Leadership

Board of Directors

Susan Hamil
Susan Hamil, Chairwoman
Acting Executive Director
  • Founding Blue Bell Director
  • BS Education, LSU
  • MA Library Science, Cal State Fullerton
  • Licensed Veterinary Technician
  • Board Member Orthopedic Foundation for Animals
  • Vice Chair American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation
  • Past Chair Orange County Animal Shelter Advisory Board
  • Meritorious Service Award American Bloodhound Club
  • Former President, American Bloodhound Club
  • Founding Member Bloodhounds West Rescue
  • Former General Manager, Canyon Animal Hospital, Laguna Beach
  • Owner Holiday Pet Hotel, Encinitas

Blue Bell Focus Areas: Operations, Governance, Fund Raising

John Hamil
Dr. John Hamil, Secretary/Treasurer
  • Founding Blue Bell Director
  • BS Zoology, North Carolina State
  • DVM, Oklahoma State
  • Former Owner Canyon Animal Hospital
  • Past President California Veterinary Medical Association
  • Past Member AVMA Animal Welfare Committee
  • Past Member AVMA Human Animal Bond Committee
  • Hill’s Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award
  • Oklahoma State School of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award
  • American Animal Hospital Association
  • Western Region Practitioner of the Year
  • Southern California Veterinary Medical Association Don H. Mahan Memorial Award 
  • Co-Author “Your Aging Cat"

Blue Bell Focus Areas: Cat Care, Lifetime Care Program, Veterinary Medicine

Bonnie Lutz
Bonnie Lutz, Director
  • Attorney, Klinedinst PC
  • BS University of Massachusetts 
  • JD California Western School of Law
  • Advisor State Humane Association of California
  • Chair Animal Law Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Section of the American Bar Association
  • Advisor National Canine Research Council
  • Former President American Veterinary Medical Law Association
  • Law Practice Focus on Representation of Veterinarians before the California Veterinary Medical Board and Performance of General Legal Services for Private Humane Societies and SPCA's
  • Publisher of Numerous Articles in The Pulse, California Veterinarian and Veterinary Economics
  • Orange County Bar Association

Blue Bell Focus Areas: Veterinary, Animal and Humane Society Law

Linda Markland
Linda Markland
  • Veterinary Relations Specialist for Nationwide Pet, Peoria, AZ
  • Pacific Veterinary Conference Committee - Chair for Practice Management Tract
  • NAVTA CE Committee Member
  • Cats in Need Volunteer
  • One of the founding members for the Orange County Zoological Society
  • Orange Coast College Graduate
  • Recipient of numerous awards including: CVMA Outstanding RVT in Non Private Practice (2012), SCVMA Paraprofessional of the Year award (2015), VHMA President's Award (2016), Special Recognition Award from WVC (2017), Nationwide Bravo Award (2018)

Blue Bell Focus Areas: TBD

Volunteer Leaders

Pamela K. Knudsen
Pamela K. Knudsen
  • Business and Promotional Copywriter
  • Author, catladyinthecanyon.com
  • Subdivision Regulatory Compliance Specialist
  • Sr. Transactional Paralegal, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP
  • Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management
Blue Bell Focus Areas: Community Outreach and Public Relations
Jeff Zakaryan
Jeff Zakaryan, Chairman Emeritus
  • Strategic Planning Advisor
  • Founder, Global Strategies Management Consulting and CEO Coaching Practice
  • Graduate, USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism
  • Founder, Leadership Mentoring Program
  • Project Manager, Purr-fect Shelter Project, San Clemente

Blue Bell Focus Areas: Planned Giving & Strategic Planning