Tre Law, Chief, CARE Centers & Community Animal CARE Liaison

Bio: 

Tre had always been passionate about animals. Even as a child, he would spend hours observing the wildlife in his backyard. As he grew older, he realized that he wanted to make a difference in the lives of animals, and that’s when he decided to pursue a career in animal welfare.

With over 10 years of experience in the field, Tre’ has worked in various roles across different states. He started his career in Conservation Law Enforcement in Maryland, where he learned about the importance of protecting wildlife and their habitats. From there, he moved on to the Animal Control Administration in the District of Columbia, where he gained experience in managing animal control operations.

Tre’ wasn’t content with just working in one place, though. He wanted to expand his knowledge and skills, so he worked in several jurisdictions in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Atlanta. He gained valuable experience in dealing with different animal welfare issues and learned how to adapt to different environments.

Despite his focus on animals, Tre always had a passion for community as well. He co-founded a program in his local Maryland rural area, similar to the Big Brother program, which helped children in need. He saw the connection between animal welfare and the well-being of people, and that’s why he was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Tre didn’t just work in animal welfare, he was also an active participant in the community. He sat as a Board Member for the National Animal Control Association, Maryland Professional Animal Workers of Maryland, and the Dorchester County Public Schools. He used his expertise to help shape policies that would benefit both animals and people.

When he heard about the opportunity to join the CARE team, Tre’ knew it was the perfect fit for him. He was honored to be able to provide his expertise and knowledge in fighting the racial inequalities in Animal well-being. For Tre’, it wasn’t just about helping animals, it was about making a difference in the lives of everyone in the community.

Hakeem Ruiz, Senior Director of CARE Centers Philly/Camden

Hakeem Ruiz is a 29 year old born and raised in Philadelphia. While attending Lincoln High School, Hakeem and other friends started a group called The Block. Years later that friend group went on to become a very successful non-profit called ” The Block Gives Back”. Hakeem became the Vice President and was given the task of hosting block parties, street cleaning events, and networking with the adults and youth of the community. In 2019 the group was recognized by KYW radio as a winner of the Black History Month “GameChangers” award, for the continued efforts in minority communities. 

Aside from community volunteering Hakeem formerly worked in the social work field as a Case Manager before joining the CARE team. Spending parts of 3 years working with at risk youth from ages 13-17 to earn expungement of permanent charges. Hakeem will now be the CARE Center Director of Camden/Philly. He looks forward to being able to continue to create and build connections for more organizations along with CARE and being able to assist an unaddressed need in a forgotten area. Having raised a 13 year old stray dog, Gucci, Hakeem has seen the low points of the animal care system locally and is determined to change it for the better of the community. 

Awanookwe (Uh-one-oo-kway) Kingbird-Bratvold, CARE Center Senior Director, Northern Tier & Professor of Indigenous Sustainability Studies

Awanookwe (Uh-one-oo-kway) (Veronica Kingbird-Bratvold) is Ojibwe from the Red Lake Nation. Since 2017 Awanookwe has worked within her community fostering a healthy platform to showcase the peoples ongoing love for their awesiinyag (animals). 

This work is done through mobilization of animal volunteer work and acknowledgement of her people’s animal work, and also highlighting Anishinaabe values and cultural teachings in regards to all awesiinyag (animals). She hopes this work will change the broader narrative of her community’s relationship with their animals as well as create resurgence of Anishinaabeg cultural teachings and traditional ecological knowledge of relationship with animals within her community. 

Awanookwe is a tribal college graduate, has a B.A. in American Indian Studies, and is a first generation Master’s graduate with a degree in Education. She is currently the Assistant Professor of Indigenous Environmental Studies at Bemidji State University and Founder of Awesiinyag (Animals) Are Loved. Her education, and cultural reclamation and apprenticeship has put her on a path of service around the region for Anishinaabeg cultural resurgence and reclamation.

Mikki Arnold, CARE Center and Community Animal Care Coordinator

Mikki was born and raised in Villa Rica, Georgia. She’s the proud mom of twin 16-year old boys. She attended Massey College and spent her career working at municipal animal services organizations, but she’s super happy to start at CARE where, as she described…

I won’t have to keep telling people why they can’t keep their pets.
At CARE I get to help figure out how they CAN keep them.

Akisha Townsend Eaton, Chief of Policy, Environmental Justice Division

Akisha brings over a decade of animal law and policy experience to her current role as Chief of Policy, Environmental Justice Division at CARE. Prior to joining CARE, she worked as a managing attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund and as legislative attorney and policy advisor at various other national and international animal protection organizations. Akisha is an AmeriCorps alumni and is currently an active contributor to the Black Appalachian Coalition (BLAC) as well as the legal redress, environmental justice, and economic development committees of her local NAACP chapter, which recently awarded her the Prince and Cora Mack Humanitarian Award. 

Akisha has contributed to numerous publications. Her most recent chapters have appeared in the Palgrave Handbook of Animal Ethics, Career Paths in Human-Animal Interaction for Social and Behavioral Scientists and People, Pets, and Policies: Towards Community Supported Animal Sheltering.  She served as a consultant editor and contributor to the Journal of Animal Ethics and associate editor for the Journal of Animal Law.  Akisha has been an instructor, guest lecturer and speaker at numerous law schools, including Georgetown, Duke, Harvard, Lewis and Clark and Tulane University’s International Legislative Drafting Institute.  Her publications have been included in the courses of international law schools.  She has presented at multiple national, state and local animal welfare conferences on recent developments in animal law and advocacy.  She is a former contributor for the Huffington Post and the Dodo and former Diversity Vice-Chair for the American Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee within the Tort, Trial, and Insurance Practice Section. She is a Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics.

Akisha received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, where she was recognized as a Law Center Scholar and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University where she graduated with distinction. 

Amber Acuña, CLL Administrative Assistant

Hello I’m Amber Acuña and I’m honored to be working with you all at CARE!

I’m also honored to be the single mother of the kindest 10 year old therian wild-child I’ve ever seen. We live with our three cats Holly, Victor, and Onyx who all found us as abandoned kittens. I’m currently working to complete my English BA now that my son is older. My son has been my biggest cheerleader and they’re always telling me how proud of me they are! My favorite color is pink and I love exploring all forms of art. The farthest away I’ve ever traveled was to the Philippines when my titas took my sister and I to our family mausoleum to reconnect and reunite.

I really look forward to working with everyone on this mission for caring reformation!

Sharon Nordrum, InReach Coordinator, Community Animal CARE [CAC]

Hello, my name is Sharon Nordrum. I live in Laporte, MN with my adult son Andreas and several dogs and 2 cats. My whole life has revolved around the care and wellbeing of animals. My mom was the first animal rescuer in my hometown.

At any one time we would have 3 or 4 dogs in our home looking for their forever homes. I really started helping with this endeavor when I was 12 years old and have never looked back. My first job was a kennel worker at one of our veterinarian clinics. At 15 I was working at both clinics with the money going towards the care of all the foster dogs and cats that came through our door.

When we moved to our current location, we thought that we would be stepping away from rescue work as there are local shelters around us. Oh, how wrong we were! We had only been in our new home for 2 weeks before the first rescue came through the door. He ended up being a foster failure and my son’s best friend. Loner was with us for almost 7 years. We believed he was around 13 years old when he passed away. Loner was just the first of many that have graced our home.

In 2011 I bought my first purebred dog BaWaaJige (2011-2022) and the two of us entered into the world of dog shows/sports. I compete in dock jumping, agility, rally, scent work, hunting and fast cat. I am an AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen), trick dog, farm dog, fetch dog evaluator. I am also a UKC evaluator for SPOT (Socialized Pet Obedience Test). I am working on becoming a Fit Dog evaluator and a Scent Work judge for UKC. Dogs are not my whole life. I am also an artist. My artistic style is a combination of Woodland Indian/Saami floral and fauna.

I have been commissioned to paint several murals in our local schools. My art has been used in books and for company signs. I also sit on 3 local organization boards. MAHUBE -OTWA, Regional Sustainable Development Partnership and Coalition to Re-Authorize MN Lottery Funds. My life is busy, but full. I can’t wait to dive into working for/with CARE.