Board of Directors

Nga inherited her deep love of animals from her mom, and carries fond memories of her first shelter dog "Chicken" who was named so due to his fear of people when first arriving home. She began volunteering for the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in 2011, understanding that transformational relationships with animals can lead to positive personal, social and systemic change. Nga has engaged with nonprofits and public agencies for over 30 years in varied roles including executive director, coach and consultant, and board member throughout the Central Coast, Bay Area and beyond. She has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and Masters in Public Administration from San José State University. Please contact Nga for more information about the Foundation.

Photo: Nga with Mr. Potato Head by underdogphotostudio.com

Nancie Newby is an office administrator at Design Octaves in Soquel. She began volunteering at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in 2016, first as a dog volunteer and then helping with events benefiting the Shelter. Nancie is part of the volunteer team promoting adoptable pets, events and the Shelter's philosophy through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and was key in the SCCAS Foundation's First Place finish in the 2018 Santa Cruz Gives county-wide fundraiser. Recently honored by the SCC Board of Supervisors as an Outstanding County Volunteer, Nancie lives in the San Lorenzo Valley with her husband Brian (also a Shelter dog volunteer) and their Shelter alum dog, Elle.

Photo: Nancie with Elle by underdogphotostudio.com

A lifelong "dog person," Gary Bencomo has been a supporter of and has adopted several dogs from the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter since moving to Santa Cruz in 2006. A strong believer in giving back to our community, he also serves as President of the Board of Directors of Dientes Community Dental, has been a volunteer Docent/Naturalist with Año Nuevo State Park since 2015 and was previously on the Board of Monarch Services which provides safe housing and services for victims of domestic abuse. He was also a volunteer coach with Project Hire in San Jose helping people with disabilities develop workplace skills re-enter the workforce. Gary is a 2024 honoree of the Be the Difference Awards by the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County. After 24+ years working in high tech, he spent the last 12 years of his professional life working in the local nonprofit sector before retiring from Dientes in 2018 where he worked as Chief Human Resources Officer/Operations Director.

Photo: Gary with Stella and Lucy by underdogphotostudio.com

Kelsey is currently a Change Management Consultant at Slalom. She began volunteering at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in 2022, initially as a dog walker. Over the past year, she has also taken on the role of fostering dogs. Kelsey is an active member of the Bath team, ensuring the animals are well-groomed and cared for. Before her work with the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, Kelsey volunteered as a dog walker and fostered dogs for other local rescues. She previously worked for a Community College Foundation and was a board member for a small non-profit in Pescadero. Kelsey resides in Pescadero with her husband and their beloved shelter alum, Kane, a big, loving shepherd/mal/Doberman mix.

Photo: Kelsey with Taz by underdogphotostudio.com

Karen began volunteering at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in 2010 with her then teenaged daughter. She started with cat TLC then moved on to helping with the cat photo team, Animal Balance and Healthy Pets for All Clinics, as well as the Shelter Clinic. She's fostered many cats and kittens as well as a few rabbits and guinea pigs. She has also volunteered with Community TV, the Capitola Library and the Friends of the Capitola Library. Karen has a Bachelor of Science degree from UC Davis and has taken many accounting classes. She has worked in accounting and in several libraries. Karen lives in Soquel with her husband Keith and cats Maggie (a shelter alum) and Lizzy (a foster fail).

Photo: Karen with Chabelo by underdogphotostudio.com

Kathy Helmer became a volunteer at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter in 2010. Her life-long passion for animals was enhanced by opportunities to help the neediest animals of her community through the programs and camaraderie found at the Shelter. She is a strong advocate for the Shelter and has organized and led several fundraising activities and silent auctions at many of the Shelter's most successful events. She is a mentor for new volunteers and embraces new ways to find loving homes for the animals in the Shelter's care. Prior to volunteering, Kathy worked for local government agencies including three elected officials. Kathy lives in Ben Lomond with her husband Jim and their family of three adopted dogs and two rescued cats.

Photo: Kathy with Daisy by underdogphotostudio.com

Sarah began her experience in animal welfare as a shelter attendant in Washington state and continued as a volunteer with SF Animal Care and Control and SF SPCA, where she supported positive behavior training for shelter dogs with unhoused adolescents. She has volunteered at The Marine Mammal Center and created a prototype for a pet-friendly housing website to expand animal-friendly resources in the community. Currently a school district administrator and previous charter school founder, Sarah combines her expertise in infrastructure building and strategic planning to support shelter fundraising initiatives and animal welfare. She holds an MS in Special Education from the University of Oregon and a BA in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington. A Capitola resident, Sarah lives with her partner Malcolm and their rescue animals, Ethan the Dog and Comet the House Rabbit.

Photo: Sarah with Ethan by underdogphotostudio.com

Jing is a passionate animal advocate with extensive experience supporting animal welfare organizations. Her commitment to animal care began in 2006 while living in Minneapolis, MN, and she has since volunteered at several shelters, including the San Francisco SPCA, Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority, and Humane Society Silicon Valley, holding roles such as dog trainer, dog matchmaker, enrichment volunteer, and fundraising lead. In 2023, Jing began volunteering at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter as a dog volunteer before expanding her contributions to include dog enrichment, new volunteer training, and support for adoption events. She also spearheaded the launch of Google Ads campaigns for the shelter and the foundation to increase visibility and drive traffic to adoptions and fundraising initiatives, while also leading efforts in grant research. Jing brings valuable professional experience from the tech industry and holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Operations Management, and Psychology from Indiana University. She resides in Live Oak with her husband and their beloved rescue dog, Vida, a hound mix she saved from the streets of Mexico.

Photo: Jing with Vida by underdogphotostudio.com

Lizzy McGrath is a Santa Cruz native with a lifelong love of animals and a strong commitment to her local community. After meeting members of the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation Board at the 2025 Santa Cruz Chamber Gala, she was inspired to get involved. She soon began volunteering with the Shelter, working with cats and training to join the dog TLC team. Her hands-on experience has strengthened her belief in the vital role open-admission shelters play—not only in caring for animals in crisis, but in supporting people through education, outreach, and accessible resources. Professionally, Lizzy is a Loan Portfolio Manager at a top-rated community bank, where she supports the financial health of local businesses and nonprofits. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, an MBA in Finance, and associate degrees in Business Administration and Economics. She's proud to support the Foundation's mission of funding vital programs that protect animals, families, and the broader community.

Photo: Lizzy with Bonny by underdogphotostudio.com

Sally Wing has been co-owner of Blue Heron Design Group, a Santa Cruz graphic design business, since 1998. She previously served on the board of directors of the Friends of Santa Cruz County Animals. She was an active dog volunteer, serving as a trainer for new dog volunteers in addition to her dog walking duties. Both she and her business partner Jenny Sandrof have contributed extensive pro bono design work for the Shelter, including logo design, website design, informational materials, and promotional materials.

Photo: Sally with Otto by underdogphotostudio.com