Officers

In addition to its volunteer corps, APA!’s leadership includes accomplished professionals in the fields of nonprofit management, marketing, government, law, fundraising, animal behavior and veterinary medicine. We have been implementing small scale projects to help Austin’s pets, pet owners, and shelters since 1997.

Ellen Jefferson, DVM (Executive Director)

Dr. Jefferson joined Austin Pets Alive! in 2008 and began applying best practices in efficiency and operations to resolve Austin’s problem of killing thousands of healthy and treatable pets each year. Within the first year of her leadership, Austin Pets Alive! reduced the killing of homeless cats and dogs in Austin by more than 20%, with the downward trend continuing and Austin reaching a 91% save rate for 2011.

Ellen’s experience with EmanciPET, which she founded in 1999 and directed for nine years, had already made her a leader nationally as well as in Austin’s animal welfare community. Before that she worked nights as an emergency room veterinarian and days volunteering at the local animal shelter. She graduated from Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 1997.

Ellen is the Mayor’s appointee to Austin’s Animal Advisory Commission since 2008 and was a 2009 finalist for the Austin Under Forty Awards. She also served on the National Spay/Neuter Task Force from 2007-2009 and has had work published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine.

State Representative Eddie Rodriguez (Board Chair)

Eddie is the State Representative for District 51, serving East Austin and Southeast Travis County in the Texas Legislature since 2003. He has served on APA!’s board since 2004. Eddie became involved in Austin animal welfare after rescuing several puppies from the street and seeing the need for pet-related resources in his neighborhood. He believes strongly in the mission of APA! and its ability to work with both private and public sectors to achieve its goals.

Ellis Winstanley (Treasurer and Board Member)

Ellis Winstanley, along with twin brother Austin, specializes in business turnarounds and startups, including Cain & Abel’s Bar and Grill, beloved among University of Texas students, and Aztec Promotional Group. The twins started Company Six Productions in 2006 to produce and promote events. They formed Tradelogic Software Group in 2003 to create business management software.

Ellis graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003 with a degree in Spanish language and culture. His household has included three rescue animals: a Catahoula mix, a Siamese cat, and currently, Buddy, a Catahoula/Lab Mix adopted from Austin Pets Alive! in 2007. He joined Austin Pets Alive!’s board in 2010 as treasurer.

Stephanie Arena (Secretary and Board Member)

Stephanie is the Marketing Director for the United States Tennis Association, Texas Chapter. She joined APA! in 2003 and became involved with feeding feral cat colonies, continually assuming more responsibility until she joined the board.

Her goal is to see Austin as a true “No-Kill” city due to APA!’s innovative programs for retention of pets and life saving adoptions. While continuing with her work with feral cats, she shares her home with a number of domesticated kitties.

Palmer Neuhaus (Board Member)

Although she joined APA! in 2008, Palmer has been involved in animal welfare since volunteering at the Cedar Park SPCA while attending college at Southwestern University. As an employee of TLAC in the 1990’s, Palmer was instrumental in abolishing the gas chamber and establishing the health and temperament program.

Palmer and her son Caleb are still working hard to make Austin safe for animals, including enriching APA!’s foster program. Palmer is a Financial Advisor at Raymond James. Palmer is Council Person Kathy Tovo’s appointee to the Animal Advisory Commission.

Heather Bailey (Board Member)

A director with Navigant Consulting, Heather brings 30 years of management and executive experience in the utility industry (20 of those at the Lower Colorado River Authority) to APA!, along with a background in public accounting. She also brings a passion for animals. With six dogs at home, she makes time for animal rescue and fostering and devotes her energies toward making Austin a no-kill city.

Heather is a native Austinite and the mother of two teenage sons. She serves on the board of SaveTownLake.org. She is a CPA, holds a BBA from Sam Houston State University, attended the University of Houston and has a MBA from the University of Texas.

Sheldon Ekland-Olson (Board Member)

Former UT Provost and Dean of Liberal Arts, Sheldon is the author of six books.  He is an award-winning teacher and expert on criminal justice and prison reform. He has lived in Austin for 40 years and comes from a family of pet lovers and no-kill, animal-rescue advocates.  He recently became acquainted with APA and both he and his wife Carolyn are proud to be part of its efforts. They have talked it over with Riley and Sophie, the most recent in a long line of feline family members, and they both affirm that this is a good thing to do.

Tom Albright (Board Member)

Tom is a board certified trial lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in commercial litigation. Tom holds both a Bachelor’s degree and JD from UT. After a long tenure with a premier Austin law firm, including ten years at the helm, Tom is now a solo practitioner who is happy to devote his advocacy skills to APA!

Tom is the father of three grown sons and has lived in Austin for most of his life. He is also a long distance runner. Tom and his wife Cindy Meston, a UT clinical psychology professor, have fostered a variety of homeless pets for APA! and are the proud parents of five cats and one Maltipoo.

Jeff Cohen  (Board Member)

Born and raised in the Chicago area Jeff received a BS in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1985. He spent 21 years as a floor trader in the commodity option pits in both Chicago and New York. After leaving the floor in 2006, Jeff moved to Madison, Wisconsin where he spent 3 years volunteering with the Dane County Humane Society both as an adoption counselor and in the front office.

Jeff moved to Austin in 2009 and began helping APA soon after moving. Currently he trades stocks online as well as helping APA.  He lives in SW Austin with his wife and 6 kids all of the 4 legged variety, 3 cats and 3 dogs.

Judy Matula  (Board Member)

Judy holds an MA from UT and taught psychology at Austin Community College until 1999 when she became mom to daughter Grayson. Both are animal lovers with a special affinity for cats.

Judy first became involved with APA in 2009 by sponsoring Billy’s Bottle Baby Trailer, named after the family’s beloved rescue cat. Since then she continues to sponsor Billy’s Cat Adoption trailer on SoCo, and sponsors and serves as marketing lead for the Petco Sunset Valley cat adoption site. In addition to Grayson, husband Michael, and Billy, her family now includes Diego, a rescue cat adopted from APA in 2010.

Michael Matula (Board Member)

Michael has accumulated a diverse business background over the past twenty-five years. He holds a PhD and JD from UT, and has been a practicing attorney and businessman with experience in real estate development, oil & gas exploration and services, investments, and law. From 2004 to 2009 he was President & CEO of an oilfield services company in Carthage, Texas. Currently, he is an investor and member of Central Texas Angel Network.

Michael and his wife Judy have been involved with APA since 2009. Their family includes daughter Grayson and two rescue cats, Billy and Diego.

Gerri Kappler (Board Member)

Gerri worked professionally as a corporate finance manager for 15 years, she now spends her time raising her family and many pets, volunteering as lead for the APA’s adoptline response team and is a many time over APA cat and dog foster.

In the 2 years she’s been volunteering for APA! she has seen amazing growth and progress in APA’s no kill mission and is thrilled to be part of such an amazing organization.

Sebastian Rodrigano  (Board Member)

Sebastian graduated high school in Villa Regina, a small town in southern Argentina.  In 1994, he immigrated to the United States to attend college.  He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1999 with a degree in chemical engineering.

In November of 2010 Sebastian began serving on the board of the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas. He is a member of the LCCT’s programs committee and also assists with fundraising efforts.  Sebastian is a resident of Austin along with his wife Molly, son Matthew, and a small pack of rescue dogs.