Conversations For The Animals

Becky Best has nearly 30 years of professional experience serving in corporate social responsibility and public relations roles in Michigan and Texas. Most recently, she became the director of the Gulf Coast Animal Welfare Alliance, a collaborative effort to help people and pets in Greater Houston. She serves as a board member for the BARC Advisory Committee and Public Relations Society of America – Houston Chapter, and lives in Houston with her significant other Mark, three personal rescue dogs, two foster dogs, and one very angry cat.

Noelle Delgado is the Executive Director of Houston Pets Alive!, a rescue committed to saving the lives of companion cats and dogs and finding them loving homes. Her work in rescue, though relatively brief, capitalizes on her greatest passion: bringing remarkable people together to support their communities. Noelle supports a team of leadership staff, managers, veterinarians, staff members, 500 fosters, 1,100 volunteers and 3,000 animals annually. Join Lisa, Noelle and Becky as they discuss the launch of the GCAWA and what it aims to achieve for animals and people in the Gulf Coast region.

Adam Reynolds is the Chief Cruelty Investigator with the Houston SPCA. He is a retired Marine with 21 years of service. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security from American Military University, a Master’s degree from George Washington University in Security and Safety Leadership, and will graduate in May from The George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University with an Executive Masters in Public Service and Administration.

Mindy Guthrie moved to Houston in 1983 and grew up near Cypress. Although a longtime animal lover, she spent most of her fundraising career in education, the arts, and health. She joined Houston PetSet in 2021 to join her love for animals with her professional expertise. The most fulfilling part of her job is matching a donor’s philanthropic passion to the organization's mission and goals.

Barb Downen and Mike Allen are Harris County Animal Cruelty Investigators working in the Harris County Veterinary Public Health division. In addition to their current positions, Barb and Mike have both worked as animal control officers and bring extensive knowledge of and passion for animals to their jobs every day. Join Mike, Barb, and Lisa as they talk about the day-to-day life of a cruelty investigator in Harris County.

Sallie Alcorn was elected to Houston City Council in December 2019. As an at-large representative, she focuses primarily on citywide issues – budget, transportation, infrastructure, and public safety. She chairs city council’s Regulatory and Neighborhood Affairs Committee which deals with BARC, and is on the board of the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

Prior to running for office, Sallie was a longtime City Hall staffer. She served two council members as chief of staff and worked in the city’s flood recovery office. She also has worked for the city’s housing department. She is a community volunteer and currently serves on the advisory board of the San Jose Clinic. Sallie has a degree in finance from the University of Texas and a master’s in public administration from the University of Texas. She and her husband George have been married 34 years and have four grown children.

Gloria Zenteno is a native Houstonian and grew up in Houston's East End. She founded Barrio Dogs in 2010 when she saw many homeless, neglected and mistreated animals. She is also one of the co-founders of Unity for a Solution.

Gloria’s attitude and drive has always been positive, despite the despair and tragedies the organizations fight to address. Her motivation is that everyone deserves equal quality of life in their community, human and our furry friends too. Join Gloria and Lisa as they discuss the needs of Houston's 2nd Ward and beyond.

Learn more about the work Gloria does at www.barriodogs.org and www.unityforasolution.org

Beth Bellanti has worked in Austin, TX at Tito's Handmade Vodka in many roles over the last 20 years but has managed the Vodka For Dog People program since 2013 there. An important part of the story at Tito’s is the innate connection Team Tito's has with their canine counterparts. Since the beginning, while working with Tito to bring his dream to life, they have also been committed to rescuing and protecting the animals that have come into their own lives, often serendipitously — many of whom now thrive alongside at the distillery and offices. The vision of Tito's Vodka for Dog People program is to better the lives of pets and their families far and wide through supporting non profits. Visit titosvodka.com/dogs for more info.

Caitie is a Houston animal rescuer and foster with over 8 years of experience helping Houston’s pets. She specializes in fostering medical case dogs and helping them to “transform." In May of 2021, she founded her own nonprofit animal rescue, Caitie's Foster Fam, continuing to focus on “those that need them most.” With over 600,000 social media followers, she is also working to educate the public and inspire change for Houston’s homeless pet population.

Dr. Albert Ahn graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine with a DVM degree. Following an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, he completed a small animal medicine residency at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Foster Hospital for Small Animals.

Dr. Ahn is a veteran of the Animal Health Industry with over 25 years of industry experience. As a passionate advocate for pets with mobility issues, Albert Ahn, DVM joined MYOS as a Strategic Adviser to guide in the development of its all natural, animal health line of Fortetropin-based, muscle health products. Join Dr. Ahn and Lisa as they discuss rescuing and adopting aging pets on this week's episode of Conversations for the Animals!

Angelita Sampaio joined Emancipet in January 2019. She has a background in oil and gas, Spanish-language television production, international healthcare program management, and foreign government trade development. In addition to serving as the Houston Vice President of Emancipet, Angelita is actively involved with other local animal welfare organizations and efforts like Rescued Pets Movement (a group she has fostered over 250+ dogs for), Big Fix Houston, and serves on the Board of Unity for a Solution. She loves spending her time with her 3 rescue dogs: Buddha, Flora, and Nena. Angelita rescued her three pups almost 16 years ago, while vacationing in Brazil. Angelita’s three dogs are her greatest inspiration for her work in, and passion for, animal welfare. Angelita holds her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico and her MBA in Leadership Management from Adams State University. Join Angelita and Lisa as they discuss the incredible work Emancipet is doing to provide low-cost veterinary care to the Houston community.