Kristen is the younger sister of Annie, for whom the organization is named. Following her own family’s tragedy and loss of Annie, Kristen founded Annie & Millie’s place and redirected her passion for helping others by transforming her own story of tragedy into hope and help. Kristen’s has more than 30 years of compassion-led career experience in congregationally based youth and family ministry, program development and volunteer management. Now as the leader of Annie & Millie’s place she taps into her understanding of moving large groups for a common purpose and goal. Her relational approach to systems of care uniquely equips Kristen to connect the dots between people in need, services provided and aids in identifying gaps in services. Her creative approach inspires others to seek solutions as the flip-side of identifying problems. Kristen has a B.A. in Theology from Valparaiso University in Indiana and a M.A. in Children, Youth and Family Ministry from Luther Seminary in MN. She is a pet-parent to a very loved English Bulldog.

Leslie’s research on animal sheltering, animal abuse, animals in popular culture, animal selfhood, women in veterinary medicine, and other topics appears in books, peer-reviewed articles and reports. Her insights into the multi-dimensional problem of those facing homelessness and their pets is invaluable. She has earned many awards and is a sought-aȅer expert on the complex causes, challenges and solutions facing those who are homeless with pets. She is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she directs the Animals and Society Certificate Program. Leslie’s involvement with Annie and Millie’s Place stems from the research she did for her book, My Dog Always Eats First: Homeless People and their Animals. Her interest in the vulnerability of animals and people also motivated her research in the aȅermath of Hurricane Katrina which led to her book, Filling the Ark: Animal Welfare in Disasters. She also authored, If You Tame Me: Understanding our Connection with Animals, and coauthored Regarding Animals, among others. Leslie has a Ph.D. in Sociology from SUNY (State University of New York – Stonybrook), a M.A in Sociology and a B.A. in Art History from Florida Atlantic University. She is a pet-parent to an evolving number of dogs and cats. Leslie resides in Longmont, CO.

Karen is the COO of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce. Her eight-year tenure at the Longmont Chamber started in her role as the Membership Director moving into Business Development Director while supporting growing membership, sponsorship, and the recent chamber capital campaign for the remodel of their 528 Main Street building. As a born and raised Longmont native Karen is fueled by her passion for building community, making connections, and making Longmont a vibrant and welcoming community. In her personal pursuits, Karen is an avid cook, outdoorswoman, and the lead singer in a band founded with her husband and best friend called the Tribonacci Trio!

Lauren Loney is the Staff Attorney & Policy Specialist for American Pets Alive! and the Human Animal Support Services project. She has more than seven years of experience craȅing policies and lobbying on a variety of issues at local, state, and federal levels. Lauren also was the Texas State Director for the Humane Society of the United States. Lauren previously worked in affordable housing and environmental justice movements and now works to undo the traditional siloing of human and animal policy advocacy efforts. She has co-authored several publications and has given more than a dozen presentations on the intersection between animal welfare and housing justice. At AmPA!/HASS, Lauren works with animal shelters across the country to remove legal barriers to creating more equitable and community-focused animal sheltering programming and policies, and to protect the bonds between people and their pets, regardless of income level. She also leads the organizations' housing reform research and initiatives, and serves as a staff attorney across the organization and affiliates. Lauren received her B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Mizzou and M.S. in Aquatic Resources from Texas State University. She graduated with Honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2017 where she was on the Executive Boards of the Animal Law and Environmental Law Societies. In her spare time she goes backpacking in the mountains and loves to trail run and hike, usually with her dogs, Daffodil and Ranger.

Description gChili is the owner of Renexec, a business consulting firm that takes an adventure based approach to guiding clients through the challenges and obstacles they face in the operation and expansion of their businesses. Chili holds a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship from Johnson & Wales University, and has over 15 years of experience helping businesses overcome complex strategic, cultural, and operational challenges. At the heart of everything Chili does is an intense passion for fostering strong adventurers and growing interpersonal connections to build stronger communities. Outside of Renexec, Chili enjoys wood and metal working, and exploring the wonders of nature with his rescue dog, Tater.

Sabrina brings 31 years of bookkeeping experience, 23 years of which as the co-owner of a Front Range construction company. During her tenure as a business owner, she helped scale the company with focus on building strong relationships and sound accounting principles. As a member of the Colorado community, she has been a volunteer with the OUR Center and a member of the Leȅ Hand Giving Circle for the past five years. As a board member of Annie & Millie’s Place, Sabrina is excited to use her prior professional experiences to help bring support to people and their pets during homelessness. Sabrina is pet parent to dog Jayli.

Brad has 35+ years of non-profit leadership in Colorado, Montana, and Illinois. Recently retired in ‘22, He served the last 12 years as the Executive Director at Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp in Colorado rebuilding facilities and financial stability. A graduate of the University of Montana with Bachelor of Science degrees in Recreation Programming and Music Education, Brad also served on the teaching faculty for the National Lutheran Outdoor Ministry Leadership Training Events. As a former music educator, Brad loves music, the outdoors, the Montana Grizzlies and everything Christmas. In retirement he volunteers with Northern Colorado Humane. Brad and his wife Deb live in Fort Collins with their rescue pittie, Missy.