Meet the Team

MEET THE TEAM

Lacy Shirey

Executive Director

Lacy Shirey started with Chesapeake Humane Society (CHS) in 2008 as a volunteer and board member. She came on board as the Executive Director in April of 2012. In her first year as director, Lacy led the organization through its first capital campaign to purchase and renovate CHS’s Battlefield Blvd location, serving primarily as an income-based veterinary clinic.

Read Lacy’s Full Bio

In 2022, CHS celebrates 50 years and will go through its second significant expansion with the addition of a 7,000 sq. ft. facility dedicated to sheltering homeless pets and providing temporary boarding for individuals and families facing hardship.

In 2016/2017, she participated in the Humane Society of the United States Puerto Rico Sister Shelter Program. She and a colleague mentored various animal shelters on the main island and the island of Vieques. In 2017, she assisted with transporting 200 mostly older dogs back to the stateside U.S., working with rural shelters in Puerto Rico, some of which did not have access to running water.

Lacy graduated from Christopher Newport University with a Bachelors in Biology. She serves on the WHRO Community Advisory Board (past Chair), the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council (Vice-Chair), and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Executive Board. She is an HSUS District Leader for her congressional district and works with local and state legislatures to improve animal welfare laws. She organizes quarterly community litter cleanups and writes a monthly column, Animal Connections, for The Virginian Pilot.

She was a recipient of Inside Business’ Top 40 Under Forty in 2012, recognized as the 2017 Citizen of the Year from the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council, and a 2020 LEAD Hampton Roads graduate. She volunteers her time with WHRO and often organizes community trash cleanups throughout the year. She fosters kittens, puppies, cats, dogs, and livestock for the Chesapeake Humane Society. She lives in Chesapeake with her four adopted dogs: two Bluetick Coonhounds, a Bloodhound, and a Great Dane. She is a beekeeper and also cares for chickens and turkeys on her small farm.

Rita Hemmings, DVM

Medical Director

Read Dr. Hemmings’s Full Bio

Emily Friedland

Development Manager

Emily Friedland joined the CHS team in March of 2020. Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Emily relocated to Hampton Roads in 2016 after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Dickinson College and is currently working on her Masters in Marketing from The College of William and Mary.

Read Emily’s Full Bio

Emily has been working for animal welfare organizations since 2017 and has experience in fundraising, grant writing, marketing, event planning, and social media management. She has worked in both private and public shelters, where she has seen many different facets of animal sheltering. As an avid animal lover, Emily has found working for local animal shelters to be a fulfilling and challenging career. Emily enjoys working for an organization that helps animals and the people that love them find each other and stay together through CHS’s low-cost veterinary clinic, adoption program, and crisis boarding program.

Sharon Maddox

Shelter Manager

Sharon joined the Chesapeake Humane Society as the Shelter Manager in 2022. Sharon grew up in Hampton Roads and has over 16 years of animal welfare experience. Sharon’s interest in animals started at a very early age, including volunteering at local shelters.

Read Sharon’s Full Bio

Before joining CHS, she was with Chesapeake Animal Services. First as an Animal Control Officer and then promoted to Animal Control Supervisor. Chesapeake Animal Services and CHS have always had a close working relationship, so this transition was easy for her. Sharon finds fostering animals to be one of the most rewarding parts of her job. This exposes the animal to everyday household experiences and makes for a less stressful move into their permanent home. She is thrilled to be a part of the CHS team and looks forward to growing with them and ensuring that the animals at CHS are provided with the care and attention they deserve.

Heather Moon, LVT

Clinic Manager

Heather joined the Chesapeake Humane Society in 2022 as the Clinic Manager. Being a military spouse, she moved back to Hampton Roads in late 2021. Although she has worked for both private practice and shelters for over 10 years, her passion is High-Quality shelter medicine.

Read Heather’s Full Bio

While her primary role is managing the clinic and its daily operations, she is also a Licensed Veterinary Technician and occasionally helps with medical aspects. Helping people and animals collectively at CHS is the most rewarding part of her job.

Outside of work, Heather enjoys spending time with her family. She is a mom to one child and two fur children. Some favorite hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and visiting new places.

Shoshana Mostoller, MSW

Community Engagement Manager

Shoshana Mostoller is the Community Engagement Manager for the Chesapeake Humane Society. Her role includes managing the Stronger Together crisis boarding program and the volunteer program. Shoshana is dedicated to keeping people and pets together by providing support for families in crisis.

Read Shoshana’s Full Bio

She also strives to connect community members with meaningful ways to become involved with animal welfare.

Shoshana received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina and her Masters Degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently working toward her postgraduate certification in Veterinary Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Shoshana is also a certified humane education specialist.

Shoshana’s past employment includes working as the Program Director and then Executive Director of the Belleville Area Humane Society in Belleville, IL and working as the Event Coordinator and then Event Manager for the We Promise Foundation.

She has also held many volunteer positions, including working with animal-related disaster relief and serving on the task force for the Purina Petlover Coalition. She currently volunteers with the national organization, My Dog Is My Home. My Dog Is My Home works to increase access to shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness with companion animals.

In her free time, Shoshana plays tennis and swims in the ocean as often as possible. She enjoys hiking and kayaking with her husband and her dogs. She is the mother of three adult children. Shoshana and her family have fostered dozens of dogs and kittens and are happy to help these pets find their forever homes.