Our Leadership
Holly Adams, President + Founder
Holly Adams founded MustLuvBoxers Rescue in 2013 when she decided to transform an internet forum dedicated to her favorite dog breed into a non-profit rescue that could serve Boxer dogs all along the West Coast. Under her leadership, the rescue saved 58 dogs in 2014, 66 in 2015, and now consistently saves more than 100 dogs each year.
Holly serves as the rescue’s president, leading its 434+ volunteers and managing its day-to-day operations. She organizes and assists in all aspects of animal intake such as working with shelters or citizens surrendering dogs, arranging transportation for incoming dogs, and matching dogs with safe and loving foster homes. She also is actively involved in the adoption process, reviewing adoption applications, interviewing applicants, and helping to arrange home-checks prior to approved adoptions.
When Holly isn’t helping Boxer dogs get back on their feet and into loving homes, she’s working as a physical therapy assistant helping patients literally get back on their feet. She also loves taking her dogs, Piper and Stevie, to go running at the beach.
Chris Zanassi, Vice President +Social Media Coordinator
Chris Zanassi first got involved in Boxer rescue in 2013 when she volunteered for another Washington rescue. In 2015, Chris joined the MustLuvBoxers Rescue family as the social media coordinator. In 2018, Chris was offered the position of vice president and was honored to accept the position working side-by-side with the rescue’s founder and president, Holly Adams.
​
Chris brings with her 30+ years of office administration experience, including great organizational skills, impressive writing, and a keen attention to detail, all of which are invaluable to managing social media and assisting in the day-to-day operations of the rescue.
​
When Chris isn’t busy at the computer coming up with engaging and interesting items to post on MLBR’s social media, writing dog bios, or doing pretty much anything else that’s needed, she works full time for King County in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks. In her spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with her husband, adult son, and two Boxers, MLBR alumni Ricki and Vito.
Elizabeth Bearden, Treasurer
Elizabeth (Beth) Bearden has been a board member since MustLuvBoxers Rescue was founded. Beth monitors the MLBR PayPal site and gives a yearly report to the treasurer on monies taken in or going out for transports, vet bills, adoptions, donations, and fundraising. She also donates to MLBR monthly and assists monetarily in fundraisers.
​
Beth has owned 4 Boxers, 3 being rescues, and is totally committed to helping MLBR accomplish the goal of rehoming Boxers to their forever homes. She lives in Rosharon, Texas with her current rescue, Blossom.
Bridget Conner, Secretary
Bridget adopted her first Boxer in 2007, which is when her love affair with the breed began. She met Holly through the original MustLuvBoxers online forum board, which morphed into the rescue we know today as MustLuvBoxers Rescue. Bridget already had five years of rescue and shelter volunteer experience under her belt when she began volunteering for MLBR in 2015. This experience was pivotal to her work to expand MLBR’s impact by establishing partnerships with shelters and rescues local to her in California. In 2016, she became the Area Coordinator for California.
Bridget became the rescue’s secretary in early 2020 when the current secretary transitioned into the vacated treasurer position. In her many years working for local government jurisdictions, Bridget has developed excellent attention to detail, great organizational skills, and impressive writing abilities, all of which have made her an invaluable board secretary.
Bridget’s love of dogs started at a very early age. Since that time, she’s had the joy of adopting/rescuing six Boxers. In her spare time, she enjoys taking her two current Boxers, Kelly Catherine and Dozer, on fun road trips and to the beach.
Sandra Waller, Fundraising
Sandra first got involved in Boxer rescue in 2017, after having Boxers in her life for over 13 years. She began volunteering with MustLuvBoxers in the summer of 2020 and was asked to join the board as fundraising coordinator in January 2021.
Sandra started rescuing Boxers of her own to honor the memory of her first pup, who passed away. Her 26 years working as a nurse has helped her develop an extraordinary compassion that is much needed in dog rescue. Sandra also brings with her several years of fundraising experience from volunteering for another Boxer rescue. Sandra has always been an animal lover and her dedication to saving any animal makes her an important asset to the MLBR team. Caring for animals is not just what she does, it’s who she is.
When Sandra isn’t busy helping animals in need, she enjoys spending time with her retired husband and their Boxers Rajah and Zeela; going on walks, exercising, doing yard work, and making memories with their grandchildren.