Cat Care Team

 

Team Member	Description
Jenna Genovese-Mikula Director	Jenna earned an MBA from St. John’s University in 2008 and spent the next 10 years working in corporate finance and accounting roles of increasing responsibility. In late 2018, she left the corporate world to pursue her passions and became a volunteer at Blue Bell in early 2019. Several weeks later, she joined the staff as a Cat Caregiver and was promoted to Assistant Director in 2021. In 2023, she took on additional responsibilities and was promoted to Director. She leads the Cat Caregiver staff, manages daily operations, engages with donors and participates in strategic planning. Jenna has been caring for cats since childhood and has shared her life with 11 feline family members over the last 30 years. She is a graduate of the Veterinary Assistant program at OC Veterinary Assistant School.
Sarah Bottum Program Coordinator	Sarah has felt deeply connected to animals, nature, and people since childhood. She envisioned a career helping pets and humans, although she wasn’t quite sure what that would entail. While attending college at CSU Fullerton, Sarah worked as a receptionist at an animal hospital. She learned about veterinary science, animal behavior, and how to work with cats and dogs. After graduating in 2013, Sarah held various marketing and management roles and worked for a local pet food startup. Since 2020, Sarah has operated her own pet sitting business, serving Laguna Beach and surrounding communities. She comes to Blue Bell with a passion for pet care and a genuine love for senior cats and the humans that care for them. Sarah manages the Volunteer Program, supports operations and serves as backup for the Cat Caregiver team.
Jacob Fiegle Cat Caregiver	Jacob grew up in a Chicago suburb and developed a love for animals early in life. His family had many pets and fostered litters of kittens. He often visited nature centers and aquariums, and volunteered at a hippotherapy program at a horse stable near his hometown. Jacob moved to California in 2017 to study Illustration at Laguna College of Art + Design. Prior to joining the Blue Bell team in April 2021, Jacob worked at Catmosphere Laguna, a cat café and adoption center. This is where he adopted his cat Magellan. He loves getting to know the cats’ quirky personalities and taking care of the Blue Bell senior kitties.
Steve Johnson Facilities Maintenance	Steve moved to New York City from California in 1986 and spent the next 30 years restoring paintings, sculpture, and other fine art and antiques with NYC Art Conservator Steve Tatti. His conservation projects include work at The Guggenheim Museum, The Met, MOMA, the Whitney, Sotheby’s, Christie's, the Statue of Liberty, and many more. He continues to take select Art Conservation jobs. Steve is a signed artist with Virgin Records, playing, recording, producing, and writing music with friends and other musicians. He also works at New Life Animal Sanctuary. His life partner, Julie, spotted Blue Bell’s posting for Cat Caregivers in 2021 and insisted he apply. Getting to know all the cats and the people who work and volunteer at Blue Bell has been a great pleasure and "tons 'o' fun" for Steve. He thinks it's a wonderful spot in the Universe!
Lisa Salcedo-Singh Cat Caregiver	Meet Lisa, a dedicated cat caregiver with a passion for feline welfare. Lisa has been caring for the Blue Bell cats since 2022 and has a wealth of experience in all aspects of cat care, from feeding and grooming to administering medication and providing medical care. As a lifelong cat lover, Lisa understands the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment for cats. Her love and commitment to feline welfare led her to initially become part of Blue Bell as a volunteer. Now, as part of the staff, she continues to make a positive impact on the lives of these special seniors. Whether providing daily care to her cat, Silky, in her home or working at Blue Bell, Lisa is committed to improving the lives of cats and ensuring they receive the love and care they deserve.
Karen Viotto Cat Caregiver	Karen has been a Cat Caregiver since October 2021. She is a lover of all critters but is particularly fond of the feline species, and especially those felines at Blue Bell. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology, then taught middle school science in California for several years before returning to school to earn her master's degree in biology. After earning her master's, Karen enjoyed teaching biology at Austin Community College for over ten years. Before her teaching career, she held several jobs in various animal care settings. She worked at the Santa Ana Zoo, Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, and for a small veterinarian office. Karen feels she has now come back to what she really loves most, working with animals.