Meet our Team
Leadership Team
Sydney Mollentine, CNP, AAWA
Alicia Alonso
Sarah Billigmeier
Daniella Barragán-Lancaster
Helen Traphagen
Amanda Isele, DVM
Haskell Villeda
Sydney Mollentine, CNP, AAWA
Sydney is a dedicated animal welfare expert with over 21 years of invaluable experience in the field, specializing in animal sheltering, animal behavior, animal medicine and overall a robust understanding of best organizational management practices. With her extensive background, she has honed her skills in implementing groundbreaking programs aimed at reducing the length of stay for animals, enhancing the quality of care within the shelter environment, breaking down barriers to adoption through open communication strategies, and developing community-centered programs that better the lives of people and pets throughout the metro area.
Sydney’s unwavering compassion for animals fuels her commitment to improving the lives of both animals and people within her community. Throughout her tenure, Sydney has had the pleasure of working alongside the best in the industry – developing best practices and procedures to help the people and pets within the greater Kansas City area – and continues to work on solving the pet homeless issues and providing necessary resources for underserved communities.
As CEO, Sydney plans to develop programs that provide education to our community on pet ownership, become a true ally for our city through outreach and enhanced accessibility to resources, as well as reduce barriers to adoption, lost pet reunification and medical services.
In her limited downtime, Sydney enjoys time with her family (husband and two beautiful children) and her three dogs and cat. She also enjoys being outside and anything that has to do with crafting!
Email: sydney@hsgkc.org
Daniella Barragán-Lancaster, Community Equity & Engagement Director
Daniella has been with the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City since 2019, following her experience in social services supporting victims of domestic violence. As a proud Mexica and Nahua -first-generation Indigenous Mexican-American, she is dedicated to advocating for marginalized communities, focusing on enhancing access to pet adoptions and veterinary care for the Latinx community. At HSGKC, Daniella has contributed to a 60% increase in adoptions and helped the organization achieve No-Kill status with a 97% save rate. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending quality time with her wife and their pets.
During her time off she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her wife, three dogs and four cats.
Email: daniella@hsgkc.org
Amanda Isele, DVM
Dr. Amanda Isele has been at the Humane Society since June 2018 and has been the Medical Director since 2021. Before coming to HSGKC, she worked in a 24-hour pet hospital in Oklahoma doing primary care, urgent care, and emergency medicine. Dr. Isele lives on a 7-acre mini farm with her husband, daughter, and twin sons. She has a one-eyed Pitbull, a Rottweiler, 4 cats, 6 goats, 2 donkeys, a disabled sheep, and chickens. Dr. Isele loves internal medicine cases and is looking forward to seeing your pet soon.
Helen Traphagan, Foster & Volunteer Coordinator
Helen joined HSGKC after retiring from a 30-year career in music education. A long-time supporter of HSGKC, she initially volunteered with her sons during their childhood. After retiring, she started working in the cat shelter before moving into her current role as Volunteer & Foster Coordinator. Under her guidance, the foster and volunteer program has grown significantly, expanding from just a few participants to several hundred. Helen also established the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee and the Foster to Adopt program, both of which are crucial for keeping the youngest and most vulnerable animals out of our shelter. Passionate about helping underrepresented communities, she plays a key role in reducing the length of stay for animals in our care and is proud member the Cherokee Nation. In her spare time, Helen enjoys reading, photography, attending concerts, and cherishes moments at home with her husband, five cats, and two dogs.
Email: helen@hsgkc.org
Alicia Alonso, Lead Vet Technician
Alicia graduated early from Kansas State University with a Bachelors in Animal Sciences. She has been with the Humane Society for over a year and absolutely loves the knowledge and she has gained since she started. She chose to work at HSGKC because our overall goal is to help the community by offering proper and affordable vet care, which is very important to her.
Haskell Villeda, Executive Assisant
Haskell joined the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City in 2021 and quickly became a valued team member. From a young age, she has been passionate about helping Kansas City’s underrepresented Spanish-speaking community. Starting at the front desk, Haskell gained valuable experience in operations and customer service, which allowed her to better understand and serve the needs of the community she grew up in.
In November 2023, Haskell stepped into the role of Executive Assistant, where she plays a vital part in supporting the executive team and contributing to the organization’s development and growth.
Haskell is a proud member for the Ch’orti’ Maya community and is a first generation Guatemalan/Honduran-American . Haskell has two dogs and two cats, and she loves the color pink, cowgirl boots, and stuffed animals. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she continues to be a dedicated advocate for her community.
Email: haskell@hsgkc.org
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contact
- 913-596-1000
- info@hsgkc.org
- 5445 Parallel Parkway, KCKS 66104
Clinic
- Spay/Neuter
- Pet Vaccines
- Urgent Care
- Community Cat Fix
Adoptions
- Adoptable Animals
- Lost/Found Animals
- Foster Opportunities
- Volunteer Opportunities
get involved
- Donate
- Sponsor
- Planned Giving
- Events