Meet the PAWS Foster Team
Jan 31, 2021
Every year, thousands of the animals that come to PAWS spend part of their rescue journey in foster homes. Whether they’re healing from an injury or illness, growing older until they’re ready for adoption, or just need a break from shelter life, foster homes are absolutely vital to the PAWS mission. Meet the team that keeps this PAWS foster program running!
Jamie Gay
For the past seven years, Jamie, Director of Intake & Foster, has overseen every part of the foster and intake programs, from supporting staff and fosters to figuring out the foster needs and intake capabilities of PAWS Chicago. While it’s always gratifying helping animals in need, the best parts of her job go back to the people! “We know that it takes a village to give these animals everything that they need,” said Jamie, “and we could not do it without such committed and loving foster homes.”
Since being at PAWS, Jamie’s helped the program grow into the well-rounded community of foster families it is today. Some of the most vulnerable homeless animal populations, like neonatal kittens, now have a full team of foster families behind them and ready to help. Jamie said, “Neonatal kittens were what I typically fostered because we didn’t have a robust group of people willing to foster, [but] I'm now just a backup person – and I couldn't be prouder to be on this back up team.” Here’s to everything this incredible network of animal lovers has in store for 2021!
Brian Zeman
Brian is the Assistant Director of the PAWS Adoption/Foster program! His main responsibility is to help the overlooked underdogs (and cats) at our Lincoln Park Adoption Center find foster homes until they’re adopted.
Brain says, “Without a doubt my favorite part of the job is when long-term, harder to place animals get adopted by their foster families. When I have a foster tell me they’re adopting their dog/cat, especially if they’ve been fostering for a long time, it makes my week!” And he’s speaking from experience–Brian himself is a two time foster fail, first with his three-legged Boxer, Larry, who passed in April of 2019, then with Roger, who’s just days away from celebrating his two-year Gotcha Day anniversary!
Paige Barrish
Paige Barrish, a PAWS Foster Coordinator, is one of the Foster team matchmakers! For almost a year and a half, she’s been responsible for matching foster pets with potential foster homes based on each animals’ needs and lending support along the way.
Paige said the best part of her job is getting to see foster cats and dogs progress in their PAWS journeys – “There really is no better feeling than seeing a scared shut down dog or cat blossom into the happy, loving animal they were always meant to be.” Plus, she can’t forget the “most wonderful coworkers [she’s] ever had the pleasure of working with.” Together, Paige and her husband have fostered 15 dogs and, with so much love for pets in need, that’s just the beginning.
Tarra Gilliand
Meet Tarra! She’s a Relief Foster Coordinator, which means she steps in when the foster team needs an extra hand with appointments, emails, or animal care. Since starting at PAWS, she’s transitioned to this part-time position and is still so vital to the foster team. Tarra says “I love it there so much, I refused to leave. What I look forward to the most, outside of being with the animals, is just the company of being around others that have the love and compassion for animals the way I do.”
When she’s not helping the sick and injured animals at the PAWS Medical Center, you can find her dancing around her living room with Boo, her second foster fail, much to Boo’s chagrin.
Erica Brower
Erica’s a Foster Coordinator and one of Chicago’s newest residents: she moved to the city from New Jersey just over a year ago! After completing an internship with the PAWS Foster program this past summer, she fell in love with it and was hired full-time as a Foster Coordinator.
As a Foster Coordinator, she supports the foster process every step of the way, from helping to care for PAWS foster animals and assessing their needs to finding foster families that are a great fit. Erica says, “My favorite part of the job is the foster pick-up appointments, especially for first time foster families! I love seeing the excitement in their eyes.”
Sarah Tulicki
Meet Sarah, a PAWS Foster Coordinator and the newest member of the PAWS foster team! Like Erica, she’s responsible for helping match foster parents with animals in need. Whether they need fostering for socialization, illness or injury recovery, or just a loving home to take a break from shelter life, Sarah finds their perfect foster families.
Sarah says her favorite part of the job “is seeing how much the animals love their fosters! Foster cats and dogs don't know they are being fostered, all they know is that they can trust this person they are with.” Her love for helping animals doesn’t stop at cats or dogs–the most challenging animal she’s taken care of were orphaned baboon babies in Namibia, Africa!
Mary Ennis
Mary’s another wonderful Foster Coordinator at PAWS! Since May, she’s helped care for the animals at the PAWS Medical Center, place them into foster homes, and answer any questions or medical concerns foster parents might have. “Our foster parents are amazing,” says Mary, “we want to support them in any way we can!” Mary’s even fostered two PAWS pups of her own, Buzz and Vegas! When she’s older, she hopes to have her own pet pig and plenty of pups.
If you want to help the PAWS Foster team and foster pets, consider donating some much-needed items from our PAWS Chicago Amazon Wish List!