We can make sure that no dog becomes another heartbreaking statistic – we need only step up
to the plate and never back down.
Meet the Team.
Allie Bradshaw
Founder & President
Since she was a child, Allie has had a passion for animal welfare. Whether it was befriending the neighborhood strays, or convincing her parents “we’ll just look at the adoptable dogs”, Allie has always found a way to make animals a large part of her life.
After spending years volunteering for local rescues and shelters, she decided to follow her dream, dedicate more time and energy to the cause, and founded A Friend of Jack Rescue.
Since founding the rescue in 2020, Allie has made rescue her full-time job and dedicates every spare moment she has to A Friend of Jack.
Allie lives in Denver, CO with her four rescued soulmates, Olive, Gunner, Charlie and Ween.
Jack Bradshaw // 3.13.2011 - 9.19.2023
The 14th Foster
Meet Jack. Part German Shepherd, part Rottweiler, part human. Jack was Allie’s fourteenth foster puppy while she was attending CU Boulder, and became a Bradshaw shortly thereafter.
Jack was found as a stray, riddled with mange, ticks and fleas, left for dead in a ditch in Kansas. Because of a local rescue here in Colorado, he was given a second chance at life and Allie met her furry soulmate.
Jack was a world class traveler, certified therapy dog, patient puppy-sitter, and the inspiration for the rescue. Jack passed away on September 19, 2023, but his legacy forever lives on through the work we do with A Friend of Jack. We love you, buddy.
Sarah Smith
Managing Director
Sarah has always loved dogs and joined A Friend of Jack in 2021. She has always had a passion for helping animals and loves how rewarding helping pups find their forever homes is.
She and her husband Nick live in Denver with their rescue dog Poppy who loves fostering as much as they do.
When she’s not working for A Friend of Jack you can find Sarah in the mountains skiing or working on agility training with Poppy.
Bailey Rowan
Managing Director
Bailey has been an animal lover since the day she was born. As a little girl, her “specialty” was “rescuing” the neighbors’ dogs—bringing them food, water, renaming them and endless playtime before reluctantly sending them back home. Best neighbor ever!
Bailey grew up in Mammoth Lakes, CA, where stray animals weren’t much of an issue, but moving to Denver in 2020 opened her eyes to the many pets in need of love and homes. Fostering quickly became her favorite thing, and now phrases like “Do you want to foster?” and “I know the perfect dog for you!” are basically her catchphrases.
By day, Bailey works in insurance, and by weekend, she’s at Veterinary Emergency Group - helping dogs has become her entire personality. Her favorite thing about being a part of this team is not only the sisterhood we have built within the rescue but the long lasting effects rescuing dogs has on people of all phases of their lives. Rescuing a dog can actually lead to rescuing a human too, and that's what makes this journey so special to her.
Allison Rifkin
Adoptions Counselor
Allison has had a passion for animal rescue since she was young. She started volunteering with the Denver Dumb Friends League as soon as she was legally allowed and brought home MANY rescue dogs to her parents during her tenure.
Throughout college, Allison fostered dogs for various rescues and then found her Golden rescue, Koura, at the Boulder Humane Society. Allison's dream is to live on a ton of land with at least 10 dogs.
Allison lives with her sister in Denver with her rescue Koura and her sister's rescue pup, Gus.
Roxy Riely
Adoptions Counselor
Roxy has had a passion for and worked with animals since she was in college, where she worked at a no-kill animal shelter in Texas for 3 years as an adoption counselor and volunteer coordinator. It was there that she truly learned the amazing world of animal rescue and how rewarding it can be! She also worked in veterinary clinics, dog kennels, dog groomers, and has pet sat friends dogs for as long as she can remember. Roxy first began fostering 10 years ago when she was working as an adoption counselor in Texas and has fostered and found homes for hundreds of dogs since!
Roxy has a cat named Betty Boop that she adopted after helping her welp her litter and after all of her kittens got adopted as well as a Cattle dog/Heeler mix named Shenzie that she rescued when she moved to Colorado in 2015.
Roxy lost her Golden two years ago to Cancer and went back into fostering with us and soon began helping us as an adoption counselor not long after! It is a running joke in her friend group that she is the "crazy go-to dog lady" and surrounds everything she does around dogs and friends. She loves to hike, camp, snowboard and foster (obviously) in her free time!
Kiki Swanson
Adoptions Counselor & Foster Coordinator
Katie O’Brien
Adoptions Counselor & Foster Coordinator
Katie has been a dog lover her whole life. When she was 11 years old she saved $250 to get her first dog, Samantha Stevens. After that she found a way to incorporate animals into her life at every turn. She earned her bronze girl scout badge by organizing a dog workshop in 8th grade, she worked at a dog boarding facility in college, all leading to fostering with A Friend of Jack starting in June 2021.
Katie currently lives in Denver with her amazing rescues Parker, Maverick and Lefty. In her free time she loves running, hiking, playing volleyball, and hangin with friends & pups!
Paige Hoholik
Foster Coordinator
Cori Lanigan
Adoptions Counselor
Cori has had a lifelong passion for dogs. She has surrounded herself with rescue dogs, sharing a special bond with her family who focus on rescuing senior dogs. She has actively donated and volunteered at animal shelters in both Colorado and California.
In 2021, Cori began fostering for A Friend of Jack, which has brought joy and fulfillment to her life and reinforced her commitment to animal rescue.
Today, she resides in Denver with her two beloved rescues, Abbie and Rory, and enjoys hiking, camping, hanging out with friends, and finding dogs their forever homes.
Megan Doorenbos
Adoptions Counselor
Meet Megan! Originally from Iowa, her and her husband Alex moved to Denver 3 years ago and knew they wanted to rescue a dog soon after moving. In 2022 they adopted Aspen through A Friend of Jack and a year later foster failed with Lily.
Megan’s family has rescued multiple dogs and she will always be a voice for the voiceless. She believes in everything A Friend of Jack does and is so grateful the team asked her to join their mission. It brings Megan joy finding dogs their perfect homes and setting up events to bring awareness to the organization and cause.
Outside of hanging with Alex and her pups, Megan enjoys spending time with her family, friends and being at the lake.
Courtney Farris
Adoptions Counselor
Tonya Laden
Adoptions Counselor
Tonya has a passion for all animals, but especially a soft spot for dogs. Growing up in an apartment in Southern California where no dogs were allowed, her mother allowed her to have hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and a few varieties of birds. Her extended family had dogs and she was smitten with each and every one.
After college, Tonya moved to Chicago for a pharmaceutical job and adopted 2 cats who were adored and shared her tiny studio apartment. Six years ago she adopted a miniature poodle named Tucker who is always by her side and also has a 4 year old rescue cat named Josie.
Tonya wanted to give back to the animal community and applied to be a foster parent for A Friend of Jack about 2 years ago. Since then she has fostered and assisted in adopting over 20 puppies and 3 kittens. She is so grateful to have been a part of the lives of those special animals.
Tonya is the co-founder of a CBD company, lives in Denver and the mother of 3 daughters who have inherited her love of all things furry. In her free time you can catch her at the yoga studio, playing tennis, cooking, and petting puppies.
Suna Dalo
Social Media & Partnerships Director
Meet Suna! She joined A Friend of Jack in 2021 just a couple of weeks after moving to Colorado from New York. She was over the moon to be approved as a foster mom, and to no one’s surprise, foster failed her first pup - Olive!
Since Olive, she has continued to foster many other puppies, volunteering her efforts at adoption events, and now managing A Friend of Jack’s social media pages. Being involved in dog rescue is one of the most fulfilling accomplishments of her life and she couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this organization.
When Suna is not covered in puppy pee, you can find her out in the mountains hiking, camping in some of Colorado’s prettiest basins, and hitting Red Rocks. Olive and Suna love taking their Jeep to alpine lakes and 4x4 roads, so if you see them, don’t forget to wave!
The foster and adoption process can be filled with a lot of great surprises and also some natural hardships, Suna is always available to lend an ear and offer any advice she has from both experiences.