FTAFamily - Our Staff

Anne Allen
Founder and Director

Anne has been volunteering with the Louisiana SPCA since 2021, fostering and facilitating the adoption of more than 40 dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies. She has a soft spot for "special cases," the ones with demodex, missing limbs, or complicated eyeballs. (Human eyeballs are weird but animal eyeballs? Obsessed.) Anne founded Fuzzy Towers after foster-failing Gretchen and discovering how often eye conditions create financial barriers to adoption. 

Fun Fact: When she's not advocating for rescue animals, she's reading, napping, or swing dancing on Frenchmen St. 

Andrea "Drea" Martinez Cardoza
Operations and Website

Andrea has a gift for making things beautiful and making them work — a combination FTAF relies on daily. She keeps projects moving, designs everything you see from the website to social media to flyers across New Orleans, and brings warmth and intention to every detail. At home, Andrea is a rescue dog mom to three very spoiled pups: Athena, Cleopatra, and Goten — each named with the drama they deserve. She is a forever mom to Gohan, who is deeply missed and forever cherished.

Fun Fact: Drea is terrified of cats but still works hard to find them their forever homes.

Oscar Cardoza
Development Officer

Oscar believes animals deserve someone in their corner, and he's happy to be that person. Just one month into his role at FTAF, he's already building relationships with Orleans Parish businesses, pursuing sponsorships and collaborations, and securing event tables to share the FTAF mission and raise funds through merch sales. He is also developing the long-term strategy that will keep FTAF growing. 

Fun fact: Oscar met cats late in life and discovered he is, in fact, a Cat Guy. 

Megan Gold
Grant Writer and Startup Generalist

Megan believes every animal deserves a loving home. Medical needs and associated expenses shouldn't be the reason a pet gets left behind. A lifelong volunteer (AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, and more dog-sitting gigs than she can count), Megan brings that same energy to finding the grants and major donors that keep FTAF sustainable. 

Fun fact: Megan has a twin brother, and they try to switch places but it's not always successful. 

Gretchen
Founding Gremlin and Mascot

Gretchen is a senior Chihuahua/Shih Tsu/Poodle/Gremlin who came into founder Anne's life through the Louisiana SPCA as a foster dog. Gretchen and never left the silk pillow she landed on. After eye surgery, dental work, and enough eye drops to keep Costco pharmacy on its toes, Gretchen is thriving: soft fur, fat belly, scrambling into walls, napping in the sun. 

Fun Fact: Gretchen gets a pink mohawk at every grooming appointment.