Meet Our Team

Ginny Sims

Executive Director

Ginny Sims began her work with nonprofits in 2007 with a focus in bringing 21st century skills and technology integration training to Mississippi educators and entrepreneurs in impoverished communities in 5 countries. Ginny came to Southern Pines in 2013 and has a background in Public Relations. She is ASPCA SAFER Certified and has a focus in photography, marketing, grant writing, and creating community partnerships. She is most passionate about field rescue, coalition building, marketing shelter animals, and increasing lives saved at Southern Pines and around the state by staying abreast of new programs to improve shelter programs and community partnerships.

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Dr. Alicia Fortenberry

Medical Director

Dr. Alicia Fortenberry is a graduate from Ross University and has worked with the Southern Pines Organization for more than a decade. She has worked in animal sheltering for almost 20 years and is certified in shelter medicine. She is most passionate about shelter transport programs, coalition building, and reducing risks of disease spread while still moving animals into places where they are most likely to find their new homes.

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Amanda Paris

Shelter Director

Amanda has worked at Southern Pines Animal Shelter for nearly a decade. She started at the shelter as a kennel tech during college while studying Sociology, but she fell in love with animal welfare and her shelter family and never left after graduation. During her time at Southern Pines, she has revamped the shelter's operations and led the development of a life-saving transport program that has grown to move over 4500 animals a year from shelters in the South to partner shelters in other parts of the country. Her passions are optimizing shelter operations, animal transport, change-oriented culture building, and mentoring a new generation of animal welfare leaders.

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