Barb, co-founder and President of Monty’s Home, brings considerable organizational talents and a dozen plus years of dog training skills to the many hours she spends with the Monty’s Home programs. She has been a Certified Professional Dog trainer by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers since 2010.

In 2009, Barb received the Volunteer of the Year given by the N.C. Department of Corrections in Pender County for her dedication to the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program.

A retired ultrasound technician, Barb enjoys showing her dogs in AKC competitive events, earning her first obedience title in 2001. She and husband, Mike, reside in Burgaw, NC with their dogs, Romeo, Misty Blu, Dixi, and Sunny.

Barb envisions not only continued growth and success of Monty’s Home but having a facility where additional educational programs can be implemented to raise awareness of the accelerating problems of pet overpopulation, shelter overcrowding, and animal abuse.

There are few Monty’s Home activities Monica hasn’t been involved with, such is her energy and dedication. Monica joined the board in 2010 as Adoption Coordinator. She now serves as Vice-President.

As Adoption Coordinator, she spent considerable time insuring each and every dog found their best, loving and forever home. She is also an apprentice trainer in the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program.

Monica, a former Virginian now lives in Wilmington with her “wild but sweet, loyal, world’s smartest” 14 year-old dog, Dexter. She enjoys entertaining friends and family, traveling, reading, sports and is a loyal Redskins fan.

Monica is an eager participant in the exciting continued growth of Monty’s Home and aspires to “positively change the lives of people with the love and companionship a four-legged family member can bring.”

Michele has been a dedicated volunteer involved in numerous activities promoting Monty’s Home. She became a board member in 2013 and serves as New Hanover County Prison Coordinator conducting obedience classes, instructing inmates in training procedures, monitoring supplies, and overseeing the care of the dogs in training.

Michele resides in Wilmington, NC and is employed as a federal law enforcement officer. She is the proud mother of two children who are Monty’s Home youngest volunteers. Michele has two cats, Athena and Sweet Valentine and Pawsitive Partners graduate, Rikki. Michele and Sweet Valentine appeared in Paw Prints as the 2013 Paw Prints Rescue Cat Cover Models. In addition to volunteering with Monty’s Home, Michele enjoys spending time with her children, watching sports, attending rock concerts, and as a volunteer greeter with Lifepoint Church Dream Team.

As a board member, Michele hopes to continue assisting with the growth and success of Monty's Home so more dogs can be rescued and placed in loving homes and more inmates can experience the joy and growth that comes from working with and caring for dogs.

Lori lives in Lomontville, NY and is an accountant and legal administrator. As treasurer since 2007, she manages the financial responsibilities of Monty’s Home.

Lori enjoys reading cooking, and RV’ing with her husband and best friend, Marino.

As board member and treasurer, Lori’s vision is the continued growth and branching out into new avenues for Monty’s Home. “After all, it is a win/win situation for all the dogs and humans involved.”

Gail is an 8th grade English teacher from NJ who retired after 38 years in the classroom to begin the next chapter of her life here in North Carolina with her husband Dave. The two of them heard about Monty’s Home and the wonderful Pawsitive Partners Prison Program through a neighbor who was a Monty’s Home volunteer. They volunteered with Monty’s Home shortly after moving into their house in Leland and have been dedicated Monty’s Home volunteers since 2013.

Gail has worn a variety of hats in her years as a Monty’s Home volunteer. She has designed posters, baked cookies, done write-ups for adoptable Monty’s Home dogs for Paw Prints Magazine, and clocked many an hour at area dog events and Monty’s Home Meet and Greets. In addition, in 2015 Gail and her husband became Monty’s Home adoptive parents when they added Bear (then Mickey of Mickey and Minnie) to their pack.

Now that she has taken on the job of Adoption Coordinator, Gail is looking forward to playing a critical role in facilitating the placement of each and every Monty’s Home dog, having graduated from the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program in the hands of an experienced inmate trainer, in a forever home that is a perfect fit. After all, who isn’t a sucker for a happy ending?

Craig has been an active Monty’s Home volunteer since October 2013 taking part in a variety of Monty’s Home events and activities. He participates at Pender Correctional Institution assisting inmates in learning reward based dog training skills through the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program.

After decades without the company of any pets, he states “we were rescued by our first son, Guinness in May 2014. He has taught us to share, trust, have kindness and patience”. Guinness is a senior Doxie graduate of the Pawsitive Partners Prison Program.

Craig is happily retired and enjoys being part of Monty’s Home goals which provides “second chances” in the lives of dogs and inmate trainers as well as the forever families who adopt.

Dale has been volunteering and participating in activities and events with Monty's Home since 2014. She participates in training classes at Pender Correctional Facility. She states nothing is more rewarding than observing the accomplishments of inmate trainers as well as seeing the dogs go from shelter to graduation after eight weeks of training.

Dale lives in Hampstead with husband Ted, and four fur kids Rosette, Dewey, Audrey, and Jordan, a PPPP graduate. She enjoys gardening, reading, hiking and visiting historical sites.

Dale says she is looking to the future of Monty's Home and the program growing, more dogs being rescued and happily adopted into new homes, and more inmate training opportunities.

Laurie has eight years of experience, volunteering with two adoption groups where she previously lived before coming to Monty’s Home in 2013. As the Adoption Coordinator, she states seeing the dogs when first rescued from the shelter, their transformation as they are cared for, loved and trained and then carefully selecting their new home is a fulfilling and rewarding experience.

Laurie lives in Hampstead with her husband and Shirley, a Monty’s Home graduate, and three other dogs. She enjoys retirement, dog training, walks on the beach, boating, gardening and spending time with family and friends.