Board of Directors

Sarah Brasky

Sarah @thedogmatchmaker is the Founder and Executive Director of Foster Dogs Incorporated. With a background in dog rescue and animal welfare, visual arts, education, youth leadership, hospitality, and marketing, Sarah has dedicated her post-graduate life to ensuring that Foster Dogs Incorporated benefit more people and animals every year through unique and welcoming approaches.

Sarah is a graduate of Binghamton University with a BA in Cinema, and earned a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut State University.

Sarah and her husband live in Brooklyn with their two small kids and two rescue dogs Ozzie and Shaggy.

Christina Donnelly

Long-time foster mom and volunteer for Foster Dogs (since 2014), Christina is Chief of Staff BARK [makers of BarkBox]. Christina graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, and has worked and traveled all over the world. Her first foster dog also become her “forever” dog: @stelladigs. She and fellow volunteer and foster parent Vladic live in Brooklyn with Stella.

Through Christina’s encouragement, Foster Dogs has connected with many corporations in New York City in order to promote adoption and fostering, and helped start our recurring Rescuer Happy Hour series 2017-2019, to encourage collaboration between local animal shelters and rescue organizations.

LESLIE HARRIS

Leslie has been an active volunteer with Foster Dogs since 2018, and became the Coordinator for Chloe’s Fospice Friends soon after joining our team. Leslie works in the corporate world as an exec at SkinCeuticals, a skincare brand owned by L’Oréal. She spends her free time by channeling her passion for rescue. She fosters senior dogs of all sizes, volunteers at events, and is a rescue advocate in every possible way. Leslie completed certification training for animal hospice and palliative care in 2020, and in 2019 was trained in animal hospice and the animal dying experience through the Bright Haven Center for Animal Rescue, Hospice, and Holistic Education.

Leslie and her husband Jake live in Manhattan with their rescue dog Ally, and their cat Snazzy.

DORIE HERMAN

Dorie and her former companion Chloe Kardoggian became involved with Foster Dogs Inc’s Fospice program several years ago, having raised over $20,000 for this program over the years, After Chloe’s passing, the program was renamed “Chloe’s Fospice Friends” and continues saving super-senior and terminally ill shelter dogs constantly with the help of Kimchi and Cupid, Dorie’s rescue seniors. Dorie is also the talented graphic designer behind our Foster Dogs “What to Expect When You’re Fos’pecting” manual.

Dorie, Kimchi, and Cupid live in Connecticut.

Tara Bahl

A volunteer with us since 2012, Tara is an Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Guttman Community College (CUNY). She has worked as an educator in youth leadership and development, and as an adjunct professor of education at a number of colleges in New York City. She has a master’s degree from NYU and a PhD in Urban Education from CUNY Graduate Center.

Tara helped develop our Foster Education Series for new volunteers, started in 2015. She also runs the popular Instagram account, Dogs Who Brunch, after her love of brunch and dogs. Tara lives in Manhattan with her two rescue dogs Ginny and Homer.

Sarah Gross Feoli

Sarah is the owner of Rescue Chocolate, a vegan chocolate company based in Brooklyn with a charitable mission. She is also the co-founder of U.S. Veg Corp., a national vegetarian organization that promotes the cause through food-and-drink events. Sarah has been involved with Foster Dogs since our beginnings, having adopted the first dog on our website: Mocha. Mocha and Sarah helped us win $5,000 from the Petco Foundation for their Holiday Wishes Grant, telling their amazing rescue story. See their beautiful video.

Sarah and her husband live in Brooklyn with their young son and rescue Pittie Mocha.

Steering Committee*

• Ana Laura Pulido: Advisor: Business Partnerships

• Chrissy Kozera: Coordinator: Volunteer Management

• Daniela Blanes: Co-Coordinator: Adoptions and Foster Program

• Elana Buchalter: Co-Coordinator: Foster Roster Outreach

• Elsie Heung: Co-Coordinator: Foster Roster Outreach & Website Management

• Katherine Chala: Coordinator: Education Series

• Katy Regula: Co-Coordinator: Adoptions and Foster Program

• Leslie Harris: Coordinator: Fospice

• Maryloyise Atwater-Kellman: Co-Coordinator: Website Management

• Megan Penney: Coordinator: Rescue Partnerships

• Meghan Zecchini: Coordinator: Social Media

• Milla Chappell: Advisor: Photography

• Miriam Valero: Coordinator: Friday Night Foster Club

• Sam Cheirif: Advisor: Adoptions and Foster Program

• Stacey Axelrod: Director: “Why We Foster” Podcast

* Not including board members or our many team volunteers. Updated 2021.

Many of the professional images on FosterDogsNYC.com and our printed materials are courtesy of the following photographers who have donated their time and skills to our organization: Stacey Axelrod, Marshall Boprey, Milla Chappell, Shaina Fishman, Sophie Gamand, Leslie Leda, Cynthia Lee, Robert Stoetzel