APS Leadership
Leah Santelli – Director of Lifesaving Programs
Leah started at the Animal Protection Society of Durham in 2005. She has held many positions within the shelter, including Adoption Counselor, Front Desk Lead, Veterinary Technician and Assistant Shelter Manager. She currently works as the Shelter Operations Manager, overseeing the daily functions of the shelter as well as central programs including Adoptions, Redemptions, Community Spaying & Neutering, Microchipping, Safety Net and Outreach.
Kevin ‘Skipp’ Morgan – Director of Facilities and Animal Husbandry
Skipp came to APS 19 years ago, making a career transition after 12 years of professional truck driving led him to desire a career where he could make a difference in his community. He started as a Kennel Technician and worked his way up to Kennel Manager. In his current position, Skipp supervises all of the animal technicians who provide daily care and safe housing for the animals. He also serves as facility manager for the entire shelter.
Dr. Samantha Zurlinden – Director of Animal Well-Being
Dr. Zurlinden (“Dr. Z”) is a Colorado native and moved to Durham in 2016 with her husband and pets. She has a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Colorado State University. During college, she worked as an animal care technician at her local shelter. After graduating, she worked as a zookeeper for 7 years before deciding to return to shelter work. Once she moved to North Carolina, she decided to pursue veterinary school with the goal of becoming a shelter veterinarian. She graduated from NC State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. Since graduating, she has worked for Guilford County Animal Services and the SPCA of Wake County. She has a special interest in behavioral medicine and the link between animals’ physical and mental health. She is skilled at high quality/high volume spay/neuter and TNVR. She is also dedicated to helping progress the field of shelter medicine and frequently works with veterinary students and externs. She lives with her husband, two young boys, 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 3 guinea pigs. She doesn’t have much free time, but when she does, she loves hiking (especially at the Eno!), being outside, and reading.
Larissa Chantell – Foster Program & Volunteer Manager
Larissa joined our team in 2016 as an Adoption Counselor where she learned all of the details associated with the workings of the shelter, the complexity of working with pet owners in need, and the importance of providing community resources to keep pets in their homes. She also became very familiar with the various rescue organizations that also serve animals in need and how to expand that program. In 2019, Larissa was promoted to her current position. Larissa’s experience as an Adoption Counselor provided her the opportunity to get to know our current volunteers and they her. Now at APS she manages our 1,000+ active volunteers and facilitates our foster placement program to provide animals with the extra care they need to help them find new homes.
Colleen Reilly – Events & Communications Manager
Colleen joined the APS staff in 2025. After 15 years volunteering in animal welfare, including as a dog walker and foster for APS, she was thrilled to have the opportunity to do this important work full-time. Her responsibilities at APS include managing our website and social media channels, outbound marketing and outreach, and serving as the organizer for our many community events.
Colleen fell in love with North Carolina (and Durham in particular!) when she went to college here. After spending many years in San Francisco, working mostly in product marketing for technology and CPG companies, she returned to Durham in 2012 and became a licensed clinical social worker. Most of her work in the field involved direct care with people in marginalized communities, such as people living with severe mental illness and people experiencing homelessness.
She likes to say that she comes by this work honestly: She and her partner have four dogs and four cats, all from shelters and rescues, and there’s usually at least one foster in the mix as well! The house can be chaotic, but it’s always full of love.
Megan Whitney – Behavior Manager
Megan has always been passionate about animal care and welfare. She joined the APS volunteer community in 2017, walking dogs, socializing cats, and helping with the behavior department. She transitioned to staff in 2019 as Behavior Assistant where she grew her passion for behavioral health and compassionate care in the shelter world. She currently manages all aspects of the behavior department at APS focusing on expanding our animal enrichment program and providing community support to adopters. Her work has directly translated to improving the mental and physical health of our shelter animals and helping pet owners and adopters who experience challenges with their pets. She enables pets to remain in their homes rather than being surrendered because of solvable issues.
Meet the Animal Protection Society of Durham
Board of Directors!
Robert Felder – Board Chair
Robert joined the APS Board in July 2021. Robert’s experiences in the Software IT Industry span 40+ years with IBM Corporation as a Systems Engineer and Software Sales & Business Transformation leader. Robert’s early involvement with APS was working on the Development Committee’s Tails at Twilight Gala. As a pet owner for many years, Robert hopes to help raise awareness of the great animal care that APS provides. Robert is also a volunteer Advisor with Executive Service Corp of the Triangle and is actively involved in providing business and technology services to nonprofit organizations. Outside of volunteering and other work activities, Robert enjoys woodworking projects and relaxing at the beach.
Natalia Siegel – Secretary
Natalia joined the APS of Durham as a board member in January 2021, after volunteering on the Development Committee for a year. As a Donor Engagement Officer with Triangle Community Foundation, Natalia brings with her a background in fundraising and non-profit programming. After moving to Durham in 2015 from DC, Natalia fell in love with how dog-friendly the Bull City was and adopted two of her own: Pop and Brutus. When not playing or snuggling with her pups, Natalia participates in a book club, loves trying all the great food that Durham has to offer, and visiting her native New York.
Michael Stimpfel – Board Treasurer
Michael joined the APS of Durham Board of Directors in 2021 and currently serves as Treasurer. He is the Chief Financial Officer of OneGoal, a national education nonprofit, where he leads finance, accounting, operations, and legal functions in support of the organization’s long-term impact and scale. Michael began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young and has spent the past decade in senior finance and operations roles across education-focused nonprofits. He holds an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Outside of work, Michael is a proud dog dad to two goofy rescue pups and enjoys exploring Durham’s trails, traveling, discovering new restaurants, and playing intramural sports.
Joe Philipose
Joe has lived in Durham on and off for 20 years and feels like it’s his home. Professionally, he’s an attorney by training and has been in the bioPharma industry for more than 20 years. He’s been connected to animal welfare organizations for many years as a volunteer and supporter before joining the APS board in 2022. He and his wife have had numerous rescue animals, including one from APS, and currently have one dog and one cat that their lives revolve around. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Alexis Joynes
Alexis W. Joynes has loved animals, dogs especially, her whole life. Her first dog at age 6, La Chienne Sable, was her first introduction to “true love.” Alexis is a dedicated animal lover and advocate. Having volunteered with APS since 2021 and serving as a board member since 2024, Alexis has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of pets in need.
Alexis brings a rich background in communications to her role, having spent seven years in the dynamic world of TV news before transitioning to her current position as Communications Director of a local nonprofit organization. Her experience in effectively conveying messages and engaging audiences has proven invaluable in furthering APS’s mission and outreach efforts.
When she’s not busy championing animal welfare causes, you’ll often find Alexis in her garden or enjoying quality time with her APS alum, Kayla the Dog Model Chihuahua. She also dedicates her weekends to participating in APS outreach events, tirelessly spreading awareness about responsible pet ownership and the importance of adoption.
Allison Chan
Allison joined the Board of APS of Durham in 2020 after volunteering with the APS Tails at Twilight gala committee for two years. She served as Chair of the Board of APS from 2021 to 2023. Allison believes that all animals deserve a loving home and proper care and is dedicated to supporting the Durham community in this effort. Professionally, Allison is an attorney and Managing Partner at Margaret W. Wong and Associates. She practices exclusively federal immigration law nationwide. She has volunteered and served on various boards as a part of her passion for civic engagement, community care, and protective vulnerable populations. Outside of her career and volunteerism, Allison is enjoys spending time with her family; she is a foodie, a wanderlust, and an animal lover at heart.
Brooke Wilson
Brooke Wilson has called Durham home for more than two decades, building both her career and a deep commitment to the community she proudly serves. Guided by the belief that every animal deserves safety, compassion, and a loving home, she is honored to support the lifesaving mission of APS of Durham.
An accomplished entrepreneur and multi-unit franchise owner, Brooke brings extensive experience in strategic leadership, operational excellence, and financial stewardship — strengths that help advance APS’s long-term sustainability and impact. She believes business success carries a responsibility to give back, and she has intentionally dedicated her time and philanthropy to causes that strengthen the community for both people and animals.
Brooke is also a passionate mentor and advocate within the franchise industry, helping aspiring business owners pursue entrepreneurship while supporting policies that encourage responsible growth. Yet it is her personal connection to animal welfare, inspired by the rescue pets who have enriched her own life, that most deeply fuels her service.
She is proud to serve on the APS board, pairing her leadership experience with heartfelt compassion to help create a future where every animal is protected, every adoption begins a new story, and more families experience the extraordinary bond between people and pets.
Jillian Sergio
Jillian Sergio is an animal welfare professional with a strong history in animal sheltering and nonprofit program management. Her experience includes leadership roles at shelters in Louisiana and Colorado, where she strengthened operations, supported frontline teams, and advanced community-centered programs for people and pets.
In her current work with SPARC (Supporting People & Animal Relationships for Change), Jillian draws on her sheltering experience to help strengthen the animal care and well-being field through thoughtful communication, practical tools, and collaborative learning. She is passionate about approaches that center dignity, build trust with communities, and create sustainable change for both animals and the people who care for them.
Jillian is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) and currently lives in Durham with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a cat.
Roshna Bala Keen
Roshna Bala Keen is a partner at Loevy & Loevy, a civil rights law firm based in Chicago. She represents wrongfully convicted individuals across the country, as well as incarcerated individuals who have experienced governmental abuse in jails and prisons. Roshna is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer and has been privileged to represent many different pro bono clients, including animal rights organizations, over the years. She has also taught animal law seminars at the University of Chicago Law School.
Roshna has had a lifelong interest in animal welfare issues and a fascination with the natural world. In 2018, she and her family moved from Chicago to North Carolina, where they adopted their dogs Chewy, Candy, and Fenton. Roshna joined the APS Board in 2026 and is honored to support the APS mission of helping stray, abandoned, and neglected animals receive the care and love they deserve.
