Meet The Team
The people behind the mission, dedicated to every animal in our care.
Connie Merigo
Executive Director
Connie joined SAS in December of 2024, bringing over 30 years of experience in animal welfare. She most recently served as President & Executive Director of National Marine Life Center, and previously as Rescue Rehab Program Director for the New England Aquarium. A Scituate resident for more than a decade, Connie has one rescue dog, a pointer mix named Lacey.
Julia Bentley
Shelter Veterinarian
Julia joined SAS in the summer of 2022. She is a Board member for Project Samana, a global nonprofit providing veterinary care to underserved communities worldwide, and has served as a Field Veterinarian in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Dominican Republic. Julia earned her undergraduate degree from UMass Amherst and her veterinary degree from Western University of Health Services.
Courtney Burke
Director of finance
Courtney joined SAS in 2023 with over 15 years of professional experience and an Associate's Degree in Accounting/Finance. She is also a United States Army veteran and a mother of three. Courtney grew up in Scituate and now lives in Hull with a rescue menagerie of five pets, including two SAS alums.
Bonnie Morrissey
Shelter Veterinary Technician
Bonnie is a certified veterinary technician with over 18 years of experience in surgery, shelter medicine, and general practice. She holds a 'Fear Free Shelters' certification, dedicated to reducing anxiety and stress in shelter pets. A long-time Scituate resident, Bonnie joined the SAS team in January 2022.
Corey Steinberg
Trainer & Behaviorist
Corey joined the SAS staff after several years as a volunteer. After decades in law, she retired from the courtroom in 2021 to pursue her true passion, working with dogs. As an obedience trainer and behavior consultant, Corey uses only force-free, positive reinforcement methods. She is also a certified Pet First Aid & CPR Instructor and leads trainer for the 'Canine Ambassadors' comfort dog program of the Cohasset Working Dog Foundation.
Jo Randolph
Veterinary Technician
Jo's primary focus is the wellbeing and welfare of all shelter animals. She leads the Intake and Adoption team. A Colgate University graduate, Jo joined SAS as a Shelter Operations Assistant in 2022 after nearly 30 years of animal shelter volunteering, including walking dogs at SAS since 2010. Jo is Fear Free Certified and holds multiple animal behavior credentials. She lives in Norwell with her husband, three children, and SAS alum Percy.
Lindsay Kimball
Intake & Adoption Supervisor
Lindsay served as a canine care volunteer at SAS for two years before joining the staff in 2018. A lifelong animal lover, her passion is working with harder-to-place animals. She lives locally with her husband, three children, and rescue dog Peter.
Bob Dean
Shelter Operations Assistant
Bob joined the SAS staff in 2025 after eight years as a volunteer, starting in cat care and expanding to animal transportation and dog walking. A Lynchburg College graduate with a background in financial operations, Bob has a passion for fostering dogs and has fostered 25 dogs and counting for SAS. He lives in Marshfield with cats Piper and Rowdy, and his dog and foster partner, Lucy.
Sharon Kelleher
Shelter Operations Assistant
Sharon joined SAS in May 2023. A Quincy College graduate with an Associate's Degree in Business, Sharon's love of animals began in a busy childhood household full of cats and a dog. She has since owned many pets of her own and even adopted her dog Snoopy from SAS! Sharon is also a mother of two daughters and a grandmother to two grandchildren.
Blandine Jean-Paul
Marketing and Communications Consultant
Blandine joined SAS in May 2025. Over her career she has led strategies for iconic brands including Diageo, Heineken, Hasbro, and ESPN, and most recently served as VP Marketing for Ethos Cannabis. She is currently an adjunct professor at Bridgewater State University and a Board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts. Blandine lives in Braintree with her family, including a 9-year-old Shih Tzu named Javi and a rescued feline named Kiwi.
Russ Grant
Facilities Maintenance Technician
Russ joined the SAS staff in 2022. A former homicide detective turned TV writer, he grew up in a family of tradespersons and brings hands-on construction and renovation skills to his role at SAS. Russ lives in Humarock with his wife Susan and their four dogs, and also serves as a Canine Volunteer.
Kim Donovan
Donor Relations Assistant
Kim manages our education programs and public relations to spread awareness of our mission.
Jeanne Christo
Donations & Database Administrator
Jeanne joined as a cat care and front desk volunteer in 2011 and became the donor database administrator in 2013. She has worked in the consulting industry for over 30 years as a data visualization specialist. Cats have owned her all her life — and she considers SAS her 'happy place.'