Our Team

Maya grew up in Calais, VT and earned her B.S. from UVM, her MBA at St. Michael’s College and worked at Middlebury College as Director of Animal Programs and Associate Director of Laboratory Support. During that time, she served on the Board of Directors of the Addison County Humane Society and discovered her passion for animal welfare. She served as Director of Program Development and Operations at the Maryland SPCA from 2003 to 2009 and at the Animal Welfare Association (AWA) in New Jersey from 2009 to 2021.

802-254-2232, Ext. 201

Prior to joining the team at WCHS, Bob worked in the non-profit field for over 35 years; first, as a federal grant writer and program administrator in upstate New York. Starting in 1994, with a move to Vermont, Bob’s professional focus has been split between project and business development—primarily affordable housing, assisted living, and mixed-use downtown revitalization projects—and eldercare program administration. He served as the founding Director of Valley Care/West River Valley Senior Housing in Townshend (2005-2013), and as the Administrator at Bradley House Residential Care Facility in Brattleboro (2022-2025). 

Having grown up on a dairy farm, Bob has always felt a strong responsibility for caring for animals.  He is excited to put his business skills to work for the benefit of the local pet population.

Bob and his wife Jean live in Williamsville with two Tibetan Terriers—Denali and Lucy—and Teddy, a small Maine Coon Cat, an alumnus of WCHS.

Violet brings more than a decade of non-profit marketing experience. She returned to the area after 8 years at the Environmental Defense Fund in Washington, DC, and 5 years at PBS in Boston. 

A mission driven professional, Violet is ecstatic for the opportunity to support the work of the humane society in saving local pets. Her family has taken in strays and cared for pets in need for her whole life, so the mission is close to her heart. 

She has one dog (Buffalo) and one cat (Caterpillar). Both are rescues.

Contact Violet for events, social media, business partnership, and third party fundraisers.

With over 15 years of experience in veterinary medicine and emergency services, Sarah brings a unique blend of clinical, leadership, and crisis-response expertise to her role. She has served as a Hospital Manager at multiple veterinary clinics, where she implemented training programs, improved client satisfaction, and supported team development during periods of growth.

Most recently, Sarah served as an Emergency Services Dispatcher for Brattleboro Central Dispatch, coordinating urgent responses across multiple agencies.

Jessalyn Pennington began her career at WCHS as a volunteer in 2015 while working as an RN. She then took on the position of Animal Tech & Feline Specialist in February of 2016 before taking some time off and rejoining our staff as the Lead Technician in our clinic. She loves everything to do with cats (she secretly loves all the dogs too!). Jess lives locally with her partner Nick and their rescue cat, Mia, who came from Windham County Humane Society!

Eric started as a volunteer and was hired as our Kennel Tech in 2012. He was such an asset to the team that he was promoted to Canine Specialist in the fall of 2017.

In 2024, Eric assumed the position of Veterinary Technician at the newly opened Pet Wellness Clinic.

Outside of work, Eric enjoys hiking and gardening. He lives with his dog Banning. Eric grew up and lives in Brattleboro.

802-254-2232, Ext. 107

Starr was an experienced Veterinary Technician at Monadnock Humane Society, where she had worked since 2016. Starting as a shelter animal care technician, she advanced to assisting with medical procedures, organizing surgical schedules, and managing inventory.

Starr works closely with both shelter animals and the public, providing animal care, pet adoption, and technical expertise. 

With over ten years of connection to WCHS, Kayleigh is a familiar and trusted face to our shelter community. After starting her tenure here from 2014–2017, she honed her skills as the Dog Care Coordinator at Cortland County SPCA and as the owner/operator of Happy Hounds Dog Training LLC. After recently serving as a behaviorist at WCHS, Kayleigh steps into the Canine Supervisor role ready to utilize her extensive background in dog behavior and shelter operations to support our canine residents.

Hayley works with dogs, cats and smallies, providing loving care to all our residents. Her mom works at a local Veterinary Clinic, often bringing home sick or injured animals to help care for, so Hayley has grown up around many different types of pets.

802-254-2232, Ext. 108