Our Board of Directors


Yvonne Allbee, Founder / President
Yvonne Allbee started Bow-Wows & Meows in 2001, with a mission of matching adoptable shelter animals with potential families. Knowing the joy that her own rescued pets Bear, a 13-year old Shepard mix, and Sam, a eight-year old gray tabby, brought her, Yvonne felt the community would support a pet fair if they knew how many great animals needed homes…and she was right. Over 850 L.A. County shelter animals have been adopted as a result of Bow-Wows & Meows so far. A longtime resident of the Santa Clarita Valley, Yvonne is a registered nurse who works in hospice. She has volunteered at many local organizations, but Bow-Wows & Meows holds a special place in her heart and she looks forward to expanding the organization in the future.

Michelle Sathe, Board Member / Public Relations
Michelle Sathe has been volunteering with Bow-Wows & Meows since she met founder Yvonne Allbee while covering the fair as a Signal reporter in 2005. Now a board member and the fair’s PR director/raffle coordinator, Michelle loves feeling a part of the solution in finding shelter animals loving homes. She shares her own home with Sam, an 9-year old boxer/pit bull mix who showed up on her porch Christmas night 2000; and Buster, a 4 year-old Staffordshire mix she found running the streets of Newhall. A public relations consultant and freelance writer by trade, Michelle also walks dogs and cleans kennels weekly at the Brittany Foundation (a no-kill rescue in Agua Dulce).

Rhonda Webster, Board Member / Secretary
Rhonda Webster is a registered nurse who has known Yvonne for almost 12 years. Now a board  member, she has watched Bow-Wows & Meows grow from an idea into a wonderful reality. Rhonda grew up around dogs and cats and always enjoyed having at least two pets at a time so they could play together. Rhonda’s busy household includes a husband, four and one year old son, Spook, a four year old American Bulldog and Micko, a one year old Boxer.

Sandie Allaway, Board Member / Volunteer Coordinator
Sandie Allaway is one of Bow-Wows & Meows newest board members and couldn’t be more thrilled. She has recently become gainfully employed with the company Russ Reid as a project manager and is also a PartyLite Candle consultant. Being a board member provides her the opportunity to pursue one of her biggest passions…working with, working for, helping out, educating, and whatever else is needed to support Bow-Wows & Meows in its tireless pursuit as a voice for animal awareness. Sandie now has her 24-pound Main Coon, Spike, which is really two cats, that she rescued from a cat shelter (removed the six years ago since it's now been seven and on it goes) after she lost the love of her life, Shooster, who was almost 19 years old. She swears Shooster brought Spike to her so she wouldn’t be in so much pain. Sandie also volunteers with New Leash On Life and Wolf Connection. She cannot imagine her life without a pet…and her husband, Jack, who is an amazing individual.

Hsiawen Hull, Board Member / Shelter Liaison
Hsiawen Hull has been attending Bow-Wows & Meows as a Shelter Volunteer for the last 7 years. After recently becoming a board member Hsiawen is happy to be more involved with the organization that has helped the county place countless animals over the last few years. Hsiawen and his wife Deborah share their home with a Long Haired Chihuahua named Coco, who was brought into the shelter with a police escort! And a Doxi/Corgi mix named Stu who showed up as a foster one day and just never left. Currently Hsiawen works for College of the Canyons as Assistant Director of Computer Support Services in the Information Technology department, and is the lead volunteer with the Castaic Animal Shelter. Hsiawen specializes in working with the animals that most others have already given up on. In addition to the little furry ones he is also a truck team member of the Equine Response Team (ERT), working to evacuate Horses and livestock during disaster situations.

Len Bentley, Board Member
Len Bentley is the father of Yvonne Allbee, founder of BW&M, and has been involved in this great organization from the very beginning. After working for 39 years at a profession he enjoyed, Len was able to  retire at 56 years old, giving him many years of "doing what I want to do, when I want to do it," including helping out with Bow-Wows & Meows. Len’s love for animals goes back as far as he can remember - in fact, he has no memory of ever being without a dog. This animal-loving theme has continued right through marriage and kids - Yvonne with Bow-Wows & Meows, while his other daughter, Wendy, has her own pet-sitting company (funfurallpetsitting.com). Len & his wife June recently adopted a two-year old boxer, Louie, from the shelter.

Jen Bowen, Board Member
Jen Bowen has been an animal lover ever since she can remember - her family adopted Sam, a Chihuahua mix, when she was two years old. Then it was on to cats, with Jen taking in neighborhood strays as a teenager. She adopted two cats after moving out on her own: Buddy, an orange tabby, now 16 years and Pal, a grey long hair, now 10. As a board member for Bow-Wows & Meows, and a volunteer since their third year, Jen has been able to save many more homeless pets. She is a wife, mother to a beautiful daughter and a handsome new son, and works full-time for Roze Room Hospice.  

April Lund, Board Member
April Lund met founder Yvonne Allbee, while selling raffle tickets at an event for the ‘Brittany Foundation’ where she volunteers as the Adoption Coordinator. Now a board member, she says she wants to be a part of the solution to the extremely over populated shelters we have. She says she can still remember the first dog she helped get a home when she volunteered at the Castaic Animal Shelter. It was the most amazing feeling! She resides here in Santa Clarita, with her husband Rob and her 2 dogs (adopted from the shelter), Abby a ridgeback/pit mix and Beau a lab/rott mix. She works full time as a manicurist at “Lesprit Day Spa” in Granary Square, where she enjoys making women feel pretty.

Other Very Special Team Members:

Mark Fortier
Mark has been a professional performer for over fifteen years. He began as a radio disc jockey until his calling led him to live performance art. His ability to read a crowd and establish an outstanding rapport with his audience distinguishes Mark as a truly proficient showman. With a contagious enthusiasm and charisma, Mark will go the extra mile to make your party a positively spectacular event. Mark has had the privilege of providing his MC and DJ talents every year for the Bow Wow & Meows Pet Adoption Fair. Visit www.whataparty.com.

Michelle Vincent
Michelle Angelo Vincent currently works from her graphics studio in the Seattle area. Her career in design began in 1990, working for various magazine publications. Over the past 18 years, she has worked as Art Director (where she had won numerous design awards), as well as a freelance Graphic Artist. She has been providing print media and web design for Bow Wow & Meows and the Pet Adoption Fair for the past 2 years and absolutely LOVES to be able to help with this organization. She can honestly say that she loves her work! From print media to web design, she can handle it all so give her a call! No matter where you live.
Visit: www.angelographics.com.

Cristine McAfee
After earning her Bachelor's in Art with an emphasis on graphic design, Cristine started her own freelance graphics and web maintenance company. She has three rescue dogs that she loves very much. There is 8 year old Charlie, 3 year old Pugslie, and 1 year old Moogie.  Cristine  is married to her husband Scott and they both love animals. When Cristine was approached by Yvonne to help the organization using her graphic and web design skills, she could not pass up the opportunity. Cristine’s  services may be accessed through www.mcafeegraphics.com