Helping Hounds Dog Rescue welcomed Crystal DeStefano, APR and Katrina Crocker to its Board of Directors at the organization’s April board meeting. At the meeting, DeStefano was elected to serve as President of the board and Crocker will serve as Vice President.

“Crystal and Katrina were specifically recruited this year to join the board and help lead Helping Hounds through our next exciting chapter,” said Kathy Gilmour, Executive Director at Helping Hounds Dog Rescue. “Our organization is in the midst of great transition as we prepare to move operations to our new space located in Cicero. This move allows us to act on our mission through expansion of services, and to better meet the needs of the dogs we rescue and our family of adoptive parents. Both women bring extensive leadership and business experience that is necessary during this period of growth.”

Crystal DeStefano is the president and director of public relations for Strategic Communications, LLC. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for WCNY and is active in the Public Relations Society of America as a local-chapter board member and as the northeast regional representative for the national organization. DeStefano is a long-time supporter of Helping Hounds and adopted her dog, Oliver, from the organization in 2017.

Katrina Crocker is the vice president of communications at the Central New York Community Foundation. Prior to joining the board of directors, Crocker was a Helping Hounds volunteer, applying her expertise in communications and online tools to the management of the organization’s website since 2014. Crocker adopted her dog, Penny, from Helping Hounds in 2018.

For more information about Helping Hounds Dog Rescue, to view dogs available for adoption or to donate to the organization, visit helpinghoundsdogrescue.org.