About Us.
A group of like-minded, dog-loving friends founded Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge. We wanted to create a different kind of rescue, one that not only helped dogs in distress but also worked to address the root causes that lead to the overwhelming number of neglected and abused canines here in Central Virginia.
So in addition to delivering doghouses to chained dogs, building fences so family dogs may finally live life off the chain, and assisting families with medical costs and vaccinations, DDB Blue Ridge spends considerable time and resources focusing on the issues most critical to giving our dogs a chance at a better life: advocating for humane legislation, promoting spay and neuter, working with trainers to rehabilitate distressed canines, and educating families and communities on animal welfare.
We work closely, and without judgment, with families in under-resourced communities and rural areas where dogs are often chained or penned. Other times, the only solution to saving a dog from a life of despair is to find him a loving new home. With your help, we do that too.
We are grateful beyond words to our volunteers, donors, fosters, and adopters who stand with us to make it all possible.
Meet the Team.
Kimberly Hawk
President, Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge
Kimberly has a passion for helping to improve the lives of outdoor chained and penned dogs. She has worked with legislators to change our state’s tethering laws, as well as with other groups addressing legislative issues and laws impacting Virginia’s outdoor dogs and their plight.
Kimberly graduated from Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, GA with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She has two dogs: Duncan, a chained, neglected dog the first 3 years of his life, is now a happy indoor guy; and Millie, who was adopted in 2013, a sassy senior girl who rules the household!
Heather Lindeman
Founding Member
Marketing & Events Coordinator
After adopting her first dog, Riley, from a Washington DC rescue, Heather became very passionate about advocating for the welfare of mistreated dogs. In addition to her work with DDB Blue Ridge, Heather also does home visits and transports for various dog rescues in the DC and Charlottesville area.
A marketer at heart (and by day) and a big believer in networking, Heather loves connecting with people and businesses in the community to create opportunities for DDB Blue Ridge to raise money and awareness. She is also a fierce protector of the brand and image.
Heather has a B.A. in Finance from James Madison University and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University. When she’s not at work or telling the world about the amazing things DDB Blue Ridge is doing, you can find her traveling somewhere around the world or in the Outer Banks with her husband, Jimmy, and their two dogs, Lucy & Gus.
Gina Carroll
Founding Member
Construction Coordinator
Gina grew up in Western Albemarle County before venturing out to earn a degree in film and video, working in tv and film production in Florida and Los Angeles. She returned home in 2007 and began to focus on her long-time passions of making art, getting back to nature, and helping animals and community.
Gina was involved in animal rescue and re-homing for over 15 years, when she met the group of like-minded people who, together, became DDB BR. And the rest is history.
In addition to Volunteer Coordinator, Gina holds some other titles, including (but not limited to): Master Poop Scooper, Proficient Pen Putter-Upper, Fence Build Team Leader, Field Day Fanatic, Super Dog Snuggler and Annual Car Show Hostess.
Gina lives in Waynesboro, VA with her 7 rescued animals.
Lisa Hyatt
Founding Member
Fencing Coordinator
Lisa uses her background in nonprofit leadership to organize the DDBBR fencing program. Her favorite part of fence building? Getting to see the dogs get the “zoomies” after a hard of building!
Her previous animal welfare work includes fundraising, volunteering, and fostering for the Vieques Humane Society on the tiny island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, where she also adopted one of her two dogs.
Lisa relocated to Virginia in 2009 after spending most of her adult life working with horses and rambunctious farm animals in snowy New Hampshire. When not out helping dogs with DDB Blue Ridge, Lisa can be found hiking and kayaking with her dogs.
Calvin Wilkerson
Fencing Team Leader
With 30+ years in the construction industry, Calvin is a State of Virginia certified carpenter following a 4-year apprenticeship, and has been a superintendent with Martin Horn, Inc since 2008. He has been invaluable to DDB Blue Ridge, leading Saturday Fence Builds and providing instruction to our volunteers.
Calvin is also an international trip leader at the Building Goodness Foundation, which connects skilled volunteers from the design and construction industries with vulnerable communities at home and abroad. He has traveled to Haiti 6 times to lead construction projects such as churches, farmers co-ops, and community centers. He recently traveled to Nicaragua to lead a building team for a medical clinic.
Calvin loves spending weekends at his mountain cabin, hiking and bird hunting with his beloved dog, Trip, and floating down Virginia's rivers!
Celeste Baldino
Medical Coordinator, Foster
In February 2019, Celeste and her husband, Roger, began volunteering with DDB Blue Ridge, participating in both Field Days and Fence Builds, helping out at events, doing fundraising, and fostering dogs.
In January 2020, Celeste took over the role of Medical Coordinator for DDB Blue Ridge. This is a busy job which includes making vet appointments, building relationships with vets and fosters, maintaining a budget, and keeping good records so we can apply for medical grants.
Celeste is an Operations Manager at the Charlottesville-UVA-Albemarle County Emergency Communications Center. She and Roger live in Albemarle County with their three dogs and two cats.
Ginger Staron
Founding Member and Treasurer
Doghouse Building Coordinator
Ginger, a registered nurse at UVA for 20+ years, has been an animal lover and advocate since childhood. She has worked with various animal rescue groups throughout her life, as well as helping animals on her own, and has been extensively involved with feral cat populations, participating in and promoting TNR.
Ginger maintains her own feral cat enclosure with multiple feral cats that, for various reasons, were not able to stay in their own colonies. She is an enthusiastic DDB Blue Ridge team member, providing neglected, vulnerable dogs the shelter of a doghouse, while working towards our larger shared goal to free all dogs from a life of 24/7 chains.
She loves spending time with her dog Charlotte, adopted from Louisa SPCA, and her many cats.