Street Dog Hero Board of Directors
Marianne Cox, president
street dog hero, founder
Marianne has always been surrounded by animals and is always the first to stop what she’s doing to help or rescue anything. After her first trip to Mexico while in college the sight of street dogs stayed with her and she dreamed of one day saving at least one of them. Twenty years later her dream became reality when she decided to not only save one, but thousands and started her own international rescue. She lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband Chris, two kids Bella & Colton and their 5 dogs and a cat – she has adopted 3 of her rescues and we’re sure this number will go up….
Kelsey Lewis, treasurer
Arrow Advisory, CPA, CDFA
Kelsey is a native Oregonian and lover of nature, animals, and numbers! She is a CPA in her “day job” and has a solo practice working with small businesses and individuals in tax and strategic planning. Most days you can find her working from her backyard office with either her dog or bunny (or both) by her side. As a finance major from University of Oregon and accounting major from Portland State University, Kelsey is comfortable knowing that most days will be filled with spreadsheets or financial statements.
Outside of work, you will typically find Kelsey, her spouse Ryan, and two kids taking advantage of all that Bend has to offer – skiing, cycling, walking the trails. Or perhaps tucked in a gym watching youth basketball. Coming to Bend in 2020 was such a gift to this family and they quickly learned that every day can be enjoyed outdoors!
Kelsey joined Street Dog Hero as the new Treasurer in 2022. She was drawn to the board after seeing their mission in action at a SDH event. Kelsey sees her contribution to the board being a way to help others experience the true joy of pet ownership and engage on a deeper level with the Bend community.
Jessica Morgan, secretary for the Board
Tonkon Torp LLP, Attorney and Partner
Jessica is an attorney and partner at Tonkon Torp LLP and Co-Chair of its Business Department. Her practice is focused on regulatory compliance, securities, general corporate law, and assisting on regulatory matters. Jessica has served on numerous nonprofit boards and has helped in the formation and board governance of several nonprofits in Oregon. She has a passion for helping others make the world a better place through nonprofit efforts.
Jessica is a member of the PSU Impact Ventures Investment Committee and assists PSU MBA students with their investing program. She also coaches the La Salle High School cheerleading team. She and her husband keep busy raising their two children and operating their car rally event business, the Gambler 500. They have two pups at home, Josey and Tinkerbell, as well as a cat that keeps both dogs in line.
Jessica is a great admirer of Street Dog Hero and the substantial impact it has on dog overpopulation around the world. She is thrilled to be able to help support these efforts and to work along the organization promoting more participation and awareness of dog over-population issues. Dogs have been a vital part of Jessica’s life and she looks forward to playing a part in providing better lives to the organization’s rescues – and seeing the overwhelming joy dogs bring to people’s lives.
erin miller, Member of the Board
Erin is a graduate of Oregon State University and spent the last 35 years of her career as the Vice President of Business Development for Metro West Ambulance – the largest privately owned ambulance service west of the Mississippi. Always an advocate for animals, she started out her career working in animal welfare and then decided the most effective way to make an impact was through the political system where she worked as the Communications Director for Portland Mayor, Vera Katz. Erin also worked for Senator Ron Wyden for 5 years on policy development and constituent concerns.
As a very young child Erin brought home many stray cats and dogs who always became cherished family members. She continues her advocacy efforts through volunteer positions locally where she is on the Portland Providence Foundation board, and also chair on the house board for Kappa Kappa Gamma at OSU.
Erin retired in 2023 and lives in Beaverton with her husband and 3 rescue dogs. They have two adult daughters who live nearby and between them, have adopted 4 Street Dog Hero dogs. She enjoys having time for family and friends, gardening, cooking, travel, time at her Rockaway home, and of course, enjoying her sweet pups.
Dr. Saum Hadi, Portland veterinarian
Dr. Saum Hadi, a 2020 graduate of Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine, distinguishes himself as a caring veterinarian and entrepreneur. During his time at Oregon State, he was the president of the Veterinary Business Management Association. After graduation, Dr. Hadi excelled in small animal general practice before founding Nimbus Pet Hospital near Portland, Oregon, in early 2023. A sought-after speaker, he shares his expertise with veterinary students nationwide, offering valuable insights on transitioning from student to practitioner and the strategic path to practice ownership. Dr. Hadi’s commitment to excellence is evident in both his thriving practice and impactful contributions to the next generation of veterinarians.
Marnye Summers, Member of the Board
Marnye is a retired Veterinarian Technician and was the founder of a special needs pet sitting business, Goin’ To The Dogs. Her business, now closed, specialized in pet sitting for animals with medical needs on a daily basis. She ran her 501(c)(3) non-profit business for 10 years, donating all proceeds to rescues in her area. When a resident in Southern California she volunteered for 17 years at Villa Lobos, the largest pitbull rescue in the country. Villa Lobos, best known for their reality TV show, Pitbulls and Parolees on the Animal Planet channel, has since moved to the New Orleans area.
Marnye graduated from San Diego State College with a degree in Athletic Training but changed the focus of her career upon meeting and adopting a scared and severely abused little pitbull dog which she named Muscle Butt. She went on to earn her Vet Tech degrees from Pierce College in the LA area.
Marnye is a lifetime artist, creating artworks in many forms and mostly focused on animals. She is a contributing artist to SDH’s art fund raising programs.
She resides in Bend, OR with her husband, Kevin, and they spend most of the winter months in Scottsdale, AZ. Over their 40 years together, they have rescued and lived with 11 dogs and 3 cats. Their charitable foundation, named after the little pitbull they rescued, donates mostly to animal causes within the state of Oregon.
Mia carney, Member of the Board
Mia serves as the VP of Operations at MBT Marketing in Lake Oswego, OR, bringing over 20 years of expertise in media and marketing. Her extensive agency experience spans both local and national accounts across diverse industries. Mia is passionate about driving business growth and is deeply committed to supporting her community, volunteering with local organizations through her membership with the Young Men’s Service League.
Outside of work, Mia stays busy raising her twin boys and keeping up with her energetic Vizsla, Blaze, who has a penchant for water and food crumbs alike. As an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys archery, snow skiing, horseback riding, and exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. A true animal lover, she cherishes her family time above all else.
Mia discovered Street Dog Hero through a friend and was inspired by the powerful adoption stories. She feels privileged to be part of such a dedicated team and knows their work not only transforms the lives of the dogs they rescue but also enriches the lives of the families who adopt them.
Meghan Pruitt, Member of the Board
Meghan is a retired Creative Director with 20+ years experience working in Interactive Design and Marketing. Throughout her career, she’s worked with global brands like Nike, Burton Snowboards, Merrell Footwear, and Xbox, creating meaningful brand experiences. Meghan is deeply committed using her skills to support organizations that make a difference in the lives of animals in need.
She currently resides in Bend, Oregon, with her family and three rescue pups- Gruff, Pinky and Archie.
Tana Thomson, Member of the Board
Tana Thomson is currently the Chief People Officer and sits on the Executive Committee for Vista Capital Partners. Prior to Vista she was the VP of Human Resources for Xenium HR an outsourced HR services company serving clients in varying industries where she led a team of 55 employees. She has served in a senior leadership role for the past 15 years and has partnered with many executive teams to help build great workplaces. Her expertise areas are leadership coaching, performance management, training and development, compensation and total rewards, culture development and employee relations. Tana holds a BA in Business Administration from OSU and is a SHRM- Senior Certified Professional and Certified Compensation Professional.
She is dedicated to giving back to her community, currently serving on the Executive Committee for Project Lemonade and as a member of the FPA of Oregon Board. Additionally, she previously served as the Corporate Walk Chair for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Portland and was on the Board of Trustees. Tana also enjoys mentoring college students and early to mid-career professionals. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, volunteering, hiking, golfing, practicing yoga, attending outdoor concerts, and savoring wine and meaningful conversations.