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Lillie Goodrich
Founder, Executive Director, President

Affiliation: 
President/CEO, Goodrich & Partners, Morris NY

Reviewing a career of work usually leads you to write a pretty standard biography of experiences but now that we're here, committed to the Farm, the past is barely relevant to who we really are, day to day.  Gone are the schedules and timelines, meeting other people's needs; gone are the political agendas manufactured to suit someone's ego; gone are the pressure cooker environments where everything is critical yet totally out of proportion....  instead, what I experience with Farm work is far more gentle, yet more demanding in a very different way.  We are literally now working 24/7, not because of the internet, but because animals need you up by 6am, filling their tummies and back out at 8pm, for a final piece of business.  In between, these living, loving creatures lure you into being with them as much as possible.  Their bark for attention is so honest, so direct (unlike the business world) and so easily handled...they just want to be with you. 

Some people tell me they are jealous of our life's work, they've always wanted to do it themselves.  I find that so interesting because I always carried this dream within me but I vowed to actually DO IT, not dream it which means both John and I had to walk away from all security, from everything we ever knew, in order to DO IT.   We sold our Ct home, took the proceeds and poured into the farm.  There has been no large fund of money to pull from, just our the money from that house.  Most people would never take this kind of risk.  So, while some may feel envious, we have to chuckle because what we've done is put ourselves in complete jeopardy in order to act on this desire. Not for the faint-hearted or security conscious, this is a decision to align our careers with our life's purpose, rather than wait for when we had the money or the time... those never come, as dreamers sadly know.

Our days are now filled with barking, crying dogs; continual calls and emails about dogs, adopting and giving them up; promotional efforts and mailings; fund-raising efforts and of course, operational farm work, which is a continual process of creation and repair each and every day.  So, here we sit, on the edge of a cliff, trusting something far greater than ourselves to guide us.  Why? Because it has.  Call it divine intervention, call it a deep  knowing, call it trust and faith...no matter what it's called, both John and I answered the call and here we are.  So, what gave us the courage to get to this point? Some simple facts from the past might help fill out the picture.

My background has been full of creation - everything from scratch, original ideas becoming a reality - twenty years experience in highly competitive industries  - television, advertising, and marketing, acting as a catalyst for innovative projects, leading multi-million dollar projects for Fortune 500 companies (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lexus, Maybelline Cosmetics), television broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Time-Warner) and international businesses - also working as a Management Consultant, versed in the psychology of motivation, time management, sales skills and leadership development.  I graduated from the University of Maryland with a Journalism degree but ended chasing the glamour of television.

Three years ago (prior to rescue), I combined my creative background with 14 years of my own extensive personal growth work to offer expertise as an 'intuitive coach' and founded Goodrich & Partners.  I assist individuals and executives in decision making and transitions to enable them to trust themselves and their intuition in order to create whatever they desire.  Trained in energy work, intuitive communication and spiritual development, my approach is deeply transformative, as well as practical.  My book, The Little Book of Everyday Soul, is to be published this fall.

While glamorous projects have been exciting and working intimately with individuals has been very fulfilling, ,my real inner passion had always been to assist animals.  Ever since the age of five, I'd dreamt of helping animals who were hurt, abandoned or uncared for. In fact, I prayed every night for the safe-keeping of those in danger. My own 'inner-tuning' led to an intuitive relationship with border collies who's sharp focus and instinctive brilliance is well-noted in the dog world.  This breed tunes into the people and situations around them in order to understand what's needed. Finally, the dogs led me to my life's work.

That 'calling' led me to co-found Glen Highland Farm with life partner, John Andersen.  As Executive Director, I am channeling my intuition into matching border collies with new guardians, as well as utilizing my professional experience to oversee the day-to-day rescue operation and affiliated programs.  I am trained as an Animal Communicator, studying with the renown Penelope Smith and also versed in Tellington Touch as well as other holistic approaches.

I am sincerely committed to assisting this highly intuitive breed of dogs and relate to them on a deep spirit level.  My connection to their capacity to heal and transform people is profound.  As a Native American, I am drawn to the land of Glen Highland Farm to birth a vision where nature, animals and children join and bond in the energy of unconditional love so that healing may unfold. 


John Andersen 
Founder, Co-Director Camp Border Collie for Kids, Treasurer

Affiliation: 
President/CEO, Genesis Consulting, Morris, NY

"Those who bring any of God's creatures into the shelter of compassion and love, 
will always deal likewise with their
fellow  human beings".

John has been the CEO of six different major US corporations over a period of 20+ years ranging in size from small ($10 million) to large ($1 billion +) in a broad range of industries.  He is a graduate of Northwestern University (BS) and has a widely diverse business background including advertising, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution, finance, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, new product development, and capital formation.

John is currently the President and Founder of GENESIS CONSULTING (management consulting) and a co-founder of Glen Highland Farm in Morris, New York.  With Executive Director, Lillie Goodrich, John shares in the overall operation of GHF and the functional responsibilities of the Border Collie rescue operation including evaluation, rehabilitation, training and adoption.  He heads up the Border Collie Camp for kids  program and is an active participant in the regular teaching and leadership activities of that camp.

John has been a long-term outdoor activist and a long-term "dog-person".  He has had and trained more than 20 personal companion dogs and became a border collie enthusiast more than 15 years ago during his travels to Scotland,  Ireland and the Western US.  His outdoor skills were honed during a ten-year period of annual wilderness pack trips to Alaska, Canada, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado.  John is a skilled and active participant in a wide range of outdoor activities including fly-fishing, scuba diving, hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, cross country skiing, and golf.

He has traveled extensively throughout world cultures and is a gifted teacher and coach.  In the 90', John spent several years absorbed in the study of Eastern religion and philosophy and is today a practicing Buddhist continuing his study with masters Lama Surya Das and Thay Thich Nhat Hanh.  John is a member of IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) and ICT (International Campaign for Tibet).


CAMERON ANDERSEN, 
a founder

Now, 18 years old, Cameron began working in rescue at age 11, helping us with every dog that came into our home in Connecticut, whether it be in transport, training or day to day interactions.  He helped birth Sweet Border Collie Rescue.

He continues to do the same here at the Farm, except his role is even more critical and helpful due to the volume of dogs and the tremendous needs of managing the Farm.  He's become adept at helping his father, John, in the fields as well as in building, painting and maintenance of all the equipment on the Farm.  He continues to better his dog skills in working with Lillie, his stepmother, assisting her with each of the rescue dogs.  

Cameron's transformed from a loving animal person to a talented and seasoned dog person, responding to behavioral issues, emotional dog needs and in evaluating appropriate homes.  He also works diligently with us at promotional events, answering questions, giving out brochures and sharing the story of Glen Highland Farm.   An important asset to the rescue program, he is so committed that he donated $306 of his own savings to help the dogs. 

Both John and I feel his energy, enthusiasm and caring will help create and sustain the Farm for many years to come.


Gina Garrubbo - 
Vice President

Affiliation: 
CEO, Co-Founder
Natural Beauty Innovations, LLC

Executive Vice President www.blogher.com 

For the past six years, Gina has helped raise the funds to send hundreds of inner city children to the Camp Border for Kids summer program.  “I am honored and thrilled to be a part of such an innovative program.  It is a life-changing experience for both dogs and children.”

Garrubbo is the CEO of  Natural Beauty Innovations, LLC™ which has created Terralina™, terralina.com a luxurious line of skin care products, made without harsh or potentially harmful ingredients.  Terralina’s mission is to provide high quality skin care, and to educate consumers about what they are putting on the skin, as it is what goes into the body.  In addition, the company is committed to environmentally sensitive business practices such as under-packaging, and the use of recycled, recyclable and  reusable materials.

Prior to Natural Beauty Innovations, Garrubbo was one of the builders of women.com, one of the first websites for consumers, and managed advertising sales divisions of media companies such as Discovery Communications and Oxygen Media.

Gina is most recently the Executive Vice President  of www.blogher.com - "The Community for Women that Blog"

Garrubbo holds a BA from Wells College and resides in North Jersey with her daughter.


Colin Kagel - 
Co-Director Camp Border Collie for Kids, 
Vice President

Affiliation: 
President/CEO, C.T. Kagel & Associates, Middletown CT

Colin has been a senior corporate executive at Norwest Corporation, Air Products, and Pfizer Corporation.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (B.S.) George Washington University (M.S.) and the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power School.  He has a distinguished military career with the U.S. Marine Corps and as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Nuclear Submarine program.

Colin is currently President of C.T. Kagel and Associates, Inc. (management consulting) and the owner/manager of the Bishops Gate Inn in East Haddam, CT.  He states that he is "owned" by his three German Shorthair Pointers -- Larney, Dutch and Raider, who share him with the rest of the family at their Inn on the Connecticut River.

Colin has had a lifetime relationship with dogs.  He has bred, raised, rescued, and trained dogs professionally for more than 40 years.  In his early work with Labrador Retrievers in field trials, he would commonly handle as many as 30 dogs at one time.  More recently, Colin has focused his "dog-time" in training and field trials with German Shorthair Pointers throughout the mid-west.

Children have also been an important focus.  In addition to raising his two grown sons, he has been a working guide and counselor at summer camps for inner-city children.  Colin transferred his extensive naval experience and love of sailing to the creation of sailing camps to introduce inner-city children to the nautical out-of-doors.  While a senior executive at  Pfizer, he led the establishment of an "alternate education system" for high school children and rescued scores of potential dropouts from an overcrowded and strained environment.

Active in local, state, and federal government, Colin was the Chairman of the Minneapolis Private Industry Council, a Board Member of local Red Cross and United Way and has served on numerous state and city task forces on employment and job development.


Cindy Rollins - 
Website Director; National Intake Director

Affiliation: 
President, Business Computer Resources, Northfield NJ

Cindy has been an executive in computer sales, service, and training for over 20 years.  She is currently President of Business Computer Resources, Inc., a computer sales and service company based in New Jersey.   Prior to establishing this business, her management skills were utilized by ComputerLand Corporation, Inc. to oversee franchise operations and increase profitability in various locations throughout New England, including New York, Rhode Island and New Jersey.

Cindy has been certified as an instructor in conflict resolution and teamwork training and has consulted with many New Jersey corporations in an effort to instill empathy and tolerance in the work place.

An involved member of the community, Cindy has volunteered at local shelters, participated in programs through Girl Scouts of America and served as vice-president of the local school board spending countless hours organizing fundraising events and raising parent awareness to the technology needs of children.

Animals have always been a part of her life.  Even as she relocated throughout her career, her dog (sometimes a parakeet, gerbil, lizard or fish), always moved with her.  After spending the last eight years putting her husband through medical school and raising 2 wonderful children, she found a life-altering connection to the border collie and has completely embraced the vision of Glen Highland Farm.   Her strong commitment to creating a better quality of life for the unwanted, has enriched her family with the addition of Sami and Dart, two Border Collie rescue dogs adopted last year.

Realizing the strong impact of dogs in our environment, Cindy brings Sami and Dart to her office where they are a strong positive influence for her co-workers and customers as well.  No better way to start the day than to be greeted by a wagging tail!


Dr. Margot Unkel 

Affiliation: 
Assistant Director and Treasurer of Spring Farm CARES

Dr. Margot Unkel is currently an Assistant Director and Treasurer of Spring Farm CARES animal sanctuary/educational facility. Before that, she  taught recreation and park management at Texas A & M and Ithaca College, and was Assistant Research Professor at the University of Washington College of Forest Resources. She also spent 8 years with IBM as a Systems Engineer, and with Boise Cascade as a Management Consultant. Along the way she co-founded Service Dogs, Inc., in Oakland California, and Animals in Distress, a wildlife rehabilitation organization in Boise, Idaho. During an eight-year period she was a volunteer at the Idaho Humane Society, acting variously as treasurer, vice-President and President, while also creating their computerized animal shelter management system, and writing important surveys. 

Dawn Hayman

Affiliation: 
C
ofounder and Vice President of Spring Farm CARES

Dawn Hayman is cofounder and Vice President of Spring Farm CARES animal sanctuary/educational facility.  She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a B.S. in Social Work. She was a T.T.E.A.M. practitioner and professional hypnotists before founding Spring Farm CARES in 1991. Dawn was in her last semester of training for a career in Social Work when she became disenchanted with that system and nearly quit college. She was persuaded to stay, and did graduate, Summa Cum Laude, but, after graduation, she turned her back on Social Work and came to work at Spring Farm as a gardener! In 1987 she joined her employer, Bonnie Reynolds, as a TT.E.A.M. Practitioner and full partner in the running of the farm. 

In 1989, she began to share her abilities in animal communication  with the world.  In more than 15,000 phone and face-to-face consultations, she has served over 6000 clients, talked to over 25,000 animals, given close to 200 workshops at Spring Farm and around the country – and is accounted one of the foremost Interspecies Communicators in the world.


A FRIENDS OF THE FARM SALUTE

The following people work tirelessly 24/7 to help with rescue working on intake of new dogs or fostering. We are deeply grateful for their help and loving hearts. Each of them continues to make a tremendous difference to so many dogs. 

 

CINDY ROLLINS is our web designer and host and has generously offered thousands upon thousands of hours to help the Farm since its inception, with the site itself, transport, fostering and at promotional events. She is a true Friend of the Farm, a mighty champion for dogs all over the country, willing to find any solution at any time to help any dog in need. She covers the state of New Jersey, responding to every email and phone call and even in person, spreading the offer to help. She juggles a full time business, two children and husband along with three wonderful 
dogs, Dart, Brit and Sashi and carries the memory forever in her heart of Sami, the first dog rescued at GHF.
ANN GARDNER covers the entire state of PA, volunteering her time and energy to help dogs in need. She came to the Farm to volunteer one weekend and then adopted Stella who she met in the barn that day. She felt drawn to offer her help and signed on for the challenging daily task of responding to the huge state of Pennsylvania. Ann even readily travels long distances to transport car loads of dogs stuck in the western part of the state where we have little help. She also fostered a number of dogs and found additional foster homes with her neighbors who later adopted their foster dogs and then she herself adopted Bandit, now
known as Brendan. Ann lives in CT with two wonderful Border Collies, while caring for her mother and helping out hundreds of other dogs.
DONNA DEAL oversees New York, upstate and city, volunteering countless hours day and night, juggling her family life, in order to help dogs in need. She came to the Farm to adopt Billie now Tillie and agreed to come onboard with her skills to help other dogs find their loving forever homes, too. She transported numerous dogs to the Farm which she continues to do and now, adds the car and the computer to her tool kit of canine care. She is tireless in her desire to be of help, willing to tackle any challenge, making a huge difference for countless dogs.  
Donna lives in upstate NY with two wonderful dogs, Billie and Arrow, her son and husband, committed to aiding the Farm's mission.
STACY PEIOS keeps a watchful eye on classified listings for dogs in need, rounding out our ability to respond wherever a dog pops up. Her persistence in follow up has meant that many Border Collies came to the safe haven of the Farm rather than being given away carelessly or unknowingly to the wrong home. Persuasive in educating those she talks with, Stacy advocates the benefits of rescue which means the dogs have a lifetime of protection rather than being abandoned again for a mismatch. She juggles her full-time grooming work with helping
the dogs as well as fostering special cases that arise and transporting. She lives with three Border Collies, Sprite, Skittles and Zainey, the wonderful rescue pup who captured both she and her husband's heart.
FOSTER CARE
PAT TOOMEY started fostering for the Farm years ago when she opened her home and heart. Dozens of dogs later, Pat has been with the Farm the longest, almost from the inception. She continues to provide a remarkable place of healing, filled with love and patience, giving certain dogs just the place to find who they want to be again. Her love has made a difference to many challenging dogs who now happily live in loving homes. Pat juggles a full time occupation as a nurse with her own family 
and four dogs, Buddy, Casey, Annie and a foster dog - she has rarely been without one! She chuckles at the fact that even her non-dog husband, Tim, now loves having visiting dogs.
ELLEN SIMCIK carries the large area of Pittsburgh on her shoulders as she continually opens her home to foster dogs in need. Dog after dog after dog pops up in her area and she always says "yes" to helping. After dozens of dogs, including eight puppies from a foster dog surprise, she is still smiling and ready to do more. She teaches dog training in her area so also gives her rescues a chance to build new skills and confidence, making them happy and ready for new lives. Ellen juggles her 'real' work and life with her husband, Andy, and dogs, Ranger, Mia, and Sydney - 2 fosters that never left!

JUDI BUNGE is forever full of rescue dogs, for the Farm and her local SPCA in Buffalo, NY. A complete dog lover, she and her husband, Andy who works at the SPCA, are very committed to helping dogs in need. They are always willing to foster at a moment's notice and often times, have two or more dogs for the Farm, juggling without any complaint. An amazing contribution, Judi kindly agreed to foster and has made a huge difference to dozens of dogs. They happily include the rescues in agility, training and lots of fun in their home life, loving them as if they were there own. Of course, three fosters won their hearts so now Ramsay, Pickles and Haylee joined their family forever, along with a gang of others.

HEATHER HILSON understands the Border Collie since Scotland is her homeland, so once she realized the Farm was only a few minutes away from her home, she signed up for helping. She took on some special cases for rehab and behavior work, as well as the senior dogs that need a quieter place to be, rather than the chaos of young dogs usually at the Farm. She lovingly fostered a dozen dogs and fell in love with two she just couldn't let go, Carson and Sammy, who now share life with she and her husband, Jim. They are about to move to a larger home with more room to guess what...take in more 
rescues!! Heather lives in upstate NY, near the Farm and heartily wants to help.
A very special thanks to our other fosterers who kindly opened their homes over and over and over again to help the dogs, until they just couldn't let one or two of them go and  then had no more space for fostering (thanks to zoning). They continue to support the Farm with funds, ideas and time at promotional events and we are forever thankful for all the dogs they helped.

Ginny & Mike Cappello,  Martha Rochelle & Hartley Mead,  Deb & Michael Norman,
Kim & Todd Siemens,  Amanda & Paul Mezick


THE ON-SITE TEAM
Susan Monnelly moved from New Hampshire to be our first Canine Caretaker, a full-time onsite rescue person to assist Lillie in the barn. 

She works day in and day out, making  sure all the rescue dogs are in superb health and very well loved. She lives at The Connor House and cares for 4-6 rescue dogs with special needs as well as her own five canine friends. 


Kay DeFlumere joined the team of canine caretakers after many years of seeing the rescue dogs come in and out of the vet office where she was then working. Always giving special attention to GHF dogs, it was no surprise that when a spot opened at the Farm, she joined us. Kay lives close to the Farm with her husband, daughter and a number of German Shepherds since she is very involved in GSD rescue, too! Her skills from vet work as well as rescue work have proven a perfect fit for the Farm as she joins us part-time, assisting with all that needs to be done. 

Cat Gareth heard about the Farm through one of our volunteers, Dana Rice, who comes every Saturday rain or shine. Dana knew that Cat had all the skills needed to be one of our caretakers and as they say, the rest of history. Cat had previously worked at a management level at the SPCA in Cooperstown and also ran her own boarding facility so she transferred all that knowledge to rescue. New to Border Collies, Cat fell in love with the breed and adopted Paddy, a bc-aussie 
and now joins us part-time to help with all the dogs on-site. She is presently creating a new program to help unwanted dogs avoid the shelter stay by being adopted HOME to HOME. We'll share the website shortly. Cat and her husband live nearby with their own beloved furry pack. 

Dana Rice simply raised her hand to offer time each week to help out and now is one of our main Friends of the Farm. We see her every Saturday where she lends a hand with cleaning, dog grooming, walking, adoptions and anything and everything we need to have done that morning. 

She of course fell in love with Blue, a bc-aussie, who came through the doors and quickly went right out to her home! Dana and her husband live nearby with a pack of furry friends. 


Anne Tandle joined the Farm as the Administrative Assistant, working day by day to help handle all the office duties, including donations, camps, adoptions and accounting. 

We are thrilled to have her with us! 


Abbie Tamber kindly volunteers her services training the rescue dogs to help build their confidence and stimulate their minds, now in a better environment at the Farm. 

We really appreciate Abbie's help. 

She also teaches agility at The Canine Country Camp every summer. She is a wonderful Friend of the Farm. 


 

Contact the Farm sweetbcrescue@citlink.net
217 Pegg Rd, Morris, NY 13808  (607)263-5415