KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Wayside Waifs welcomes Alma Azuara, Nick Davis, Melanie Hepperly and Lisa Rolf as Board Members in 2023.

Alma Azuara moved to Kansas City more than 20 years ago from San Jose, CA. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance Major. Currently, she is a Senior Marketing Manager at T-Mobile. She is active in the Junior League of Kansas City, the American Marketing Association of Kansas City, the Marketing Advisory Council, and is an Avanzando Mentor. She has a nine year old American Staffordshire terrier named Finn.

Nick Davis was born in KC, moved many places, and now has settled into life back in Kansas City, MO. He earned his Organizational Communications degree at University of Oklahoma. He’s worked at Hill’s Pet Nutrition for 23 years and is currently the Head of eCommerce. He has a deep commitment to health and welfare to pets in our community. He lives with his spouse, Margaret, sons, Matthew and Luke, and their dog, Alfred (a Corgi). He enjoys music and being a musician.

Melanie Hepperly is returning to the board at Wayside. She has lived in Kansas City for 50 years and currently resides in the City of Fairway where she serves as Mayor of the City. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from Kansas State University and her MBA from the University of Kansas. She is a retired CPA and spent the majority of her career as the Vice President and CFO for Sosland Publishing Company. She has two cats, both Waif Alums, Butterscotch and Annie.

Lisa Rolf, also a returning board member, was born in Columbia, MO and graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She found a love for retail and retired from Hallmark Cards after 29 years as a VP of Retail Merchandising. Currently she lives with her sister, Kristin, her Lhasa Apso, Annie, and Kristin’s tuxedo cat, Samara. She’s currently exploring options for future professional career with continuing education in integrative medicine, nutrition and positive psychology. 

Wayside’s complete board list is:

Board of Directors –

-          Rusty Smith, Chairperson
-          Susan Wally, Vice Chairperson
-          Sandy Johnson, Treasurer
-          Sydney Goodman, Secretary
-          Marilyn Melcher, Honorary Board Member

Board Members –

-          Alma Azuara
-          Nick Davis
-          Jill Embry
-          Melanie Hepperly
-          Jennifer Janis
-          John Leifer
-          Lisa Rolf
-          Anthony West
-          David Yost

About Wayside Waifs

As Kansas City’s largest and most comprehensive no kill pet adoption campus, Wayside Waifs prepares pets and people for the bond of their lives. More than 20,000 pets and people are served annually through pet adoptions, youth education and canine training programs, and community programming, like the pet food pantry. Wayside is a private, independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity. It receives no government funding and is supported entirely by private donations and grants. To see all of the animals available for adoptions or to donate, please visit WaysideWaifs.org.

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