Meet the Barn Crew
We’re working to create a kinder and more compassionate future for animals everywhere.
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Alayna Brown
Facilities
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Chase DeBack
Advocacy, Education, and Engagement Coordinator
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Casey Fry
Animal Caregiver
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Danielle Gotham
Marketing Manager
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Logan Heintzelman
Facilities
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Lori Kitchen-Buschel
Executive Director
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Vita Kulsavage
Facilities
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Kelsey Lang
Senior Animal Caregiver
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Alicia MacLean
Shelter Director
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Tom McKernan
Co-Founder & Operations Director
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Cass Menzies
Facilities
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Jennifer Owens
Accountant and Volunteer Coordinator
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Tianna Prichard
Animal Caregiver & Historian
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Kendra Savage
Animal Caregiver
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Bella Scott
Development Manager
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Jack Shankland
Facilities Director
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Joleen Smith
Animal Caregiver
2025 Board of Directors
Dan McKernan
Richard V. Hausrod, MD
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Emergency Medicine Physician | Cleveland, OH
Richard V. Hausrod, MD, is an emergency medicine physician in Cleveland, Ohio. He has served as a Regional Vice President and has served as VP and COO of UH Clinical Associates. With more than 12 years of physician leadership experience, Rich aims to achieve high quality, compassionate patient care, while driving operational and financial efficiencies.
Dr. Hausrod graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1995; completed his undergraduate studies in Pre-medicine from the University of Dayton in 1999; and achieved his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Wright State University School of Medicine in 2003. He then went on to train in the specialty of Emergency Medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, finishing in 2006. Dr. Hausrod is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He is a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
He currently resides in Avon Lake, Ohio, with his wife, Brooke, and cats Finn, Devin and Mare. Together, Brooke and Rich are committed to a plant-based lifestyle for the welfare of animals, improved overall health, and minimizing their carbon footprint. They also support organizations such as PanCAN, St. Ignatius High School, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (adopted 2 elephants and a giraffe), and Barn Sanctuary.
Erin Klug
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The Dobrusin Law Firm, P.C. - Partner/Patent and Trademark Attorney | Northville, MI
As an attorney, Erin works with large corporations, innovative companies, and solo entrepreneurs regarding patents, trademarks, and copyrights. She works with these entities to protect and defend their brands, products, art, creations, and, inventions.
Erin holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Case Western Reserve University. She is a Past-President of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan and a member of the board of Attorneys for Animals, an organization dedicated to support, educate and encourage attorneys and others who work on behalf of animals. She is also the Chair of the Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan.
In her free time, Erin enjoys traveling, running, vegan cooking, and spending time outdoors with her husband and 2 rescue dogs (Lola and Gidget).
Steisha Ponczoch
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GQG Partners LLC - Director, Human Capital, Seattle, WA
Steisha has built a decades-long career in Human Resources, supporting organizations through periods of growth, change, and increased complexity. She offers the board her experience in people strategy, program-building, and thoughtful governance, with a focus on helping mission-driven organizations scale sustainably without losing sight of their core values.
As a vegan and animal advocate, Steisha is deeply motivated by Barn Sanctuary’s mission to rescue farmed animals while fostering empathy and education. She is honored to support the organization’s work and is passionate about contributing to its long-term vision, resilience, and impact.
Steisha shares her Seattle home with Olive, Bernie, and Jonesy, three cats who love the indoor life. She also enjoys vegan baking and hosting Zoom trivia for friends around the country.
Mischa Plotnick
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NIKE, Inc. - Operations Director, Global Supply Chain | Portland, OR
Mischa is a supply chain leader at Nike, Inc with over a decade of experience across a variety of geographies and functions. He has held roles in demand planning, product management, performance management and materials sourcing. He is passionate about sustainability and the potential impact that large retailers and brands can have in this space.
An Oregon Native, Mischa was brought up with a deep connection to the outdoors and is passionate about conservation and animal welfare. In service of aligning his values to his actions, Mischa has long practiced a plant-based lifestyle.
Mischa and his wife Jessica live in the Portland-Metro area with their dog Murray, and two cats Basil and Sushi. They spend time in the dreamy Portland summers aboard their sailboat, Sneaker, exploring the mighty Columbia River, and in the winter enjoy skiing the slopes of Mt. Hood.
Lindsay Jaremba
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FranklinCovey - Implementation Strategist | Canton, MI
Lindsay is an Implementation Strategist for FranklinCovey and has over 15 years of leadership experience at many different levels, including 5 years at the Executive Level. Lindsay has a huge passion for learning development, professional and personal growth, DEI and culture initiatives.
She spends her day-to-day by consulting and implementing learning and development initiatives with the Veterans Health Administration - who partners with FranklinCovey. In addition to being on the Board of Directors for Barn Sanctuary, Lindsay also volunteers her time in various capacities within our organization.
Lindsay grew up in Michigan and loves to travel, experience different cultures and practices, and finds her inner happiness in nature and around animals. She has a 16-year old dog named Bella and is committed to providing support for animal advocacy and environmental sustainability.
Leslie Fry
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Chelsea, MI
Leslie Fry has retired from public education serving in administrative and special education classroom roles. In addition to working in K-12 education, she is actively involved in field hockey coaching and running nonprofits that support and grow the sport on the local, state and national levels. Leslie has a strong focus on committee work supporting all aspects of strategic planning, finance, bylaws and policy structure.
With her family and friends, Leslie built her log home and the barn where her horses and goats live. Her farm grows an organic hay crop for local farms.
Leslie lives in Chelsea with her dogs Addie, Poppy and Opal. She enjoys taking care of her grandson and providing transportation for rescue dogs.
Tina Marie Ito
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With her desire to find a need, and fill it, Tina makes, and sustains, strong commitments to help others achieve their goals. She has long believed in making connections with fellow community members and business associates, always building on those professional relationships. For the past 38 years, Tina has committed her time, energy and resources to her community hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. She has served in many capacities there, currently as Chair of the hospital’s Foundation Board. Instrumental in bringing the “No One Dies Alone” program to Verdugo by establishing the Compassionate Companions team. Tina feels honored to be present at the bedside of patients who would otherwise be alone at the end of life.
Her lifelong love of animals has kept Tina passionate about supporting organizations such as Barn Sanctuary, the Glendale Humane Society, and Gentle Barn. In 2001, Tina joined the Board of the Glendale Humane Society, a private, no-kill rescue, as Director of Administration and Fundraising Chair, planning and carrying out numerous fundraising activities for the shelter, and filling the role of President for four of the twelve years she was on the Board.
Tina enjoys family time, being a ‘Grandmommy” of nine (soon to be ten) beautiful grandchildren, and her rescued pets, Norman, Cosette and Carl.