Staff

Kris has spent 20 years in the nonprofit sector. She is new to the Triangle but not new to North Carolina.  She was born locally and attended Duke for both her undergraduate and graduate education.  She describes Carolina Tiger as her “dream job”.  She came to Carolina Tiger through a tour she took soon after moving here.  From that tour Kris knew she wanted to be part of the Carolina Tiger mission.  Kris has volunteered in animal rescue, for over 30 years and currently competes with her dogs in a variety of sports including agility and herding.  She also enjoys travel, painting and endurance sports.

Kathryn has been with Carolina Tiger since 1999, and before that served as an animal care intern. Kathryn worked her way up to Assistant Director and now manages the animal care and education programs. Over the years Kathryn has seen much change as Carolina Tiger continues to grow. While working with the animals brought her here, the people make it a place she calls “home”. Our furry and two-legged family has made an invaluable and lasting impact on who Kathryn is today. In her spare time, Kathryn enjoys making jewelry and running. Her jewelry can be found in the Savanna Station gift shop.

Alyssa joined the staff at Carolina Tiger Rescue in April 2023 following a year and a half as an animal care volunteer. She is originally from Maryland and studied Marine Science and Psychology at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina. For over 10 years Alyssa worked as a marine mammal trainer and marine scientist working primarily with dolphins, sea lions and sea turtles. Her move to North Carolina brought her to a volunteer position at CTR so she could continue working with large mammals. From the first day of volunteering Alyssa knew she wanted to be part of the team. Alyssa loves scuba diving, hiking, and spending time with family, friends and her dog Millie.

Cara joined the staff at Carolina Tiger Rescue in September 2016, having volunteered in animal care since August 2012. Cara moved from New Jersey to North Carolina when she was awarded a full scholarship to play Division I softball at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she pursued a degree in Communications. She worked in marketing and brand development. The Carolina Tiger family is an inspiration to her and it’s an organization she has wanted to be a part of since she started volunteering. Cara loves, music, movies, road trips, her Golden Retriever, Callie, and spending time with her friends and family.

Katie graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Special Education.  After coming out on a tour at Carolina Tiger Rescue, beginning to volunteer here, and working with the summer camp, she decided to make a career change.  Katie began as the Education Director at Carolina Tiger Rescue in February of 2015 and has loved every minute of it.  The best part of her job is going out and giving presentations on the amazing residents of Carolina Tiger Rescue.  Katie also loves completing triathlons, scary movies, and ice cream.

Louise is the newest staff member at Carolina Tiger Rescue. She graduated from Clemson University’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management master’s program in December of 2019. As a graduate student, she researched the intersection of strategic communication strategy and tiger conservation in the United States. Louise is enthusiastic about continuing her graduate research focus as Communications Director at Carolina Tiger Rescue. She’s passionate about caring for and protecting wildlife, and inspiring others to do the same. The best part of her job so far is her daily walk around the sanctuary to collect photos and videos of the animals. In her free time she enjoys reading, playing with her dogs Bear and Birdie, and spending time in the mountains of North Carolina. 

Susan King Cope joined Carolina Tiger Rescue in 2014 as the Development Director. She worked in the health and human services sector of nonprofits for over 20 years in the areas of program development, advocacy, fundraising, and special events. While working to raise money and awareness for a variety of health organizations has been extremely rewarding for her, it is wonderful to work with so many dedicated people who love animals and conservation efforts just as much! Susan finally found home at the rescue. In her spare time, Susan enjoys spending time with friends and family, practicing yoga and gardening.

Heidi first came to Carolina Tiger Rescue as a visitor and quickly joined as a member.  Having spent several years working in the nonprofit fundraising sector for environmental and educational organizations, she was thrilled to find a job that combined advocacy and education. She loves making an impact on larger social and environmental issues that impact wild animals and especially the cats at Carolina Tiger Rescue.  Her favorite part of her job is seeing the impact that a small group of staff, volunteers, and supporters can have on the lives of the animals that have been rescued. Heidi loves to read mysteries. 

After Kyra’s acting career took her from place to place for years, she found her way to North Carolina. Ready for a career change, the thought of working for the welfare of animals appealed to her. She discovered Carolina Tiger Rescue and became the Office Manager in 2006. Kyra loves that she is helping to make a difference in animals’ lives. In her spare time she loves to garden, write, and work on her house.

Nicola graduated with a MSCI degree in mathematics from Lancaster University in the UK. She previously worked as a medical records merging project supervisor at a local hospital in the UK. When she moved to the United States, she applied to be an animal care volunteer with the rescue because it was within walking distance of where she lived. She had a couple of volunteer positions before joining the staff in January 2007 as a donation data entry professional. Nicola enjoys solving problems and coming up with ways to manipulate data to get the information her team members need to make the database work better for everyone! Nicola has a toddler, so when she does get time to herself, she enjoys reading.