Meet The Board of Directors
MarrVelous Pet Rescues & Adoptions is a volunteer based organization. Our Board of Directors donate their time and energy to building a healthy and productive Rescue and to promote awareness throughout our community.
Suzi Youngberg
Rescue Coordinator
Suzi has lived in the Florida Keys for over 24 years, and has been happily married for 26 years to her best friend, Scott Youngberg, who is a local Upper Keys musician. Suzi’s background was in sales and marketing, but she was bitten by the non-profit “bug” in 2014 when Scott went through cancer treatment. She spent seven years working for the American Cancer Society, first volunteering and then on staff. Suzi is actively involved in our community, currently serving as President of the Upper Keys Business & Professional Women (BPW) and sitting on the Upper Keys Advisory Council for the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. She has always had cats, and SugarBear, her big white boy, is a rescue who walks on a leash and travels with her and Scott regularly to Tennessee. He has even been to Colorado and back with them! Suzi is excited to be part of the pack and looks forward to an exciting future with Marrvelous Pet Rescues.
Joy C Martin
President
Joy is a licensed Real Estate Broker and is the owner of American Caribbean Real Estate in Key Largo and Islamorada, FL. She has been helping rescue animals for as long has she can remember. Her love for animals Is reflected in all aspects of her life. She owns multiple animals including horses that she keeps at her barn in the Redlands (Homestead).
Kenie Rodriguez
Vice President
Kenie Rodriquez has been an active volunteer for Marrvelous Pet Rescues since it was founded in 2007. She is a Realtor with American Caribbean Real Estate and grew up here in the beautiful Keys. Kenie is Show Secretary for the Florida Paso Fino Horse Association and spends much of her free time trail riding and enjoying time with friends and family. Kenie has been an invaluable asset to the Rescue for years and we are delighted she is now serving on the Board.
Marta Bonatz
Treasurer
Marta retired in late 2018 from DuPont where she had a 30 year career in sales and sales management. Her career moved her around the United States, but two things remained constant in her life: Her love of animals and her love of the ocean. Marta has been rescuing animals since she was old enough to carry them home, and currently has three adorable rescue dogs, Maui and Dolce, and their kitty sister Lucy.
Lisa Wetzel
Executive Director
I’ve lived in Key Largo for 32 years. Co-owner of Shear Paradise Salon in Key Largo. Married to my wonderful husband , Randy, for 18 years. We have 4 doggies, two, of which, are MPR foster failures! We also have two adopted kitties and a guinea pig. I’m so excited to be involved with MPR and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the rescue!
Stephanie J Clark
Stephanie is a licensed Realtor at American Carribean Real Estate in Key Largo and has lived in south Florida for over 20 years. She truly loves the Keys lifestyle, friendly, relaxed and fun. Stephanie, her husband Scott and their 2 dogs love to go boating, camping, fishing, diving, hiking and anything else that lets them experience the great outdoors. They love the water, and for them, there is no better place in the world to live than the Florida Keys. They both are hard working and enjoy our spectacular surroundings as obligations permit.
Susan K Recarey
I adopted my first dog from Marrvelous Pet Rescues 3 years ago when I was at the age of 64 and thus began my affection for animals and animals in need. While I have been an activist for many groups over the years I soon realized how important caring for animals was for us here in the keys. I treasure the time I give to Marrvelous Pet Rescue. I have been a resident of the keys for over 30 years and a real estate agent for 37 years. I love Key Largo and totally enjoy all that I do here, working at American Caribbean Real Estate, being an active Rotarian, on the board of Habitat for Humanity and Marrvelous Pet Rescue, kayaking, knitting, weaving and caring for Merlin, my Marrvelous Pekingese.
Bette Brown
is currently the Chief Credit Officer of Community Bank of Florida. Bette was born in Ohio and graduated from Stetson University before beginning her banking career. She is also a graduate of Florida School of Banking and Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Her extensive local business and community involvement has earned her many accolades over the years, including the 2011 Florida Keys Board of Realtors Affiliate of the Year Award as well as being named Woman of the Year five years in a row as part of the Upper Keys People’s Choice Awards. She is a member of the executive committee and board of Mariners Hospital, President of the Upper Keys Rotary Club and past president of the Key Largo Chamber.
Jill Foley
Jill moved to the Keys in 2012. The first time she fostered with MarrVelous was in 2014 when she took in two puppies from a litter of nine. 6 weeks later she was a foster failure and rounded out her fur-family. Since that time, she has successfully fostered about a dozen dogs and continues to be an advocate for MarrVelous, and the other local rescues within the keys. She is a telecommuter during the day which allows her to provide the constant love and support our rescue pups need. Her biggest struggle is not keeping every foster pup that comes across her doorstep.
Megan Pfaff
Megan is a graduate of Coral Shores High School on Plantation Key. She left the Keys to attend Santa Fe College in Gainesville, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree. She also attended St.Petersburg Collage Veterinary Technician Program and has been a Veterinary Technician at Island Hammock Pet Hospital for 10 years. Megan is an active member of Marvelous Pet Rescues and continues to be a foster parent to needy animals looking for homes. Megan lives in Key Largo and shares her life with her Dachshunds Sebastian and Finley as well as her rescue dog Sunny from MPR and her cats Saki and Minnow. When she is not working, she likes to SCUBA dive, kayak, snorkel, and fish.
Natalie Shea
Having a passion for animals started at a very young age. I grew up adopting animals and being an advocate whenever possible. I was a veterinary technician for about 7 years while in college and realized vet med wasn't for me but I could help animals other ways by fostering and fundraising through my business, Shen Health Acupuncture. Moved to the Keys in 2017 and became a foster failure for a Mama and her pup, Jolene.
Suzi Youngberg
Rescue Coordinator
Suzi has lived in the Florida Keys for over 24 years, and has been happily married for 26 years to her best friend, Scott Youngberg, who is a local Upper Keys musician. Suzi’s background was in sales and marketing, but she was bitten by the non-profit “bug” in 2014 when Scott went through cancer treatment. She spent seven years working for the American Cancer Society, first volunteering and then on staff. Suzi is actively involved in our community, currently serving as President of the Upper Keys Business & Professional Women (BPW) and sitting on the Upper Keys Advisory Council for the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. She has always had cats, and SugarBear, her big white boy, is a rescue who walks on a leash and travels with her and Scott regularly to Tennessee. He has even been to Colorado and back with them! Suzi is excited to be part of the pack and looks forward to an exciting future with Marrvelous Pet Rescues.
Lisa Hogan-Layne
Assistant Rescue Coordinator
I am relatively new to the Florida Keys. Only living here full time since March 2019.
I came to the Florida Key from New Jersey with a background in Accounting & Bookkeeping.
I started in Bookkeeping at AT&T. Then later went on to work at Lucent Technology. After that I worked in New York City at Ippolita (Fine jewelry) as an Accounting Manager. Then started a successful A/V Company Tri-State Audio Visual LLC with my husband. Where I managed employees and the accounting & bookkeeping.
I am now happily working with and assisting Ann Sandlin at Marrvelous Pet Rescues, in the common goal of coordinating the rescue and matching up of the pets with the best family for them.
I also enjoy the company of my dog Tasha who is by far the highlight of my day.. I have had dogs, cat, ducks & raised homing pigeons and have always given them the best care I could give.