About Us
Ohio Pet Charities, Inc. has a group of dedicated and caring members who are passionate about the welfare of animals.
Meet our team
Elizabeth McClain
President, Board Member
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Elizabeth has a desire to make a change in her community and that began when she adopted her first rescue dog and continues through the rescue of four more dogs. Making a meaningful change in her community and in the lives of animals and the people that benefit from their unconditional love is key to her work as the president of Ohio Pet Charities.
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Elizabeth specializes in project management and business resiliency and has successfully managed projects for private, public and non-profit companies. Her expertise in relationship building and networking supports the goals of the charity to increase animal education and wellness activities in the Central Ohio area.
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Elizabeth is a Columbus native and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Western Governors University. She is active in her community through her work on the Dublin Community Services Advisory Commission and volunteering with other rescue organizations. She enjoys spending time with her husband and sons and genealogical research.
Todd Mannix
Treasurer, Board Member
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Todd has always believed in creating a culture of giving back and has a passion to improve the community in which he resides. This has been demonstrated through his involvement with Alpha Phi Omega, a nationally recognized service fraternity, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and most recently with Ohio Pet Charities.
He brings over 15 years of experience in financial planning & analysis from two Fortune 100 companies. His financial management background will align well with his responsibility as Treasurer, he will oversee all aspects of the charities finances, including the development and management of budgets, preparation of financial statements and reporting to the Board.
He holds a B.S., in Finance and Marketing from The University of Dayton and an M.B.A. from Ohio Dominican University. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family and following UD basketball.
Sharon Daehler
Secretary, Board Member
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Sharon has always felt good about helping others and has donated her time, effort and support to many charitable causes around Central Ohio. When she discovered Ohio Pet Charities, she realized she could help both two-legged and four-legged others at the same time and was happy to bring her love of event planning and fundraising for nonprofit groups to the organization.
Sharon holds a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Franklin University, and as a Senior Compliance Analyst she is well-aware of the importance of detailed record keeping and adherence to rules and laws. She relies on this awareness to currently serve as the Secretary for Ohio Pet Charities.
Sharon was born in Cleveland, but has lived in the Columbus area for most of her life. Her love of animals makes her a respectable human parent to two rescue dogs and one very energetic kitten. Any remaining free time is spent with her family, walking, reading and being a fan of many Ohio sports teams.
Dr. Michael Henricks, DVM
Medical Advisor
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Growing up in Southern Ohio, Dr. Henricks learned very early in life the enjoyment and fulfillment that comes from the relationships we have with our pets. Since graduating from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008, Dr. Henricks has built his professional career on providing high quality medicine to pets, connecting with his clients, and community involvement. Dr. Henricks and his wife Ashlie live in the area with their two children, Madeline and Mason, and their dog, cat, and rabbit. Outside the office, Dr. Henricks enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and exploring the outdoors.
Matt McClain
Board Member
Growing up, Matt was never without a pet, mostly dogs, but always understood the enrichment a pet brought to the household. Around 15 years ago he and his wife Elizabeth started rescuing dogs over purchasing from pet stores or breeders. This started our journey advocating for rescue animals, which has expanded into a passion leading to our involvement with Ohio Pet Charities.
Matt, a retired Information Technologies Professional, spent most of his 38 career years at Honda. Since then he has worked as a certified veterinary assistant, and is also working on becoming a certified dog trainer.
Matt enjoys spending time with his wife, three boys, and the McClain pack of rescue dogs. He does sometimes lose the blanket battle with their youngest rescue.
Christen King
Board Member at Large
Event Committee Member
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From a young age, Christen had a love for animals. She understands how strong connections can grow with a pet and how animals can bring happiness to people’s lives. Bringing joy to others is one of the main reasons why she joined the amazing team at Ohio Pet Charities. She is passionate about bringing hope and happiness to the community and it is her honor to support such a good cause.
Christen was born and raised in Dublin, OH and graduated from The Ohio State University with a Mechanical Engineering degree. Since graduation, she has worked as an Engineer at Honda. During her time there, she has held multiple engineering positions and leadership roles. She enjoys creating memories with her amazing husband and two incredible daughters. In her spare time, she enjoys designing and creating in her craft area or with a 3d printer.
Jamie Luemen Rhoads
Board Member at Large
Volunteer Coordinator
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Jason Helm
General Counsel
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Tim Brooks
Board Member at Large
Fundraising Committee
TIM BROOKS has been an OPC volunteer since November 2024 and now serves as a Board Member at Large on the Fundraising Committee. “I love the animals in my life because they always give me unconditional love and make me happy and calm, when I’m feeling stressed.” Tim and his partner Ed have a beautiful Golden Retriever, named Theo. He was 6 ½ years old when they adopted him from Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue in November of 2025.
After retiring, Tim wanted to give his time and energy to an organization that is concerned with animal welfare. He likes being around people who understand the importance of helping pets find forever homes. Tim really enjoys the outdoor events sponsored by OPC throughout the year and likes soliciting contributions from new donors while spreading the word about OPC’s mission.
Tim grew up in Columbus, graduated from Northland High School, and The Ohio State University. He retired in 2018, after 33 years at three different Universities (Ohio State, Fordham and Tufts) doing alumni relations and fundraising. He currently lives in Grandview Heights with Ed and Theo!
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Ed Swiech
Board Member at Large
Fundraising Committee
ED SWIECH grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Fairfield University, after which he worked in NYC and Boston. From 2015 – 2020, Ed was a Volunteer Ambassador for Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue (Y.G.R.R.) in Massachusetts. In 2019, he traveled to China to help rescue and bring home 41 Goldens to the US, where they were put up for adoption.
In 2024, he began volunteering for Ohio Pet Charities and now serves as a Board Member at Large focused on fundraising.
Ed’s first dog as a child was a black Poodle named Pierre. He adopted Max, his first Golden Retriever in 1988. Over the past 20 years, Ed has rescued three other Golden Retrievers - Texas, Cooper and now Theo – all of whom have been both his dear companions and family. “The bond I established with Max had a significant impact on my life and led me to recognize that helping animals in need is one of my deepest passions in life,” he said.
“I have learned that the connection a person can establish with an animal is so deep and special and gives meaning to life. Compassion for animals is associated with goodness of character; and it can confidently be asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” Ed’s compassion for animals and the welfare of pets has always been part of his DNA and defines who he is.
“When we take the time to gain understanding about an animals’ nature, we come to realize they love, have feelings, loyalty and even a Soul”.
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