Meet Our Leadership Team
Danette Alons/Animal Care Manager
Erika Pratte / Executive Director
Dr.Lindsey Gammon/Medical Director
Partners for Pets Board of Directors
Katie Mondy Hughes / President
Katie has enjoyed volunteering with Partners for Pets in various capacities for over ten years. Katie holds a BA in
Music Performance and Spanish from the University of Iowa, an MA in Management and Leadership from Webster University, and is a certified Project Manager. Katie currently works in supply chain in the life sciences industry and enjoys caring for her two dogs and two cats, as well as a community of cats in her metro east neighborhood.
Elena Graber / Treasurer
For the past four years Elena has been invested in fostering both cats and dogs for Partners for Pets. In addition, Elena has created significant fundraising programs with local businesses including the St. Louis Cardinals. As the co- founder of Sterilization Nation, Elena has also made an enormous TNR impact in St. Clair County. Outside of animal rescue, Elena works as an accountant with a public accounting firm and spends her free time with family and pets.
Julie Fleck / Board Member
Julie has lived in Edwardsville since 2000 and is a Realtor/Broker with Remax Alliance. Also, as the recipient of the Remax Lifetime Achievement award, Julie has been recognized for her charitable acts in and around the GlenEd communities. Julie is proud to be a board member for Partners 4 Pets and loves to help with fundraising projects and fostering senior dogs. Serving on the board of Restore Decor is another way Julie gives back to her community. As the mother of three grown children, twin sons and a daughter, Julie spends her free time with family and friends.
Sarah Riley/ Board Member
Sarah has been fostering and volunteering with Partners for Pets since 2016 and joined the board in late 2024 to expand her impact in animal welfare. With a passion for veterinary medicine, she focuses on medical and hospice fostering for the cats and dogs most in need of specialized care. Sarah is also involved with wildlife rehabilitation and TNR efforts in the community. Sarah and her family live on 16 acres in St. Clair County with their "misfit" animals including horses, chickens, tripod dog and cats and various woodland creatures. Outside of animal rescue, Sarah has worked in Information Technology for the past 25+ years and has a BA in Computer Science from Cornell College and a Masters in Computer Management Information Systems from SIUE.
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Kate Vernor/ Vice President
Kate graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of Illinois Springfield and an MA in Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has worked professionally in the IT industry for close to 15 years and owns her own web design and IT consulting business in Wentzville, Missouri. Kate is also a yoga instructor and has been teaching for almost a decade. Kate started fostering cats and kittens for Partners for Pets in December 2020 after losing her beloved dog, Gizmo, and joined the board in January 2022. Kate continues to foster and loves all animals, but especially her sweet pups, Ollie and Smitty, and her crazy cats Sophie, Marge, and Violet.
Stephanie Wallis / Secretary
Kea is a mother, pet mom and a realtor-partner in the Big River Realty group with Keller Williams Marquee. As board secretary, Kea serves Rebuilding Together Southwestern Illinois working with
homeowners to ensure safe and healthy housing including handicap accessibility for disabled veterans. When not working or volunteering, Kea loves spending time with her family both human,
furry and feathered. Mom to a 13-year-old son, Kea loves watching him play baseball. Over the years, Kea and her husband have adopted multiple furry babies. Kea has recently added ten chickens
which has been a new experience, but lots of fun. Animals are one of Kea’s passion and she is excited to be involved in helping animals find loving forever homes.
Breck Newman / Board Member
Breck was introduced to Partners For Pets when she and her husband, Jake, adopted their first dog, Mowgli, in December of 2013. His story touched her heart and she soon began volunteering, fostering, and then became a board member from 2014 - 2021. As her kids have gotten a little older, we have welcomed her back onto the Board recently. Breck enjoys fundraising for the shelter and connecting with the Metro-East community, where she also works for an HR company, SRV HR. She also holds a Bachelors degree in Business and Marketing from SIUe. In her free time, Breck can be found making memories with her two kids, husband, and two dogs, on the golf course, or in the garden.
