Heartland's Staff
Meet the dedicated team who carry out Heartland’s mission of inspiring compassion for animals, the earth and each other.
Staff Leadership
Alecia Torres
Shelter Director, she/herAlecia has lived in Wisconsin since 1993 when she left Illinois to attend UW-Madison. She fell in love with Madison and never wanted to leave, so her parents and brother followed her to the area to be together. Alecia earned her degree in social welfare, but her strongest love has always been animals. She has lived with animal companions her entire life and is passionate about animal rights issues, especially pertaining to the plight of animals used for food and other human purposes. She followed farm sanctuaries for years before finding out about Heartland and attending their very first fundraiser. Alecia started as an animal care volunteer, but her responsibilities grew until working for Heartland became a full time job. Her favorite friends at the sanctuary are the turkeys, hens and roosters. Alecia lives in Stoughton with her husband Rob, their Great Pyrenees Moses, and their cat Tuco.
Jen Korz
Executive Director, she/herJen has been dedicated to non-profit work for the entirety of her almost 30-year career. After earning her degree in Social Work, she advocated for a variety of vulnerable populations, eventually finding her ultimate passion working with and for the animals. After working many years in fundraising and advocacy for a nationally-recognized animal organization, she changed gears and served as part of the administration team at an arts-based early childhood education landmark in Madison, Wisconsin. Jen brings expertise and connections in development, project management and strategic planning, but considers her passion and conviction for the mission of Heartland as her most important assets. While Jen was raised on the east coast, her family has Midwestern roots and she has been a resident of Madison since 2005. In her spare time, she enjoys eating her partner’s vegan culinary offerings and spending time with their two daughters and three rescue dogs; Otto, Finn and Mowgli.
Steve Suleski
Administrative Director, he/himBefore his recent retirement, Steve was the Vice President – Board Relations and Corporate Secretary of CUNA Mutual Group. In this role, he was responsible for supporting CUNA Mutual’s board of directors and its subsidiary management processes. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin and, prior to joining CUNA Mutual, was a partner at Foley & Lardner, LLP and a senior attorney at Alliant Energy. Steve served on Heartland's Board of Directors before switching over to join our staff as Administrative Director in the summer of 2023. We're so excited to have Steve's business background and invaluable experience on board. When Steve isn't at the sanctuary, you'll find him hanging out with his wife, Jacqui, and their dog, Oliver, in Madison.
Shelter Staff
Alecia Torres
Shelter Director, she/herAlecia has lived in Wisconsin since 1993 when she left Illinois to attend UW-Madison. She fell in love with Madison and never wanted to leave, so her parents and brother followed her to the area to be together. Alecia earned her degree in social welfare, but her strongest love has always been animals. She has lived with animal companions her entire life and is passionate about animal rights issues, especially pertaining to the plight of animals used for food and other human purposes. She followed farm sanctuaries for years before finding out about Heartland and attending their very first fundraiser. Alecia started as an animal care volunteer, but her responsibilities grew until working for Heartland became a full time job. Her favorite friends at the sanctuary are the turkeys, hens and roosters. Alecia lives in Stoughton with her husband Rob, their Great Pyrenees Moses, and their cat Tuco.
Krysta Koralesky
Animal Care Staff, she/herKrysta was born and raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin and has degrees in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Krysta loves learning about animals and nature, and has always found farm work to be fulfilling. She started volunteering at Heartland in October of 2015 and has been part of Heartland animal care staff since April 2017. At the end of 2022 Krysta took a break from her staff role and continued as a volunteer, but we're so happy to have her back as part of our Animal Care staff. Outside of Heartland, Krysta works in administration for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lives in Madison with her two cats, Lily and Diana.
Michelle Hogan
Advanced Animal Care Staff, she/herMichelle moved to Madison from the Chicagoland area in December 2013 and started volunteering at Heartland doing animal care the following April. Michelle lives with her fiancé and their three dogs. They also foster for several organizations so they usually have a few foster animals (dogs, cats, and birds) at home, as well. Outside of Heartland, Michelle spends most of her time with her dogs, but also enjoys baking vegan desserts, reading too many books at one time, and listening to true crime podcasts.
Thomas Gasper
Groundskeeping Assistant, he/hisThomas started volunteering at Heartland in February 2021 and loved spending time with the staff and animals. He is excited to join the Heartland team for the summer because he has always been intrigued by tractors and farm machinery. He is looking forward to caring for the grounds at Heartland and making friends with the animals and staff. Thomas loves biking, video games, and his dog named Bear.
Ana Rudy
Shelter Coordinator, she/herAna grew up in Madison, just four miles from the fields that would later become Heartland. After various stints in the tech industry, Ana discovered Heartland by chance after following other farm sanctuaries on social media. Starting out as a volunteer in 2017, Ana immediately loved the messy work, like-minded people and amazing animals. She joined the Animal Care Staff in 2018 and later became our volunteer co-coordinator, and her latest role is Shelter Coordinator! She will tell anyone willing to listen how special Heartland is and how blessed she feels to have found her true purpose, passion and bliss.
Gia Arciero
Advanced Animal Care Staff, she/herGia spent many of her childhood and early adult years on farms working with horses. She moved to Madison from Minnesota in 2015, and started volunteering at Heartland when she left her job in January 2021. She loved spending time with the animals so much that she decided to join the staff! She lives with her husband, dog, and cat in McFarland. When she's not out snuggling the chickens, she spends her time sewing, weaving, and trying any other fiber art that seems fun.
Julie Sabo
Animal Care Staff, she/herJulie Sabo is an animator and illustrator who moved to Wisconsin in 2019. She started working with horses and in 2021, became a volunteer at Heartland Farm Sanctuary! We welcomed Julie to the team as an animal caretaker in May of 2022.
Alyssa Salmon
Advanced Animal Care Staff, she/herAlyssa was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science. After graduation she moved to Madison in 2022 in order to be a Farm Animal Shelter Intern at Heartland. After the internship, she decided to stay in Madison and continue as an animal care volunteer, and soon after, an animal care staff member! Alyssa has always had a fondness for animals and their well-being, which is what led her to Heartland. Growing up, Alyssa spent time fostering kittens for her local animal shelter, volunteering in the community, and playing travel soccer. Alyssa lives in Madison with her rescue cat, Brody, and rescue goldfish, Figaro, Riley, and Rulu.
Hannah Moore
Animal Care Staff, she/herHannah was born and raised in Madison, WI. She grew up in the city but has loved and cared for many feathered and furry companion animals her whole life and is an avid outdoors enthusiast. Driven by her love for animals, Hannah started volunteering at Heartland Farm Sanctuary in December of 2021 as part of the Animal Care team. Caring for the animals and ensuring their comfort, health and happiness has been incredibly rewarding for Hannah. She quickly began to realize the amazing mission, vision and values of HFS, and to appreciate the incredible humans involved. Hannah is honored to join the HFS staff and to contribute as much as she can to the organization! When not at Heartland, you may find Hannah glamping in the woods of central Wisconsin, exploring and appreciating nature, or putzing around her home in Stoughton with her wife, two dogs and three cats.
Emily Dykstra
Animal Care Staff, she/herEmily grew up in a small town in Southern Wisconsin and has been an animal lover as far back as she can remember. She first learned of Heartland while in law school at UW, where she was involved with the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, when the group planned a workday at the sanctuary in 2018. She began volunteering weekly after her graduation from law school in May 2019. Emily was excited to step into the role of Animal Care Staff in Spring 2023. Outside of Heartland, Emily works as an attorney with Turke & Steil LLP. She spends as much time with animals as possible outside of work and has 13 animals of her own at home to care for.
Carol Lockard
Advanced Animal Care Staff, she/herCarol grew up surrounded by farm animals. Her family had a horse barn in her small hometown, and besides horses, they took in numerous goats, pigs, chickens & other species. Carol started volunteering at Heartland before she joined our staff in June of 2023. Carol lives with her long-time partner, Gabriel, her son, Asher, and their ever-growing family of adopted critters, which currently includes: dogs Donatello and Leonardo, cat Tororo, rabbit Aladdin, and 10 sweet rats!
Nicole Slania
Animal Care Staff, she/herNicole started volunteering with Heartland Farm Sanctuary in 2014. She has served in various volunteer roles since then, including administration, animal care, special events, enrichment, and work groups. In February 2024, Nicole joined our staff as a member of our Animal Care team. Outside of Heartland, Nicole loves to be outside — hiking, playing volleyball or just going for a neighborhood walk. She also enjoys reading, road trips and a good cup of coffee. Adventures that her dogs can join are always the best (she has three!). She also volunteers with a local dog rescue by fostering and dog sitting, and strongly believes in the healing power of french fries.
Lauren Paegelow
Animal Health Specialist, she/herLauren was born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin. After obtaining her nursing degree from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, she worked as a nurse for 11 years at multiple healthcare systems. Feeling called to leave human care behind and recognizing her passion for rescued animals of all shapes and sizes, Lauren started caring for animals as Heartland's Animal Health Specialist. She currently lives with her husband in Wauwatosa along with their dog (Yetty), cats (Berlioz and Figaro), and guinea pigs (Potato and Nugget).
Claire Bergman
Animal Care Staff | she/hersClaire started volunteering at Heartland after she moved to Madison from the Chicago area in September 2022. She stayed helping in Verona until the last of our rescued residents made the move to Stoughton, and also served as a summer camp counselor before joining our animal care staff in April 2024. “I am so grateful to be part of the Heartland team," Claire says. "I am a school social worker by trade, and I am always looking for ways to decompress from work. I often call my time at the sanctuary my ‘fuzz therapy.’ The power of the residents on boosting your mood and giving you love is priceless!” Outside of Heartland, Claire enjoys spending time with family, trying new coffee shops and pastries, and reading. She also loves to get outside and explore new parts of the state.
Program Staff
Katelyn Becker, LCSW
Experiential Therapist, she/herKatelyn joined our team after learning about Heartland's mission and was excited to combine her passions for supporting kids/families with her passion for animal compassion, healing and rescue. Katelyn is originally from central Wisconsin but moved to Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed a Bachelor's and Master's of Social Work with a Child, Youth and Family Welfare focus. Katelyn has worked in after-school programs, nonprofits and currently in a school social work role providing crisis stabilization. She lives with her husband, two dogs and one cat...with hopes to expand when they have more space!
Laura Marshall
Community Outreach Team member, she/herLaura is an instructional designer by day and an animal lover 24/7. As of spring 2022, she is also a Heartland Community Outreach Team member, leading public and private tours of the sanctuary and representing Heartland in the community. Laura is a Wisconsin native who grew up on a farm. Her passions in life are to teach, learn, and explore the world, especially its creatures and cultures. In her free time, you can find her walking in Madison's many parks with her husband and two dogs, growing flowers in her garden, or embarking on a variety of creative projects.
Emma Rosera, LSW
Therapy Manager + Experiential Therapist, she/herEmma moved to the Madison area in 2017 from Minnesota. She earned her degree in social work and education, and has been practicing as a licensed social worker in child welfare for the past five years. Emma also teaches dog training classes at a local facility where she highlights using positive reinforcement techniques and teamwork. Heartland’s mission of inspiring compassion for all is close to Emma’s heart. Her current menagerie at home includes two cats, an ex-racing greyhound named Solomon, a leopard gecko, and a collection of fish. In her free time, Emma enjoys sipping coffee and reading on the couch with her pets, camping and hiking with her husband and dog, and playing board games. Emma is so excited to combine her love for animals with her passion for supporting families by being part of the experiential therapy program at Heartland!
Alissa Andrews, CTRS
Experiential Therapist, she/herAlissa has lived in Madison for over three years and loves everything it has to offer! She lives with her fiancé, dog (Monty) and cat (Luna). She graduated from UW Milwaukee earning her degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. Alissa is a licensed Recreational Therapist, has a background working in nonprofits, and also currently works part-time in mental health services. In her free time, she loves snuggling up with her pets with a good book in hand, practicing yoga, getting outdoors, playing soccer and exploring new places! As a lifelong animal lover, Alissa is thrilled to be a part of the Heartland community. She is passionate about supporting the Heartland farm residents and clients in exploring their leisure interests while working towards their personal goals.
Solomon
Therapy Dog, he/hisSolomon is a seven-year-old, ex-racing greyhound who is elated to be joining the HFS therapy team in his retirement. Solomon hails from the South, but has learned to love the changing seasons in Wisconsin, and especially loves a good zoom in the snow. Since joining the team at Heartland, Sol has learned he's more than just the speed he can run, and has leaned (literally, if you've met him) into a role of dedicated comforter and supporter. In his free time, Solomon enjoys taking his human, Emma, on local adventures to breweries, coffee shops, and walking paths. His favorite thing about being part of the experiential therapy team is doing whatever it takes to make the kids laugh, and getting SO MANY snoot rubs.
Molly Linn-Miller, MS-ATR
Experiential Therapist, she/herMolly Linn-Miller has worked as a registered art therapist for 15 years. She provides art therapy support for a variety of ages and populations including children and young adults with autism, families living with cancer, and adults recovering from substance abuse. Molly also paints large scale children’s murals and likes to incorporate upcycled and natural materials into her artwork. She enjoys spending time with her two boys, her husband, and her rescue pup, a terrier-mix named Eddy. When not at the sanctuary or making art, you can find her cooking and eating with lady friends, hiking, or playing ultimate frisbee. Molly grew up in the country in a log cabin style home surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and a variety of wildlife that snuck into the home. She recently discovered Heartland, knowing it would be a perfect fit to combine her love of creative expression and animals to promote healing and wellness for all beings.
Madison Stanton, CTRS
Experiential Therapist & Intake Coordinator, she/herMadison earned her degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Illinois State University and has been practicing as a certified professional since. Madison has 3 years of experience working in the mental health field, 2 years experience working in a community setting, and many more years of experience working with children in different capacities. She currently lives in Madison with her fiancé (Hunter) and their cat (Buddy). In her free time she enjoys taking dance classes, snuggling with her cat, hanging out with friends and family, sipping/making coffee, and exploring new places/traveling. Madison is excited to combine her compassion of working and children and her love for animals.
Katie Williams
Humane Education Manager, she/herKatie is beyond thrilled to join Heartland's community as the Humane Education Manager. She comes to Heartland with 15 years experience teaching kindergarten and early childhood education. Katie has a strong passion for teaching equity, compassion, inclusion and kindness. She loves all animals and the environment and is so excited to share that love with Heartland's campers. Katie spent summer 2021 volunteering at Heartland's camps and she fell in love with the residents (especially potbellied pig Jerry), the community and everything Heartland embodies. She quickly realized the positive effect Heartland can have on one's mental health. Katie lives in McFarland with her husband, their rescued basset hound, and their milk snake (who was also her class pet in her Kindergarten classroom). She feels the happiest when she is outside; especially camping, hiking or snowshoeing. Katie also loves watching The Office, eating french fries and playing board games.
Samantha Brennecke
Humane Education Assistant, she/herSamantha has worked in the animal rescue space for over six years. She holds a degree in Social Science Psychology and uses this knowledge to help others understand animal emotion and behavior. Samantha enjoys educating on empathy, compassion and kindness towards all beings. She lived in Australia for 11 years, and during that time worked with various non-profit animal rescue organizations. She has held multiple titles - animal foster, case manager, sanctuary operations coordinator and board member. No matter her position, her focus has always been the same - to provide care to animals and educate the community. She loves being outside and enjoys hiking, camping, laying in the grass with a good book. When she is not at Heartland, she runs a small business as a dog trainer.
Colin Lynaugh
Humane Education Intern, he/himA life-long animal lover, Colin is overjoyed to be part of Heartland Farm Sanctuary as an intern. He was first introduced to the Sanctuary by his mom in 2022 and after going on a tour at the former location in Verona, Colin was hooked. He’s become an expert pig whisperer since then and especially loves Honey, the pot bellied pig. Colin has lived his whole life in Madison and resides with his family on the eastside along with his three cats, his dog, and multiple fish. Colin cares a lot about respecting animals and respecting nature. He takes time to learn to speak each animal’s language, honoring their unique needs, and sharing what he knows with others. In his free time, Colin likes playing video games, eating French fries, visiting his other animal friends at the Henry Vilas Zoo and petting pig’s bellies.
Kim Kies, C-IAYT
Experiential Therapist, she/herKim earned her certification in yoga therapy in 2018 after studying how inner awareness practices can transform our way of seeing the world for her PhD program. She is passionate about facilitating learning and ways of being that allow for a sense of connection and right-relationship. Kim has engaged for years in learning mind-body practices on the side of her primary career work in the evaluation of experiential learning programs, public health, and academic settings. Since 2022, she has fully embraced her passion for helping people learn yogic-based skills that support a healthy nervous system, increase self-regulation, heighten self-awareness, and increase one’s sensitivity and ability to attune and create a sense of positive relationship with the world. Kim currently lives in Madison and frequently escapes the world of screens for walks in nature, cuddles with her cat, and awestruck moments with the world of more-than-human beings. Kim is excited to connect with the youth and the sanctuary residents to find creative ways to nurture that felt sense of connection among them, too.
Toni Sobon, MFT- IT
Experiential Therapist, she/herToni graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Psychology and continued at Edgewood, earning a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is excited to join her therapeutic practice with her love for animals. In her free time, she likes to read, garden, and run. You may recognize Toni from her six-month internship with us earlier in 2024, and we're so excited to re-welcome her back as staff!
Administrative & Development Staff
Jamie Monroe
Content Creator, she/herJamie started volunteering with Heartland Farm Sanctuary in 2011 as an animal caretaker, and has served in various part-time and full-time roles at HFS since then, finally settling into Heartland's Content Creator position in May 2023. She's originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and graduated from Northern Michigan University, earning a degree in writing & journalism. Jamie currently lives with her partner and their rescued animal friends (including rescued chickens adopted from Heartland!) on Madison’s north side. When she's not at the sanctuary, you'll find Jamie deploying out to animal rescue cases across the country as an Animal Rescue Responder with the Humane Society of the United States.
Jen Korz
Executive Director, she/herJen has been dedicated to non-profit work for the entirety of her almost 30-year career. After earning her degree in Social Work, she advocated for a variety of vulnerable populations, eventually finding her ultimate passion working with and for the animals. After working many years in fundraising and advocacy for a nationally-recognized animal organization, she changed gears and served as part of the administration team at an arts-based early childhood education landmark in Madison, Wisconsin. Jen brings expertise and connections in development, project management and strategic planning, but considers her passion and conviction for the mission of Heartland as her most important assets. While Jen was raised on the east coast, her family has Midwestern roots and she has been a resident of Madison since 2005. In her spare time, she enjoys eating her partner’s vegan culinary offerings and spending time with their two daughters and three rescue dogs; Otto, Finn and Mowgli.
Steve Suleski
Administrative Director, he/himBefore his recent retirement, Steve was the Vice President – Board Relations and Corporate Secretary of CUNA Mutual Group. In this role, he was responsible for supporting CUNA Mutual’s board of directors and its subsidiary management processes. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin and, prior to joining CUNA Mutual, was a partner at Foley & Lardner, LLP and a senior attorney at Alliant Energy. Steve served on Heartland's Board of Directors before switching over to join our staff as Administrative Director in the summer of 2023. We're so excited to have Steve's business background and invaluable experience on board. When Steve isn't at the sanctuary, you'll find him hanging out with his wife, Jacqui, and their dog, Oliver, in Madison.
Kes Allen
Administrative Coordinator, they/themKes was most recently employed as an adoption counselor and merchandise coordinator at Dane County Humane Society, and currently volunteers with House Rabbit Society. Kes shares their home with two dogs, two cats, three rabbits and four chickens (and one spouse)! When Kes isn't working in the Heartland office, they love to knit, read, play video games, and participate in karate and theater.
Linda Sielaff
Engagement and Outreach Assistant, she/herLinda is a Wisconsin native and has always had a soft spot and passion for animals. In 2013, she learned of Heartland through a friend. Her first mucking (animal care) shift was Thanksgiving 2013. She immediately fell in love with the animals, Heartland’s mission and values, and all the people she worked with. Linda initially joined Heartland’s staff as one of our Community Outreach Team members before becoming an Engagement and Outreach Assistant. Linda's very excited to move into this new role.
Sharon West
Development Operations Coordinator, she/herSharon graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Conservation Biology. Her love of animals, the environment, and kindness led her to Heartland as an animal care and administrative volunteer before taking on the role of Development Operations Coordinator. She loves taking long walks with her husband, Brett, and enjoying all that nature has to offer. When not cuddling with the goats and sheep at the sanctuary, she can be found doing yoga with aromatherapy, reading, watercolor painting, sudoku, drinking iced chai lattes, gardening, and being distracted by ALL the dogs.
Sydnie Zimmerman
Donor Relations Officer, she/herA Madison native through and through, Sydnie's journey with Heartland began in 2017 during her time at UW Madison, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Zoology. She loved volunteering and immediately fell in love with our rescued residents and our mission of compassion. After a detour into Property Management post-graduation, Sydnie joyfully returned to volunteering at Heartland in the spring of 2023. Because her dream has always been to pursue a career that inspires and educates others about farm animals, the environment, respect, and compassion, she is thrilled to officially join the Heartland team as our first Donor Relations Officer. Off duty, Sydnie enjoys quality time with family and friends, and cozying up by the fire or on the porch with her husband and their two cats, Prissy and Drizzy. Nature enthusiasts, they often go on walks or hikes, binoculars in hand, to watch the birds.
Direct Contacts
Planned giving, corporate and business partnerships, fundraising:
- Jen Korz | Executive Director
- [email protected]
Shelter management and donations of barn supplies including feed/hay/produce:
- Alecia Torres | Shelter Director
- [email protected]
- 608-577-6795
Social media and website:
- Jamie Monroe | Content Creator
- [email protected]
Administrative inquiries:
- Kes Allen | Administrative Coordinator
- [email protected]
- 608-440-1118
Humane Education Programs & Tours:
- Katie Williams | Humane Education Manager
- [email protected]
- 608-466-6242
Experiential Therapy Programs:
Animal surrenders and rehoming requests:
- [email protected]
- 608-440-1118