Mike first visited the sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, in 1990 on a family vacation to volunteer with his mom, Robin. This trip jumped-started Mike as a volunteer with Best Friends in L.A. A Southern California native, Mike lived in the L.A.-area his entire life until Hurricane Katrina. The tragic disaster gave Mike the opportunity to make a career change, and follow one of his passions: animals. Before joining Best Friends Pet Adoption Center, Mike previously managed the Community Training Partners Program at Dogtown and worked in the field representing Best Friends for Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, Ike, as well as leading rescue & rehabilitation efforts like Pets Alive, Little Lebanon and Pahrump.

After graduating from college in 1998 and earning a Master’s Degree in 2001, Jen’s passion always led her back to animals. In 2003, she moved to Maryland to manage a private, open admission shelter. There, she discovered Best Friends, the no-kill philosophy and life-saving programs. This only invigorated Jen to make changes in her own shelter. In 2006, Jen managed Rancho Cucamonga shelter, an open admission, municipal shelter. Under her leadership, the save rate increased to more than 85% by 2010.
A topic very close to Jen’s heart is that of breed discriminatory legislation and the maligning of pit bull type dogs in the media.

Francis Battista is a co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society and Interim Executive Director of No More Homeless Pets L.A. He is spearheading the NMHPLA coalition, an effort to lead a comprehensive drive to take the City of Los Angeles to the no-kill benchmark of a 90% save rate of all animals entering LAAS shelters. In 1994, along with his wife, Silva, Francis created Best Friends L.A., launching numerous model programs and events aimed at building awareness for the homeless pets crisis while increasing adoptions within in L.A. shelters and rescue organizations.

Destiny moved to L.A. from Missouri on a whim during a snowstorm – somehow managing to bring her “sucker for strays” sign with her. Destiny worked for several local rescue groups, before finally finding the perfect fit with Best Friends. When she isn’t out saving the world or keeping the local coffee shops in business, she’s at home with her long-time boyfriend and their menagerie of dogs, cats, rodents and underwater creatures!

An Austin native, Jennifer always appreciated the outdoors, nature and animals. Growing up as an only child, her family cat was like a sibling and as she got older her love for cats, then dogs and now both, lived on.
Preceding Best Friends, Jennifer spent 6 years working in video production and online marketing for the television and film industry. The last seven years she’s been with Best Friends Animal Society running the marketing, social media and promotional aspects of Best Friends L.A. She currently is the marketing lead at the Best Friends Pet Adoption & Spay/Neuter Center.

Candi creates and produces all events for Best Friends LA, including: Super Adoption, Strut Your Mutt, aCATemy Awards, and Neighborhood Pit Bull Day. In addition, she manages other off-site events and will be creating shelter promotion events for the new Pet Adoption Center.
She's been an animal lover her whole life, but everything changed in 2006 when she adopted a feisty tuxedo from a local rescue group, and learned of the plight of animals in our nation's shelters. In a matter of years, she went from someone who wasn't involved in animal welfare, to co-founding a dog rescue in Orange County. Naturally, when the opportunity came to leave her corporate job and work full-time for Best Friends, she didn't hesitate. 

Kaylee oversees the main artery of support for Best Friends LA - our 1,000+ team of devoted volunteers who help save lives with us every day. A Detroit native, Kaylee left the worlds of fashion/entertainment reporting, agency PR and digital marketing to live her dream of helping people help animals. When she's not tending to man's best friend(s), you can find Kaylee cheering on her Tigers, grabbing a cup or ten of coffee, or (like every animal lover) with her two dogs at the park or hiking.

_A native Chicagoan, Karyn has spent most of her professional life working in some form of entertainment - including theatre, theme park live shows at Universal Studios Hollywood, television (Access Hollywood) & professional sports (working for both the Chicago Cubs & the Chicago Bears).  Animals have always been her passion, and she fed that passion by volunteering with local rescues & shelters.  Karyn began volunteering with Best Friends in 2009 and joined us as a staff member in 2011.  She holds a special place in her heart for the animals that get overlooked and her pack of tiny dogs at home includes seniors, a black dog & a handicapped dog.  When not working to help the animals in LA, Karyn is an avid football fan and loves to cheer her beloved Chicago Bears on to victory.

Sheryl-Lyn Shelley is the Spay & Neuter clinic manager here in Los Angeles.  Sheryl-Lyn has devoted her life to the health and well-being of all animals that cross her path. She has three special needs cats, and one super awesome husband at home. On her off time, this self-proclaimed 'Rockstar' collects motorcycles and vintage cars. She also really, really loves goats!

Robin came from the world of state government work to live her dream of helping homeless animals.  She started at Best Friends as the Volunteer Coordinator for LA Programs and transitioned gradually to the position of Rescue and Shelter Coordinator after realizing the need for and success of programs like Pup My Ride. Robin lives with 5 spoiled rescue dogs and has a special fondness for seniors and special needs dogs. She is a dedicated Lord of the Rings fan (and feels she is a hobbit at heart), also loves hockey, and will love the Dodgers again after the McCourts are gone.

After much pride-inducing rescue with Nikki Audet at Mutt Scouts, JF joined Best Friends as the Mobile Adoption Coordinator. Awareness is up, and word is traveling: adoption is the ONLY option. JF's background: years of playing disenfranchised sorts on scores of tv shows, and as a published poet, short story, blog, and bio writer. JF oversees the Good Day LA FOX spots for Best Friends' adoptables, with brilliant friend, Nora. The importance of spay/neuter, animal compassion, and educating our youth are his focus....as is being part of an inspired team ushering a new day to LA.

After adopting a shelter dog, Gayle began volunteering in animal rescue about 20 years ago. Gayle was a volunteer with Best Friends for seven years before becoming an employee, and became part of the Pup My Ride program as soon as it started. As the official Pup My Ride driver, Gayle logs 6,000 miles every month, and has driven over 120,000 miles for the Pup My Ride program. She’s seen it all... rain, sleet, snow, even the birth of puppies along her route.