Board of Directors
GRASP Animal Rescue is 100% volunteer-run, including our all volunteer Board of Directors. We have no physical location. Our animals are in individual foster homes “on couches instead of in cages.”
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PRESIDENT
Jess Baglio
Jess is a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady with a particular passion for caring for animals with special medical needs. Her educational background in animal behavior. Her experience working at a rescue center for big cats (everything from Asian leopard cats to tigers and lions) provides a unique understanding of natural feline behavior and behavior in a rescue environment.
Jess also has experience working in veterinary medicine and running a pet care business providing pet sitting services and medicine administration.
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VICE PRESIDENT
Lisa Green
Lisa brings over 15 years of leadership experience from the hospitality industry to her role in animal rescue. Guided by a deep commitment to compassion and community, she has led successful fundraising initiatives supporting local causes.
A longtime supporter of rescue organizations, Lisa fosters cats and continues to advance GRASP’s mission through leadership and hands-on care.
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SECRETARY
Colleen Ignatowski
Our Secretary is a legend shrouded in mystery—and exceptionally tidy paperwork. We don’t know their hobbies, but based on their filing system, we suspect competitive alphabetizing. Their emails are faster than most people’s thoughts. Their minutes are so accurate historians may use them someday. We’re not entirely sure when they joined, but the office plants already respect them. Whoever they are, they keep us running like a well-oiled, slightly confused machine
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TREASURER
Donna Beyea
"I joined GRASP in 1999 after calling for help with kittens in the bushes of my new home in Greece. They were able to help if I could foster a cat that they had hiding behind a piano in the cat coordinator’s home.
I agreed and Ms. Kitty became my first foster fail.
In my 25 long years with the group I have pretty much done it all, starting as a VP in 2000, then President, then with my current role as treasurer having started about 12 years ago.
I am proud to be a part of this great organization and hope to continue for another 25 years!"
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CAT COORDINATOR
Shannon Tracy
Our Cat Coordinator doesn’t just work with cats, she lives with them. Her home is affectionately known as “The Zoo,” where cats, dogs, and the occasional bunny mingle freely. She has a sixth sense for finding strays, and a seventh sense for negotiating with her demanding fur overlords. She firmly believes that every animal deserves a home, even if it means she’ll need another room—or ten. Somehow, amidst the chaos, she still manages to coordinate adoptions, proving that heroism sometimes comes with whiskers and a little bit of chaos.
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DOG COORDINATOR
Veronica Smith
Veronica and her husband Bill began fostering in 2018, inspired by Veronica’s dad, who adopted a dog that was just moments from euthanasia - saved only because a foster family said yes.
Wanting to pay that life-saving kindness forward, they opened their home to one dog… and that “one” quickly turned into hundreds over the next seven years.
Fun fact: Veronica adopted Jazzy, her very first dog ever, from GRASP more than 20 years ago.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS
Tami Becker
Tami’s lifelong love of animals began on her grandparents’ farm, where she spent countless hours trying to befriend the elusive barn cats. She discovered GRASP after adopting her beloved rescue cat Susie.
“My Susie was purr-fect and she inspired me to help other pets find their fur-ever families.“ For more than 16 years, she has proudly served as a “Kitty Matchmaker,” guiding adopters and pairing cats with their purr-fect homes.
Tami has served on the board for many years – as cat coordinator and as Public Relations where her HR background and natural gift for connecting with people shine.
She considers rescue work one of the most fulfilling parts of her life, filling a space she never knew was empty.
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RELATIONSHIP COORDINATOR
Michael Avery
relationship.coordinator@graspinc.org
Michael was involved in philanthropy from an early age - both in giving and in fundraising. Now retired from two successful businesses, he devotes his time volunteering as a dog foster, GRASP dog team support and raising funds needed for the animals in our care.
Michael brings his love of giving to our organization which is close to his heart - his own dog Watson is a GRASP rescue.