BnR’s Rock n’ Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded to rescue dogs in need with the goal of providing them with a safe place to land, and using humane training methods to help them become more adoptable and ultimately place them in forever homes!

Francine Coughlin

Founder & Board Member

Francine Coughlin, is a Massachusetts native. She is a proud “mother” of seven rescue pups, Squiggy, Mickey Finn, Stewie, Nelly, Finnegan and Bettie, and one lovely human daughter, Ophelia. Francine is an ABC (AnimalBehavior College) certified dog trainer (Honors Graduate), a Certified Behavior Consultant (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants), an American Kennel Club (AKC) Certified Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and S.T.A.R. Puppy Evaluator. She has donated many hours within shelters, utilizing all the knowledge she has accrued in a quest to help shelter pups amp up their adoption potential and find their forever families.

Francine’s dream began to take shape while living in Los Angeles and working in the film industry. She began to volunteer at various shelters and rescue centers, finding this to be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling use of her time. In 2010, after moving back to the East Coast, Francine wanted to incorporate her love for all things canine into her professional life and Bark n’ Roll was born! Bark n’ Roll has gone from a single walker with a vision and turned into a multi-service, all-inclusive, flourishing business of equal parts professionalism and heart.

Treasurer

Casey Cochran

Casey grew up in Massachusetts and is a practicing family law attorney in a small firm on the North Shore. Casey is a lifelong equestrian and lover of all animals, but especially furry four-leggeds. Casey is a member of the Board of Overseers of the MSPCA, and a supporter of several animal rescue organizations. Casey resides with her husband and their rescue Pit Bull, Jax.

Lenis Perez

Director of Operations

Lenis recently joined our team as the new Director of Operations. She has over 10 years of non-profit experience and holds a Masters Degree in Non-Profit Organizational Leadership, as well as a Bachelor's in Business Management. A dog lover and advocate at a young age, she's volunteered for organizations like the MSPCA for years. Most recently, she volunteered and fostered with various rescues in the NYC area before relocating back home to the Merrimack Valley.

Lenis is looking forward to joining her non-profit experience and passion for dogs to continue getting pups into loving homes. She loves on three fur babies of her own every day, two of them rescues. Lambda (Jack Russell/Chihuahua Mix) and Luna (Malti-pom) are 7yrs and 4yrs and were both adopted in NYC. Stormi takes after her name and is a Dalmatian firecracker.

Lauren Sardella

Clerk

Lauren has always had a passion for helping others - including animals! She regularly began volunteering with local rescue groups in 2015 and has worked at a doggie daycare and as a dog walker, all in addition to her full-time career in Emergency Management.

The unconditional love and seeing the transformation of an animal from when it arrives in rescue to the day s/he finds their forever home is what Lauren finds to be the most rewarding gift and makes it all worth it.

Having taken part in 100+ adoptions already, Lauren is excited to work hard alongside such a dedicated group of animal lovers and help Rock n' Rescue continue pursuing their motto to "rescue all the dogs"! She is the proud parent of 3 fur babies - 2 rescue dogs, Lima and Nyla, and rabbit, Domino.

Board Member

Kate Rokos

Kate Rokos is a Massachusetts native, living in North Reading with her husband and two rescue dogs (one of whom is a Rock n’ Rescue Alum). From 9 to 5, she works in Human Resources for a local Staffing company. But from 5 to 9, you can usually find her volunteering, munching through local brunch spots, in her garden, or asking strangers, “Can I pet your dog?”

Kate’s passion for dog rescue was solidified when, as a high school student, she and her family started fostering puppies. In college, she volunteered at various shelters doing everything from answering phones, walking dogs, and even working with a shelter to create a fire safety and evacuation plan as part of her college coursework.

Today, Kate enjoys volunteering with the RnR crew at events, interviewing applicants, and of course, cuddling all the new arrival dogs.

Behavioral Advisory Board Member

Theresa Kolpakova

Theresa is an ABC Certified Professional Dog Trainer who holds a master's degree in Education from Lesley University. She graduated from Animal Behavior College with a certification in positive reinforcement dog training specializing in shelter dog behavior assessment and modification, and is an International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) certified Canine Behavior Consultant. Theresa is also a humane educator with experience working in animal shelters, national and international animal welfare organizations, and wildlife rehabilitation since 2001. She loves working with people and their pups toward clear communication and mutual respect through force-free training methods. Theresa teaches classes on dog behavior and body language for shelter Staff and Volunteers and leads group classes and clinics addressing reactive dog behaviors. She is the founder of DogSpeak, a private training service providing Positive Reinforcement Training for Dogs and Their People. Memberships include Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). Theresa is honored to be on the Board of Rock n Rescue, and so excited to not only be part of a shelter dog's journey to finding their forever home, but also to connecting them with people who will participate in the best quality force-free training programs to keep them feeling safe, happy, and loved for a lifetime.

Behavioral Advisory Board Member

Felicia Scouten

Felicia is a Massachusetts native and a Graduate of Animal Behavior College. Felicia has always had a passion for animals and always had multiple pets growing up. She is a Certified Trainer, and completed a rigorous one year plus program. She works with some challenging behavioral clients including reactivity, anxiety and aggression. She also has led the daycare training and enrichment program within Bark n’ Roll in the past. She has many interests, but her first passion is working with dogs. She is the proud momma of her two fur babies Sunnie, a rescue Boxer mix and Macie, a Frenchie Mix. She is excited to help so many deserving pups find the perfect forever homes!