BOARD MEMBERS

After having served on an Associate and Executive Board at two nonprofits for almost 10 years, David decided to make his lifelong dream a reality by creating Furever Home Dog Sanctuary. David’s true passion since his childhood days has always been dogs. His desire to save animals is evident by the fact that he rescued Mr. Wiggles (one of his two rescue dogs pictured above) from the streets of South Florida; and brought him back to his Deerfield home to enjoy living life with his loving family. After visiting a sanctuary in Texas in 2021, David was inspired not to wait until he retired to kickstart his vision to what has now become Furever Home Dog Sanctuary.

Since she was a teenager, Erin Kerpel has had the drive to give back, and that’s exactly what she’s been doing for years! This Long Grove, Illinois-born former school psychologist has always volunteered her time and energy; and now, along with her two kiddos — Brandon and Samantha; dogs Chase and Wiggles; and husband David, she continues to do so in various ways, including serving as the Director of Service Events on the nonprofit Gratitude Generation Board.
Erin has always been a dog lover. Erin and David have rescued 3 dogs, and have fostered several others. Erin enjoys taking her dogs for walks, playing with them in the yard, and snuggling with them on the couch.
When she finds (or makes) time to chill, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, working out and the occasional Netflix binge. Erin lives the philosophy that it’s important to look beyond yourself, and find ways to make the world a better place; and she’s doing just that with her involvement in Furever Home Dog Sanctuary.

Ryan Guedel’s desire to serve as Treasurer on the board of Furever Home Dog Sanctuary is deeply rooted in his lifelong commitment to community service, a value instilled in him by his grandmother and one he wishes to pass on to his 22-month-old son, Cole. His profound love for dogs, particularly ignited by Pinky, his first true canine companion who offered immense support during challenging life transitions, drives his ambition. Pinky, a rescue dog named after his wife Julie’s grandmother, embodied unconditional love and hope, inspiring Ryan to give back to the canine community. By joining the board, Ryan aims to honor Pinky’s legacy and demonstrate to Cole the importance of gratitude and service, leveraging his financial expertise as a partner at CJBS to make a meaningful impact..

Lisa is beyond excited to be able to help David and the team at Furever Home Dog Sanctuary. Her drive to help rescue dogs began seven Boxers ago, all rescued from a breed-specific rescue, run by an incredible woman, from whom she learned a great deal. She believes the privilege of helping dogs in need is priceless and believes that everyone can make a difference in their own way. Lisa feels that it takes a great deal of time, dedication, hard work, patience, and much more to change lives, but knows how powerful coming together to give dogs a voice can be. The profound impact on many lives and looking into the eyes of those dogs who have been afforded a new life and a chance to start over, has been a powerful driving force in her passion for dog rescue. A special education teacher of 25 years, she keeps busy walking her dogs, running, gardening, reading, and keeping up with her 10-year-old. She is looking forward to putting her many years of experience in dog training and working in dog rescue to reach more dogs in need.

Abhay is one to always lend a hand when the opportunity should arise. It is this passion for helping, and his selfless desire to help others that makes him a perfect fit for Furever Home Dog Sanctuary. In addition to being an integral part of FHDS as Director of Technology, Abhay is also an amazing IT professional with over 12+ years of expertise in System Engineering working at The Big Ten Network. Abhay loves bringing people (and dogs) together by implementing his amazing skills behind a computer. In addition to helping keep FHDS running smoothly, Abhay is passionate about giving back to the community and regularly volunteers at his local Temple, where he helps anyone in need.