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Meet the Nannies!
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Gretchen Mora, Owner
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Gretchen opened The Animal Nanny in August 2001. Initially, she ran every aspect of the business,
from performing the administrative tasks to meeting all the clients and performing all the pet sitting.
As she grew the business, Gretchen brought in additional help, at first for the busy holiday season,
and now year-round.
Gretchen has lived with animals her entire life. She is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR. Gretchen
has volunteered with the Ohlone Humane Society. Gretchen currently has two all-American dogs, Tina and Toby!
Before running The Animal Nanny, Gretchen worked as a web developer for a Silicon Valley start-up.
Before that, Gretchen worked as a professional geologist for five years. Gretchen earned a Bachelors
Degree in Geology from Purdue University and a Masters Degree in Earth Science from University of
Southern California.
Gretchen has a private pilot's license and has spent many hours in the air at the helm of small aircraft.
Gretchen is also a very skilled scrapbook artist.
Gretchen gave birth to her first child, Elijah Mora, in August 2003. And then her second child,
Forrest Mora in May 2005.
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Howard Mora, Owner
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Howard started helping The Animal Nanny on a part-time basis in December 2001. He has been working full-time
as an owner since March 2003. Initially Howard focused on developing and executing the marketing program
for the business. He also helped out with the pet sitting. Recently, Howard has taken over operational
management of the business, while still doing some marketing and performing much of the pet sitting.
Howard has had pets for much of his life. He is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR. Howard has volunteered at
local animal shelters.
Prior to The Animal Nanny, Howard spent nine years working in software development. He ran the software
quality assurance programs at a variety of companies including Symantec (Norton AntiVirus products), Visto
Corporation, and Access Systems America. Howard earned a Bachelors Degree in Biomedical Engineering from
Duke University and a Masters Degree in Biomedical Engineering from University of Southern California.
In 2000, Howard ran for office. He was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Oh, and he is married to co-owner, Gretchen Mora!
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Debbie Sharp, Nanny
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Debbie works for The Animal Nanny part-time, around her other career. Debbie works full-time with Wells Fargo
as a Risk Manager. She is also a Notary Public!
Debbie is a board member and a long-time volunteer with Pets In Need, a no-kill shelter located in
Redwood City. She volunteers many hours each week taking care of animals at the shelter and serving as
their Outreach Adoption Counselor. Debbie often fosters new kittens from the shelter at her home.
Debbie is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR. She is fully trained in medicating all kinds of animals.
Debbie currently lives with 6 cats, although that number changes frequently when she is fostering kittens!
Debbie knows sign language and has taken a correspondence course on veterinary technician training in order
to expand her knowledge of animal physiology and health issues.
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Raisa Ayzenberg, Nanny
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Raisa came to the Bay Area from Moscow, Russia. She loves animals and has been around them all her life.
Her favorite pets are birds, and nesting in her yard are many swifts, hummingbirds, and pigeons that she feeds.
When she was young, she lived in the country with a wide variety of animals and birds - even a cow! Raisa
was responsible for taking care of all the family's pets and livestock. Later, as an adult, Raisa kept a
dog along with many birds including a pet rooster. Raisa is trained in CPR.
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Liz Martin, Nanny
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Liz has lived in the Tri-City area for over 20 years. She and her husband have two children, one grown daughter
and one teenage son.
Liz has specialized in hand-raising abandoned newborn kittens. She has also fostered and helped find new families
for 20 dogs while volunteering with Furry Friends Rescue since 1999. Liz is skilled at administering medications
and at grooming long-haired cats. Liz is also trained in Pet First Aid and CPR.
Liz's family includes two Border Collies competing in flyball, a Golden Retriever trained for therapy work and a
number of cats that came to visit but never left.
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Jennifer Weinberg, Nanny
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Jennifer grew up in Southern Illinois showing Arabian horses and playing with her family's menagerie of pets.
She moved to Alabama where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminology and Psychology at Auburn University.
Pleasanton has been her home since 1998.
Jennifer is a senior staff member of Furry Friends Rescue, working as the Petfinder web-loader and responding
to some of the volunteering inquiries. She also volunteers at the Tri-City Animal Shelter walking dogs and
taking their pictures for the website. Jennifer is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR.
Jennifer is owned by Chaucer, a special needs German Shorthaired Pointer mix who has severe allergies to
just about everything. Her home also regularly hosts fosters dogs.
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Shellie Clark, Nanny
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Shellie was born and has lived in the Bay Area most of her life. Being the child of a military father
she has also lived many other states. But she has always come back to the Bay Area!
Shellie has lived among animals all her life. Most of her childhood was spent living on a farm, taking
care of numerous animals. Her deepest love is for her dogs and she loves her job as a full time Animal Nanny.
Shellie previously worked as a nanny for children - she has always had a caretaking job.
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Dani Lyles, Nanny
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Dani was born and raised in the Bay Area. After high school she worked as an after-school day care provider.
Dani joined The Animal Nanny when she needed a job with more flexible hours so she could go to college. This
turned out to be perfect since she loves animals, likes variety, enjoys being active and loves to drive.
Dani is certified Pet CPR and First Aid. Additionally, Dani now considers herself an expert on getting around
the local area, from all the driving she has done as a Nanny.
Dani's hobbies include playing piano, writing stories and poetry, reading, and making beaded jewelry.
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Frank Fisher, Nanny
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Frank Fisher has an empathy for things living and really enjoys his work as an Nanny, caring for pets. He looks
forward to each day's opportunities with all of his animal friends.
Frank's hobbies include computers and music. His musical tastes run the gamut from early 1920s society bands to
operetta to some classical pieces. Frank hopes to be on stage someday performing his own musical compositions on the
electric violin.
In addition to his work for The Animal Nanny, Frank is currently working towards an A+ certification in computer
technology.
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Katie Lucas, Nanny
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Katie Lucas has lived in the East Bay all her life and has always been surrounded by family animals:
dogs, cats, fish...even guinea pigs and rabbits!
She also enjoys photographing her family's pets. She is currently attending college locally. While
in high school she worked as a volunteer helper at a children's day care center, and has also helped
out at an advertising agency. A recent project at home was building a doghouse for her chihuahua, Tinky.
Katie is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR.
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Eva Chen, Nanny
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Eva was born and grew up in Taiwan up through the age of 18. She went to Europe — England and
Switzerland — to pursue education in Hospitality Management for 3 years. She then came to the United
States to complete her bachelor's degree in 1984.
Eva has lived in New England area and recently relocated to the Bay Area. Currently, Eva works full time
in the field of helping people with developmental disabilities.
Through all of her moves, Eva has been a dog lover for life, and has also worked a lot with cats. She has
owned a variety of dogs including Black Labrador, Chihuahua, Shiba-Inu and Pomeranian. Eva is trained in Pet
First Aid and CPR.
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Georgette Morales, Nanny
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Georgette is a native to the East Bay and has lived here all her life. As a small child her mother was and
still is actively involved in animal rescue and is currently the feral cat coordinator for Purrfect Cat Rescue.
Georgette has two cats of her own. Her first cat was a kidney transplant recipient in 2005 at UC Davis. And
with that procedure, Georgette adopted the kidney donor. Georgette now has one cat with three kidneys (the
recipient) and one cat with one kidney (the donor)!
Georgette holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelors Degree in Health Sciences from
California State University, Hayward. She is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR.
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Wolfgang Wechsel, Nanny
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Wolfgang is a German native. He moved to the Bay Area in 2005. Growing up in a military family, Wolfgang moved
around Europe a lot - mostly between Germany and England. As a child he spent a lot of time walking dogs and
helping out at a private shelter on a local farm in Wales.
In Germany, Wolfgang worked as an industry mechanic. He also spent a year in the Navy! Currently, Wolfgang is a
student, learning to be a Radiologic Technician.
Wolfgang owned two cats in Germany but had to leave them with family when he move to the United States. He has
always owned pets, including cats, hamsters, goldfish and small birds.
In his spare time, Wolfgang enjoys many outdoor activities such as canoeing, rock climbing, ab sailing, snow
skiing, water skiing, sailing, hiking, cycling, shooting, and go carting. Wolfgang is trained in Pet First Aid
and CPR.
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Parvaneh Alquero, Nanny
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Parvaneh is a full-time student studying to get her Bachelors Degree in Marketing. She already has an
Associates Degree in Fashion Merchanding from City College of San Francisco. She has many years of retail
experience under her belt. When she is not studying or working, she also volunteers many hours a week at the
Fairmont Animal Shelter.
Parvaneh grew up in Philadelphia. She has alternated living between her hometown and the Bay Area for the
last 6 years. She last returned to the Bay Area in May 2006.
Parvaneh is owned by Jules, a 5-yr-old pug. She's had Jules since he was 6 weeks old and they are inseparable.
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Cristina Pacio, Nanny
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Coming Soon!
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Erin Greeley, Nanny
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Coming Soon!
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