Board Members
Lee Vanormer
President & Secretary
Feb 2023 - Feb 2026
Lee is a software engineer who retired from Northrup Grumman after 33 years of service. She has been a volunteer at Paws Place since 2018. Her love of dogs led her to Paws Place and she enjoys taking them for walks, bathing them, cuddling with them, and doing anything that can make their day a little bit better. Lee adopted Harley from Paws Place in 2020.
Jay Chappell
Treasurer
Jul 2024 - Jul 2027
After a 30 year career in Federal law enforcement, Jay and his family retired to the Wilmington area in 2017. A dog lover his entire life, Jay began volunteering at Paws Place in 2018. Jay adopted two Paws Place dogs in 2019. Jay is on his second term on the BOD. He served previously from Jun 2021 to Jun 2024.
Kelly Houston
Board Member
Jan 2025 - Jan 2028
After retiring from Federal law enforcement after 25 years, Kelly became a volunteer at Paws Place in March 2021. She has had dogs most of her life and recently adopted a Paws Place dog in November 2021 to add to her family which includes 2 other pups.
Amy Poore
Board Member
Nov 2023 - Nov 2026
After retiring from a 30-year career in Corporate Human Resources, Amy felt a need to focus her volunteer time on her love of dogs. She became a volunteer at Paws Place in 2021. Although, she loves all dogs, she has a special place in her heart for the hound dogs. Amy currently has a ten-year old rescue Coonhound and adopted Peppermint Patty (now Olive) from Paws Place in 2022, which is of course a hound dog!
John Streatfeild
Board Member
Aug 2024 - Aug 2027
John spent over 40 years in the Insurance industry as an IT Executive, Marketing Executive and Management Consultant. He and his wife Jean moved from Alabama to Leland in 2022. There have been a variety of dogs in John’s life for as long as he can remember, but over the past 30 years he has grown particularly fond of Yellow Labs.
Jeanne Miesse
Board Member
Aug 2024 - Aug 2027
Transitioning from teaching kids for three decades to focusing on dogs in retirement is a wonderful choice that allows Jeanne to continue making a positive impact. Having three dogs at home not only enriches her own life but also speaks to her genuine love for animals and her desire to provide them with a loving environment.
Staff
- Lisa Addertion – Kennel Manager
- Haley Urbanek – Assistant Kennel Manager
- Dominique Rainwater – Adoption Coordinator
- Karen Spencer – Veterinary Care Coordinator
- Cristy Strock – Business Administrator
- Lia Ballentine – Signature Events Coordinator
Our Culture
Our vision and mission reflect our fundamental belief that all people belong and deserve fairness, justice, and inclusivity. Our strength comes from our diversity and we celebrate the visible and invisible qualities that make each person unique, including race, gender, age, sexuality, ability, religion, national origin, gender identity, and other identities. We commit to aligning our culture and business practices to be a beacon of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging for all people.
