About Us Feral Cat Project Leadership
Julie White
Executive Director
Julie joined Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project in September of 2005. Before joining FCSNP, she was the west coast community program manager for Best Friends Animal Society's national “No More Homeless Pets” campaign. In this position, she worked with individuals, shelters, rescue groups, and humane organizations across 15 western states and Hawaii to develop local no-kill communities.
Prior to devoting herself full-time to animal causes, Julie's professional career of 22 years was in the corporate world. Her last position of 16 years was as Executive Director of the US Customs and Compliance division for Nordstrom, Inc. Though working professionally in the private sector, she spent most of her free time and vacations lending her management expertise and volunteer time helping animals.
Julie has held several board positions with Friends of King County Animal Control (KCAC), including public relations director, vice president and, most recently, president. Under her direction the non-profit increased their donations by 2400% in 5 years. She has been honored with numerous awards for her volunteer work, leadership and dedication to helping the animals in the community, including the Animal Services Manager Award from the Executive Services Offices of King County.
Julie and her husband, Tom, share their home with their cats Teddy, Olivia, Eddie and Motley, their “feral” cat who now prefers to reside indoors!
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Holly Birkett, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Birkett’s feline interests began in her early childhood. While growing up in Florida, her neighbors often saw young Holly feeding and caring for the neighborhood’s free-roaming cats. Each cat was not only named, but also became a character in the comic strip that Holly created and maintained for many years.
Her passion for saving the cats was so strong that the cats unknowingly helped save Holly’s life. Dr. Birkett survived a brain tumor that was misdiagnosed until her mid-teens. Her strong desire to continue helping animals by becoming a veterinarian offered motivation and goals that pulled her through this huge medical hurdle.
Holly graduated from high school Magna Cum Laude and proceeded to the University of Florida where she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Dr. Birkett began her career in high volume, high quality spay and neuter in 1996 and joined the team at Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project as a full-time surgeon in 2006.
In her spare time, Holly enjoys art, dancing, photography, nutritional cooking and snowboarding.
Kim Morgan, LVT
Clinic Director
Kim joined FCSNP as Clinic Director in March 2006. She was an active volunteer with FCSNP when the project began in 1997. A licensed veterinary technician, Kim spent many years in private practice as nursing supervisor at a feline-only hospital. She has been active in animal rescue for her entire adult life.
Before becoming a LVT, she was a professional rider / trainer in the disciplines of dressage and combined training. She and Ed, her husband of 36 years, share their farm in Kingston with a wide variety of animals (30+) including her group of animals headed for euthanasia until being rescued by Kim.
This special family includes Pansy, a miniature donkey saved from severe illness; Perry, a two-legged cat rehabilitated through her paralysis; Bahama Mama, a tortie cat rescued and imported from Long Island, Bahamas; Noelle, a small puppy wandering alone in the woods; Jake, a Bassett Hound rescued from life confined on a small boat, and Thibodaux, rescued as a kitten from Hurricane Katrina.
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Rita Lafuze
Veterinarian Assistant
For many years, Rita LaFuze has rescued homeless cats, many with kittens that eventually were homed. Rita began her career in the veterinary medical world in the 1990’s at a private feline practice in Edmonds. Her keen perception of cat behavior and her deep compassion for all living things led her to become highly trained as a veterinary assistant.
Rita not only has experience with robust pet cats, but also worked many hours caring for intensively ill cats from all types of disease: cancer, renal failure, poisoning, infections. Her knowledge base is broad, yet her compassion never wanes. Each cat’s life is valuable and deserves the best care in her hands. FCSNP was lucky to add Rita to our team in 2006.
Christine Wilford, DVM
President
Christine, a founding member, has served as President since FCS/NP¹s inception in 1997. She holds a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University and currently practices at Cats Exclusive Veterinary Center in Shoreline, WA. Since 1991, Dr. Wilford has chaired the Continuing Education Committee of the Seattle/King County Veterinary Medical Association. For three years, she served as the veterinary member on the Seattle Animal Control Commission.
To educate people about their pet's health, she is a freelance writer for popular magazines. Dr. Wilford was selected by the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association as the 2004 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award for her work with the FCS/NP. She continues to campaign to end pet overpopulation by lecturing nationally on free-roaming cat and feline spay/neuter. She is married with two daughters. Her hobbies include her horse, cats, dogs, photography, hiking, and camping.
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Lucia Glasper
Treasurer
Lucia is an employee of Puget Sound Bank/KeyBank since 1982. She is currently Branch Manager of The Holman Road Keycenter, located in the North Seattle/Ballard area. Lucia's interests/hobbies include sports, cooking and organizing.
Previous board positions and non-profit organization involvement include: The Ronald McDonald House; The Seattle Milk Fund; NW Burn Foundation; University District and Greenwood Chamber of Commerce; Business Networking International; and The Shoreline School District Advisory Council. Lucia is a cat lover and servant to M.J., her orange and white tabby.
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Karen Maslanik
Director
Karen has a colorful 25-year professional history in both public and private sectors, including the legislative, court and behavioral healthcare fields. Her experience includes behavioral health care management, quality and clinical risk management, and member service management for large health care corporations including Cigna, United Health and Premera Blue Cross. She received a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan.
Karen has a life-long interest in animal welfare and began participating in TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for free-roaming cats when she noticed a large homeless cat colony in her Seattle neighborhood several years ago. Since that time, Karen has become an avid supporter of TNR and is dedicated to improving community participation and awareness in aiding the free-roaming cat population.
Secrette Miller
Director
Secrette has been active in free-roaming cat rescue for over three years. Secrette oversees the "Great Cat Rescue", a collaboration between Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project and King County Animal Services (KCAS). Secrette's post-Katrina trip to New Orleans to rescue animals changed her life and made her realize her true passions -- helping animals and educating the public about spay/neuter.
Secrette has a degree in Business from Western Washington University and is employed as an IT project manager. Her hobbies include gardening, kayaking and anything to help animals in our community. Secrette shares her home with 3 friendly and 1 formerly feral-behaving cat.
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Rick Hall
Director
Rick has served as an environmental project manager, writer, editor, and contract officer over the past twenty-five years. During his career, he has worked for state and local government agencies and private consulting firms. In 1993, Rick formed his own environmental consulting business. Rick holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Washington and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of West Florida.
He is passionate about the welfare of wildlife and homeless or neglected companion animals. One of Rick’s greatest rewards comes from working with others who are dedicated to improving the lives of cats and dogs through spay/neuter. Rick lives in Tacoma, Washington with cats, Sam and Molly.
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Advisory Board
- Aimee St. Arnaud, Manager Spay/Neuter Initiative, ASPCA
- Virginia Dalton, Animal Care Supervisor, Seattle Animal Control
- Daniel Fagan-Smith, Attorney, Millar Fagan-Smith, PLLC
- Janet Fagan-Smith, Artist and Art Education, Seattle Art Museum
- Vicki Farretta, LVT
- Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, ACVIM, College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Florida
- Rance Sellon, DVM, PhD, ACVIM, College of Veterinary Medicine
Washington State University
- Taylor Wallace, DVM
- J.A. Woodfield, DVM, ACVIM, Northwest Cardiology