Salise Shuttlesworth
Founder and Executive Director
Salise is a former lawyer who began a second career as a co-founder of the Friends For Life animal shelter. Entering an industry essentially unchanged for 150 years has provided some of the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities in her life.
Salise enjoys marathon running, watercolor, and hiking and identifies as possibly the world’s oldest Swiftie. Her hidden talent is knowing the entire script of Young Frankenstein Cold. She lives in Houston with her wife, five cats, two ferrets, one dog, and an ill-tempered rabbit.
“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people someplace to go. You lead by going to that place and then making a case. That’s what Friends For Life is built on – doing progressive things and proving that they work. We brought Houston the concepts of community-centered animal welfare, Thinking Outside the Shelter, Fix Houston, a feline leukemia cat adoption option, a mobile adoption vehicle, a dog AND cat behavior program, the first cohabitated disaster shelter in the U.S. and a LEED shelter with 96 solar panels on the roof. We didn’t point. We simply headed in the direction of making things better for animals and did the work. Try new things to save as many lives as you can, be transparent about the results, and adjust as needed. That’s the recipe. Plus, you can’t ever have too many ferrets.”
Salise enjoys marathon running, watercolor, and hiking and identifies as possibly the world’s oldest Swiftie. Her hidden talent is knowing the entire script of Young Frankenstein Cold. She lives in Houston with her wife, five cats, two ferrets, one dog, and an ill-tempered rabbit.
“You don’t lead by pointing and telling people someplace to go. You lead by going to that place and then making a case. That’s what Friends For Life is built on – doing progressive things and proving that they work. We brought Houston the concepts of community-centered animal welfare, Thinking Outside the Shelter, Fix Houston, a feline leukemia cat adoption option, a mobile adoption vehicle, a dog AND cat behavior program, the first cohabitated disaster shelter in the U.S. and a LEED shelter with 96 solar panels on the roof. We didn’t point. We simply headed in the direction of making things better for animals and did the work. Try new things to save as many lives as you can, be transparent about the results, and adjust as needed. That’s the recipe. Plus, you can’t ever have too many ferrets.”
Fiona Layfield
Managing Director
Fiona oversees all shelter operations, ensuring financial health, strategic direction, and effective communication. She leads our Senior Leadership Team and manages Development and Fundraising, including the annual fundraising plan and donor development, acquisition, and retention.
Fiona started as an Animal Care Specialist at Friends For Life in 2014 and has also volunteered for various organizations in the UK, Singapore, and Canada. She received a national Point of Light award for her work with Friends For Life and Houston Zoo.
Fiona holds an MA in Economic History from The University of Edinburgh.
Fiona started as an Animal Care Specialist at Friends For Life in 2014 and has also volunteered for various organizations in the UK, Singapore, and Canada. She received a national Point of Light award for her work with Friends For Life and Houston Zoo.
Fiona holds an MA in Economic History from The University of Edinburgh.
Angie Topper
Animal Pathways Director
Angie brings over 11 years of animal welfare experience to Friends For Life, overseeing the Wellness, Animal Care, and Facilities teams. A certified Veterinary Assistant through the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, she brings extensive knowledge and expertise to her role. Angie’s passion for animal welfare fuels her commitment to delivering exceptional care for every animal.
Alese Zeman
Animal Pathways Director
Alese oversees our adoption, foster, volunteer, and front desk programs, amplifying our impact on the animals we serve. With certifications in animal behavior and a strong foundation in cognitive science and psychology, she is an invaluable member of our team. Alese graduated Magna Cum Laude with research distinctions from the University of Virginia and holds a Master of Arts in Teaching. Her experience teaching mathematics in public charter schools sharpened her skills in delivering impactful content and driving meaningful community change.
Melissa Taylor
Behavior and Training Director
Melissa is the Behavior and Training Manager at Friends For Life Animal Shelter, in Houston, Texas. At Friends For Life, Melissa has launched a comprehensive, animal-centered behavior program which includes:
· An in-house behavior modification program associated with a 67% reduction in the number of long-stay dogs
· A tiered shelter training and enrichment program (STEP) that prepares volunteers for animal training and behavior consultant certification, with 2,251 cumulative participants that have provided over 25,000 hours of specialized service
· Behavior consultation and training services for all animals fostered and adopted through Friends For Life, as well as intake intervention services for members of the public
· Inter-shelter consultation, providing assistance to 148 humane organizations in behavior program development
In 2018, Melissa conceptualized and implemented the Friends For Life Fraidy Cat Program, providing behavior modification for under-socialized shelter cats. Since then, more than 345 cats have been enrolled in the program, 335 have successfully completed the program, and 312 of these have been adopted, with a return rate of 1.4%.
Melissa started her shelter behavior career with an internship at the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York City in 2004. Since then, she has led behavior programs at Animal Care and Control of New York City and the Houston SPCA before joining Friends For Life. She is Certified in Shelter Behavior – Cat (CSB-C) and Shelter Behavior – Dog (CSB-D) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and is a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Melissa was awarded the 2022 Member of the Year Award by the Association for Professional Dog Trainers due to her work as co-chair of the APDT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee examining the experiences of BIPOC members of the professional dog training community.
· An in-house behavior modification program associated with a 67% reduction in the number of long-stay dogs
· A tiered shelter training and enrichment program (STEP) that prepares volunteers for animal training and behavior consultant certification, with 2,251 cumulative participants that have provided over 25,000 hours of specialized service
· Behavior consultation and training services for all animals fostered and adopted through Friends For Life, as well as intake intervention services for members of the public
· Inter-shelter consultation, providing assistance to 148 humane organizations in behavior program development
In 2018, Melissa conceptualized and implemented the Friends For Life Fraidy Cat Program, providing behavior modification for under-socialized shelter cats. Since then, more than 345 cats have been enrolled in the program, 335 have successfully completed the program, and 312 of these have been adopted, with a return rate of 1.4%.
Melissa started her shelter behavior career with an internship at the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York City in 2004. Since then, she has led behavior programs at Animal Care and Control of New York City and the Houston SPCA before joining Friends For Life. She is Certified in Shelter Behavior – Cat (CSB-C) and Shelter Behavior – Dog (CSB-D) through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and is a Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Melissa was awarded the 2022 Member of the Year Award by the Association for Professional Dog Trainers due to her work as co-chair of the APDT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee examining the experiences of BIPOC members of the professional dog training community.
Linda Brooks
Development Director