Naomi Covino
Executive Director

Naomi retired in 2013 from a software company and began her philanthropic effort to help dogs. She formalized her work by cofounding the non-profit, Brown Dog Coalition, in June of 2015 alongside her daughter, Annie. She lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and a scruffy little dog named Leo. The original Brown Dog, Libby’s legacy lives on through Brown Dog’s work. Naomi is a persistent leader who tirelessly pursues her mission.

Annie Covino
Board Member

Annie lends her marketing and operations expertise to helping animals find their forever homes. She is a jill of all trades with a specialty in dog-petting. Annie adopted her sidekick, Freckle, in July 2017 and they have been inseparable since. 

Katie Covino
Marketing Support

Katie provides technical and creative support to Brown Dog, and has a bonded pair of terrier mixes; Peach and Roo. Peach is blind in one eye, Roo is blind in both.

Val Couchon
Board Member

Val has been a lifelong animal advocate for all creatures. While living in Atlanta, she and Robin became aware of the plight of stray dogs, picking up several off the side of the road to rehabilitate and rehome. Since then, volunteering with rescued dogs and cats has become an integral part of life. Fostering and/or adopting a dog or cat who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance is a great joy! She lives with her two rescued dogs Lila, and Oreo, a household of cats, and a variable number of fosters.

Robin Micherone
Board Member

Robin does it all. From being a nurse, to teaching work-out classes, to helping out at adoption days and more—Robin is like that pink bunny with a drum. She spends her free moments taking rescued dogs, Lila, and Oreo, on hikes and adventures. She also is a major helper with all the cats in the rescue!

Erika Fields
Social Media & Foster Director

Erika is involved in many facets of Brown Dog, from running the social media accounts to overseeing both the dog and cat foster programs. She adopted her own BDC pup, Mack, in 2018, and that experience sparked a deeper passion for rescue and community involvement. Today, Erika helps support fosters, amplify the stories of adoptable animals, and ensure pets and people alike feel supported throughout their Brown Dog journey.

Lena Chretien
Adoption Counselor

Lena is a dedicated animal advocate and supports Brown Dog as an Adoption Counselor, where she focuses on finding the right fit for dogs arriving from the South. When she’s not working through adoptions, she steps in for emergency fosters and spends her time managing life with her own crew of dogs at home.

Debby Nelson
Intake Director - Emeritus

In 2007, after Debby retired from her career as a kindergarten teacher and then an interior decorator, she began her journey with animal rescue by meeting a very sick puppy and promising him she would care for him and find him a home. Little did she know, that sick puppy would find his forever home with her own family. Since that first rescue, Debby has been involved with animal welfare—to her, the most rewarding experience is seeing hope reignite in a dog’s eyes.

Shari Mathews
Intake Director

Originally from New York, Shari now lives in Florence and is a one-woman powerhouse who manages the intake, rescue, foster, vetting and transport of the dogs. She works tirelessly to get dogs to safety. Working with multiple vet offices and shelters in the area, she is a critical link in getting the deeply deserving dogs to Brown Dog in MA.

Laura Bonn
Intake Director

After raising her four amazing children, Laura turned her lifelong love of animals into hands-on rescue work. Her first rescue, Millie, quickly became her heart and soul and opened the door to a home full of compassion and second chances. Alongside Millie, her sisters Tater Tot and Roxy help every foster learn how to relax, trust, and enjoy being a truly spoiled dog. Laura has lived in many places over the years but has called Alabama home for the past 16 years. Her experience, patience, and genuine love for animals make her an essential part of the Brown Dog Coalition team.