Leadership Team

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Susan Lee Vick

President and Chief Executive Officer

Susan brings to her role as President & CEO a lifelong passion for the human-animal bond and diverse leadership, business, and management skills. In the course of her career, she has led local, regional, and national nonprofits and socially responsible businesses serving sectors ranging from animal wellbeing and human services to conservation science, urban renewal, asset management, and the arts.  

Since joining Joybound, Susan is most proud of the organization’s transformational rebrand, thriving culture, and surging Beneficial Community Impacts. Her prior professional roles include Chief Operating Officer at Hugh Futrell Corporation, Chief Advancement Officer at Point Blue Conservation Science, and Chief Development Officer at Church Investment Group. In volunteer roles, Susan has served Canine Companions, The Living Room shelter for homeless women and their children, Roseland University Prep, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and Sonoma County Tourism. She currently serves on the board of the Shadelands Property Based Improvement District.

Susan holds a BA with Highest Honors in English from the University of California at Davis. In her free time, she enjoys neighborhood strolling, international trekking, and relaxing with family, friends, and her dogs and cats, Sophie, Falcor, Luna, and Zora.

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Miguel Abi-hassan

Chief Programs Officer

Miguel has more than two decades of animal wellness leadership and consulting experience with regional, national, and international organizations and is a regular speaker on topics related to compassion fatigue prevention, strategic leadership, and impact analyses. Before joining the Joybound team, Miguel led all hands-on programs for the Humane Society of the US/International as the Chief Animal Rescue, Care, and Sanctuaries Officer and served on leadership teams for various well-known animal welfare organizations ranging from Ohio to Florida. Miguel is DEI framework trained and a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA), Grantwriter and National Public Information Officer (PIO), and Risk Management Professional. A lover of all types of animals, his current pets include a senior Sheltie mix, an umbrella cockatoo, and a blue-tongued skink.  

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Raul del Barco

Chief Talent Officer

With extensive experience in talent acquisition, employee relations, organizational and leadership development, and DEI initiatives, Raul plays a pivotal role as Chief Talent Officer, cultivating talent, and steering our team’s growth and continued success. As Chief Human Resources Officer at the California Academy of Sciences — one of the Bay Area’s leading educational and cultural institutions — Raul was instrumental in leading the organization through multiple changes as it transitioned from a temporary location to a newly rebuilt world-class museum and industry leader. Raul personally learned the depth of joy through the human-animal bond during his time at Joybound, adding rescue kitten Chaski to his family.

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Cheryl McKenna

Chief Financial Officer

Cheryl joined Joybound in 2019, bringing with her 20 years of accounting experience. She spent 15 of those years as a CFO in the non-profit arena, cultivating strong financial, human resource, and information technology systems within her organizations. She thoroughly enjoys providing leadership and has served on local, state, and national committees. Cheryl loves doting on her grandkids, travelling, and exploring all that the greater Bay Area has to offer.

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Lisa M. Moore

Chief Advancement Officer

In more than two decades of professional fund development, Lisa has built a proven track record of leading successful campaigns, including a historic campaign that raised over $136 million for Saint Mary’s College of California, where she served as Vice President of Advancement. While she has extensive experience leading development, marketing and community engagement within higher education and healthcare sectors,  Lisa’s enthusiasm and commitment to the human-animal bond is guided by her passion to elevate healthier, happier communities by sharing the joy and unconditional love of animals, such as that she receives from her own dog, Stella.

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Chief of Staff

Wendy’s background as a marketing and communication strategist includes creative engagement work for brands such as AT&T, DIRECTV, Tenet Healthcare, and a roster of political clients. A born storyteller (aka a Texan) she also is a dedicated problem-solver and passionately committed to our mission. When her nose isn’t in a pile of research or animal statistics, she’s often puzzling her teammates with obscure lyric references. Wendy and her husband share their Bay Area home with Joybound rescue dog, Max, and rescue cats, Bella and Vougie.

Find a Career with Joybound

We’d love you to bring your expertise and love for animals to our team. As our organization and impact both continue to grow, so does the need for talented, enthusiastic team members in a wide variety of roles.

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Dr. Heather Budgin

Director of Veterinary Medicine

A graduate of the University of California, Davis and one of the longest-tenured Joybound team members, Dr. Budgin joined the organization in 2003. Her areas of expertise include shelter medicine and high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN). When not working, Dr. Budgin’s hobbies include sewing, rock climbing, and volunteering at her children’s schools. 

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Caitlin Gutoff, RVT

Director of Veterinary Services

Caitlin has spent 15 years in veterinary medicine and animal sheltering, including a decade leading San Francisco SPCA’s shelter medicine department. A registered veterinary technician and Fear Free-certified professional, she is passionate about using her expertise to empower people to be exceptional pet guardians and advocates.

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Sean McGinnis

Director of Rescue, Care, and Adoptions

Sean knew from a young age that he wanted to work with animals. A homegrown leader at Joybound, he has supervised adoption, intake, and animal care teams across multiple roles and quickly advanced to the leadership team. Sean holds an Animal Shelter Management certificate from the University of the Pacific and is a graduate of the CalAnimal Emerging Leaders program. 

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Jim Oswald

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications

Jim is a dedicated advocate for social services, health, and animal wellness with more than 20 years of nonprofit communications experience. He has helped elevate organizations including Meals on Wheels San Francisco and The Marine Mammal Center, and previously worked as a broadcast news producer and in PR for companies such as Netflix, Pixar, and Yahoo!.

Don Pryor

Controller

Don brings more than 30 years of domestic and international finance and accounting experience to Joybound. Inspired by recent social and environmental change, he shifted to the nonprofit sector to create greater impact, with a particular passion for animal wellness. Don holds an economics degree from UC Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

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Alyssa Stone

Director of Community Engagement

Alyssa is a passionate advocate for creative, community-centered engagement with over 20 years of leadership in arts, education, and cultural programs. Her experience spans organizations including San Francisco Opera, Exploratorium, and Stern Grove Festival. A performer at heart, she now happily sings silly songs to her cats — and any willing audience.

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Dr. Wailani Sung

Senior Director of Animal Admissions and Wellbeing

Dr. Wailani Sung is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, widely published author, and featured guest on pet behavior documentaries by PBS and Netflix. She has dedicated her career to improving people’s understanding of animal behavior, and finds herself inspired every day by the love people have for their pets.

A woman with glasses wearing a white blazer holds a gray and white kitten in her arms. The background is softly blurred, focusing on her smiling expression. This image is part of the Joybound Team's introduction.

Jessica Wallace

Director of Community Solutions

Jessica brings a deep commitment to strengthening the human-animal bond, supported by experience in program management and innovation. She has led Research & Development teams in the for-profit sector and volunteered extensively in food insecurity, community outreach, and spay/neuter clinics, witnessing firsthand the positive impact pets have on their guardians.

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