Craig Brooks

Operations Director

Craig M. Brooks is the Vice President of Planning and Analysis at Pulte Mortgage, a subsidiary of Pulte Homes. He is responsible for process reengineering and is leading Pulte Mortgage on their Lean improvement journey. In addition to his reengineering activities, he is responsible for Quality Assurance, Training, Business Continuity and User Acceptance Testing for all operational system and process implementations. Craig has 13 years of customer service and process control experience.

In 2006, Craig started his own company, CmB, inc. (Change Made Better, Inc.) and began consulting and website work for local businesses. He, his wife Amy and son Connor recently rescued two Saint Bernards from BDHPI. They, Molly Valentine and Hannah Banana, joined the family which already included their Golden Retriever sister named Princess Leia. Craig was extremely impressed with his experience working with BDHPI. Craig has always been an avid animal lover and is passionate about the rescue and placement of dogs in need. His passion for helping animals, coupled with his wonderful experience with BDHPI, led him to seek a leadership role with the organization.

The Brooks Family currently lives in Parker, Colorado. Their goal is to purchase a home on acreage to further help with the fostering of dogs at BDHPI. In his spare time, Craig enjoys video gaming, writing, sculpting, photography and attending the Denver Broncos home games.

Claire Whitlock-Skinner

Fundraising Director

Claire Whitlock-Skinner is a Territory Manager for State Industrial Products of Cleveland, Ohio. State is the largest privately held chemical company in the United States. Claire specializes in industrial drain maintenance and water treatment. During her 10 years with the company, she has been in the President’s Club and Chairman’s Circle. With a degree in Communications from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, her background is in advertising and sales.

In 2007, Claire and family adopted their first rescue when they found Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue and adopted Kaani. Fostering for the organization seemed like an obvious next step as their love for the breed grew. Claire and her daughter Janna picked up their first foster, a stray in distress, along the side of the road. She nursed this sweet boy through heartworm treatment, various infections and taught him to trust people again after being used as a paint ball target. The whole family was immediately hooked on not only fostering, but helping dogs in any way possible.Claire started a media campaign for RMGDRI to help educate the public and to recruit foster homes in the Wichita area and served for a short time as the Media and Outreach Coordinator for the state of Kansas.

Ms. Whitlock-Skinner soon realized her dream of helping dogs on a grander scale when she joined up with Big Dogs Huge Paws, Inc, an organized dedicated to all giant breeds. She was quickly appointed as Fundraising Director and looks forward to helping the organization raise lots of money for all BIG dogs in need! While doing research on how to help her dyslexic daughter, Claire discovered the use of therapy dogs with kids was a new and growing trend. With no local programs that helped kids and no local training, a therapy dog program became her passion. Claire looks forward to helping to raise the needed funding to facilitate a facility designed to give all children a chance to experience the love of these wonderful gentle giants.

The Whitlock-Skinner clan lives in Derby, Kansas - husband Trey, daughters Shelby, Kalee and Janna along with son Kevin. The current pack of 4 legged children include, Great Danes Theo, Abbie and Kaani, along with a Jack Russell mix named Clifford and, the ruler of the house, a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix named Bella Donna. This group looks like a small parade when on walks in the small Kansas town of Derby.

James Lane

IT Director Director

James Lane is a consultant focused on using and implementing new software and technology to make life easier for all. James began his technical career at Colorado State University, where he graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems from the Rockwell School of Business. After graduation, James began work as a consultant where he worked on implementation projects around the world. James also owns a small web development company geared towards helping small businesses establish a web presence.

This is James’ first experience with a rescue organization. A long-time animal lover, he got involved with the encouragement of his wife. James and Cristina were married in August of 2008 and currently live in Ft. Collins, Colorado. They enjoy fostering dogs for BDHPI and have one of their own. Their full time dog is Bella, a loveable, bossy and somewhat chunky boxer. She is the best foster dog host an owner could ask for!

In his role as Director of IT, James’ primary focus will be to align the goals of BDHPI with existing and future technologies. He will help coordinate volunteer efforts to manage and maintain the existing user community of BDHPI and IT related projects. His biggest goal is to help BDHPI streamline existing business processes to encourage the future growth of the organization. Please do not hesitate to contact him with any technical questions or concerns.

Sonya R. Aamodt

Retail Director

Sonya Aamodt is the Chief Financial Officer and part owner of Lodestar Research Corporation, which provides theoretical research for fusion energy to the U.S. Department of Energy. Earlier, she managed a large accounting department for Terra Corp. in Berkeley, California.

Prior to volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, she served for several years as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Voices for
Children, an organization which provides services to abused and neglected children in Boulder County. She also was a foster parent for Boulder County Department of Social Services. Sonya has also volunteered for the Longmont Humane Society by participating in fund raising events.

In August of 2005 Sonya adopted her Great Dane Bella from Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue and immediately started fostering. Since that time she has fostered more than 70 Danes with the help of her 4-legged pack. In January, 2008 she was elected by the membership to serve on the Board of Directors for RMGDRI. Six months later, she was introduced to Big Dogs Huge Paws rescue and immediately fell in love with the “new” and “diff erent” way of doing rescue and was quickly appointed as Retail Director. Ms. Aamodt looks forward to helping to build vendor relations and growing BDHPI’s on-line store in order
to help save lots of BIG dogs in need!

Sonya resides in Longmont, Colorado with Bella (nicknamed Wilma), a 4 year old Harlequin Dane, Jambo, a 9 year old Alaskan Husky mix adopted from the Longmont Humane Society, and Panda, a 13 year old Siberian Husky
adopted at 10 years old also from the LHS, in addition to her ever-revolving door of foster dogs. She is known at the Dog Park as the “Great Dane Lady”. Having always been a horse lover, she competed for over 20 years in Hunter
Jumper competitions both in California and Colorado and continues to go on horseback riding expeditions around the world.

Marie Silverstein

Medical Director

Marie Silverstein is an Independent Consultant and Executive Regional Vice President with Arbonne International, a Swiss-based health and wellness network marketing company. In this capacity she shares both the Arbonne products and business opportunity with others and teaches and trains others to do the same. Her schedule is very flexible, so she is able to volunteer for causes she loves, and the big dogs are at the top of her list!

Marie has been volunteering in animal rescue for about 10 years. She started out privately helping displaced, lost or stray animals find homes on her own - she is always stopping and rescuing stray or lost dogs and looking for their homes! She then worked with the Denver Dumb Friends League assisting in the medical and kennel areas working with the dogs. She went on to work with Colorado Sheltie Rescue as a foster parent and transport team member and assisting with adoptions. She eventually volunteered with Safe Harbor Lab Rescue on the adoption team and as a foster parent, and went on to become their Adoption Coordinator and a member of their Board of Directors. During her time with SHLR she was able to spend a lot of time with the dogs and some very talented and dedicated trainers and therapists who worked with the dogs and learned a great deal about the myriad issues and challenges that rescue dogs face and how to work through those issues and help others do the same. Marie and her family have fostered over 70 dogs in the last 10 years, some overnight, some for just a few days or weeks and some for a long time. Marie has prior experience as an EMT, and that training has proven to be helpful in her animal rescue work. Marie has a special affinity for sick and senior dogs, and has been known to keep them until they pass on if they are not found to be conventionally adoptable once they become one of her foster kids.

Marie is married to Scott, her incredibly supportive husband, and has two grown children - Arin and Chelsea. Chelsea has a Great Dane and a Mastiff mix of her own! Marie and Scott live in Aurora and share their home with their very tolerant cat Tia - who is 14 and going strong, Shiloh, a gorgeous 6 year old black lab from Safe Harbor, Kismet, a 7 year old Pomeranian who runs the house, and Asher, their newest addition - an 8 month old merle Great Dane from BDHPI. Her family was blessed to have Momma Zee, a senior BDHPI alum as one of their special kids. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge recently but left a huge imprint on their hearts. You can find Marie almost every day at the Cherry Creek Dog Park with her big dogs and foster dog(s) having a blast.

Barrett Donaldson

Southern Regional Director

Barrett Donaldson is no stranger to contributing to a good cause. For many years Barrett has been applying his educational and professional background by way of contributing to the rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting of captive wildlife, particularly large carnivores whether in zoos or sanctuaries. In his corporate experience he had the honor of serving as the exclusive financial officer to the Adult Cardiac, Pediatric Bone Marrow, and Thymus Transplant teams at Duke University Medical Center.

Barrett is extremely grateful to be elected as the Southern Regional Director for BDHPI. He is devoted to building a network that actively contributes and benefits the rescue and rehabilitation of gentle giants in the southern region of the United States. Through first hand knowledge and determination Barrett will implement his motto of “every animal deserves a forever home.”

Barrett is supported by his wife, Brandi, their 1 year old daughter, Hayden, and Neapolitan Mastiff, Nea. The family’s primary residence is in Chapel Hill, NC. They enjoy walks at Jordan Lake and surrounding themselves with family, friends, and four legged companions.

Amy Humphreys

Accounting Director

Amy Humphreys is a stay at home mother to children Ethan age 4 and Claire age 2. She and her husband Keith Kress moved to Colorado in 2001 from their home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Prior to their arrival in the States, Amy worked in the accounting department for a welding company and later for a major oil and gas company. When Amy and Keith arrived in Colorado Amy took the opportunity to return to college and pursue her interest in architecture and obtained an associate’s degree in architectural engineering technology.

Keith and Amy moved to the US with their dogs Jackie, a Border Collie/Lab cross, and Rollo, a Pit Bull/Shepherd cross. With the birth of the couple’s first child, Ethan, Rollo began to suffer from separation anxiety, a condition that he struggled with on and off for the rest of his life. In November of 2008 Rollo was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma and passed away 3 weeks later, leaving the family heartbroken.

By early the next year Amy and Keith were ready to share their home with a new dog. Amy had always loved Great Danes, and found the Big Dogs Huge Paws site in her search for a rescue dog. Within 3 days of a successful home check they were fostering Eve, an 8 month old Fawn Great Dane puppy, and they were hooked. Within 3 days they adopted Eve and renamed her Daisy.

Amy, Daisy, Jackie and kids are regulars at the local Elk Meadow Bark Park in Evergreen where Daisy makes friends with dogs and people alike. Amy enjoys painting, reading, renovating, and writing music. In 1997 she received a grant from the Canadian government for one of her songs and starred in a music video that aired on Much Music, the Canadian equivalent of MTV. Currently her audience has been reduced to kids and dogs, but they seem just as appreciative.

Amy is thrilled to be able to fulfill her role as Accounting Director for Big Dogs Huge Paws, applying her skills to helping many gentle giants in need!

Sam Lehr

Creative Arts Director

Samantha Lehr is a science and history teacher who also works with English Language Learners. She is a Diversity Facilitator for the district and serviced as an instructional coach for several years. Sam lived in Baltimore, Maryland working with gang youth and worked with Johns Hopkins as a national trainer for Edison training teachers to use their writing and reading programs. During her career she has helped begin three Youth Red Cross Clubs, two Native American Education Programs that also sponsored tutoring programs and school powwows. She has won several awards and has service on national boards for East Asian Education and Native Indian Education Association where she had also done trainings at the national conferences.

At 16 Sam starting working with her mom and local veterinarians to rescue animals in need. This was not the best time to do rescue due to local laws that stated all animals were propriety and were therefore subjected to the treatment their owners deemed appropriate without any legal forum to fall back on. Due to the law, helping these animals was illegal and often dangerous. At 18 Sam began training as a vet tech and continued to work with local vets on placement, mental and physical rehabilitation and fostering as well as the zoo and two wildlife rescues and sanctuary groups. She is also a trainer for the American Red Cross in human health issues as well as Animal First Aid.

Shortly after being introduced to the group Sam decided to join as a foster and shortly after as a director. The professionalism of the BDHPI group and their dedication to the dogs impressed Sam who felt it was now time to join a group. Within months she also fell in love with one of her fosters and he happily joined Sam’s herd who are all rescues and include birds, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, turtles, dogs and donkeys. She continues to work with the local groups, vets and sanctuaries and also works with national museums and the Greyhound Hall of Fame. Her photos and stories on animals have been published in national rescue magazines. Her goal is to help BDHPI grow so they are better able to serve the large Number of Gentle Giants that are currently flooding the rescue.

Lisa Cecchini

Human Resource Director

Lisa Cecchini has worked for The Hartford since 2007. She graduated from Arizona State University in 2006. She is recently married and is also fairly new to the Denver area. She is originally from Arizona, but is loving her life in Colorado. While in Arizona she volunteered for the American Cancer Society's Camp Sunrise Sidekicks as a camp counselor. She also sat on many planning committees and helped plan camp each year. She is fortunate to work from home 3 days a week so she is able to spend plenty of time with her own dogs, who are her babies!

Lisa has been involved with BDHPI since 2009 doing transports, being a temporoary foster home, working with the Application & Adoption Follow Up Committees and handling the monthly dog food orders. She is passionate about getting involved and loves everything she does for the rescue.

Lisa resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Corey, their 4-year-old Boxer, Boris and their 1-year-old Mix, Roxi (adopted from BDHPI). She is a regular at the Cherry Creek dog park, and also enjoys taking the dogs to Wash Park.

Renee Laposa

Marketing Director

Renee Laposa is a rescue advocate with a strong marketing & customer service background, and a passion for community outreach. After spending several years in the service industry, Renee started a career in leasing and marketing in multi-family housing, and in February 2009 got involved with rescue through RMGDRI. In the fall of 2009 Renee was drawn to the cause, the dogs and the people involved in Big Dogs Huge Paws Rescue.

Renee is looking forward to helping make an impact throughout the quickly growing region of BDHP. She considers herself a creative visionary, and works with officers, directors and volunteers to build and create relationships within and beyond the animal rescue community to benefit the Gentle Giants of Big Dogs Huge Paws.

Renee lives just North of Denver with her boyfriend, Nick and Cooper, their goofy four-year-old Great Dane, fostered and adopted through Big Dogs Huge Paws. Please feel free to contact Renee if you have ideas, comments, questions or suggestions regarding marketing, events, promotions or community outreach opportunities.