Melissa Aten

Melissa Aten is the Program Manager for Adoptions and Transports at Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, which means she helps organize our transports and adoption events, among other tasks. She also contributes to our development team.

Prior to joining Lucky Dog, Melissa worked for a non-profit that promoted democracy and governance around the world. Her last position there was Senior Program Officer for Combatting Kleptocracy. She decided to leave the kleptocrats behind to focus on puppies, kittens, and other fuzzy creatures.

She has been a long-time volunteer with Lucky Dog, especially the puppy team, which she continues to lead in a volunteer capacity. Prior to moving away from the DC-area, she was a puppy foster and regularly had a house full of puppies. It was as cute (and messy) as you imagine.

Most importantly, she adopted her beloved hound dog, Clara, and three orange kitties, Wyo Wrangler, Buffalo Bill, and Stetson from Lucky Dog, and advocates for the wonderfully quirky and sweet nature of hound dogs every chance she gets!