Meet the Team
Administration & Staff

Zoey Knittel
Executive Director
Zoey Knittel serves as the Community Animal Medicine Project’s Executive Director, overseeing the organization’s management, programs and development. Zoey joined CAMP in its infancy and immediately developed internal management procedures and participated in the strategic planning process defining CAMP’s long term goals and vision. With over ten years of development and non-profit management experience, Zoey successfully developed CAMP’s comprehensive fundraising plans which serve as a launch pad for the organization’s complex operations. She also serves as CAMP’s external spokesperson to raise awareness about under-served populations as well as to ensure CAMP continues to meet the needs of the ever-changing Los Angeles community. Zoey previously served as the managing director of a non-profit literary arts foundation and her award-winning writing has been widely published. Her screenplays have been produced by Rock The Vote for MTV, her short films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, aired on MTV, and were awarded the Peabody Award For Excellence in Television. Recently, Zoey, her partner and cats have fostered and found homes for a three-legged Pitbull, an eighteen year old senior kitty, and a litter of bottle baby kittens. She is proud to be able to support CAMP’s mission to provide the best quality care for those pets in need of the most help.

Janet Sepulveda
Director of Clinic Operations
Janet has felt great compassion and love for animals ever since she can remember. She has 10 years of experience in animal welfare. She began her career with animals as a volunteer caring for puffins at the Aquarium of the Pacific. She later worked at an animal shelter, veterinary hospital and finally CAMP. She has simultaneously worked for several nonprofit spay and neuter organizations in Los Angeles. She recently became an RVT and is attending Cal State Fullerton earning a business degree. She is very proud to be a part of CAMP and create a positive impact on animals in her community.

Erin Thomas
Director of Finance & Administration
Erin Thomas serves as CAMP’s Accounting and HR Manager. With 10 years of experience in multiple accounting and human resource roles, Erin completed her MBA degree in 2017. With her immense love for animals, the opportunity to work with CAMP was an easy decision. Erin currently has two cats at home and a secret dream of one day living on a farm with many more animals.

Elaine Lukic, DVM
Medical Director
Dr. Lukic graduated from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. After graduation, she practiced both general and emergency medicine in South Florida. In 2006, she moved to Southern California to pursue her passion for shelter medicine with OC Animal Care. She has been involved with non-profit, low-cost spay/neuter programs for almost 15 years both domestically and internationally. She has participated in numerous animal welfare projects abroad including programs with Christian Veterinary Mission in Bolivia, Project HEAL in Ecuador, and Animal Balance in Samoa as well as local efforts throughout Florida and Southern California. Dr. Lukic has been working with CAMP since July 2010. She believes in providing exceptional quality medicine and treating all animals with genuine care and concern as if they were her own pets. She shares her home with a spirited Golden Retriever and three affectionate and mischievous cats.

Adrian Perez
Director Mobile Clinic Operations
Adrian’s passion for animals started at a very young age. With over 15 years of experience in animal welfare, Adrian began his career in shelter medicine before joining CAMP’s very first spay and neuter team in 2008. His experience includes emergency care, general medicine, and spay and neuter. In his free time Adrian enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with his family.

Ari Vena
Development & Grants Manager
As a lifelong lover of animals and proud mama of a former CAMP foster kitten, Ari comes to CAMP with a varied background in digital, film and event production, corporate management, ethnographic research and even a former life as a vet tech! She enthusiastically welcomes this opportunity to transform her volunteer role with CAMP into a full time career helping people and pets of Los Angeles.

Zach Deegan, DVM
Veterinarian Director of Training & Development
Dr. Zach Deegan is a veterinarian with 10 years of veterinary experience in shelter medicine, high-quality high-volume spay neuter programs, disaster response and animal welfare policy. He has been full time with CAMP since 2017. Dr. Deegan is a key member of the leadership team at our Mission Hills clinic, where he helps manage daily clinic operations, sees wellness and spay/neuter recheck appointments, and also trains staff and volunteers in HQHVSN best practices and procedures.

Seung Lee, DVM
Staff Veterinarian, Mission Hills Clinic
Dr. Seung Lee is our staff veterinarian at our Mission Hills clinic. Dr. Lee is proud to provide expert wellness care to the cats and dogs of the San Fernando Valley and has been doing so with love for the past 5 years.

Michelle Lopez, DVM
Staff Veterinarian, Los Angeles & San Pedro Clinics
Dr. Michelle Lopez is CAMP’s staff doctor at both the San Pedro and South LA clinics. She joined Team CAMP in 2021 and provides expert, compassionate care to all of her four-legged patients. Dr. Lopez is an inspiration to her staff at CAMP who enjoy working with her and admire her focus on teamwork and love of all animals.

Jennie Nguyen, DVM
Staff Veterinarian, Los Angeles Clinic
Dr. Jennie Nguyen is one of our staff veterinarians at our CAMP South LA location. After spending several years in Michigan obtaining her veterinary degree and working for another non-profit, Dr. Nguyen is excited to return to her home state to continue providing quality medicine to her patients, and serving the community she grew up in. She is especially interested in shelter and community medicine, and is passionate about providing access to veterinary care to those in need. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and two senior rescue pups, Sydney and Dexter.

Jehl Castelo, DVM
Staff Veterinarian
Bio coming soon!

Merissa Niewzal
Office Manager
Merissa is the CAMP Office Manager. She has been in the field of veterinary medicine for 10 years. She has volunteered with wildlife, farm animals, dogs, cats, and exotic animals. She is a lifelong animal lover who is passionate about the rights of animals in our society, and enjoys spending time in nature. She has two cats, Soybean and Tofu, and a dog, Boo Boo.

Denise Soto
Manager, San Pedro Clinic
Denise serves as the clinic manager of SNPLA’s San Pedro clinic. Denise has worked with CAMP for nearly 10 years and brings tremendous veterinary technician skills to her role as clinic manager. Started in 2009, the San Pedro clinic is a cornerstone of CAMP’s spay/neuter program and is located adjacent to LA Animal Services’ Harbor Animal Care Center.

Miguel Rivera
Manager, Mission Hills Clinic
Miguel is originally from San Diego but moved to LA a little under 3 years ago. He received his RVT license 5 years ago but has been in the veterinary medical field for over 12 years. From general practice, to emergency care, to now managing a high volume spay neuter clinic. His passion for animals goes way back to my childhood. He had many pets growing up and would even help his uncle work on a farm on the weekends! During his time in San Diego, he would travel to Rosarito, Mexico and help a local rescue by providing food and toys to all the dogs being rescued. Now he shares a home with his partner and their fur babies, Churro and Choco.

Cynthia Castro
Manager, Los Angeles Clinic
Cynthia's lifelong love of animals has kept her in the veterinary field for over 15 years. She received her license as a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2012. Her career has led her to clinics specializing in oncology, general practice and emergency medicine. She was also a regular volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for almost a year. Cynthia is so excited to bring all of her experiences to this role in community medicine and making medical care more accessible to animals and their owners.

Cristina Perez
Manager, Call Center
Cristina is the Call Center manager. She started with CAMP back in 2009 when the organization was under a different name. She left the organization in 2017 to pursue a career in human health care but returned to the organization in March of 2022. Cristina has always been passionate about helping others and is happy to be back with CAMP! When she is not working, she dedicates her time to her newborn son and enjoys her life as a new mother.

Lori Reyes
Assistant Clinic Manager, Mission Hills
Lori Reyes has had a love for animals for as long as she can remember. She graduated college with a degree in Veterinary Technology and has worked at CAMP since 2013. When she is not working, she spends quality time with her four beloved dogs.

Marisol Haro
Assistant Clinic Manager, Los Angeles
Marisol has been in the veterinary field for about 10 years. In high school she started volunteering at a local animal shelter, helping pets become more social and increasing their chances of getting adopted. She was pre-vet but decided that being a veterinary technician would allow her to do a little of everything that she enjoyed. Marisol has worked in many different departments, including: shelter medicine, surgery specialty, general practice, 24-hour emergency, physical therapy and high volume spay/neuter. She loves and enjoys every aspect of her career. When not working Marisol loves hanging out with her dachshund named Rylee, cycling, checking out new record shops or just watching a good movie at home. Being in the veterinary field is not easy but it is very rewarding and she is glad to be able to help the community.

Mireya Alejandro Ruiz
Assistant Clinic Manager, San Pedro
Bio coming soon!
Board of Directors
Laurie Straten
Chairman Of The Board
Noel Jackson
Board Secretary
Jeffrey Kardatzke
Board Member
Lisa Ishimaru
Board Member
Carol Vena-Mondt
Board Member
Antonio Gonella
Board Member