James Oxford - President/Founder - James has spent his entire life around animals, first on a cattle ranch where he grew up in Oklahoma and later to Holly and Penny, who have been constant companions not only in Houston but Wall Street and Times Square in NYC and even a short time in Connecticut. Though they have lived many places, their welfare was always a #1 consideration with each move. James believes that you would not move to a place that doesn't allow your dogs no more than a place that wouldn't accept your children. James, along with his partner Lance have learned through personal experience that pet adoptions are so important and have founded this Non-Profit to help find homes for these amazing pets who for us, are our children. James has spent the last 10 years working in the energy trading industry in Texas, New York, and Connecticut.

Lance Marshall - Vice President/Founder - Lance has lived all but 2 years in Texas. Growing up in Waco constantly surrounded by household pets, as well as the occasional farm animal. Lance has a very close connection to the needs of homeless animals. He has always known that he needed to do everything in his power to help and to improve the lives of the thousands of homeless pets across Houston. As an actor for most of his life, he has played many roles on stage, tv, and film in Houston and NYC. But nothing compares to passion that he feels now in the role of an animal advocate. He has been the driving force behind encouraging his and James' involvement in volunteering at BARC, but also in the creation of HAPI. Lance is also the official photographer at all HAPI events!













Catherine Sherman - Treasurer -

Annvi Shah Utter - Secretary - A Georgia native, she moved to Houston for a job after finishing up law school in Illinois. She realized the Chicago weather was not for her. After relocating to Houston, her boyfriend (now husband) convinced her that they should adopt a dog. Not having grown up with dogs, she had never understood dogs nor had she ever wanted one. Rocky, a BARC baby, changed everything. Before she knew it, she was reading everything she could find on dogs and current problems facing the dog community such as neglect, abuse, unwanted animals, backyard breeding, etc. She discovered that she cared more about dogs than tax law, and so, decided to leave the legal arena to focus all her efforts on rescue dogs. With the help of her husband, she started her own company, Barkin’ Doggie Biscuits™. For every bag of biscuits bought, a bag of biscuits is donated to a rescue/foster group across the country.