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Executive Director:
Christi Sharp

Bio: After retiring from working as a court reporter for over 20 years, I was looking for an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream to work with animals and then a chance meeting with Kathy Blackman in 2008 brought forth the opportunity to help with Sophie’s Circle.

As time progressed and Sophie’s Circle grew, my roles and responsibilities increased and I am now proud to be the executive director of the organization. We opened the only pet food bank in Volusia County, FL in April of 2010 and Sophie’s Circle has grown by leaps and bounds ever since.

I have had all kinds of pets throughout the years, from dogs, cats, iguanas, birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, hermit crabs and even snakes. Currently I am the proud owner of 3 dogs, Sadie, Chloe and Herman; 2 cats, Frosty and Squidward-Rose; and one bearded dragon, Freddy. My husband and I have been happily married for 23 years and we have 3 beautiful daughters.

Founder:
Kathy Blackman

Kathy has always been an animal lover and over the years has had cats, dogs, bunnies, turtles and birds. Her rescue instincts came into play in 2002 when she found two abandoned puppies living in a drain pipe under a country road in rural Pennsylvania. This eye opening experience was life changing when she began to realize how truly terrible things were for many animals. She kept one puppy and named her Drem and found a loving home for the other.

After moving to Florida with Drem and her German Shepard, George, she found and rescued Sophie on January 24, 2008. The heartbreaking thought of how Sophie must have suffered while wandering around in this tropical climate with several coats of husky fur and bad knees( not to mention that she was in the advanced stages of heartworm disease) before she was picked up by an animal control officer and taken to SEVHS, made her determined to do whatever was feasible to help change the horrible way so many innocent animals are being treated. Sophie's Circle was created in May of 2008.

Kathy lives in Port Orange, Florida with her husband John, their three Siberian Husky's, Drem, Sophie and Juno and their Umbrella Cockatoo, Sammy. She owns and operates Grammy K's Desserts in New Smyna Beach, Florida.

Board Member:
Christene Ertl

Board Member:
Kimberly Eastin