Organization Leadership

2007 Board of Directors

President

Laura Bevan began her career with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 1987 at the Southeast Regional Office (SERO) in Tallahassee. The SERO serves seven southeastern states. During her years with the HSUS, Laura has conducted investigations into such activities as animal dealers, animal collectors, horse and dog racing, animal fighting and ritual animal sacrifice. She has been deemed by the courts as an expert in animal cruelty/animal fighting.  Laura has been instrumental in getting numerous animal laws passed. Laura also has extensive experience in working natural disasters, specifically hurricanes, wildfires and floods. She is on an ad hoc committee that developed Florida’s disaster plan for animals.

Vice President

Jill Lancon, Marion County Animal Center

Secretary / Treasurer

Lois Kostroski serves as the Executive Director of the Florida Animal Control Association and has over 30+ years of association management experience over three states, with retail/service organizations, a national education foundation, business leagues, and professional societies. She has received national recognition for leadership, newsletter production, and seminar performance.

Directors

Dr. Larry G. Dee , Duke AB 64, Auburn DVM 69. is Co-owner of Hollywood Animal Hospital, which was founded in 1947 by his father and uncle.  Dr. Dee is in practice with his two brothers and 18 other veterinarians. Dr. Dee has been involved in companion animal practice for 36 years. He is a Charter Diplomat American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) in canine and feline practice by examination. President ABVP 1989-90 , President American Animal Hospital Association 1993-94, Fellow, National Academy of Practice in veterinary medicine, President, Florida Veterinary Medical Association, 1998-99, President, World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2004-06, Florida Delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates, ABVP Representative to the American Board of Veterinary Specialists, and has been named AAHA Veterinarian of the Year and FVMA Veterinarian of the Year and the FVMA Distinguished Service Award, the highest award given by the FVMA.

Dr. Ernest Godfrey is a 1968 graduate of Auburn University, is Director of the Pinellas Animal Hospital and the Seminole Boulevard Animal Hospitals of St. Petersburg. Has been an active leader of the FVMA since 1988 when he was elected Treasurer. Since then has served on the FVMA Executive Board either as Treasurer, President-elect or President. For the past 29 years he has been the Director of the Central Florida Academy, which provides Continuing Education programs for veterinarians. At present he serves on the FVMA's Advisory Committee for the College of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Florida and is Chair of the Continuing Education program for the FVMA's Annual Conference. He has served on the AMA Technicians Testing Committee for 7 years and at present is the FVMA's Alternate to the A VMA House of Delegates.

Jennifer Hobgood serves as program coordinator for The Humane Society of the United States' Southeast Regional Office in Tallahassee, Florida. She earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University in 2002, and lives with her husband and animal family in Havana, Florida.

Dr. Julie Levy is president of No More Homeless Pets in Alachua County, a community coalition of rescue groups, Alachua County Animal Services, the College of Veterinary Medicine, Operation Catnip, the Alachua Veterinary Medical Association, the Gainesville and Alachua County Board of Commissioners, the Alachua County Health Department, and many individual animal lovers. The coalition's mission is to end the euthanasia of dogs and cats by increasing the number of dogs and cats sterilized and adopted, and to enhance the quality of the lives of pets and their owners through humane education.

Dianne Sauve is Director for Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control. The Division is one of Florida's largest animal facilities and shelters more than 30,000 animals annually. Ms. Sauve has been a Florida resident since 1979 and was responsible for opening Palm Beach County's first wildlife hospital. She has served as a governmental advisor on numerous environmental and conservation boards and has received awards for her work on behalf of animals. Ms. Sauve serves on the Board of Directors for Florida Animal Control Association and the South Florida Animal Welfare Association. Ms. Sauve lives in Palm Beach County with her husband, daughter, dog, 4 cats, and 2 horses."

Board of Advisors

Evan Goldman, Esq. has worked in legislative affairs at the federal, state and local levels of government for thirteen years. Since 1998, he has focused on issues that impact Florida’s children and families and currently works as a Senior government Affairs Specialist for the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. He is also dedicated to helping reduce Florida’s unwanted pet population. He has volunteered at several area shelters. He earned a B.A. from The American University in Washing, DC and a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. His companions include Samson, a three year old cat and eight African cichlid tropical fish.

Laura Lanza is the National Shelter Outreach Southern Regional Manager
for the ASPCA. She started her involvement in animal welfare during the early
70’s in California volunteering for Actors & Others for Animals and the ELSA
Wild Animal Appeal. In moving to Louisiana, she became instantly involved for
the animals and started a humane society named Animal Concern & Education
Corps (which is still active today) as well as continuing her volunteering for
ELSA as the Regional Director in LA. She worked in forming the Louisiana Animal
Control and volunteered as the Regional Rep for the Coalition of the Louisiana
Animal Advocates. Laura maintained a Federal and State Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit
for over 20 years, rescuing hundreds of native LA wildlife. Laura joined the Lake Charles/
Calcasieu Parish Animal Control services as the Director for that agency in 1983 and served
until December 2000. Laura served as a Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy for 11 years. Laura developed
many of the legal forms used in animal control and cruelty to animal’s investigations that
are used by many other agencies in LA. She directed efforts to build a new 17,900 square
foot animal shelter, with a pet adoption garden, a dog park for the community and developed
the web site for their agency. Louisiana Animal Control Association (LACA) and the HSUSAssociation
of Certified Cruelty Investigators (ACCI) both have a training scholarship in
Laura’s name to continue the tradition of sharing the need for “professional and compassionate
animal control” in every community. She was presented with the employee “ANGEL”
Award from the ASPCA in 2006 for her work efforts during Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

Laura joined the ASPCA-NSO division in December 2000 and moved to Virginia. Her territory
covers Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Laura is staying busy visiting animal shelters
and meeting animal control and animal welfare representatives in her southern region. Laura
is the mother of 5 young adults and grandmother to 4.

Tony Palermo, CPA, joined Ahearn Jasco in 1988 and is the primary shareholder n most small business audit engagements, including specializing in non-profit, employee pension plans and broker-dealers. He is also responsible for the preparation of numerous corporate and individual tax returns.  Tony earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting g in 1986 from Florida Atlantic University and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1989.

Lil Sayre was a bank vice president in charge of aircraft financing and a licensed commercial pilot before moving to Sunshine Ranches in 1978. She got involved in the community and became Treasurer of the homeowners association, editor of the Ranch Waggler newsletter and handled the lost and found program for the association for eighteen years. She became a member of the Broward County large Animal Disaster Committee in 1993 a member of the Pet Overpopulation Focus Group in 1994 and is currently a member of the Animal Care Advisory Group. She was also a member of the committee which developed Broward County’s Farm Ordinance and the Southwest Ranches Farm Ordinance Committee. She’s been a member of the Health and Sanitary Control Board since 1998. She was on the Transition Team for the Town of Southwest Ranches and Editor of the Town newsletter and is currently on the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Advisory Board. In 1962 Lil and her mother, Inga Holm, bought their first collie. They developed a dog obedience training program, and since then their Holmhaven Collies have earned over 100 obedience titles. They started Holmhaven Arabians in 1986, and their Arabian horses have won many championships.

The Honorable Nan Rich was elected to the Florida State Senate in November 2004. Sen. Rich currently serves on numerous committees including the Vice Chair on the Ethics and Elections, Children and Families, Health and Human Services Appropriations, and Health Care. Additionally, she was appointed to the Select Committee on Medicaid Reform. Senator Rich has been a champion on animal issues for many years. During the 2004 Legislative Session she sponsored a bill for an animal license plate in which the proceeds raised from the plate would provide education on the benefits of spaying and neutering pets, and financial assistance to not-for-profit spay/neuter programs in the State of Florida.  During the 2005 Legislative Session, Senator Rich passed two bills relating to animals. SB 898 relating to Rabies Vaccinations revises the requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets to be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian against rabies. SB 558 relating to Animal Cruelty amends the minimum fines and periods of incarceration for certain acts of cruelty to animals.