Good Humans Rescue Dogs

At Every Last One, we believe it takes a village to save lives, and our team reflects the diverse, passionate, and compassionate community we’re so proud to represent. We are a team of dedicated volunteers—every one of us contributing our time, energy, and hearts to give at-risk dogs the second chance they deserve. One dog at a time!

We are a team of dreamers and doers, united by the belief that every last one matters. Rooted in our shared commitment to love, respect, and inclusion, we celebrate the collective strength of our community—rescuers, adopters, donors, and advocates alike. Together, we’re rewriting the stories of countless dogs, one life-saving connection at a time.

Meet the Team!

Our Lovely Leaders

  • Mandy Ficara is the Founder and President of Every Last One Rescue. Her passion for animals has been a defining part of her life, starting in early childhood, when she fondly remembers riding on the back of her father's bike in search of neighborhood dogs. Born and raised in Ohio, Mandy is now a true New Yorker, having lived in NYC over 15 years. Before founding Every Last One Rescue in 2024, Mandy pursued a career in branding and product development after studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology. However, her experiences volunteering with various NYC rescue organizations opened her eyes to the urgent need for focused support on New York City dogs in crisis. This led to a pivotal moment when she decided to dedicate her life to saving these overlooked animals.Mandy has personally fostered over 50 dogs and is the proud owner of two chihuahuas and a rescue pittie, Soda, whose heartbreaking backstory also inspired the founding of Every Last One Rescue. The rescue's mission is rooted locally, founded the belief that every dog, no matter how tough or overlooked, deserves a chance—EVERY LAST ONE!

  • Nakia Greene is the Director of Adoptions and Resource Coordination at Every Last One rescue. Her dedication to animal welfare stems from her passion to advocate for the most vulnerable and underserved communities, human and fur friends alike. Nakia is a born and raised New Yorker who has seen and survived both the best and worst that NYC has to offer, similarly to the experiences of the dogs she now guides into forever home.

    Through her experiences, Nakia pursued an education and eventual career in forensic social work, advocating for black and brown men involved in the criminal legal system. In addition to her community advocacy work, Nakia has volunteered with a plethora of NYC rescues gaining extensive experience with dogs from all different walks of life including those with medical issues, behavioral needs along with pregnant and whelping mama dogs and their puppies. In 2024, in partnership with Every Last One Rescue, Nakia launched Co-Care for Canines, an upper Manhattan small dog care business dedicated to providing quality care to all dogs and owners in need regardless of financial accessibility. Nakia holds the mission of Every Last One rescue near and dear to her heart, honoring the rarity of the people who care and the dogs who need them.

  • I was born and raised in Miami, FL, and moved to New York in 2005. My passion for animals began at a young age. I grew up with what I referred to as a zoo at home when I was little. I had a dog, a cat, two birds and a ton of fish.  I’m now the very proud mom of two rescued Chihuahuas, Fred & Abe. Adopting my first, Fred, ignited a passion for all things medical. I have an interest in holistic medicine, have taken courses in canine nutrition and homeopathy, and have volunteered on the medical team for various rescues.  Also a foster, I’ve nursed several pups back to health, and helped them overcome their fears of the big city. There’s nothing more rewarding than having a hand in getting a dog healthy and seeing their personality flourish. I love and enjoy helping others do the same.

  • Olivia’s passion for dog rescue began about six years ago when she adopted her soul dog. After becoming deeply involved with her local shelter, she quickly recognized how much more work needed to be done. Feeling called to do more, she joined ELO - an organization fighting the good fight - to help expand the New Jersey chapter.

    Olivia and her husband are the proud parents of two pittie mixes, Pea and Biggie. What she loves most about dogs is their ability to bring out the best in people while showing us what unconditional love truly looks like. Every dog deserves a chance and Olivia feels honored to be a part of a community who can give that to them!

Behavior Team

  • Cole is a lifelong rescue dog lover who grew up in a family dedicated to adopting dogs in need. In 2022, she rescued her first dog on her own—an 11-year-old pit bull named Alison. After two meaningful years together, Alison’s passing inspired Cole to devote even more time and energy to supporting rescue dogs in her community. She later adopted Annie from the ACC, and now she and her husband share their home with two dogs, Annie and Storm.

    Cole began her volunteer work as a virtual adoption screener and through consistent participation in Boroughbreaks at the ACC. Wanting to make an even greater impact, she expanded her involvement by volunteering with Every Last One Rescue. After relocating from Manhattan to Jersey City, she also began volunteering at the Associated Humane Society of Newark.

    Passionate about positive reinforcement training, Cole has earned her AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification and is currently working toward her Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP) certification, which she will complete in December. She is excited to be involved with ELO NJ and is thrilled to help move dogs from the Associated Humane Society of Newark into loving homes with the support of Every Last One Rescue.

Foster Team

  • Alessandra is an ACC Liaison and Manger of Foster Coordination whose passion for animal rescue has been years in the making. With extensive experience in both shelter and rescue work, she’s dedicated to helping dogs find safety, stability, and loving homes.

    She spends much of her time at Manhattan ACC as a Dog Companion, walking and handling dogs, getting to know their personalities, and helping identify those who would thrive in the ELO community—carefully pairing them with the right fosters.
    When she’s not at the shelter, Alessandra is an attorney in the Bronx and has called NYC home for nearly a decade, balancing her professional career with her deep commitment to rescue.

    At home, she’s kept on her toes by her two rescue pups—her lovable bully mix, Ivy, and her Shih Tzu, Matteo—who inspire her work every day. Alessandra became involved with ELO after years of working alongside Mandy in rescue, continuing a shared mission to advocate for animals in need.

    Outside of rescue and work, you can find her walking her dogs, hitting the gym, traveling, or exploring NYC’s ever-evolving food scene.

  • Nadia is one of our Managers of Foster Coordination, a foster mom, and a proud ELO cheerleader.

    Originally from Washington State, she grew up with rescue dogs who always seemed to find their way into her family, sparking her lifelong love for animal welfare. After moving to New York City five years ago, Nadia was eager to give back and discovered ELO through a friend.

    She has since fostered several dogs and recently adopted her pup, Waverly, from the Manhattan ASPCA after a fellow ELO volunteer let her know her perfect match had just been surrendered.

    Outside of ELO, Nadia leads a field marketing team, enjoys spending time outdoors, and loves exploring NYC’s food and coffee scene.

Foster Mentors

  • More about Flory to come!

Our Fab Other Volunteers

  • More about Kristen to come!

  • My introduction to dog rescue began in 2020 when I adopted my dog, Layke. Having not grown up with dogs this was a steep learning curve but taught me a tremendous amount about myself and shaped how I approach the world. Five years later, in September 2025, I found an abandoned puppy tied to a bridge in the Bronx. As I was seeking help I was beyond lucky to be connected with Mandy and introduced to Every Last One Rescue, which gave me my first foster experience. After that first foster, I became involved with ELO as a volunteer, supporting the organization through additional fostering and hands‑on assistance wherever needed. Through this I gained a deeper understanding of the rescue process—from intake and decompression to placement and adoption. Today, I serve as a mentor to foster parents, helping new and experienced fosters navigate the emotional and logistical aspects of rescue. I’m passionate about supporting both dogs and the people who care for them, and I’m proud to be part of a community committed to giving as many dogs as possible a chance at a better life.

  • As Event Co-Manager, Chantz is passionate about creating engaging events that connect the community with rescue dogs. She handles outreach to event venues and coordinates closely with foster and volunteer teams to ensure events run smoothly.

    Originally from Florida, her family back home has had animals her whole life including three dogs and three cats currently, which sparked a lifelong love for animals. She now has two resident rescue dogs—one adopted in October 2025 from ELO—and continues to foster alongside them, providing a safe and loving environment for dogs in transition.

  • Alyssa is an ELO volunteer manager, foster mom, and advocate for rescue work. Originally from California, she now calls Brooklyn home, where she lives with her fiancé (a devoted foster dad) and their adored short king rescue Staffie, Samwise. With a career in corporate events, Alyssa has always made time for dog rescue, starting as a volunteer in Los Angeles before bringing her passion to New York when she moved in 2022. Since then, she has fostered over a dozen dogs and feels deeply connected to ELO’s mission and community. She credits her lifelong love of dogs to her dad, who never misses a chance to stop and pet a good boy. If you're interested in getting involved with ELO, Alyssa is always happy to connect!

  • Beverly grew up in California with rescue dogs and has been passionate about animal welfare from a young age. That same compassion led her to go vegan nearly 10 years ago, an extension of her belief in protecting and advocating for all animals. After moving to NYC 3.5 years ago, she fostered and then adopted her pittie Cherry from ELO in October 2024. She now co-leads ELO’s volunteer program and is helping revamp it to offer a wider range of opportunities. With a background in advertising, she’s passionate about using her skills to raise awareness for ELO and local adoptable dogs.

  • Olivia has been a dog lover her whole life, despite not having even a family dog until she was 25. When she heard about ELO from a friend, she was immediately taken by ELO's mission and was excited to volunteer with a rescue from its infancy. Olivia foster-failed her first ever foster dog from ELO, Winnie, and has worked to promote the rescue ever since. By day she works in tech marketing + advertising, and by night she works to keep all foster dog profiles fully updated to give them their best shot at being adopted. She looks forward to growing with ELO!

  • Layn is a foster mentor with Every Last One Rescue. In her role as a mentor, Layn supports new and return foster parents with navigating the day to day needs of fostering a rescue pup!
    Layn joined ELO as an avid animal lover. Layn was raised as a child to care for and respect all animals and grew up with plethora of rescue dogs in her childhood home. Since joining ELO, Layn has fostered many large, mixed breed pups from the city shelter and has also expanded her involvement as a volunteer at the Queens Animal Care Center - a city owned, open intake shelter. Layn's dog expertise has developed drastically in the recent years due to her hands on experience with foster dogs of varying temperaments in needs.


    Layn's experience with Every Last One rescue has allowed her to develop a strong understanding of the foster process and a deep connection to the organization’s mission. Layn shares that her motivation to be involved in the rescue community stems from watching both dogs and their foster parents grow in confidence and their abilities to feel safe and understand one another.


    In addition to Layn's commitment to rescue, she has a career in post-production audio for film and television. Layn has mastery in creating a supportive, communicative environments in both her professional and inter personal relationships allowing her to thrive in her leadership role with ELO. Layn remains committed to furthering her rescue knowledge along with canine behavior education and looks forward to obtaining the appropriate certifications in the near future.

  • Sara is a Manhattan-based foster who does all things graphic design for ELO! She had the great privilege of fostering ELO’s first-ever dog, a 15-pound cutie named Milton, when ELO was born in March of 2024. Sara discovered the wonderful world of dog rescue about 3 years ago and has been able to foster over a dozen dogs in that time! She finds herself drawn time and time again to the fearful, timid pups who need a hefty extra dosage of patience and gentleness. With a career in UX design and a graphic design side hustle, Sara has loved being able to bring her strengths to ELO and help them on their vital mission of saving the most misunderstood and overlooked dogs of them all.

  • Rachel is proud to join Every Last One’s behavior team, bringing over a decade of experience with animal rescue and welfare in New York City. She has fostered over 70 animals, works closely with several advocacy groups to make meaningful change in our welfare and companion pet care laws, is a long-time dog companion volunteer at the NYC ACC, and is currently enrolled in the Karen Pryor Academy to receive her KPA-CTD certification.

    Rachel is a positive reinforcement trainer, fear-free certified, and has helped both her dogs earn the AKC Canine Good Citizen certification. She began behavior work with foster dogs in 2023, and is thrilled to be able to continue that at ELO. She is passionate about surrender prevention and empowering owners/fosters/guardians/everyone to learn how to better communicate with their dogs and improve their relationships.

    In 2014, Rachel adopted the anxious and hyper, long-overlooked shelter dog, and he changed her life. While he is no longer with us, she is honored to continue his legacy by helping advocate for the underdogs, every last one!

  • Francesca Bacardi became a first-time dog mom at 34—and promptly made it her entire personality. Her dachshund, Ollie, runs the show, and before long, all dogs became her favorite people. That’s how she found ELO and never looked back. A former journalist turned communications pro, Francesca leads brand partnerships and outreach for ELO, securing donations—from dollars to kibble to toys—and building collaborations that raise awareness for the rescue and its incredible pups. If it involves telling great stories or getting dogs the love (and stuff) they deserve, she’s on it.

  • Ren (they/she) comes from generations of animal lovers and caretakers, so it is no surprise rescue is their favorite pastime. Her and her boyfriend are proud parents to 2 rescue pitties and guinea pigs! Despite having love for all animals and people, dogs have always had a special place in her heart, particularly the underdogs, the misfits, and the unwanted. Working on their Master’s in Public Health for Community Health, being able to assist marginalized and underserved communities with pet care assistance is an honor. The core belief that all people deserve the opportunity to the endless love animals provide despite their barriers to access are what drive them to continue advocating for social equity.

  • Sophie has grown up with dogs her entire life. Back in 2024, she adopted one of ELO’s OG rescues - Beluga. Beluga is an 85lb XL Bully that was on the euthanasia list.Aside from being Beluga’s best friend, Sophie runs our TikTok Account. She is passionate about using this platform to promote our dogs & expand our reach outside of NYC!

  • Chelsea is an Every Last One adopter & volunteer, helping with social media & events. Originally from Boston, she now resides in Manhattan with her ELO alum Dolly and boyfriend. She works in fashion & has a background in social media & influencer marketing, and also volunteers at the Manhattan Animal Care Center in her spare time. Chelsea took her first steps into the dog rescue world when she adopted her dog, Cole, from the euthanasia list in Georgia at just 18 years old. The passing of Cole inspired her to get further involved with rescue and help dogs in need in New York City, specifically the bully breeds as they have truly captured her heart. This led her to ELO & Dolly!

At Every Last One Rescue, we’re proud of the incredible community we’ve built – a growing dog-loving family! With each new volunteer, foster, and supporter, our mission becomes stronger, and together, we make an even bigger impact. Whether you’re an experienced rescuer or just getting started, there’s a place for you in our network of dedicated individuals who are changing the lives of at-risk dogs. We’re actively seeking volunteers with rescue experience to help us expand and continue our vital work. By joining us, you’re not just volunteering; you’re becoming part of a movement that’s transforming the lives of New York City dogs in need, one pup at a time!