Our People  
With a lean staff, MHC exists through the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who sit on our board, foster pets, walk our dogs, socialize our cats, and sew our pet adoption blankets. 

​Without further ado, meet the people behind-the-scenes at MHC. 

Our Founders

These three individuals were key to the conceptualization and establishment of Midland Humane Coalition.  Read more about our history here. 
  • LuAnn Morgan
  • Paul O’Neill
  • Susie Hitchcock-Hall

Our Board

Kristi Hennessey
Board President 

​Kristi Hennessey is the CEO of The Hennessey Group, Corporate Furniture Solutions and Partner of Hennessey Investments in Midland. She started the corporate housing company in 2011 with her husband Monty who has been her true partner in crime since 1994. As they started the multi-million dollar business, they pledged to give back and support those members of our community that cannot speak up for themselves... animals.

Even though they run several businesses together, they have time to be awesome pet parents to 3 dogs (2 are rescues from local shelters) and 2 "barn cats" that have learned to use the doggie door, so come into the house as they please.  

Kristi has been on the MHC board since 2019 and prior to that was a volunteer for the MHC annual fundraiser Hot Dog Run and  Furr Ball since 2018. Kristi and Monty are true animal advocates giving monthly to various local rescues including Haley's Haven in Odessa, MASA rescue and Dog Rescues R Us in Midland. 

As the President of Midland Humane Coalition, she has 3 goals:
1. Working with the citizens of Midland to help eliminate  homelessness and stray dogs and cats on our
      streets.
2. Working with the talented Board of Midland Humane Coalition to advance the mission of helping
      the adoption and rehoming of furbabies in west Texas.
3. Continue development of the Joe and Van Mabee Animal Rescue Center, a new facility which was
     acquired within her term in October 2021. 
LuAnn Morgan
Treasurer/Founder

LuAnn Morgan is passionate about getting homeless cats & dogs in Midland the help they need and making sure they end up safely in loving homes. When she was a member of the City council, she had great concerns about Midland's high euthanasia rate. She got the City spay/neuter voucher program approved.  The number of cats & dogs running loose around the City also concerned her -- she and Susie Hitchcock-Hall (another MHC founder) were picking up strays all over the place!  The two of them, together with Paul O'Neill who was director at Midland Animal Shelter at the time, decided to come up with a solution. With LuAnn as one of the driving forces, Midland Humane Coalition opened its doors to animals in need in November 2011. 

LuAnn's love for animals is evident in the way she treats her dogs -- like royalty. In fact, she was one of the first to adopt a rescue dog from the MHC Adoption Center in 2011! 
​
Lynne Sawyer
​Secretary 

Lynne Sawyer has  been a banker for approximately 30 years and during this time, she was blessed to marry and have a family. She has been married for 22 years to husband, Billy, and they have a beautiful daughter, now in college, named Hayley.

Ever since Lynne was young, she's always had a true passion for horses and dogs.  As life became busier through the years, she decided she no longer had the appropriate amount of time to devote to a horse, as her family traveled extensively for her daughter’s club soccer teams, and put her efforts towards her dogs. 

Because she's passionate about protecting, enhancing and saving pet’s lives and especially because she loved Susie Hitchcock-Hall’s vision for the Midland Humane Coalition, she joined MHC to assist our community in saving adoptable cats and dogs from euthanasia.  

Currently, her family has four dogs -- with two of them being rescues.  Her favorite rescue from MHC is Gunner, a Border Collie mix.  Gunner has been in the Sawyer home for approximately 5 years and is a true blessing!  

When my daughter and I first saw Gunner in PetSmart,  we knew he was special and I immediately fell in love with him!  Gunner is definitely a “water baby.”  He floats in our pool, lounging in his very own river float.  In and about the house, he follows me around and enjoys every moment of his life with us while enhancing ours.  
Mackenzie Graham
​
Mackenzie has 20 years of experience within the oil and gas industry, joining Chevron in 2005 after starting her career in the Canadian oil sands with ExxonMobil. Since then, Mackenzie has held a variety of rig and office based positions for projects in Canada, California, Angola, Kuwait, Houston, and Midland. She is currently the Well Intervention Team Lead for Chevron’s Mid-Continent Business Unit located here in Midland. Mackenzie has been with her husband Troy for 20 years and they share two wonderful children together in addition to their sweet little Devon and Rex, sister and brother kitties!  When she’s not at work, Mackenzie enjoys baking, dancing, and traveling with her family. 


​
Jonna Smoot 
I was honored to join the Midland Humane Coalition (MHC) Board in May of 2017.  As a lifetime animal lover and advocate, MHC’s mission of finding furrever homes for homeless animals while educating and involving the community really interested me. It is an honor to belong to such a well-positioned, well-intended and dynamic organization that does so much good for so many.   

As WTNB’s VP of Marketing, Jonna works to deepen community relationships not only through the various boards on which she actively serves, but also through her bank’s serious and ongoing commitment to community outreach in each of their branch markets and areas across West Texas.   

In addition to the Midland Humane Coalition, current board service includes Centers for Children and Midland Inspires.  Jonna also provides special support to numerous other non-profit entities with public relations, other insights and assistance regularly.  Jonna holds an aerospace-related Green Belt Certification in a non-mechanical process (improved and streamlined an administrative process).  Her Business Management Degree is from the University of Phoenix.  Jonna lives and works in Midland, Texas and has happily called the Permian Basin her home since March of 2013.  She currently resides with her beloved MHC rescue dog Presto and is a proud Foster Fail! 
Dr. Jessica Garrett 

​Dr. Jessica Garrett was born and raised in Midland. She is a proud graduate of Robert E Lee High School. She went to college at West Texas A & M and became a teacher. She received her Masters degree from the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) and became an assistant principal as well, serving Midland ISD for over 10 years. She moved to Huntsville to pursue her Doctorate degree and take her first head principal position. She returned to Midland 11 years ago to accept an Associate Professor position at UTPB. She served UTPB in many leadership positions during her tenure there. Her childhood was always filled with pets, and aside from her time in college, she has always been a pet mommy. She currently resides with three dogs and three cats- all rescued. In addition to her pet children, she has three daughters ranging in age from 26 to 13. She is happily married to Kevin and they have recently been blessed with their first grandchild.   
  • Charlie Spence 
  • ​Susie Hitchcock-Hall​
  • Van Mabee
  • Petra Reyes
  • Natalie Johnson
  • ​Susie Maudlin

Lifetime Members

​
Lifetime Members 
  • Susie Hitchcock-Hall - President Emeritus  
  • LuAnn Morgan
  • Sue Mills Wooten
  • Kelly Wright 


Our Staff


  • Vanessa Medina - Director 
  • ​Amy Baquir - Communications