Partner Through Donation
Meet Our Team
The Good Shepherd Founders and team members have over 15 years of animal rescue experience and have spent time in the vegan activist community around the greater Toledo and greater Columbus areas.
Our volunteers all provide the best, most compassionate care through education, hard work, and dedication.
Christine "Elle" Cox
Founder, Executive Director, Volunteer Team Lead
She/Her
Elle is the founder of The Good Shepherd Animal Sanctuary. She has worked in Animal Advocacy and Rescue for 15 years.
She works at the family business Lead Foot Customs and is the main caretaker at the sanctuary.
When not working at The Good Shepherd, Elle enjoys camping with family and attending car shows.
Kaitlin Wertzbaugher
Vice President, Volunteer Team Lead
She/Her
Kaitlin has worked the last three years at The Good Shepherd as a volunteer, team lead, and board member. Along with serving as the Sanctuary Vice President, she also helps oversee our volunteer programs. Kaitlin has a bachelor's degree in business and currently works as a Client Success Manager.
When not at The Sanctuary, Kaitlin can be found spending time with her six cats and working in her garden.
Amber Lefever-Soboleski
Treasurer, Volunteer Team Lead
She/Her
Growing up on a farm sparked Amber’s love for all animals, which has led her to advocacy. In addition to being treasurer of the board and volunteer for The Good Shepherd, she has a houseful of rescue animals.
When she’s not working with animals,
Amber is a full-time artist specializing in painting and fibers. She has her BFA in 2D Studies/Art Education and taught art for 8 years. She also loves comedy and vegan hot dogs.
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Tahaney Abuzahrieh
Secretary, Volunteer Team Lead
She/Her
Tahaney is the Secretary of the Board, but has also been an active team lead volunteer at TGSAS for three years and was recognized as the 2023 Volunteer of the Year.
When she isn't at The Shep, Tahaney works as a Laboratory Manager where she studies Chemistry and Microbiology.
In her free time she enjoys gardening, spending time with her three cats, and visiting her parents and seven siblings in Cleveland.
Tony Macaro
Board Member
He/Him
Tony has been on the Board of Directors at our sanctuary for two years now. He is also general manager and a Director with a cold header company in Sylvania, Ohio that is the exclusive distributor for a machinery company in Garlate, Italy.
He has been married to Leigh for 25 years and presently there are four dogs and two cats residing with them.
Heather Prokopow, Esq.
Board Member
She/Her
Heather is not only a board member for TGSAS, but is also our legal counsel.
She was working as a teacher on the Navajo Reservation when she discovered her passion for law. So, Heather spent her time working full time as a third-grade teacher while attending law school at night.
She has her Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Toledo College of Law. She is admitted to: OH Bar, IN Bar, AZ Bar, MI Bar, US District Court; Northern District of OH, US District Court; Southern District of IN, and the Department of Justice Immigration Courts.
On top of all that, she & her husband welcomed their first child earlier in 2024!
Shay Robinson
Board Member
She/Her
Shay grew up in the southwest where she attended the University of Arizona, majoring in Business Administration. She has spent the majority of her career in project management with the last 11 years at different companies within Honda.
She and her husband, James, have a private farm sanctuary where they care for ~80 animals. They are honored to have been invited by OSU Large Animal Services to be part of their 2025 Preventative Care Program.
They are also trying to find time to celebrate their 20th anniversary soon!
Volunteer Team Leads
Nic Thies
Angie Gresko
Jodi Whitacre
Becca VanDyke
