Meet Us
Marin Humane is led by an experienced team of big-hearted people.
Nancy took the helm of Marin Humane as its Chief Executive Officer & President in March 2011. Before that, she worked her tail off as CEO of Seattle Humane for 22 years (and as their PR coordinator for three), executive director for the Petfinder.com Foundation, interim manager for King County Animal Care and Control, and as a consultant.
Nancy served as president of the following boards: the Washington State Federation of Animal Care & Control Agencies, Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (now called AAWA), Elder and Adult Day Care Services, and Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL). Having held other positions on several national, statewide, and local boards and committees over the years, Nancy currently serves on two – CVNL (Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership) and the Hill’s Pet Nutrition’s Shelter Advisory Board. She also serves on the CalAnimals Emergency Management Committee.
Nancy earned her undergraduate degree from Brown University and a master’s degree in Not-for-Profit Leadership from Seattle University.
Nancy and her husband Jim currently share their home with Marin Humane alum Daisy, a Sheepdog Poodle mix. They’ve always had shelter pets as family members, despite the fact that Jim is allergic to animals.
Ashley was thrilled to join Marin Humane in 2016 and oversees the Finance, Human Resources, Administration (IT and Maintenance), and Volunteer Engagement departments. She comes to Marin Humane with over 10 years of finance experience from a series of companies in the outdoor and active wear branding and licensing industry. Ashley earned a B.A. in Economics from Williams College and an accounting certificate through the University of California, Berkeley.
Ashley lives with her husband and their energetic dogs (Lucy) in Novato. They enjoy the beach, hiking local trails, modern and contemporary art, all types of puzzles, and spending time with their large family.
Keri’s introduction to Marin Humane was in 1998 as a volunteer pet pal. Inspired by the organization’s innovative thinking, Keri transitioned from volunteer to employee in 1999 when she became a Customer Care Representative. Keri’s passion is working with people and in 2005, she was promoted to Director of Customer Care.
As Vice President of Shelter Operations, Keri oversees the Adoption and Animal Care departments, as well as the Veterinary Clinic. Keri attended Sonoma State University and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Public Administration.
Keri appreciates the organization’s willingness to think outside the box and to explore new ways to improve the lives of animals and people. She lives in Sonoma County with her two kids, as well as a plethora of shelter animals. She’s known around the office for her love of all things sparkly.
Darlene has been with Marin Humane since 1991, serving in positions in education, adoptions and the behavior and training departments. As VP of community engagement, she directs our Pet Care Assistance, Pet Safety Net, Animal-Assisted Programs, Youth Programs, and the Behavior and Training Department.
Before joining the team at Marin Humane, Darlene worked for 10 years at the Massachusetts SPCA, starting as an animal care technician at the Angel Memorial Animal Hospital, then farm animal care coordinator, humane educator, and volunteer coordinator. She also worked at the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a farm education center, and at a livestock auction where she worked to create a safer, more humane place for the animals.
Darlene graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and studied animal science/veterinary medicine.
Darlene feels blessed to have her dream job which allows her to make a difference for animals and people every day. She is a card-carrying member of the Red Sox Nation and she enjoys gardening, hiking in the beauty of Marin, reading, and traveling home to New England.
Lisa oversees Marin Humane’s marketing, website, media relations, publications, and social media. She comes to Marin Humane with more than 25 years’ experience in communications in the nonprofit and public sectors, including the Corporation for National Service in Washington, DC, where she managed communications nationally for the AmeriCorps program.
Lisa earned her B.A. degree in Public Communication from American University in Washington, DC, but after too many humid summers, she moved back to her home state of California.
Lisa has been a lifelong animal lover and has always had shelter animals. She shares her home with fur kids as well as human ones.
Shiny Caldwell brings over a decade of experience in animal welfare and humane law enforcement.
Her background includes roles with the Humane Society of the United States in animal crime case management and as an investigator. She has also worked as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer for the San Diego Humane Society and in animal services for the County of San Diego, Department of Animal Services. Shiny spent several months interning with ASPCA, researching animal cruelty trends.
Shiny has a master’s in veterinary medicine with a concentration in veterinary forensics, a graduate certificate in wildlife forensics and conservation biology, and is continuing her higher education at the University of Edinburgh in the International Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Law program.
Outside of work, Shiny enjoys hiking, reading all genres, board games, and cooking. She lives in Marin with her husband, daughter, their beloved senior Golden mix, and two Maine Coons.
Teal joined Marin Humane in 2023 following a twenty-three-year Development career in higher education, medical institutions, and research organizations. She has significant experience in campaign building, corporate partnerships, communications, and relationship management.
Teal holds a B.A. in English – Creative Writing from the University of Redlands, and a certificate in Professional Technical Writing from the University of Washington.
Teal shares her home with her husband, son, daughter, and three dogs: Archie, Frankie, and Tank (a Marin Humane alumnus). In her spare time, you can find her watching the Golden State Valkyries, teaching indoor cycling, and enjoying her time with family.
A love of animals and science led Dr. Belinda Evans to become a veterinarian. She graduated from the University of California at Davis Veterinary School and worked in private practice for several years before realizing her passion lay in shelter medicine and helping homeless animals on their way to a better life. She has been with Marin Humane since 2003 and has helped the shelter veterinary clinic grow, especially in its ability to rehabilitate sick and injured animals.
Besides the wonderful staff and volunteers at Marin Humane, Dr. Evans draws support from her very tolerant husband, two Marin Humane alumni dogs, and two private practice-rescued cats. She enjoys travel, music, and the rare good night’s sleep!
Dane oversees the day-to-day Information Technology operations, aligning its strategy with the overall goals of the organization, as well as overseeing the IT team and budget. Prior to joining Marin Humane, he spent 10 years as IT Director for various resorts, supporting staff and front and back of house IT systems.
Growing up in 4-H provided Dane with a great appreciation for animals. In his free time, he enjoys camping, sports, and traveling to new places.
Dawn has been an integral part of the Behavior & Training team for more than 25 years. In addition to driving the strategic vision of the team, she teaches a variety of classes including agility, sports foundations and advanced obedience. She conducts behavior consultations with a specialization in high drive dogs and multi-animal households. She also works with shelter animals to assess their behavioral tendencies and make recommendations on their ideal home.
Dawn earned her B.A. in Business Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her M.B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley.
She lives at FDSA Ranch with her three sport dogs, two cats and a variety of domestic livestock including cattle, sheep, chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys and Drama the llama. She has trained and/or competed in flyball, agility, scent work, rally, mondio, competition obedience and schutzhund over the past 20 years.
Marcus is an accomplished human resources professional who has held a variety of roles in human resources focused on employee relations, management & leadership development, learning strategy & design, change management & organizational design. He is an executive leadership coach and mentor specializing in developing emerging managers & leaders, with a strong focus on the unique needs of LGBTQ leaders. Marcus holds a master’s degree in Education and has earned several professional human resources credentials including the SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications. He is also a certified Gallup Strengths Coach.
Most recently, at the San Francisco SPCA he was responsible for establishing its first Learning & Development department, creating management/leadership development programs, and leading organizational culture and employee engagement initiatives.
A Bay Area native and a long-time animal welfare advocate, he and his partner have adopted five Chinese Shar-Pei rescues and currently share their home with Georgia, a Chihuahua/Terrier mix.
Matt joined Marin Humane in 2022 to lead its Development team after spending more than two decades building philanthropic programs in higher education, with a focus on public health, medicine and the social and behavioral sciences. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to integrate his commitment to philanthropy with his passion for animal welfare at Marin Humane.
Matt holds a B.A. in English from Georgetown University as well as master’s degrees in creative writing and pastoral care from Pacific University and Fordham University.
Matt and his husband divide their time between San Francisco and Los Angeles, sharing their homes with two feline beauties and a gorgeous German Shepherd.
He is an avid reader, animal lover, and fan of all sports involving a racket.
