Staff
Scroll over the photos to read our bios! Photos courtesy of Janelle Rose Photography and our Marketing Director, Paige Russell
EMILEE INTLEKOFER, Executive Director
Emilee (she/her) is a fourth generation Cheyenne-ite and loves living in the city with her husband and dogs. When weather permits she takes advantage of what Wyoming has to offer and enjoys camping, fishing and hiking.
Emilee has been with BDAR since 2011. First as a board member, then as a heavily involved volunteer and foster parent, and finally as the Executive Director when she was offered the position in 2021. She could not pass up the opportunity to take a job leading the organization she loves and so strongly believes in.
Emilee has seen BDAR grow from a tiny dream to the largest private animal rescue in the state. She is proud of all the organization has accomplished in a relatively short period of time, and is excited to help it continue to grow and help more people and their pets in her community.
Maddi Haak, Animal Care & Intake Manager
Maddi (she/her) is a people person who enjoys communicating and connecting with people. In her role as Animal Care Manager, she oversees the intake of pets into BDAR’s adoption program, as well as oversees the fosters and volunteers that are essential to BDAR’s operations.
She was born and raised in Cheyenne and considers Wyoming her home. Growing up, Maddi always wanted to be a vet but did not know if she could handle the pain and suffering of the animals. Now being a part of BDAR, Maddi feels she can still give back to the animals that have taught and shown her so much love.
Maddi attended the University of Wyoming for a Bachelors and Masters in Communication. She participated in athletics videography and volunteered for BDAR in the summers before joining as a full-time employee. In her free time, Maddi enjoys hanging out with family, and spending time with her family’s dog, Joey, and her dog, Roo, both BDAR alums.
Mikayla Metcalf, Foster And Volunteer Manager
Mikayla (she/her) moved to Cheyenne with her family in 2021. Mikayla grew up in Southern Illinois, but has lived in many places thanks to the military. She enjoys outdoor activities, painting, playing sports, and cooking. She has always had a passion for helping animals and it is her dream to work in a wildlife rescue one day. She has worked in an animal clinic and a groom shop. She is fear free certified in both clinics and shelters and is well rounded in animal care. Mikayla loves all kinds of animals and traveled to South Africa to work with the wild animals on the reserve in 2023. She was recently promoted to Foster and Volunteer Manager. She is very excited to be a part of the BDAR family and hopes to one day go back to school to get her degree in Zoology.
Paige Garrett, Animal Care Assistant
Paige Garrett is from right here in Cheyenne. Wy. She can usually be found hiking, reading or playing chess in her spare time, the hiking comes in handy when she drinks too many red bulls. Paige recently read A Thousand Splendid Suns and is looking for her next adult fiction book. She hopes to return to school someday and follow in her father's footsteps and become a zoologist. She would love to work at a wildlife sanctuary in the future, and BDAR is certainly helping her learn the ins and out of the domestic animals around here.
Amira Zohbe, Animal Care Assistant
Amira came to Cheyenne from Atlanta, Georgia! She's always taken the opportunity to work with animals, from cats and dogs, to a fish hatchery! She can often be found telling anyone who will listen about her time with the fishes, so she's a bit of a weirdo but she brings a southern charm to our office. She can't wait to help you find your new best friend whether it's a cat or a dog or both! When she isn't at BDAR she loves to do yoga and crochet. Her favorite animal is an elephant and you can always ask her for a fun fact about them. Amira says that elephants are pregnant for TWO YEARS, and that they will mourn the passing of a loved one so strongly that they remember the site where they died along the migration paths. You learn something new everyday with Amira!
Paige russell, Marketing & Development Manager
Paige Russell (she/her) is a Cheyenne native, born and bred. You’ve probably seen her around volunteering at the local theater or teaching public speaking at the community college. She has taught for the last 8 years in Texas, Illinois, Colorado, and Wyoming. In 2023 she went full career change, washed that teaching right out of her hair, and started working at BDAR. She is super pumped to spend her days taking pictures of cats and dogs, learning more about animal welfare, and helping animals in need. You should get used to seeing her face as she is the one to send out emails, post on social media, and market upcoming events. Paige is a beloved mom to a rowdy mini aussie named Persephone and an awesome nap buddy to a baby golden retriever named Artemis.
