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 Alliance Executive Board, and the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Division Board. She is a co-founder of COVA Recycles and Chesapeake Recycles.

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 three adopted dogs: two Bluetick Coonhounds, a Bloodhound, and two cats. She is a beekeeper and also cares for chickens and turkeys on her small farm.

Rita Hemmings, DVM

Medical Director

Dr. Hemmings joined the Chesapeake Humane Society in 2023. Dr. Hemmings received her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Rutgers University and her DVM from Western University of Health Sciences.

Read Dr. Hemmings’s Full Bio

Before practicing shelter medicine and high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter, she worked in private practice with companion and farm animals. Her professional interests include soft tissue surgery and internal medicine. Outside of work, Dr. Hemmings enjoys spending time with her husband and son, as well as several furry and feathered animals. In her free time, she enjoys baking and reading.

Emily Peck

Development Director

Emily Peck is the Development Director for the Chesapeake Humane Society. In her role, Emily leads the strategy and execution of all fundraising and marking initiatives. Emily ensures that the entire organization fosters a culture of philanthropy, working with the Board of Directors and the staff to build, nurture, and sustain meaningful donor relationships.

Read Emily’s Full Bio

Growing up in rural Ohio, animals have always been a primary focus of Emily’s life. Emily earned her bachelor’s degree from Otterbein University, where she studied biochemistry and equestrian sciences while competing on the IHSA Equestrian Team. In 2012, Emily relocated to Hampton Roads, where she began her career in non-profit – first with a concentration in veterinary medicine and later moving into her role as a dedicated and successful fundraising executive. Emily’s background and deep understanding of animal welfare enable her to bring unique insight to the stewardship of donor support and personally speak to the direct effect that their gifts have on our programs. Emily’s goal is to create pathways and opportunities for donors to support in the ways that are most meaningful to them; connecting passionate people to impactful missions and making good work possible.

Emily is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads Chapter, where she has served as Chapter Treasurer for the past 4 1/2 years. In 2016, Emily was named one of Hampton Roads Top 40 Under 40 Business Professionals, and in 2017, she was recognized by her alma mater with an Alumni Gold Award for outstanding volunteer service and community impact during her career. Outside work, Emily enjoys riding her beloved horse, Trip, and spending time with her husband, Andrew, and their two kids, Henry & Eleanor. The “Peck Pack” wouldn’t be complete without also mentioning their goofy and much-loved rescue dogs, Ben Franklin and George Bailey, and Henry’s pet fish, Meatball.

Tracy Magro

Shelter Manager

Meet Tracy Magro, a compassionate and experienced Shelter Manager who brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the Chesapeake Humane Society (CHS). Originally hailing from Wisconsin, Tracy found her way to North Carolina before settling in Hampton, Virginia, in 2006.

Read Tracy’s Full Bio

With an impressive 25 years of management experience under her belt, including seven years as a Veterinary Practice Manager and two years specifically in Shelter Management, Tracy is committed to making a difference in the lives of animals and their human companions.

Tracy discovered her calling for animal welfare through her involvement in the foster program for a rural shelter starting in 2016. Starting as a medical foster, she quickly became passionate about providing temporary care and rehabilitation for animals in need. This dedication led her to the Chesapeake Humane Society, where she is thrilled to contribute to the Crisis Boarding Program, which aims to keep families together with their beloved pets during difficult times.

Recognizing the importance of supporting the team, which makes CHS’s mission possible, Tracy prioritizes the well-being of the staff. She believes that by nurturing and empowering her colleagues, they can provide even better care for the animals in their charge.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Tracy has a green thumb and a soft spot for all living things, great and small. In her free time, she rescues plants from local garden centers and shares her home with two dogs and a snake named Extra Pickles, proving that she’s not just a crazy cat lady, but a dedicated animal advocate through and through.

With her extensive experience, unwavering dedication, and genuine love for animals, Tracy is an invaluable asset to the Chesapeake Humane Society and the community it serves.

Stacy Cooper

Clinic Manager

Stacy joined CHS in July of 2023, bringing 17 years of experience in animal care/medicine and a lifetime of compassion for animals.

Read Stacy’s Full Bio

Before moving to Virginia and joining CHS, Stacy grew up on her family farm in rural Ohio. At a young age, she was introduced to raising and caring for a multitude of animals, large and small. If you saw Stacy as a child, she would likely be accompanied by her very own pack of animals.

Stacy made her way into professional animal care when she was just 17 years old, working as a kennel attendant at the local veterinary practice. Within 1 1/2 years, she had worked her way into a Veterinary Assistant role, where she remained for 16 years, expanding her veterinary medicine knowledge.

Coming into the Clinic Manager role, Stacy’s professional goal is to continue supporting the organization’s growth and offering the community affordable, high-quality care for their furry family members.

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.

Dr. Bleuer

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Meredith Bleuer has been with CHS since 2022. She graduated from Oregon State University in 2019 and has worked in general practice and shelter medicine.

Read Dr. Bleuer’s Full Bio

She is passionate about shelter medicine and helping animals who need it most. Dr. Bleuer is particularly interested in increasing access to veterinary care for pet owners and helping companion animals throughout all stages of life.

Dr. Phan

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Phan joined the CHS team in 2024 as our third doctor! She started her journey in shelter medicine in Richmond, Virginia, when she was just 13 years old.

Read Dr. Phan’s Full Bio

Her love for shelter animals grew, and she eventually went to school in Tennessee, where she got her masters in biomedical science and her doctorate in veterinary medicine. After completing her graduate degrees, she moved back to Norfolk, VA, where she went to college at ODU. Since graduating, she has worked at several nonprofit clinics and has recently landed here at Chesapeake Humane Society. Her interests are in high-quality, high-volume spay and neuter. She has four dogs, three cats, nine tortoises, two frogs, a couple of fish tanks, and a human child. She loves a good cruise vacation, and her guilty pleasure is reality TV.