TEAM
Jen Halpern - Founder, Executive Director, Treasurer
Jen leads Pillows for Paws in providing care and support to shelter animals. For fourteen years, she has been dedicated to ensuring they receive small comforts that make a big difference while they wait for their forever homes. She loves working with a group of dedicated volunteers who share her passion and commitment, creating a supportive network that makes this mission possible. In addition to her work with Pillows for Paws, Jen is a casting director and energy healer, bringing creativity, intuition, and compassion to all that she does. She shares her home with Jade, the wisest cat there is.
Julie Ulrich - Secretary. Board Member
Julie’s love of rescue animals began as a child when she shared a deep bond with her family’s beautiful rescue cat, Coco. Since then, Julie has adopted and fostered several rescue cats, doing her best to give them the most pampered lives ever. As Board Member and Secretary of Pillow for Paws, Julie is thrilled to contribute to PFP marketing strategies in the effort to get the word out about this amazing organization. Julie works as a marketing copywriter and intuitive animal communicator and lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her boyfriend and two rescue cats, Calla and Faro.
simina calin - director of sewing and crafts, Board Member
Simina has been involved in animal welfare since high school and has volunteered with several rescue organizations in New York City. She has fostered numerous animals since 2009, including cats, dogs, rabbits, and rats. In 2012, she discovered Pillows for Paws and combined her love of crafting with helping animals, now serving as Director of Sewing and Crafts. She oversees the design and programming of handmade beds and toys for shelter animals. Simina lives in Manhattan with her rescue dog, Ruby, and two rescue cats, Teresa and Sandy.
ALice Kim - Pawtographer, Craft Coordinator, Board member
Alice has always had a soft spot for animals in need-ever since childhood. She would bring home stray pets to care for, despite always getting in trouble for it. That compassion continues to this day and is why Pillows for Paws holds such a special place in her heart. Originally from Los Angeles, Alice brings a West Coast flair to her fast-paced New York City lifestyle. She currently serves as Media Director at a boutique real estate agency, where she blends creativity with strategic vision. In her downtime, Alice enjoys relaxing at home with her beloved cats, Rufus and Shaq.
L.E. Hartmann, Humane Education development, Board member
L.E. is a native New Yorker who grew up in an household in Queens with a mom who couldn't say no to neighborhood strays. That love and respect for animals prompted L.E.'s lifelong commitment to animal rights. L.E. loves Pillows for Paws because it builds community, supports our public shelters, provides education and is fun. LE is the faculty advisor to the Pillows for Paws club at the Nightingale Bamford school, where she teaches United States history. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Humane Education and is applying what she learns to strengthen the work done by Pillows for Paws. She shares her home with Lucky, a handsome pitbull she adopted from the ACC.
Hannah Pregont, Creative Content Strategist
Hannah is a seasoned creative director and brand manager with a passion for building meaningful brands—and for giving back. Through her volunteer work with Pillows for Paws, she applies her expertise in content development, marketing strategy, and visual storytelling to amplify the voices of NYC’s shelter animals. Blending heart with design, she helps create campaigns that are both emotionally resonant and impactful. Based in Downtown Manhattan, she shares her home with her two rescue cats, Hughie and Teddy, who remind her daily why this work matters.
Todd Ames, Marketing and Development
Todd brings years of experience in marketing, communications, and fundraising to his volunteer work with Pillows for Paws. He helps spread the word about NYC’s shelter animals by writing and producing the organization's monthly email newsletter, crafting fundraising appeals, and managing social media content. With a background at Viacom, NBCUniversal, and Bloomberg Media, Todd helps grow resources that make a difference for animals in need. He shares his home with two cats.