Meet our Team!

Kristina Hess - Founder/Executive Director/DC Rescue Coordinator

Kristina is the adoptive mommy of Lexi, a tri-colored Papillon, and the co-founder of Rescue Angels. She manages all activity in the DC, Maryland and Virginia areas. In 2007, after graduating in 3 years from the University of Massachusetts-Boston with a double-major in Theatre and Classical Studies, opportunities in modeling/dance and theatre brought Kristina to Washington, D.C., February of 2008. Her passion for animals started at a very young age when she described her home as her own personal "petting zoo." She grew up with horses, cats, dogs, birds, fish, lizards, etc. - and her love for animals never faded. The idea of starting a rescue organization was born by Oprah's Puppy Mills show. Once she relocated from Boston to D.C., Kristina decided to take on this special mission herself. Through communications with several shelters around the country, she realized the cold truth about the high euthanasia rate and began working with shelters in North Carolina. Once in contact with them, she jumped right in and pulled a dog in hopes of finding him a home. And thus, Rescue Angels was born!

Vickie Hess - Founder/Treasurer/Boston Rescue Coordinator

Vickie is a mother of two, a loving wife and an adoptive mom to two dogs - two Papillions, Sweetie & Beau. She is the co-founder of Rescue Angels and works in the New England area. Alongside her daughter, Vickie decided to take action in saving the lives of helpless dogs throughout the country, and began her focus within the Eastern U.S. territory. She works in the New England area and hopes to one day open a shelter in her area to help save more dogs

Jaymi Peyton - DC Adoption Coordinator

Jaymi is the doting mother of three furry creatures - a Papillon named Brutus, a Golden Retriever named Cuba, and a cat named Kiki. For two years, Jaymi has been a devoted Rescue Angels volunteer and foster and she has also volunteered with Lost Dog and Cat Rescue. She is passionate about all animals and is an advocate for tougher animal-abuse laws. Jaymi supports inexpensive spay and neuter programs, the no-kill-shelter movement, and she strongly opposes the use of animals for medical/lab research. An avid member of the Coalition to Unchain Dogs, she has also volunteered a number of times at Best Friends Animal Society in Kenab, Utah (check it out sometime!) and she is a strict vegetarian. Jaymi is excited about her new role with Rescue Angels, and can't wait to play an important role in helping homeless animals find their way to the loving homes they deserve.