Our Team
Dr Rebecca (Becky) Niemiec (she/her) is the Executive Director and co-Founder at PACT. She has been working in the field of animal protection and animal-human relations for over a decade. In addition to her work with PACT, Rebecca is a social scientist, Associate Professor, and Director of the Animal-Human Policy Center at Colorado State University. She has also served as the manager of the Bureau of Animal Protection for the state of Colorado.
Aysha Hannachi (she/her) is the Client and Veterinary Coordinator for PACT. She has been working in the veterinary field for the past 6 years, in both emergency and general practice settings. She is also an undergraduate student at Colorado State University with prospects for the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Aysha is initially from Northern Virginia, where she began her interest in working with animals as well as volunteering in many different fields, including social work. She volunteers with her dog, Theo, as a Therapy Dog Team through CSU’s Human-Animal Bond in Colorado, which is part of the CSU School of Social Work. Through these experiences, Aysha has developed an understanding of how important the human-animal bond and access to care is, leading to a strong desire to ensure pets and their owners are able to stay together through life’s hardships.
Quinn Gill (he/him & she/her) is the Volunteer Coordinator for PACT. Quinn has a strong background in the human-animal bond and shelter medicine, and is passionate about education and outreach as ways to promote animal and human well-being. He is currently the Vice President of the CSU organization Rams for Rescues, works in education, and is working towards a career as a shelter veterinarian.
Lucie Yepez (she/her) is the financial manager and co-founder of PACT. A former general manager and accounts manager in the nonprofit sector and the public works industry, Lucie specializes in business development, process improvement, and government compliance. Additionally, Lucie has worked to provide resources to underserved humans and animals in her community including developing free art programs for public libraries and shelters, volunteering at local animal shelters, volunteering for the point-in-time count, and fostering dogs.
Our Board
Danielle Frey, DVM (she/her) is a veterinarian with a drive for community outreach and engagement. In her role at Colorado State University (CSU), she has created programs that create a bridge to access veterinary care for clients that experience various barriers to that care, including geographical, financial, and linguistic. Participating veterinary students are exposed to the theory and structures of providing this care and the role they play in the community as public health practitioners. Through her work, she aims to increase access to veterinary care for animals and connection to community.
Dr. Ann Majchrzak (she/her) is a Professor Emeritus from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California where she did program evaluation, policy research and consulting, research on community mental health centers, and consulting to nonprofits on organizational effectiveness and digital innovation. She devotes her volunteer time to caring for, and rescuing, dogs from shelters as well as serving as a FEMA-trained volunteer first responder for ASPCA during emergencies.
Barb Wolfe, DVM, PhD, DACZM, is an associate professor at CSU whose career centers on improving animal well-being through medicine, research, teaching, and service. Her research passion is advancing our understanding of chronic stress and resilience in animals, and her veterinary teaching has focused on animal health and welfare, and field-based medicine training. As a veterinarian, she has practiced in zoo, small animal, behavior, and mixed animal settings, and she has contributed to animal well-being through research and training in southeast Asia, China, North, Central, and South America, and Africa.
Natalie Brown, LCSW, from Colorado Springs, now resides in Fort Collins with her husband. A licensed clinical social worker since 2001, she has managed the Spirit Crossing Clubhouse, a SummitStone Health Partners program, since 1999, helping adults achieve vocational and personal goals. She earned her MSW from Colorado State University, focusing on program development, policy, community engagement, and advocacy for marginalized populations. Her early career included years as a residential counselor at a treatment center (1992-1996), working with children aged 4-12 on trauma, crisis intervention, and mental health support.
Over the years, Natalie volunteered with therapeutic horsemanship programs, such as Toby’s Dream and Exceptional Equestrians, emphasizing the human-animal bond. Additionally, she served 13 years on Fort Collins’ Dial-a-Ride advisory board and is a member of the Rotary Club – Breakfast. She enjoys gardening and outdoor time with her dog, Cookie.
Christie Reimer, MD (she/her) is the Assistant Dean of Medical Education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado State University regional campus. In this role, she supports medical student work in One Health including this great project impacting human-animal relationships. She is thrilled to see this nonprofit come together with a collaborative interdisciplinary team and looks forward to seeing it thrive as it meets community health needs. Christie is also a practicing internal medicine physician in Fort Collins.
Suzanne Brandenburg, MD (she/her) is the Associate Dean for Medical Education at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado State University. She practices internal medicine in Denver and has dedicated much of her career to medical education. Most recently she has focused on the importance of effective teamwork involving broad interprofessional team members and a One Health framework to address the complex health problems faced by patients, communities, populations and the planet. She is excited to support and promote this important work to the benefit of people and pets!
Dr Lori Kogan (she/her) is a Professor of Clinical Sciences for the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and co-director of the Animal-Human Policy Center at Colorado State University. She is the Chair of the Human-Animal Interaction section of the American Psychological Association and Editor-in-Chief of the Human-Animal Interaction journal. She has over 25 years of experience in the HAI field, including creating and managing programs that support the human animal bond (i.e., for low-income elderly and disabled pet owners (Pets Forever) and women seeking shelter from abusive situations (CrossTrails)).
