OUR TEAMMeet Our Team

A Michigan native, Marleen moved to North Carolina in 2015 with her husband and three children.  Shortly after arriving she welcomed baby #4 and settled in Apex shortly thereafter.

Marleen has a biology degree with an emphasis in zoology.  She spent 10 years serving clients in a veterinarian hospital before committing herself full-time to her family.

She is a sports enthusiast and loves spending fall Saturday’s rooting for her beloved Michigan Wolverines.  She also enjoys volunteering as a pre-K Sunday school teacher at her local church.

Marleen joins Cool Cats as an Administrative Assistant and looks forward to ensuring your pet gets the very best care while you’re away.

Jessica was born and raised in Cary, NC, and has been enjoying life in Raleigh for the past three years. She graduated from East Carolina University and spent nearly a decade working in child care for local government agencies, where she honed her organizational and people skills.

Now, as the Operations Coordinator for Cool Cats Pet Sitting, Jessica keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes so the team can focus on caring for your furry family.

At home, Jessica is both a proud Mom to her daughter, a devoted wife to her husband and Cat Mom to five very spoiled kitties. With that many feline bosses, she’s well-practiced in multitasking, negotiating, and keeping everyone fed on time.

She’s excited to be part of a company that treats every pet like family and brings a little joy (and maybe a few extra chin scratches) to every day.

Bio: Laura Jordan

Hi, I’m Laura! Originally from Westchester, NY, I made the move to North Carolina almost four years ago for my husband’s job. I work remotely as a project manager for a large hospital enterprise, which my two cats love since it allows for constant attention and cuddles, haha. When I’m not working, you’ll find me traveling—especially to the Outer Banks, where I spent many summers growing up. I’m an avid reader with a love for all genres (there’s no such thing as too many books!), and my taste in music spans from classic hits to country, pop, and even a little rap (concerts are my favorite)!

I’ve always had a deep love for animals and have experience caring for cats, dogs, bearded dragons, lizards, and hamsters. Growing up, I had a Samoyed and two cats, and now I have two playful boys of my own—Weasley (yes, named after Ron Weasley!) and Rizzo (named after Anthony Rizzo).

I understand how tough it can be to be away from your furry friends, and I can’t wait to put that worry at ease – and become another friendly face for your furbabies too!

Hi there! My name is Rita. I am originally from Buffalo, NY, but moved to North Carolina in 1994 to get away from that cold, Western New York weather. Buffalo weather is what everyone says it is. Cold and snowy, but they have delicious food! I came to NC after graduating from Buffalo State College with a degree in Criminal Justice. I am a State of NC Government retiree where I worked as a Policy Writer and an Accreditation Manager. I am a fur mama to two kitty cats at home who are my world. They rule my household and allow me to live at home with them! I am a caretaker to several community cat colonies where I provide food, shelter, water, and socialization daily. I have cared for cats all my life and I am passionate about them. I love all cats of all breeds but have a special place in my heart for black cats. 

While you are away, I will go above and beyond to ensure your fur babies are well taken care of and happy. I understand how important it is for you to have that peace of mind. In your absence, I will treat your fur babies like my own and provide them with the absolute best care and love. For fur babies that have special needs, I have experience in administering medication and giving subcutaneous fluids to cats. 

In my free time, my hobbies include pickleball, yoga, walking, reading, painting, traveling, and scrapbooking. I also enjoy volunteering for special events at Safe Haven for Cats and I am an avid supporter of the work that Tiny Kittens Society does for the feral cat community. I look forward to meeting you and your fur babies and providing them with the best care while you are away! 

Hello, my name is Arancha. I am originally from Spain. I moved to North Carolina with my husband, my daughter and two cats. Here we welcomed another baby girl and settled in Apex in 2017. The next year we adopted another cat Fanta who has become the queen of the house!

I have an agricultural science degree and a master’s in oenology and viticulture.

Animals, have always been something very important in my life ever since I was a little girl. I had everything my parents allowed me, parakeets, ducks, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, or dogs. For this reason, in addition to my cats I always have several fosters in my house and I have done several courses of veterinarian assistant training to have more knowledge and help as much as I can.

As a person who travels to see her family to another country, I understand how important it is to feel that your pet is in good hands. I’ll take care of your pet as if they were mine own.

My hobbies are travelling, cooking, playing with all the cats in my house and enjoying nature with my family.

I volunteer at the Facilitate Rescue and have a lot of experience in giving medications, injections or hydrating subcutaneous fluids.

I am excited to meet you and your furry friends!

Hi, my name is Jo. I was born and raised in England, and moved to the U.S. over 20 years ago. I have lived in Cary, North Carolina since 2007. My adult children have graduated from school and flown the nest, so my time is now devoted to being an active pet parent to my two dogs and horse. I enjoy trail riding locally with friends and volunteering at the Horse and Buddy Therapeutic Riding Center in New Hill. I have owned and cared for a variety of pets over the years, including cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, and goldfish. I have also worked at a number of horse boarding barns in Apex over the past 10 years taking exceptional care of the horses and barn cats!

You can rely on me to take great care of your cats and any other pets while you are away. I am responsible and reliable and will keep in good contact to ensure your peace of mind while you are away from your fur family!

Hi, I’m Libby,

I’ve had cats and dogs most of my life, and these days I share my home with my sweet cat, Bella. I know firsthand how much cats thrive on routine, patience, and genuine attention — which is exactly what I bring to every visit with Cool Cats Cat Sitting.

Whether your cat needs help with medication, playtime, or just a familiar, caring presence while you’re away, I treat every cat like my own. I’d love to meet yours — reach out anytime!

Hi, my name is Nicole Flynn and I have been living in North Carolina for 30 years, and currently reside in the Holly Springs area. As a cat mom of one sweet boy, Basil, I’ve always been a lover of all animals, especially cats. We had a cat growing up and as soon as I had a place of my own, I was ready to adopt a companion. I have experience with administering pet medications including SQ liquids. In my spare time, if I’m not snuggling with Basil, you’ll find me with my boyfriend traveling or on the lake enjoying the sunshine and water!

At Cool Cats, I can’t wait to take care of your pets and give you peace of mind to be able to enjoy your trips, and time away like we received when we fell in love with Cool Cats! I look forward to meeting you soon!

For as long as I can remember, there has always been a cat in my life. My professional background has involved several different roles including being a former canine trainer. As much as I like dogs, cats have always held a special, more preferential, place in my heart (don’t tell my dog, Ellie, I said so). I strongly admire their independence and curiosity & fully understand why ancient cultures viewed them with such reverence. Our rescued cat, Leya, definitely presides over our household. It is my intent to care for your beloved furry family members as well as I do my own. I am an avid reader, love to travel, enjoy concerts & theatrical performances, hanging out with my family, and (thanks to my sons’ former obsession with ‘Nailed It’) relatively skilled with baking delicious desserts. My family & I relocated to North Carolina from Colorado in 2018 and currently reside in Holly Springs.

Hello!  I am originally from Ohio and have lived in Cary since 2015.  I enjoy anything sports related or outdoorsy.  I do a lot of orienteering with the local club and participate internationally with Team USA.

My love for cats started like many people’s does – when my first cat chose me.  Since then, I’ve had a love for caring for cats and I’m thrilled to be able to do so for yours.  My goal is to keep you at ease while you’re away from your home and to keep your cat cozy in their own space. I’m always excited to make a new cat friend and look forward to meeting yours!

I’m a native of North Carolina originally from Greensboro, and I reside in the Cary area. I am a mother to two amazing children named Nevin and Nadia. I’m also a fur mama to three adorable cats (Dessa, Cora and JJ) who are all siblings, a Roborovski hamster named Theodore, and a beautiful Betta fish named Beau. I am an Esthetician by day and a pre-practical nursing student as well. I love taking care of others and have always been a lover of animals. I’ve always had the softest spot for cats and small animals but as I age, I have noticed that I love all animals in general. I enjoy learning the personalities of every animal that I come into contact with and have always felt at home when interacting with them. I believe that patience, kindness and connection is important when caring for animals and I look forward to connecting with yours!

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and my fur babies, as well as being creative, watching shows, working out and reading. One of my favorite “pet” things to do is match my pet’s decor with the season or holiday and spoil them with goodies and treats. I even let my hammy and betta fish get in on the fun with matching decor! I look forward to working with you and your pets and ensuring that they feel happy, safe and loved in your absence.

Emily is a North Carolina native and has been in the Cary area for over 10 years. Emily has been passionate about animals since she can remember. She has experience as a veterinary technician, dog groomer, horse trainer, and pet sitter. She is passionate about rescuing, fostering, and adopting animals. She and her husband have fostered and/or adopted over 35 animals! Emily currently has a cat, 2 foster kittens, 2 dogs, and a horse. Emily also has had guinea pigs and has experience with other small animals.

When not working with animals, Emily volunteers with Transitions Hospice and works part-time for the AFE Foundation.

My name is Joan Cox, and I am a retired nurse/clinical researcher. I have been living in the Cary/Apex area for 35 years. My three children are grown, married, and two are living in Apex with their families and my youngest son lives in Colorado with his family. I am a proud grandmother to 7 wonderful grandkids. I am a Meowmy to my two beautiful Ragdoll kitties, Murray and Maggie, who are 12 years old and have been with me since they were kittens.  My parents always had a cat while I was growing up.  Quite a few years after I married, we adopted a stray cat who had kittens and, of course, our cat family started to grow. All of our cats are neutered, spayed and lived indoors.  We loved and spoiled every one of them. Over the years, I have gained experience in giving cats oral meds, topical meds, insulin injections, and subcutaneous fluids. I also attend a yearly Cat Symposium for cat owners offered in the Spring at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine.

I would love the opportunity to meet with you and your kitties. I’m am a cat lover who will spoil your kitties while you’re away.

Hey there! I’m Savannah Ellis, and I live in the Cary area. Born and raised right here in North Carolina, I studied Political Science at Appalachian State University. I share my home with my adorable dog, Pablo, and I have a huge passion for animals! Over the years, I’ve gained plenty of experience in pet sitting and absolutely love meeting all sorts of furry (and sometimes non-furry) pals! When I’m not spending time with animals, you can find me working on my pottery skills at the studio, enjoying quality time with my family, hiking with Pablo, or exploring the amazing restaurants around here. I can’t wait to spend time with your wonderful pets!

Hi, My name is Soumya and I’m from the Raleigh area and I’ve lived in Charlotte previously, but I grew up primarily in Boston, MA. I’m currently a project manager in the pharmaceutical industry in RTP. But more importantly, I’m a devoted pet parent to my spoiled kitten Bruce, named after Bruce Wayne, who you can probably guess is a black cat. I’ve also been lucky enough to foster 2 cats who have now been adopted by my friends so I still get to see them all the time! I spend as much time as I can around animals by going to the SPCA of Wake County and other surrounding animal shelters since I’ve always had a love for animals growing up. I’m also always looking for any opportunities to help out animals, especially by fostering.

As a cat mom myself, I know how much I’d love for someone to look after my kitten with the best care. I can promise that I can deliver the care needed for your fur baby and bring you peace of mind that they are receiving all the love and attention in the world while you are away. I’m also experienced in giving medications and am very flexible and comfortable in learning new routines (trust me, I know how picky they can be) and performing medical/special care.

I look forward to meeting you and your fur babies and providing the best care for them!

Hi there, my name is Val Pistone. I am a native New Yorker but have been in North Carolina  for the past 20 plus years. We ended up here when my husband’s company relocated. What a great place to call home.

When we moved to North Carolina, I decided to take a break from corporate life and went to work for a local veterinary office, which was the best decision ever. I took time off a few years later to start a family. Then a few years ago I went back to a veterinary office, those fur babies called to me.

I have spent my entire life surrounded by dogs and cats. I can’t imagine not having the unconditional love that a family pet brings. Fanucci and Luca are our two dogs and Paulie is our cat who thinks he is a dog. Having an animal loving caregiver is so important for my peace of mind when we are away and my hope is to bring you that peace of mind when you are away.

Hi! My name is Ashley, and I have lived in Apex, North Carolina my whole life. I’ve grown up surrounded by animals and have cared for many pets over the years. I now share my home with my corgi, Winnie, and three very spoiled cats. I’ve always had a love for animals, but caring for them has also been a big part of my life professionally and personally. I know firsthand how stressful it can feel to leave your pets at home while you’re away, and my goal is always to give you complete peace of mind. When I’m not with animals, I’m working on my bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management at ECU, spending time outside, or relaxing with my family. I’m excited to care for your kitties and make sure they feel completely loved while you’re away!