Heaven On Earth Society For Animals - Board of Directors

Ritchie L. Geisel, President and CEO

Ritchie has spent his entire career in nonprofit and says he was the only member of his Stanford Business School class who had his eye (and heart) on the independent sector. He has served in executive and fundraising capacities in the education, human services and animal welfare fields and presently heads a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to improving the lives of at-risk children and their families through comprehensive services and a holistic approach. Ritchie joined the Heaven on Earth board in 2003 and has been president since 2004. He and his wife, Pamela, reside in Burbank and are parents to five rescue cats: Bravo, Nosey, Abby and Heaven on Earth alums Nairobi and Fighter.

Erendira Kriteman, Founder and Executive Director

Eri started rescuing homeless animals at age 19, soon discovering she had stumbled into what was as much calling as cause. After several years’ experience volunteering with a number of Los Angeles area rescue groups, she founded Heaven on Earth Society for Animals in February 2000. Eri has always felt particularly drawn to helping animals who are less likely to be adopted, and this continues to be Heaven on Earth's focus. She currently resides in West Los Angeles with husband Josh, young sons Elijah and Isaac, daughters Ali and Sarah and cat Pretty Girl—whose refusal to allow any other cats in her home is the original reason for Heaven on Earth’s sanctuary.

Jennifer Parsignault, Vice President and Director of SpayShip Transport

By day collections supervisor for a union trust fund, Jennifer is also an artist and singer/songwriter with a couple of independent albums to her credit. She grew up with cats and horses, but found her way to animal rescue through a colony of feral cats in her neighborhood. Jennifer, who is still recognized with gratitude by neighborhood ferals, has served on the Heaven on Earth board since 2006 and lives in the San Fernando Valley with her husband, Bob Wynne, rescue cats Beenes and Bailey and an ever-changing census of fosters.

Erica Netzley, Vice President and Director of Marketing and Communications

It was clear from the start that Erica had a passion for animals, judging from her childhood aspiration to become a professional trainer for domestic house cats. Illustrating how dreams change yet still come full circle, her experience designing and leading internal and external communications programs for entertainment, e-commerce and nonprofit organizations is now being put to good use for Heaven on Earth. Erica, who joined the board in 2009, lives in the Santa Clarita Valley with husband Eric and their not-so-well-trained rescue dog and cats.

Diann Peterson, Secretary

Diann was raised with (not by) dogs, with her first feline love arriving in the form of a green-eyed, aristocratic stray she named Vic (short for Eviction), in dubious tribute to the no-pets building where she then lived. A nonprofit fundraiser by trade, Diann now resides in pet-friendly San Fernando Valley digs with her first girl cat, Phoebe, Thom, the polydactyl troublemaker she adopted from Heaven on Earth in 2009, and Blizzard, another Heaven on Earth alum, who joined the family in late 2010. "I'm involved with many nonprofit groups," she says, "but none as effective and dedicated as this one." Diann joined the Heaven on Earth board in 2009.

Melissa Godlash, Volunteer Coordinator

Melissa's interest in animals began while growing up on a farm in rural Texas and followed her to the East Coast, where she interned at various animal rescue organizations while a student at Boston University. Now a legal secretary in the financial services industry, she has happily found her after-hours niche as volunteer coordinator for Heaven on Earth, whose board she joined in 2010. Melissa also served as co-chair for Heaven on Earth's 10th anniversary benefit in November 2010. She and her husband, Fred, live in the San Fernando Valley with their spoiled rescue kitty, Felix.

Nicole Jacobson-Zuniga, Website Administrator

Nicole is a human resources manager with a volunteer resume that includes human organizations in Los Angeles, where she lived for several years, and her native Pennsylvania. She, along with her husband, Carlos Zuniga, returned to Philadelphia in 2009, where they now live with their four former shelter cats: Pennsylvanians Belle and Hope and Heaven on Earth alums April and Samson. Nicole joined the Heaven on Earth board in 2006; Carlos, an IT professional, designed Heaven on Earth's website and serves as webmaster.

Suzanne Lofland, Facilities Coordinator

Originally from Alabama, Suzanne fell into animal rescue several years ago when a malnourished pregnant cat emerged from a dumpster one afternoon near her apartment. Unable to look the other way, she took Sheeba in and it was through seeking homes for Sheeba’s six kittens that Suzanne and her partner, Leandra, realized a shared passion for helping cats. As facilities coordinator at Heaven on Earth whose board she joined in 2011, Suzanne combines a love of cat rescue with her hobbies of home repair and generally “making things work.” She lives in Van Nuys with Leandra, Sheeba and Sheeba’s son, Mr. Bo.

Monika Zimaniova, Director

Monika grew up in a small town in Slovakia and moved to this country at 19, becoming a model two years later. That left just one more dream to pursue—helping animals. It was a video on animal testing that prompted her to take action, so in addition to changing her purchasing habits, she began to volunteer at shelters. Monika lives in the San Fernando Valley with rescue dog Meryl, pulled from the pound on the day she was to be killed, and rescue cats Maly, Mini and Dusty. She joined the Heaven on Earth board in 2011.