Board of Directors

Karen Kops

President

I sold a small business in 1997 and wanted to find a community service project. I began volunteering at the Antioch Animal Services shelter and have been involved with rescues ever since.

I founded HALO in 2000 with other dedicated animal activists who recognized that there was a need for a rescue group in Far East Contra Costa County. In 2006, some of the volunteers of HALO formed a new organization, HARP. I have been the President of HALO and then HARP for almost 11 years.

I have a business, Kops Consulting Services, (http://www.kopsconsultingservices.com) which offers grant writing, event planning, and assistance with applications for non-profit status. Prior to owning and running a screen printing business, I travelled to Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Columbia, Mexico, Cameroon, Morocco, China, Japan, Turkey, Greece, Germany, Austria, England, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Canary Islands, Hong Kong, Poland, and Monaco. I lived with my first husband and children in France for 15 months and Venezuela for one year. These travels were wonderful and have broadened my horizons.

Oktoberfest in Germany and Carnival in Rio—what an experience!

Randae Bither

Vice President

I have been serving the grooming needs of East County pets since 1983 when I established Doggie Depot, a popular grooming salon in Brentwood.  I am a National Award Winning Stylist and a Certified Master Groomer with the International Professional Groomers Association.  I have been involved in animal rescue of some sort since an early age from bottle feeding newborn puppies and kittens to nursing and releasing injured owls and small birds of prey.  My work with H.A.R.P. started shortly after its beginning, fundraising is my forte with the group, even though I also hold the Vice President position.

Jane Buyny

Secretary

I was raised on a working cattle ranch in Idaho, from the time I was six until I was in high school.  I spent summers herding cattle, first for my dad and when I was older, as a job with income.

By vocation, I should be an English teacher, but most of my experience is otherwise.  I have a B.A. in English with a teaching credential, and although I never taught in the classroom, I had six years of tutoring kids in writing skills, reading, and math that I very much enjoyed.  I have been in corporate management, but I retired from that because what I love most is work with animals.  I have a very small equine breeding operation, which I have had for about 25 years.  I started my business as a horse trainer.  My rescue work began almost ten years ago, with foals that were a by-product of the pre-marin industry and destined for slaughter.  I brought one or two of them home every fall from Canada, worked with them, and then re-homed them when they were healthy and halter trained the following spring.

About six years ago I fostered my first littler of bottle baby kittens for HALO, and since HARP was formed, I have fostered kittens continuously to the present.  Not to slight dogs, I have adopted three at-risk dogs from the shelter who are now part of our family.

Eileen Hollander

Treasurer

I met Karen in 1997 while also volunteering at the Antioch Animal Shelter. My husband and I finally had an “empty nest”, and, with our love of animals, the Antioch shelter was a perfect fit.  We joined her in forming HALO, as we and others felt a good alternative was needed for the homeless cats and dogs in East Contra Costa County.  At the beginning, we all did everything, fundraising, fostering, becoming foster failures, adoptions and I was also the Treasurer.  After a few years sabbatical, I came back to support Karen, when she and others formed HARP.  I am now the Treasurer of this wonderful group, as well as SNIP, another endeavor of Karen’s, providing spay/neuter/medical treatment of free roaming and feral cats.  Thanks to our wonderful growing group of volunteers, the operations have expanded keeping my life very busy.  I am also a Neighborhood Watch Captain and Board member of our Homeowners Association.  I love Antioch and try to give back as much as I can.

Susan Krueger

Feline Adoption Manager

I have had a passion for animals my whole life.  As a kid, though, we only had a family dog and I didn’t get to have any cats.  When I was a newlywed, my husband gave me a gift of my first cat.  My workplace frequently had cats in need, and I was glad to help them.  Then, in 2004 someone dropped off nine cats near my home.  I trapped all of the cats and paid for shots, spaying and neutering for all of them.  They moved into my house, and were socialized by my family and me.  I needed help finding them homes, so I contacted Karen Kops, and asked if I could bring them to an adoption site.  She gave the go-ahead for me to do that, those cats found new forever homes, and the rest is history.  I have been involved with HARP from its inception, helping with fund raising events, fostering cats, and now as the Feline Adoption Manager. Cats and kittens are my special love, and I’m always glad to help one, or many, in need.

Gloria Bailey

Director

Rose Marie Vasquez

Director

Susan Winkelbauer

Director

I had been feeding feral and abandoned cats in my yard and noticed one had an abscess on his face, and I wanted to help him.  I called around and found the Feral Cat Foundation and they helped me help the cat.  After that I was hooked on rescue.  I started trapping, spaying/neutering and returning cats.  Soon I encountered friendly cats and I wanted to help them find their forever homes.  I found HARP and started fostering, and I was really hooked.  I’ve been rescuing and fostering kittens and cats ever since.