Deborah Schutt
Immediate Past Chair and Founder, Michigan Pet Alliance
Deborah Schutt is a retired urban planner who spent half of her career with Oakland County and half owning her own consulting firm. Always an animal lover, she did not adopt a companion animal until she felt she could devote adequate time to the furry companion when she started her consulting firm. Even then, she fostered more than 80 dogs and one kitten until fate brought Cutty into her life. The deep joy and love provided by Cutty gave Debbie the unmitigated desire to give back to Cutty’s kind. Cassie (photo) filled Debbie’s life with for nine years with joy and love until her passing. Debbie founded Michigan Pet Alliance and is now waiting for her next furry companion to find her as Cutty and Cass did.
Tanya Hilgendorf
Chair, Michigan Pet Alliance
President and CEO, Humane Society of Huron Valley
Tanya Hilgendorf has led the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) since 2005. With a BA in political science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, a Masters in Social work focused on administration and public policy from Wayne State University and having served as executive director of Ozone House, Tanya’s passion centers on protecting the vulnerable (human and non-human) and transformational leadership that helps nonprofit organizations achieve mission success. With an incredible team, HSHV has become a thriving, dynamic, multi-service, animal welfare organization with 120 employees, 2,000+ volunteers and a save rate over 96%, helping roughly 25,000 animals a year. HSHV’s Charity Navigator rating puts it among the top 1% of all charities nationwide fiscal responsibility and transparency. In recent years, HSHV has adopted out more animals than any other single shelter in Michigan.
Julia Willson
Vice-chair, Michigan Pet Alliance
President and CEO, Capital Area Humane Society
Julia Willson is entering her 24th year at Capital Area Humane Society in Lansing where she has served as president and CEO since 2009. Prior to her current role, she was director of operations, education programs manager, and licensed veterinary nurse for clinical services. Julia graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Nursing Program and Huntington University with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has spent her entire career in the animal welfare sector. Julia’s focus is on visionary, strategic and impactful leadership. She has navigated Capital Area Humane Society through extensive growth over the past decade, which includes creation of a high-quality low-cost spay/neuter clinic and a major capital campaign and building renovation. Julia’s passion is serving the people and animals of the greater Lansing region and in being a voice for homeless animals.
Michelle Spranger, CMP
Secretary, Michigan Pet Alliance
Michelle Spranger is a certified meeting professional and multimedia project manager with 25+ years of experience in producing business meetings, press conferences, special events, experiential marketing, corporate videos and original television programming. In 2011, Michelle began volunteering at her local animal shelter by videotaping adoptable cats and dogs to post on social media. She came home with two foster puppies on her first day at the shelter. In her free time, Michelle and her husband enjoy exploring the country with their dogs in their RV.
Amber Sitko
Treasurer, Michigan Pet Alliance
President and Founder, All About Animals Rescue
By profession, Amber Sitko is a cloud solution architect and has been with Microsoft for more than 20 years. Amber earned her MBA from Wayne State University. By passion, Amber founded All About Animals Rescue in 2005. The organization is now the largest spay/neuter and wellness care provider in Michigan. The operational budget has grown from $80,000 annually to over $5 million, impacting more than 75,000 cats and dogs each year. Amber established collaborative relationships with local communities, governments and rescues in the interest of furthering animal welfare and created a comprehensive community cats TNR program that is the first of its kind in Michigan.
Holly Guild, LVT
Director, Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter
Holly is a licensed veterinary technician and graduated from Michigan State University. She worked in private practice as well as at the MSU veterinary teaching hospital before transitioning to animal welfare.
Holly has worked in animal welfare for over 20 years, starting as a kennel manager, transitioning to director of operations, and then working as an executive director in the nonprofit world. She recently moved to director at Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter.
Holly is a certified animal control officer, a certified cruelty investigator, and is fear free certified. She is passionate about shelter medicine, animal behavior, and supporting the animals and families in her community. She has 2 shelter dogs, 2 rescue horses, and several barn cats that live a pretty good life.
Namiko Ota-Noveskey, MS, CAWA
Program Supervisor, Kent County Animal Shelter
Namiko Ota-Noveskey has been working in the field of animal welfare since 2006. With a Master of Science in applied psychology with additional graduate courses in behavior analysis, Namiko has consulted on many animal behavior cases. She genuinely cares about animals and their people and uses her educational foundation to help people keep their animals in their homes. Namiko continues to focus on lifesaving efforts and to improve the quality of life for shelter animals. She has a soft spot for rottweilers and dobermans.
Courtney Protz-Sanders
Executive Director and Founder, Paws for Life Rescue
Born with a passion to help homeless pets, Courtney Protz-Sanders founded nonprofit Paws for Life Rescue in 2007. An invited speaker at several state and national animal welfare conferences, she has 23 years of experience in animal welfare, starting out at an open-admission, high-volume shelter in a county with breed-specific discrimination laws (BSL/BDL). Courtney has served on numerous shelter improvement committees and has helped lead initiatives to end BSL in Michigan, to overturn BSL in local municipalities, and to enact animal welfare ordinances, regulations and policies throughout the state. Courtney has volunteered as a member of the National Disaster Animal Response Team since 2005. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in communication in 1999 and a Master of Science in public relations in 2002. Courtney is a copy editor and communications specialist, working in the automotive industry for 20+ years. Her household consists of rescued dogs and cats. In her free time, Courtney enjoys kayaking, camping, hiking and reading.