Meet the Purrfect Pals Leadership Team!

Meet our Team of Talented and Passionate Cat Lovers!

Much like the cats and kittens they help us save, our employees and volunteers at Purrfect Pals are unique. Each brings different experience, talent and perspective to our team and that diversity makes us even stronger. Together we are using our passion, dedication and innovation to provide second chances for the cats and kittens in our community who need us most…

Because Every Cat Matters.

Much like the cats and kittens they help us save, our employees and volunteers at Purrfect Pals are unique. Each brings different experience, talent and perspective to our team and that diversity makes us even stronger. Together we are using our passion, dedication and innovation to provide second chances for the cats and kittens in our community who need us most… Because Every Cat Matters.

Our Staff Leadership Team

Management Staff

Our Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Join Our Board of Directors!

We are pleased to be recruiting for new Board Members to support our organization. We are looking for candidates who possess a passion for cats, leadership skills and experience and expertise in fundraising, business administration, accounting, finance, sales, marketing, law, public relations, project management or event planning.

All Board Members are expected to attend monthly Board meetings (currently held on Sundays in Brier) and actively participate on at least one committee.

If you are interested in being considered as a candidate for openings on our Board, please email your resume to our Executive Director. We look forward to hearing from you!

Learn About our Staff and Volunteer Opportunities!

Join Our Board!

We are pleased to be recruiting for new Board Members to support our organization. We are looking for candidates who possess a passion for cats, leadership skills and experience and expertise in fundraising, business administration, accounting, finance, sales, marketing, law, public relations, project management or event planning.

All Board Members are expected to attend monthly Board meetings.

If you are interested in being considered as a candidate for openings on our Board, please email your resume to our Executive Director. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Carol Lamar, CAWA, PHR
Executive Director

    I love being at Purrfect Pals because I feel like I am part of something bigger than me. I feel like I am making a difference not only in the lives of the cats but also in the people that come here.

    Susan Bark
    Operations Director

      Susan has been managing the Purrfect Pals Foster Program since she joined our team in 2006. In addition to supporting all of our wonderful foster parents and the hundreds of kitties in their care, she oversees the “Monroe Corrections Kitten and Cat Connections” Prison Foster Program and our “Furever Home” Program for foster cats with special needs. She also manages our Shelter Relocation Program, working closely with the partner animal shelters and rescue organizations who we support.

        (360) 926-8462            fostercare@purrfectpals.org

      Kelsey Kohlwes, CPB
      Finance Director
        Crystal Chiechi
        Outreach Manager

        A lifelong animal lover, I previously worked in the pet care industry for over a decade and know firsthand how a love for animals brings a community together. I started at Purrfect Pals as a volunteer then quickly realized I wanted to spend all my time with these special kitties! It is my honor to be a voice for the cats at Purrfect Pals and share their stories with the public to help them get the second chances they deserve.

        Shawnna Jonas
        Finance Assistant & Black Cat Ball Coordinator

        I have always been an animal lover, but I knew cats held a special place in my heart. I started working for Purrfect Pals after reading their story and mission statement. It was an amazing feeling to find an organization so dedicated to the animals. It warms my heart seeing all the lives we have saved. I truly believe that every cat matters.

        Robin Ralls
        Cat Care Manager
        Sierra Wharen
        Clinic Manager
        Carol Lamar, CAWA, PHR
        Executive Director

          I love being at Purrfect Pals because I feel like I am part of something bigger than me. I feel like I am making a difference not only in the lives of the cats but also in the people that come here.

          Susan Bark
          Operations Director

            Susan has been managing the Purrfect Pals Foster Program since she joined our team in 2006. In addition to supporting all of our wonderful foster parents and the hundreds of kitties in their care, she oversees the “Monroe Corrections Kitten and Cat Connections” Prison Foster Program and our “Furever Home” Program for foster cats with special needs. She also manages our Shelter Relocation Program, working closely with the partner animal shelters and rescue organizations who we support.

              (360) 926-8462            fostercare@purrfectpals.org

            Kelsey Kohlwes, CPB
            Finance Director
              Crystal Chiechi
              Outreach Manager

              A lifelong animal lover, I previously worked in the pet care industry for over a decade and know firsthand how a love for animals brings a community together. I started at Purrfect Pals as a volunteer then quickly realized I wanted to spend all my time with these special kitties! It is my honor to be a voice for the cats at Purrfect Pals and share their stories with the public to help them get the second chances they deserve.

              Shawnna Jonas
              Finance Assistant & Black Cat Ball Coordinator

              I have always been an animal lover, but I knew cats held a special place in my heart. I started working for Purrfect Pals after reading their story and mission statement. It was an amazing feeling to find an organization so dedicated to the animals. It warms my heart seeing all the lives we have saved. I truly believe that every cat matters.

              Robin Ralls
              Cat Care Manager
              Sierra Wharen
              Clinic Manager
              Whitney Whitworth, President
              FareStart
              Matthew Calnek, Vice President
              Microsoft
              Matthew Calnek, Vice President
              Orna Samuelly, Treasurer
              Alaska Airlines

                Orna adopted her cat Tona, her first cat ever, from Purrfect Pals nine years ago at Petco in Issaquah. After she passed, Orna adoption 6-year-old Liki at PetSmart Renton. She was so impressed with the volunteers at Renton PetSmart, that she decided to join them, having time during the Pandemic to help other people and cats.

                She brings 40 years management experience at large companies and consulting firms, most recently as a Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for 10 years at a national communications company.

                Heather Torretta, Secretary
                Community Volunteer

                  A ‘crazy cat lady’ to the core, Heather brings her lifelong passion for animal advocacy and community service to the Purrfect Pals board. With years of experience in service and administrative roles, she excels in organization and teamwork. Heather believes opening your heart and home to a kitty companion is a life-changing experience—not just for the cat but for the human too, and wants to share that joy. She cherishes the cats who bring happiness to her home and those whose memories remain forever in her heart—Pete, Max, Fiona, Tot, Katsu, and Mochi—who inspire her dedication to feline welfare.

                  Heather is privileged to contribute her expertise to the vital mission of Purrfect Pals. She hopes to honor Kathy Centala’s incredible legacy by supporting and advancing the organization’s life saving work within the community.

                  Shon Chaffin
                  Board Member
                  Alisha Hendren
                  Sno-Isle Libraries
                  Meg Wood
                  University of Washington
                  Remembering Kathy Centala
                  Founder of Purrfect Pals

                  It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kathy Centala, the beloved founder of Purrfect Pals. Kathy passed on August 16th, 2024.

                  Kathy was born on September 11, 1941, in Alpena, Michigan. An animal lover from a young age, in 1988 Kathy took a look around her community and saw far too many unwanted cats and kittens. The only option for these homeless cats were overcrowded shelters with high euthanasia rates. Her heart went out to abandoned cats, and she determined that no cat should be euthanized because they were unwanted.

                  Before long, Kathy was accepting stray cats at her home in Brier. Cat lovers heard about her “no-kill” policy and she quickly became “The Mother Teresa of Cats.” Soon dozens of cats became hundreds. Cat lovers volunteered to help care for the cats and raise money to feed them and get them spayed and neutered. She was at the forefront of the no-kill movement and became the face of Purrfect Pals.

                  For more than 20 years Kathy worked the night shift at the United Airlines Call Center so she would be able to care for the cats during the day, taking them to veterinary appointments and meetings with potential adopters. She made saving cats her life’s work and relied on donations to supplement her income to cover cat care. She sold hot dogs at Mariner’s games, collected donations in exchange for coffee at rest stops and sent handwritten notes to every donor.

                  In 1993 Purrfect Pals moved to its current location in Arlington, where the organization expanded to become of the nation’s most forward-thinking feline sanctuaries with hundreds of volunteers and a staff of professional employees. With a focus on helping all cats, including elderly and infirm cats and those with FIV, Purrfect Pals became a safe port in the storm for cats with special needs. Here, they could receive medical attention, care, and a place to live until they were adopted, or live at Purrfect Pals their entire lives if adoption wasn’t in the cards. All of this was due to Kathy’s vision and dedication.

                  Despite her health struggles in recent years, Kathy remained committed to Purrfect Pals and was happiest among the cats and volunteers, supporters, and friends who shared her passion. For Kathy it was always about the work itself and never about her. She lived her last days surrounded by love and friendship, knowing that she touched the lives of thousands of cats and the people who loved them. Her life’s mission continues on, and she was happy that Purrfect Pals is on the cusp of a new expanded medical clinic and other exciting projects to help felines in need. Donations in her memory can be made at https://tinyurl.com/KathysLegacy.

                  Kathy is survived by her beloved cat Tock and her several siblings, including her sisters, Maxine, Ginny and Patricia.

                  Whitney Whitworth, President
                  FareStart
                  Matthew Calnek, Vice President
                  Microsoft
                  Matthew Calnek, Vice President
                  Orna Samuelly, Treasurer
                  Alaska Airlines

                    Orna adopted her cat Tona, her first cat ever, from Purrfect Pals nine years ago at Petco in Issaquah. After she passed, Orna adoption 6-year-old Liki at PetSmart Renton. She was so impressed with the volunteers at Renton PetSmart, that she decided to join them, having time during the Pandemic to help other people and cats.

                    She brings 40 years management experience at large companies and consulting firms, most recently as a Director of Financial Planning and Analysis for 10 years at a national communications company.

                    Heather Torretta, Secretary
                    Community Volunteer

                      A ‘crazy cat lady’ to the core, Heather brings her lifelong passion for animal advocacy and community service to the Purrfect Pals board. With years of experience in service and administrative roles, she excels in organization and teamwork. Heather believes opening your heart and home to a kitty companion is a life-changing experience—not just for the cat but for the human too, and wants to share that joy. She cherishes the cats who bring happiness to her home and those whose memories remain forever in her heart—Pete, Max, Fiona, Tot, Katsu, and Mochi—who inspire her dedication to feline welfare.

                      Heather is privileged to contribute her expertise to the vital mission of Purrfect Pals. She hopes to honor Kathy Centala’s incredible legacy by supporting and advancing the organization’s life saving work within the community.

                      Shon Chaffin
                      Board Member
                      Alisha Hendren
                      Sno-Isle Libraries
                      Meg Wood
                      University of Washington
                      Remembering Kathy Centala
                      Founder of Purrfect Pals

                      It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Kathy Centala, the beloved founder of Purrfect Pals. Kathy passed on August 16th, 2024.

                      Kathy was born on September 11, 1941, in Alpena, Michigan. An animal lover from a young age, in 1988 Kathy took a look around her community and saw far too many unwanted cats and kittens. The only option for these homeless cats were overcrowded shelters with high euthanasia rates. Her heart went out to abandoned cats, and she determined that no cat should be euthanized because they were unwanted.

                      Before long, Kathy was accepting stray cats at her home in Brier. Cat lovers heard about her “no-kill” policy and she quickly became “The Mother Teresa of Cats.” Soon dozens of cats became hundreds. Cat lovers volunteered to help care for the cats and raise money to feed them and get them spayed and neutered. She was at the forefront of the no-kill movement and became the face of Purrfect Pals.

                      For more than 20 years Kathy worked the night shift at the United Airlines Call Center so she would be able to care for the cats during the day, taking them to veterinary appointments and meetings with potential adopters. She made saving cats her life’s work and relied on donations to supplement her income to cover cat care. She sold hot dogs at Mariner’s games, collected donations in exchange for coffee at rest stops and sent handwritten notes to every donor.

                      In 1993 Purrfect Pals moved to its current location in Arlington, where the organization expanded to become of the nation’s most forward-thinking feline sanctuaries with hundreds of volunteers and a staff of professional employees. With a focus on helping all cats, including elderly and infirm cats and those with FIV, Purrfect Pals became a safe port in the storm for cats with special needs. Here, they could receive medical attention, care, and a place to live until they were adopted, or live at Purrfect Pals their entire lives if adoption wasn’t in the cards. All of this was due to Kathy’s vision and dedication.

                      Despite her health struggles in recent years, Kathy remained committed to Purrfect Pals and was happiest among the cats and volunteers, supporters, and friends who shared her passion. For Kathy it was always about the work itself and never about her. She lived her last days surrounded by love and friendship, knowing that she touched the lives of thousands of cats and the people who loved them. Her life’s mission continues on, and she was happy that Purrfect Pals is on the cusp of a new expanded medical clinic and other exciting projects to help felines in need. Donations in her memory can be made at https://tinyurl.com/KathysLegacy.

                      Kathy is survived by her beloved cat Tock and her several siblings, including her sisters, Maxine, Ginny and Patricia.

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