Mindie // Transportation Coordinator
I’ve always been an animal lover, but cats are my favorite! I was born in Ohio and grew up all over the midwest and south before moving to Portland, Oregon, as an adult. After nearly 20 years of gloomy weather there, my husband and I packed up and moved to Kihei, Maui. Other than my college dorm-living days, I’ve never *not* lived with at least one cat. The first kitty I remember was Callie, a calico who had kittens in our linen closet when I was 4 years old. Marshmallow Toast, also known as Mo, was my real childhood cat and constant companion. With brothers 8 and 10 years older than me, I needed someone to be my buddy as my family moved around the country, and Mo was my guy. I’ve lived with countless cats since, including ferals-turned-friendly, shelter adoptions, and foster fails. I got involved with Good Cat Network because I think my time and energy is better spent taking action than simply lamenting or complaining about things that need to change. We collectively have such great potential to make our world a more positive place, but it all starts with stepping up and doing something.
I have 1000 things I love about cats, but here are a couple of my favorites:
1) The “activation” noise they make, especially when you wake them up from a nap. If you know cats, you know what I mean. My boy cat “activates” all the time—when he jumps up onto something, when he jumps down from something, when you make eye contact with him… it’s such a unique cat behavior.
2) The way kittens’ ears wiggle when they nurse or bottle feed. It’s so darn cute!
Lisa // In-Cabin Transport & Community Liaison
Lisa has been part of Good Cat Network since the very beginning, but she has also been volunteering at several other non-profits and on special rescue missions on her own for decades. In 2022, Lisa hiked Waihe’e Ridge when a Maui visitor contacted Good Cat Network about a cat stuck up on the trail. With location coordinates from the visitor and cat-carrier in hand, she was able to locate the rescue the kitty, now named Dolly. Dolly was adopted by founder Darlene, and is best friends with Darlene’s cat Will Feral.
As our In-Cabin Transport Coordinator, she arranges flights for cats being adopted outside of our Operation Aloha Cat program. As our Community Liaison, she can assess and assist other local non-profits and rescues with their adoption and transfer needs.
She also is a black cat enthusiast, electric bike parade participant, and mom of two boys who loves the thrill of TNR!
Madelynne // Photography
Madelynne (a.k.a. Maddy) has generously offered her photography skills to Good Cat Network since our inception. Most of the professional photos you see on this website were taken by Maddy, from the founder’s portraits to the Donor Spotlight with Sara & Gary. Her day-job is offering photography for weddings, events and portraits through her company, Madelynne Lorraine Photography.
Maddy has always loved animals, and has two cats of her own named Luna and Dobby, both Maui Humane Society foster fails.
Not only does Maddy support us generously with photography, but she is our biggest Good Cat Store fan and possesses more Good Cat Network apparel than the founders do. You might see Maddy strutting around Maui with her custom Luna and Dobby track pants, and if you do…remember to tell her, “meow!”
We are always looking for people to add to our Good Cat Network!
If you have a passion for animals, a big heart, a little extra time on your hands, and would like to learn more about our Good Cat Network Core & Code, we’d love to chat with you!
Current Volunteer opportunities are not limited to the list below, so feel free to message us to talk about how your skill sets might match our needs.
Transport Assistant:
Do you have a driver’s license, a stellar driving record and love “running errands” as much as you love animals? You might like to help us on flight days! Bi-weekly on Tuesdays, the Transport Assistant would drive to foster participant’s homes, pick up cats and take them to the airport for their flight. Approximate time commitment: two hours, twice-per-month. Location: Maui, OGG Airport.
Clinic Assistant:
Are you organized and have a knack for making people and cats feel at ease? Do people call you the “hostess (or host) with the mostess?” We bet you’d be great at helping us at our Health Certificate Clinic. Put together our flight carriers, maintain snacks and show new flight participants the ropes. Approximate time commitment: two hours, twice per month on Saturdays or Sundays. Location: Kula, Maui.
Director of Rescue:
Are you well-versed in TNR and great at educating and motivating people? We need a self-motivated, compassionate person dedicated to building a TNR team and working with other non-profits to increase TNR efforts in established colonies. Approximate time commitment: four-six hours, weekly. Location: Maui, Hawai’i.
Adoption Coordinator:
Are you the kind of person who loves match-making and communicating with people who want to learn about the cat acquisition process at Good Cat Network? The Adoption Coordinator would be in charge of fielding inquiries, adoption applications, and working with the In-Cabin Transport Coordinator to arrange off-island adoptions. Approximate time commitment: four-six hours, weekly. Location: Maui, Hawai’i.
Social Media Content Complication:
Do you have the ability to get people to email or text you photos? That’s a skill that WE NEED. We need help compiling the rescue and foster stories and photos of the cats that we send through our Operation Aloha Cat program. Task would be to communicate with fosters, gather photos and stories and upload them to Google Drive. Approximate time commitment: varies. Location: remote.
Data Assistant:
Do you love to input data and love to work remote? We’d love to have you aboard! You would input data on Operation Aloha Cat and adoptable kitties into our software, and post to adoption sites as needed. Approximate time commitment: one hour per week. Location: remote.