Mikaela Lambert

President, Chair, Founder

Mikaela Lambert is the founder and President of Mikaela’s Mutt Motel. She’s had a passion for animals since she was a child. Mikaela’s childhood dogs, Lucky and Buddy, were monumental parts of her life growing up. When she moved to Dayton, OH, she adopted the Original Mutt, Ace, and started a journey everyone in her family knew was inevitable. She joined the United States Army in 2015 and served selflessly for nearly 8 years before medically retiring. During that time, she fostered over 100 dogs for other rescues in different cities across the country. Mikaela also earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Leadership to learn everything she could to operate a nonprofit successfully. Shortly before retiring from the Army, she decided it was time to start her own rescue. Mikaela officially opened The Mutt Motel on May 1^st, 2022 and hasn’t looked back. Mikaela’s passion for dogs and fierce military discipline give her the natural ability to lead Mikaela’s Mutt Motel to success.

Brad Lambert

Vice President, Co-Chair, Treasurer

Brad Lambert is the Vice President and Treasurer at Mikaela’s Mutt Motel. His love for animals began with his childhood dog, P-Nut, and has only grown since then. Brad holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Assurance and Minor in Mobile Development from Capella University and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Information Technology from Virginia Tech. His knack for numbers and order make him a fantastic guide post for Mikaela’s Mutt Motel’s information management, finances, and compliance. Brad guides Mikaela’s Mutt Motel in many areas including fiduciary responsibilities, regulatory filings and compliance, technological innovation, and records management.

Samantha Knight

Director of Mission Integration

Samantha Knight is a lover of all animals. She’s been known to care for dogs, cats, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, and even bees. Samantha’s passion for humane treatment of all animals enables her to guide Mikaela’s Mutt Motel and ensure every action we take is Mission-centric. The insight she provides improves existing procedures and generates new (and better) procedures. Additionally, Samantha’s nationwide network has allowed us to confidently place several of our Mutts into loving, fur-ever homes with complete faith in her judgement because she literally wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Skyler Pierre

Director of Enrichment

Skyler brings an incredible level of creativity to the team, constantly coming up with inventive ways to keep our Mutts happy, healthy, and engaged. He understands that a bored dog is a stressed dog, so he dedicates his time to designing fun activities and tailored exercises that challenge our pups both mentally and physically. Whether he is designing an intricate agility course, creating DIY puzzle feeders, or organizing structured playgroups to build social skills, Skyler’s work helps our dogs build confidence and decompresses from the stress of shelter life. Thanks to Skyler, every guest at the Motel gets to enjoy their stay and show off their best selves to potential adopters!

Samantha Carr

Director of Administration

From the very beginning, Sammy’s heart has belonged to all creatures, great and small. That lifelong devotion is more than just a sentiment; it is the engine that powers her work every single day. Today, that passion is the driving force behind her unwavering dedication to Mikaela’s Mutt Motel, where she ensures that the organization runs like a well-oiled machine. By handling the complex logistics, Sammy allows our foster families to do what they do best: focus entirely on providing love, rehabilitation, and the best possible experience for our rescues. Whether she is streamlining administrative processes, developing creative solutions to unexpected logistical hurdles, or simply ensuring that no small detail is overlooked, Sam’s commitment is vital. Her behind-the-scenes magic helps us maintain the high standards of care, safety, and comfort that define the Mutt Motel.

Morgan Mraz

Director of Communications and Engagement

Morgan Mraz has always felt most at home surrounded by wagging tails. She has a heart for every furry companion she meets and believes all animals deserve love, safety, and a second chance. At Mikaela’s Mutt Motel, she’s watched pups go from shy and uncertain to happy and playful before finding their fur-ever homes, reinforcing her belief that patience, advocacy, and compassion can truly change a dog’s life. Morgan serves as the Director of Communications and Engagement for the rescue and plays a major role in its day-to-day operations. She manages the rescue’s social media presence and works tirelessly to network dogs in urgent situations, helping them reach the right audience and ultimately find their forever homes. In addition to communications, Morgan helps coordinate foster placements and works closely with the foster team to ensure dogs are placed in the best possible environments. She also dedicates significant time to fundraising efforts, helping raise critical funds that allow the rescue to continue providing care, medical treatment, and second chances to dogs in need. Morgan believes education and advocacy are key to creating lasting change for animals. Known for her direct, honest approach, she isn’t afraid to speak up for the dogs who can’t speak for themselves and works relentlessly to ensure every dog that comes through the rescue has the best possible chance at a safe, loving future.

Lori Williams

Director of Continuous Improvement

Lori, our Director of Continuous Improvement, brings over 20 years of experience in the rescue world, where her dedication and passion have made a lasting impact. Known for her innovative thinking and practical approach, Lori has already driven numerous successful continuous improvement initiatives within our organization. Her ability to identify opportunities, streamline processes, and inspire those around her makes her an invaluable leader committed to growth and excellence.

Bev Frey

Advisory Board Member

Bev Frey is an advisory board member of Mikaela’s Mutt Motel. Bev has many years of experience as an Adoption Coordinator for a large Rescue in the D.C. Metro Area. Bev was responsible for hundreds of adoptions per year and worked closely with Mikaela throughout her first years of fostering.

Mikaela Lambert

Chief Executive Officer

Brad Lambert

Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer

Amanda Burton

Chief Officer of Supportive Services

Samantha Knight

Chief Mission Integration Officer

Skyler Pierre

Chief Enrichment Officer

Samantha Carr

Chief Administration Officer

Morgan Mraz

Chief Communications Officer

Lori Williams

Chief Officer of Continuous Improvement