Kristie Young
Executive Director
Operations
August 2023
Kristie, along with her husband Jeff, own and operate Grumpy Old Men Brewing, a local brewery in Blue Ridge. Kristie handles human resources, payroll, and bookkeeping for Grumpy Old Men - and has also been responsible for envisioning most of the improvements made to the building and brewery site since they purchased it in 2018.
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They bought a 'vacation' cabin while in Blue Ridge when they were living in Michigan. They fell in love with Blue Ridge and made the decision to move there full-time in 2017. Upon making that decision - they sold their dental practice in Michigan, where Kristie was a Dental Hygienist, as well as the office manager, and handled all aspects of the practice. They both left that profession behind to move to the mountains.
Kristie and Jeff have six (human) kids who love to visit Blue Ridge. While they continue to try and convince them to move to this great mountain town, they find time to enjoy their six grandchildren.
Kirstie has a love of animals, and they currently have three canine kids; two very fit and active Australian Shepherds that keep them active walking up and down the mountain roads, and a Cocker Spaniel who is a little less energetic and whose favorite pastime is sleeping.
If Jeff would let her, Kristie would probably have a farm full of goats and chickens if they had the room. For now, she will funnel her love of animals into being the Executive Director of Operation of the HSBR Adoption Center and Thrift Store. Since 2020, She has been the secretary on the HSBR Board of Directors, and then the Bookkeeper, and now she moves into the Executive Director of Operations Position. She strives to be kind and generous to everyone and help those in need whenever she can.
Brandy Arreaga
Adoption Center Manager
Brandy has always had a passion for animals, and she devotes her free time to saving homeless animals. She began her career in animal rescue in 2018 when she joined the Humane Society of Blue Ridge as an animal care technician.
Since that time, Brandy has broadened her experience by working with all of the animals in the shelter in their daily care and by assisting with their medical care. She promotes education and awareness for the community and best practices for shelter operations for the Humane Society of Blue Ridge team.
Brandy is devoted and focused on reducing the animal overpopulation problem and has worked with the TNR program in the local community to help spay and neuter local stray cats, and she has also worked with transport programs to help send homeless cats to other areas of the country where they could find homes.
She is an advocate for a fear-free environment for shelter animals and regularly participates in professional development seminars and classes to broaden her knowledge of animal psychology and welfare.
Brandy and her family share their home in Copperhill with 9 cats, 2 dogs, and many foster kittens.
Robbie Muschamp
Thrift Store Manager Co-Manager
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Robbie was one of the original members of HSBR and has been the manager of the thrift store for many, many years. She took a small break to help raise her grandchild, but when she was able, she came back and is once again, our manager extraordinaire!
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She works so hard with the volunteers to make the thrift store what it is today, which in turn, helps so many of our furry friends.
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Robbie is also in charge of Paws in the Park, which she ran even when she was a full-time caregiver to her grandson. Paws in the Park flourishes to this day due to the dedication and hard work Robbie puts forth every year.
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Robbie is such a gem for HSBR, the Thrift Upscale Thrift Store thrives under her leadership! We are so glad she returned "home" to us!
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Kim Lewis
Thrift Store Manager Co-Manager
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I started volunteering at the Humane Society thrift store in February 2019 after moving here from New England. Having shopped at the store as a customer, I saw how passionate the volunteers were about their job and helping the animals.
I grew up helping my mom to trap, spay and neuter the feral cats in our small town in upstate New York. When asked to join the thrift store team as an assistant manager, I jumped at the chance to put my 25+ years of business ownership to good use. I find it rewarding to work side-by-side with a great group of people who are ultimately striving for the same goal of helping animals.
My husband and I live here in Blue Ridge with our two rescued cats and a feral one named Oscar.