic, Pet Emergency Center in Rocklin, Douglas Blvd Vet Clinic, Sylvan Corners Pet Hospital, plus doing relief work at multiple hospitals in the area.

After an exciting, fast paced Spay Day in Sacramento, she realized that was the next chapter for her. In 2004, she started working at the Animal Spay & Neuter Clinic in Auburn and Sacramento County Animal Control. Then she met Joy at the Doggie Derby in 2005. Having heard of FieldHaven, she wanted to see why a cat rescue was at a dog event! FieldHaven was in need of a veterinarian & became another stop on Dr Peterson’s rounds. Next she traded Sacramento AC for Placer County Animal Services and added Placer County SPCA for several years. Complementary medicine, such as acupuncture, herbology & nutrition, is a growing interest and she incorporates it as much as possible for her patients. Currently, she is still with PCAS, which has proven to be a great partnership with FH. After all this time, FieldHaven is not just a job, it’s a family! Dr Peterson’s other family includes her husband Rob, 2 dogs, 2 indoor cats, 2 barn cats, 1 horse & 2 goats.

Born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area, Jen moved to Lincoln in 2000 and was inspired by FieldHaven's founders, Joy Smith and Jann Flannagan. What started as a volunteer position evolved into manager in 2005. She is a self proclaimed "crazy cat lady" in love with her job. Before landing at FieldHaven Jen's passion for animals and nature led her to the following; Environmental Studies Major: San Jose State University; Lead Coordinator, Earth Day Events: Skyline Jr. College; Pool Safety and Health Inspector: Santa Clara Co. Health Agency; Activist Coordinator: Sea Turtle Restoration Project, Earth Island Institute S.F., CA; Project Coordinator: Friends of the Ferals, San Mateo, CA; Assistant Manager: Tropical Rainforest Museum, Sunnyvale, CA; Adoption Counselor, Foster Mom, TNVR team member: Homelesss Cat Network, San Carlos, CA; Intern, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program, San Mateo Co. Environmental Health Services, CA; Instructional Asst. Special Ed. Dept: Lincoln High School, Lincoln, CA;

My journey to FieldHaven began in 1994 when my family and I brought my cat, Lenard, with us from the San Fernando Valley to live in Wheatland. My good fortune continued in 2003 when I retired from Verizon and got to spend 4 years at home with my daughter, Mallory, during her high school years. Together we built some of the best memories. In 2008, Mallory and I began volunteering at FieldHaven together and did that for a year, before she moved to Vancouver, WA. I stayed on at FieldHaven; volunteering and adopting the kitties as my new family to help overcome my empty nest syndrome. It is like my second home. I'm lucky my husband, Randy, understands my love for cats. Recently, a dream came true for me when I became a FieldHaven staff member. Every day I get to revel in the blessings of all the good work that goes on at FieldHaven and all for the love of cats.