After obtaining her English degree from UC Davis, Liz spent 10 years backpack traveling overseas and working seasonally while living and working in various states, national parks, ski resorts, and cruise ships. Settling down in Corvallis, Oregon, Liz started a long history of nonprofit employment, beginning with an animal shelter. Finding this work rewarding, Liz added three more animal welfare organizations to her management repertoire in Nevada when she moved to this fine state in 2003 with two old black labs, 10 cats, and two horses. She then earned a certificate in grant writing from TMCC and shared that expertise with other non-animal nonprofits as well. Liz had been a dedicated client of Lakeside for over ten years prior to VCA's acquisition and was thrilled to take advantage of an opening at the hospital. Liz shares her leisure time with a longtime boyfriend who has become accustomed to the ebb and flow of a myriad of rescue animals that at present includes a Boston Terrier/Australian Cattle Dog mix, a Chihuahua Papillion mix, plus four cats [citation][3].