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Staff
Andrea R., Executive Director
Andrea R., Executive Director
Andrea R., Executive Director
Hi, everyone! My name is Andrea and I'm a Dog-a-holic.
I've been actively involved in animal rescue in this community for over 16 years now. And by "actively involved" I mean that I eat, sleep, and breathe animal rescue and rehoming. It's never been just a hobby or a job for me. It's a way of life and who I am down to my very core.
I have 7 amazing children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years old who also love animals and animal rescue. Fostering, transporting, behavioral evaluation, training, and adoption events are all family activities...and I hope the family-friendly, family-focused atmosphere becomes what Faithful Friends is known for.
We here at Faithful Friends cherish the human-animal bond and the connections we make with other animal-loving people through volunteerism. I consider my pets and my friends a part of my family and I cannot be more thankful for the animals and the people I've been privileged to share my life with over the years.
I'm pretty well known for my love of greyhounds and mama dogs. And I can often be found bottle feeding and cuddling puppies.
I have many years of experience as a veterinary technician and I was the previous Executive Director of Helping Hands Pet Rescue, where I helped place over 15,000 pets into their forever homes.
I couldn't be more excited for what the future holds for Faithful Friends Pet Rescue and Rehoming!
Ashley R., Operations Manager
Andrea R., Executive Director
Andrea R., Executive Director
Hi everyone! I am Ashley and I am the Operations Manager for Faithful Friends Pet Rescue and Rehoming. I am very excited to join this energetic, animal loving and rescuing group of awesome Faithful Friends!
I have always loved animals and spent many summers in my younger days volunteering at my local veterinary clinic where I learned so much! I have been involved in the rescue community in Gainesville for a handful of years. Rescue is my passion- I eat, sleep and breathe it.
I am often tagged in all things Boxer because I love them so much, but you probably couldn’t tell at all. I currently have a houseful of rescued dogs and cats. Three of my dogs continue to give back by being canine blood donors at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine (want more info on that, please ask!).
I love taking photographs of pets and especially love watching the transformations from their first intake pictures to their happily-ever-after’s.
I am responsible the social media for Faithful Friends Pet Rescue and Rehoming and really hope to connect with fans, friends and followers to help FFPRR grow and do the most good! I am also the person that manages the online adoptions for our adoption events!
Officers
Dr. Lindsey Hidenrite, President
Dr. Lindsey Hidenrite, President
Dr. Lindsey Hidenrite, President
Hello everyone! My name is Lindsey and I'm a certified crazy cat lady.
I first started my journey in the rescue field as a volunteer and kitten foster momma in 2007 and quickly fell in love. Since then I have served many roles in various rescues, with my most recent position being the Cat Coordinator for Helping Hands Pet Rescue. I took over the volunteer position in early 2013 and am proud to say that I played a part in making it the most successful cat adoption program in Alachua County, with well over 500 cats and kittens placed in 2017.
My love for rescue led me to apply to vet school and I will be graduating with my Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in May of this year from the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. During my 4 years there, I have focused my studies on Shelter Medicine and will be receiving the Maddie's Shelter Medicine Certificate. While my post graduation plans are still up in the air, I plan on taking my education and experiences here in Alachua County's rich rescue community to areas that aren't as lucky as we are.
I am owned by 6 cats and 1 dog, all foster failures. My most recent addition is Java, who will be one of the first adoptions for Faithful Friends. She came into the program emaciated, covered in lice and missing both eyes, but has grown into a loving, playful ball of energy! I am honored and excited to add one of the first FFPRR alums to my rescue family!
I have chosen to take on this position with FFPRR, not only because of my love for rescue, but also because of the amazing group of people that make it up. I know that FFPRR will become not only a pillar in the life saving community due to pets we save, but also because of the inclusiveness and collaboration that is fostered among the animal loving people that are it's heart. They are the most passionate, loving, caring and supportive people that I have met and I'm proud to call them my Faithful Friends.
Jamie Homen, Treasurer
Dr. Lindsey Hidenrite, President
Dr. Lindsey Hidenrite, President
Hi Everyone! My name is Jamie Homen and I serve as Treasurer for Faithful Friends. Essentially, I get to deal with budgets and work on our website.
A little about myself… I am originally from Massachusetts but moved to the Gainesville area in 2015 for a new career opportunity. Before relocating I considered myself a professional student. My educational background is relatively diverse but lends value to this position.
In 2005, I completed my Bachelors Degree in IO psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft Myers, FL. I then went on to complete a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and my Masters in Business Administration at Cambridge College in Cambridge, MA.
After finishing school it was time to get a hobby to occupy some of the time I had dedicated to school. I have a passion for animals and what a better way to contribute than to work with rescues! Most recently I was volunteering with Helping Hands as an adoption counselor. I have four dogs of my own that I adore, two of which I adopted through Helping Hands.
I currently live in Nashua, NH and I am excited to be able to continue in my role from the North!
There is no greater feeling than watching an animal find their forever home. I am so excited to have this opportunity to work with an organization full of passionate people
and ensure we continue our mission of finding all animals their forever family!
Board of Directors
Natalie Isaza
Karessa Widner
Karessa Widner
Natalie Isaza is a veterinarian who graduated from UF in 1994. In 2003, after eight years in academia and in private small animal practice, she was hired at UF to start the Merial Shelter Medicine Program. Now called the Veterinary Community Outreach Program, the program provided a venue for training hundreds of veterinary students in spay/neuter, physical exams, and providing veterinary care in under resourced environments. She left UF in 2019 to devote more time to the St. Francis Pet Care clinic, a non-profit she co-founded that serves the pets of low income and homeless in our community.
Natalie shares her home with her husband and son, along with two dogs and four cats, not to mention a few chickens and cows (outside).
Karessa Widner
Karessa Widner
Karessa Widner
My name is Karessa and I have lived in Gainesville since early 2009. I am originally from Illinois and arrived in Florida after spending 7 years in Georgia; I kept moving to get out of the cold weather. I moved to Gainesville with my son, and the first dog I raised on my own, for a job opportunity. I have loved dogs my entire life, but it wasn't until I raised my own that I knew I would/could never be without at least one furever friend. That is what I hope to accomplish for others by working with the rescue.
I stumbled upon Faithful Friends in 2019, while I was looking for a dog for my son. We found her at Faithful Friends and I was so impressed with the adoption process I decided I wanted to get involved. I started volunteering at the adoption event watching over the puppies. Shortly after, I began fostering and became an adoption counselor. I now have 2 dogs I adopted from Faithful Friends and continue to foster. There is nothing better than working with the animals, then watching them flourish in their new homes. I am so grateful to be involved with this rescue.
Kerri Avera
Karessa Widner
Kerri Avera
My name is Kerri Avera. I moved to Gainesville in 1988 for college and never left. After graduating I worked for Dr. Brian Decker and Dr. Hugh Avant D.D.S till 2000 when I decided to become a stay at home mom. I have two beautiful daughters (Ashton & Ella). As a family we started fostering and volunteering at Petsmart in 2019 with Faithful Friends after losing our family dog unexpectedly. We have fostered many cats and kittens and few puppies here and there.
I currently have four cats and one dog and I share custody of Winnie a Faithful Friends alumni that Ashton adopted in 2020. At one time I had ten cats that earned me the title crazy cat lady from all my friends. I’m excited to join the Faithful Friends organization as a board member and to continue the mission of rescuing and finding animals their forever homes.