About Us

Lizette Chanock is the founder of PetConnect Rescue, an organization established in response to Hurricane Katrina. She has served on the Board of Directors since its inception in 2005 and has always been an active volunteer, guiding its mission with dedication and heart.

A lifelong advocate for animal welfare, Lizette lives in Potomac, Maryland with her husband Stephen, surrounded by many beloved rescue dogs. A proud mother of four and grandmother of eight, she delights in a home filled with family, warmth and a shared love of rescued pets.

Carrie’s compassion for animals and dedication to animal advocacy was apparent from day one. Her mother volunteered at their local SPCA and in addition to helping care for their own beloved rescues, she grew up learning about ways to help stray dogs, feral cats, and injured wildlife. Carrie even integrated her love of animals into her career, serving on the Marketing team at Animal Planet from 2002-2006.

Carrie has been a long-time admirer of PetConnect Rescue’s work and has both adopted from and volunteered with the organization over the years, joining the Board of Directors in October of 2018. Carrie lives in Potomac with her husband, Marc, their three beautiful human children, and their three sweet furry children.

For Katherine it all started at age 6 her first stray cat MaMeow to her current menagerie three chihuahua foster fails, one Boykin and eight horses. The intervening years have contained multiples of horses, dogs and cats with segues into working with Dr. Jane Goodall and the chimps of Gombe, to the National Zoo’s Conservation Research Center in Front Royal Virginia, to a variety of art museum boards, and other non-profit and foundation activities.

Katherine became aware of PetConnect Rescue’s incredible work in 2016 and was finally hooked in 2017 when she started fostering.  She joined the board in 2020 and is excited to bring her strategic planning and marketing expertise to bear as non-profits continue to navigate the world’s new normal.

Cricket has had all sorts of rescue animals over the years, but adopted PetConnect Rescue’s mom-dog Snow White (now Chloe) in 2018 and started fostering puppies the next summer! She lives in Bluemont, VA with her husband David and takes care of Cannon Hill Farm with its current eight retired horses, one alpaca, two barn cats and four rescue dogs. Those numbers increase when daughters Charlotte and Lilly come home with their PetConnect dogs!

When not on the farm, Cricket and David can be found on the field hockey sidelines cheering on youngest daughter Grace playing at Washington and Lee or cheering Charlotte’s team in Vermont where she is the head coach at Castleton.

After time serving on school boards and travel team and sports boards, Cricket is thrilled be on PetConnect Rescue’s Board, and to spend time helping dogs and cats find their forever homes.

France has been an avid animal advocate for most of her life. She was raised with multiple rescue dogs and cats, as well as horses. She founded the first ever animal rescue club at her high school, volunteered with several rescues in college, and was President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF) while at George Washington Law School. France first began volunteering with PetConnect Rescue in 2013, when she initiated building a community of volunteers in Virginia. She has served in many roles over the years at PetConnect, but her favorite is always fostering. France gets lots of assistance with her fosters from her 3 children, 5 dogs, and a cat, where they reside with her husband in Middleburg, VA.

Liz joined the Board in 2006 and formerly served as treasurer. Liz brings many years of corporate marketing and budgeting experience to the organization, as well as a love of animals.

She was part of the original website development team and managed the site until 2010, when she took on the bookkeeping responsibilities for the next 4 years. Following that, Liz managed the dog spay/neuter program for several years. Kobe, pictured with Liz, is a PetConnect Rescue who arrived thankfully in February 2020. Liz insists she would not have made it through the Covid crisis without him!

Carole is a writer and photographer. She is a graduate of American University and Columbia School of Journalism. For 20 years, she bred German shepherds and Egyptian Arabian horses. She gave it up to rescue instead. During her efforts in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina, Carole teamed with PetConnect Rescue to find homes for the lost pets that she brought back. She has been a board member since 2006.

Wendy adopted her first dog, Lulu, from the SPCA while she was in kindergarten. Lulu lived until Wendy was a sophomore in college, and from the moment Lulu became a family member, it was Wendy’s dream to help all the Lulus out there waiting for homes. Also, with four dogs from PetConnect Rescue dogs, board membership is mandatory! She joined the Board in September 2016. Wendy’s passion is to focus on highlighting the joy of adopting senior dogs.

Nina began volunteering at Petconnect Rescue after her family adopted their first dog Zoe ten years ago. Her family, which includes husband Tim and her three children, Palma, Cece, and Evan have enjoyed volunteering at adoption events, transporting animals, and spreading the word of rescue. They became “foster failures” when Lucas joined their pack six years ago.

Nina helps coordinate adoption events, assists with administrative tasks, and collects supplies for local shelters from her community. She has enjoyed meeting wonderful people and following the happily forever after stories of dogs and cats they have helped.

Caitlin began volunteering with PetConnect Rescue in 2022 as a transport driver, a role that deepened her commitment to animal welfare. After losing her beloved dog, Brewski, in 2023, the PetConnect community played a meaningful role in her healing. Soon after, she adopted PetConnect alum Axl Rose, who now helps welcome a steady stream of foster dogs into their home each year.

In 2025, Caitlin joined PetConnect’s fundraising committee and led the planning and execution of the organization’s 20‑year anniversary celebrations. Her leadership in volunteer engagement, event strategy, and donor experience helped elevate both visibility and community impact.

Professionally, Caitlin is a top‑producing Business Performance Advisor with Insperity, the nation’s leading Professional Employer Organization. She brings deep expertise in revenue generation, strategic growth, donor research, and relationship building – skills she is passionate about applying to support PetConnect’s long‑term sustainability.

She lives in Haymarket, Virginia with her loyal sidekick, Axl Rose.

Rhea is a third-year veterinary student at the University of Pennsylvania, where she also earned her undergraduate degree in Biology. Originally from Potomac, Maryland, Rhea has been passionate about animal rescue for as long as she can remember—she’s wanted to be a vet since she was four years old and never outgrew the dream.

Rhea began volunteering with PetConnect Rescue in 2017, leading humane education initiatives and helping vaccinate foster kittens and cats for the organization. Since moving to Philadelphia for college and vet school, she has continued her involvement in rescue through local shelter work and TNR efforts.

Rhea is especially passionate about shelter medicine, senior pet care, and making quality veterinary support more accessible for rescue animals. She currently lives in Philly with her two rescue cats, Mr. Moo and Ollie — who have been her constant companions and (reluctant) practice patients during vet school.

Lyn is a life-long animal lover. She got involved in rescue with a vision to create a safe haven for dogs transitioning from shelters to adoptive families when foster families are not an option as well as a place for educational events and volunteers. Thus, Muddy Paws Farm was born. She also has a soft spot for older and hard-to-place dogs with disabilities. She fostered and successfully placed a number of blind and deaf dogs. Lyn has two grown children, each with rescue dogs of their own. Lyn joined the Board in 2009.

Ginny is a devoted mother of four children, three dogs, and long-time Potomac, Maryland resident. Ginny has always had a life-long love of animals. After rescuing her labradoodle, Bruno, from the streets of Northeast Washington D.C., Ginny wanted to find ways to help other animals in need. When she met her neighbor, Lizette Chanock, and heard about the impressive work of PetConnect Rescue, she knew that she could help further the organization’s mission.  Ginny has served on the Board since October of 2015.

Barbara Hutcherson, our Executive Director since 2023, brings nearly two decades of invaluable experience in animal welfare. With a deep appreciation for the human-animal bond and a passion for the transformative potential of volunteers, her background includes teaching, leading the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation, and pivotal roles at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter and the Humane Rescue Alliance. Through these experiences, Barbara gained profound insights into sheltering and rescue operations and cultivated a leadership style characterized by calm confidence, compassion, and unending curiosity.

One of Sandy’s greatest passions is working on behalf of animals. In addition to volunteer work with animal rescue organizations, she spent more than 15 years working with animal protection non-profits prior to joining the PetConnect Rescue team, providing Operations and Financial infrastructure to support efforts to improve laws and policies that impact animals’ lives. She brings these skills to her work here at PetConnect. In her free time, she loves spending time with her rescue dog, as well as performing in concerts and teaching in music workshops with a community handbell ensemble.