In January, PAWS Animal Adoption Center appointed the 2024 slate of officers to the Board of Trustees and welcomed two new board members, Debra Hall and Andrew Weeks.

The 2024 officers are Michelle Davis, President, Jill Parker, Vice President, Karen Foxwell, Secretary, and Rieko McCarthy, Treasurer. Other members of the board are Cheryl Ayers, Thomas Griffith, Jean White, and new members, Debra Halll and Andrew Weeks.
“PAWS is perfectly poised for our 50th anniversary with a strong board that is supporting the life-saving work of PAWS. I am honored to serve alongside Debra, Andrew and the rest of our board as we further enable PAWS to help the pets and pet owners in our community,” said Board President Michelle Davis.

PAWS Executive Director Shelly Butler noted that “Debra and Andrew bring a wealth of knowledge and talent to our board, and they are as passionate as I am about the mission of PAWS and serving our community.”

Debra Hall, an active attorney for over 40 years, is engaged with the Mid-coast community in a variety of roles, including former Chair of the Rockport Select Board, Board President and a solo/ensemble ringer with Penobscot Bay Ringers, and Board President of the Midcoast Internet Development Corporation focused on bringing fiber optic broadband to Camden-Rockport and surrounding towns.

As a Rockport resident she and her husband, Bob, strongly support the work of PAWS. As Debra recently noted “I am proud to be a new Board member of PAWS and associated with such a terrific, compassionate organization and cause.” She hopes to bring her organization, strategy and business development skills to supplement the work of the Board and staff. Debra and Bob are passionate about animals, particularly their two yellow Labradors Kelsey and Poppy.

Andrew Weeks brings over 25 years of customer operations leadership experience in diverse areas of the fixed wireless and financial services industry. Andrew is currently the Director of Operations for Redzone Wireless in Rockland. Prior to joining Redzone, Andrew held Senior Vice President positions at Bank of America in mid-coast Maine and Phoenix Arizona where he led multiple teams with cross functional duties within customer operations. Andrew believes in the importance of diversity and inclusion and bringing your whole self to work everyday as a foundation for long term success.

Andrew is a native of Portland, and a graduate of the University of Southern Maine. He currently resides in Rockport, Maine with his wife Della, two children, and rescue dog Luna (from Mississippi) and cat Chewie. “As a Rockport resident, I am thrilled to be a new Board member of PAWS and looks forward to bringing his organization and operations experience to the board and staff. PAWS is an amazing organization and I'm proud to be serving on the board.”
“I’m so grateful to our incredible board members who are helping to increase the impact PAWS is having locally. PAWS not only finds homes for dogs and cats who need them, but also helps to keep pets with their families, and this mission resonates with every one of our board members,” Davis said.

PAWS’ mission is to provide care for homeless dogs and cats until they can be placed in permanent, responsible homes while promoting humane values in our community through outreach and educational programs.
For more information about PAWS visit the center at 123 John Street in Camden or online at www.pawscares.org.