Board of Directors
Jason Alley
Jason Alley is a vice president and senior relationship manager for the Personal and Business Banking team in the Washington, D.C. Regional Center. He advises and consults with privately held and emerging companies, while identifying areas of opportunity for growth, acquisition and market insight for his clients. Mr. Alley has more than 16 years of banking, lending, and financial consulting experience in the Greater Washington market, working with various national financial institutions, and regional accounting and consulting firm. He has extensive knowledge and experience financing operating cycles, CapEx finance, working capital needs and real estate financing, and a niche in the veterinary industry. Mr. Alley holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Virginia Tech with a concentration in global business obtained during international studies throughout continental Europe. Mr. Alley is a member of Risk Management Association (RMA), and is engaged with his community through volunteering, numerous committees and board of directors positions including, Homeward Trails Board member and Treasurer, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, Business Finance Group loan committee, Leadership Fairfax Class of 2019, George Mason Enterprise Center, Virginia Tech Alumni Network, Homeowners Association Budget Committees, as well as other local philanthropic organizations. He is active with his church. He is a Delta Sigma Pi International Business fraternity alum, and he enjoys fishing, sports, hiking and the outdoors.
Chantal Briere
Chantal Briere is a dual Canadian/US citizen, originally from Quebec City, currently living in Washington DC. She has lived in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Far East. Retired from the Canadian Government, she now works in the travel industry. With her husband, they run a boutique cycling adventure company enabling them to travel all over the world on two wheels. An avid animal lover, Chantal has witnessed the immense suffering of so many animals due to overpopulation in many developing countries. Promoting spay/neuter clinics is her main focus. She currently volunteers with two animal rescue groups, the Humane Rescue Alliance and Homeward Trails. She also spent several weeks in Thailand volunteering at the Soi Dog Foundation and has helped relocate several of the dogs rescued from the infamous Asian Dog Meat Trade.
Melissa Dulski
Melissa Dulski is an attorney living in McLean, Virginia with her husband and two young daughters. She currently is Vice President – Assistant General Counsel at AvalonBay Communities, Inc., and previously worked in the legal department at American Capital, a publicly traded private equity company for over 9 years. Prior to that, Melissa was an attorney at the DC law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP for 6 years. Melissa’s expertise includes employment, compliance, and litigation. Melissa is a life-long animal lover and was first introduced to Homeward Trails in 2008 when she adopted her first dog! Afterwards, she began volunteering and then fostering dogs before joining the Board.
Seth Kutner
Seth Kutner is a Lead Sales Representative with Liberty Mutual Insurance. He grew up in Arlington attending Kenmore and W-L before going to Ithaca College and getting a Marketing Degree. He currently lives in Arlington with his wife Maddy. He developed a passion for rescuing dogs as a kid and is thrilled to be able to contribute to such a great organization.
Jackie Maffucci, Ph.D. CPDT-KSA
Jackie Maffucci, Ph.D. CPDT-KSA is a Policy Advisor for the U.S. Senate and Co-Founder of Positive Dog Solutions, a canine behavior consulting firm. Jackie started her career serving the shelter and rescue community while completing her graduate degree in Neuroscience at The University of Texas at Austin. She then moved to Alexandria, VA and began working as a dog trainer and behavior consultant. As an advocate for the military and veteran community, Jackie has been actively engaged in a number of issues, including those regarding service animals. She has served on a number of Boards in an advisory capacity, and is thrilled to be a member of the Board of Directors with Homeward Trails. Jackie lost her faithful companion, Dinah, to Lymphoma in 2014. She continues to foster dogs with behavioral needs to provide behavior modification support and get these dogs ready for their forever homes.
Heidi Meinzer
Heidi Meinzer is an attorney and dog trainer living in Alexandria, Virginia. Heidi started her legal career as a public defender in Alexandria, and went on to practice civil litigation at a law firm in Arlington. While at that firm, her practice naturally gravitated to animal law, and in 2013, she opened her own firm in Alexandria to focus on animal law and nonprofit issues. Heidi also serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. In her spare time, she loves doing K9 Nose Work with her dogs, Sophie and Boomer.
Tim McFillin
Tim is truly passionate about helping stray dogs and cats them find a loving home! Growing up, his family often fostered pets along with their own dogs and cats, so it was never a dull moment at the McFillin household! He still fosters pets from multiple rescues in the area at his home in Arlington, VA so is very proud to say he has carried on the family tradition! Now on the Board of Directors, Tim is very excited to help Homeward Trails Animal Rescue (HTAR) continue to grow and rescue even more animal across the world! He is currently on both the finance and fundraising subcommittees as well.
In addition, Tim is the main diamond supporter for the VA based Best Runners charity group, which funds local DC area food drives, helps the victims of natural disaster across the world, and pays for life saving surgeries for those without health insurance. He also donates annually to the Helping Hands Society, which benefits military families of Wounded Warriors. He and his team are passionate about raining money for HTAR, organizing charity events throughout the year, and donating their own money consistency in order to make a positive impact on the community!
Tim is a proud VA native. He was raised in Vienna and attended Bishop Denis J. O’Connell H.S. in Arlington. He then went on to attend the University of Virginia where he graduated with degrees in Finance and Psychology. While attending UVA, Tim was Vice President of the Economics Club, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. After college, Tim joined a financial planning firm in the DC area and has never looked back, now with over decade of experience!
Tim is the President and Founder of Medical Advisors Group (MAG), which offers strategic financial planning for veterinarians, dentists, physicians, surgeons, and other medical specialists. He truly understands the financial concerns that most clinic owners and associate doctors face. He and his team are extremely passionate about doing what is in their client’s best interest before their own and only recommend strategies they would do themselves. The MAG team is extremely knowledgeable about the growing student loan problem, giving complimentary consultations to doctors that are often overwhelmed by their large amount of debt. In addition, Tim and his team help their clients with retirement planning, college funding, and personal/business insurance. Check out the website below!
Becky O’Neil
Becky O’Neil is the president of Becky’s Pet Care, Inc. and currently resides in Lucketts, VA after living 20 years in Arlington. She shares her home with her dogs, Teddy Bear and Rylee. She has been passionate about animals since her childhood spent on a Pennsylvania farm. With over 20 years of small business experience, Becky is excited about using her skills to aid Homeward Trails. She has served on several boards in the pet care and business communities and is honored to be on the Board of Directors for Homeward Trails.
