ABOUT US

 Valerie Gesting is a CPA who recently retired with more than 30 years of audit, information security, and risk management experience in the financial services and retail sectors.  She has a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Miami University and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Cincinnati.  Valerie has been a City Dogs volunteer since July 2019 and enjoys bicycling, kayaking, baking and crafting for City Dogs, and collecting cookbooks.  She lives with her husband, Dan, who is also a City Dogs volunteer, and her City Dog Scout.  

She brings 5 years of fundraising experience to Friends of City Dogs Cleveland. In 2015, Mika adopted her first City Dog, Codi. She loved Codi so much, she adopted a second City Dog, Flynn. Mika enjoys hiking, camping, and exploring Cleveland with her dogs. She looks forward to using her talents to help Friends of City Dogs grow.  Mika Timura graduated with a Bachelors degree in Nonprofit Administration from Cleveland State University and she has a certificate from the American Grant Writer’s Association.  

 Jamie has been volunteering in animal welfare in Cleveland for the past 13 years Professionally, Jamie has a Master of Nonprofit Organization degree from CWRU and has been working in the nonprofit sector for 17 years. Besides Friends of CITY DOGS Cleveland, Jamie currently donates her time to CITY DOGS Cleveland, CWRU Mandel School Alumni Association Board and Cleveland Pandemic Response. Jamie’s dedication to animal welfare began in 2003 when she rescued two pit bulls, Mazzy and Alby, from a Pittsburgh animal shelter. She now has two rescue cats, Poppy and Helen, one rescue dog, Bina, and enjoys spending time with her family, friends, running, and exercising.  

 My name is Shelby, I’m the Marketing/Merchandising Chair. Professionally, I graduated from Cleveland State University with a Bachelors in Health Sciences and a Masters in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. I am currently working as a Speech Language Pathologist at a local Rehabilitation Hospital. I have 6+ years experience in merchandising in retail stores in the Cleveland area. But first and foremost, I am a dog lover! I grew up with a house full of rescue dogs and cats, along with some exotic pets like parrots and hedgehogs. I have always been an animal lover through and through and was raised to treat animals with the utmost respect. In my graduate studies, I stumbled across City Dogs at an event and was immediately hooked. I started volunteering with City Dogs in June of 2017 and have found a major passion for these dogs. I dabble in a little bit of everything as a volunteer at City Dogs. I walk at the kennel, run dogs on the weekend, organize and participate in monthly hikes, take dogs on day trips and sleepovers, I’m an adoption counselor, and I provide a foster home for dogs who are struggling in the kennel environment. I love finding new ways to support the wonderful dogs that find themselves at CACC and am excited to take on this role with Friends of CITY DOGS Cleveland! 

 My volunteering journey with CITY DOGS Cleveland began in 2015 after reading a post on Facebook that the Cleveland Kennel needed dog walkers. What began as a way to get a few dogs out for some exercise has turned into something I could never have imagined. Walking dogs, coordinating, working events around town, running through the woods in the middle of the night to raise awareness and money for the dogs, stuffing raffle baskets for fundraisers, and transporting our beloved CITY DOGS from Colorado to Maine in search of their forever homes. Volunteering has allowed me to meet and fall in love with so many Cleveland dogs...including my very own sweet rescued girl, Gemma.   

 Hannah grew up a lover of all animals, especially dogs in a small south east Ohio town.  She came to NEO for college and never left.  After establishing a career in architecture and design she stumbled upon a Facebook post for a dog that desperately needed adopted.  She went to visit and there was no turning back, that was 2014.  After a year of having the best friend a girl could ask for, that old and dark shelter weighed heavy in the back of her mind.  She took a chance and started walking dogs on the weekends.  After a whole year of volunteering she took a pup home for an overnight, and couldn't take her back (photo above). With a husband who also volunteers, a daughter who will join on City Dogs Hikes someday and two City Dogs, Indie Jones and Marion, life has gotten busy.  Hannah looked for other outlets to volunteer and express her creative side at the same time.  By joining the Friends of City Dogs team, she can continue to fulfill her passions:  design, creativity and animals.