Board of Directors

Nina Woodard, BOard of Directors | Board Chair

Nina serves as the President and Chief ‘N’ Sights Officer for Nina E. Woodard & Associates. Using customized executive coaching and strategic business consulting strategies, Nina strives to heighten confidence in business leaders as they move into overseas markets. 

Nina’s career has encompassed 32 years in the field of banking. Her HR background includes leadership roles in practical day to day activity as well as significant change initiatives, including M and A work and establishing a shared services center for finance. She has worked across North, Central and South America, in the Middle East, and in Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.

She is the mentor and business coach and an Independent Director for Husys Consulting in India. She is a Board Member for Skill Beyond Boundaries, a UK technology startup and for Safe Pet, in Colorado Springs. She serves as a member of the advisory team for World HR Congress and Asia Pacific HR Congress. 

Richard Maida, BOard of Directors | Treasurer

Richard joins Safe Place for Pets with 20 years experience in finance and commodity trading. As a dad of three rescued pets, Richard holds a special place in his heart for creatures big and small. When Richard is not hiking or traveling with his wife and twin sons, he enjoys learning new languages. Richard recently earned his MBA and is excited to serve such a dedicated, nonprofit organization. 

Karen dayberry, BOard of Directors, secretary

Karen joined Safe Place for Pets’ Board of Directors in April 2023. She retired as a contracting professional from Colorado Springs Utilities in May 2022 after a 30-year career in the field. She worked for Air Force Civil Service, Defense contractors, a local school district and then CSU.

Karen served in the Army in the 77th Army Band in Lawton, OK as a saxophone player. Her formal education includes a Masters of Arts in Biogeography from the University of Hawaii, a Bachelors of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and a graduate certificate from Regis University in Nonprofit Management.

Volunteering has been a large part of Karen’s life for many years. She served the Colorado Springs group home organization called STAY (Springs Teaching Association for youth) as part of the nonprofit management program at Regis. She volunteered at Greyhounds as Pets (GAP) at the Colorado Springs dog track and at The Carousel Therapeutic Riding Center. She is the past president of the Board of Directors for All Breed Rescue & Training and currently serves on the Greyhound Club of America Board of Directors. She also volunteers with the Pikes Peak Alliance of Therapy Dogs providing “dog love” to nursing homes, hospitals, and other volunteer events with the oldest dog of the pack, Coleman.

Karen and her husband, Scott, are guardians to three AKC-registered Greyhounds (not racing bloodlines) who are all show dogs. She enjoys training dogs in agility and other performance sports and showing dogs in conformation. This passion has taken her dogs to Westminster Kennel Club shows in New York City as well as Portland, OR, California, and of course the closer venues such as New Mexico, Nebraska, Texas and Kansas. Her current, most active show dog is a Best in Show winner and is currently (April 2023) in whelp with her first litter of puppies.

When not training or showing dogs, Karen can be found in the garden, cycling around the area, at Lifetime Fitness, on the pickleball court, RV’ing, or curled up with a book.

Christina skinner, BOard of DirectorS | Bookkeeper

Christina joined Safe Place for Pets in January 2022. She currently works in Denver as a senior performance and financial auditor for the Government Accountability Office. After hearing about the organization, she fell in love with its mission and purpose. 

Christina’s a mom to a shelter cat named Addison, who loves her role as an only child. Outside of her day job, Christina also plays professional women’s football for the Mile High Blaze.

Kennedy Watson, Board of directors | Chair of the People Ops/HR Committee

Kennedy has been with Safe Place for Pets since 2019. In that time, she has had the role of Operations Coordinator, Executive Director, Board Chair, and is now the acting Chair of the People Ops/HR Committee. She is passionate about animal welfare and believes strongly in the mission of Safe Place.

In her day job she is the Head of People at a visual marketing company in the real estate space where she focuses on curating a strong company culture and people experience. She takes pride in being a dog mom to her 7 year old Dutch Shepherd, Gatsby, and is based in Denver, CO.

Clyde Evans, Board of Directors | member-at-large

Clyde joined Safe Place for Pets in 2019. He was led to the organization after briefly marketing in the hospice arena. Assisting terminally ill patients in finding a forever home for their furry friends is a life changing experience. He is the proud owner of a papillon-poodle dog named Rufus. 

Karen spencer, BOard of Directors | Chair of Events Committee

Karen helps Safe Place with fundraising and events. Her love of cats (dogs, too), decades of fundraising experience with non-profit organizations, and heart for people who are at the end of life, all make this organization the perfect fit for her. She says, "It is truly wonderful to see the cats come into our care mourning and confused, and then watch as they heal and blossom… and then win the heart of their next loving human! Great things are happening at Safe Place every day.