We are a small team that bears overall responsibility for planning and organizing pet events in our community.
We are all pet lovers who want to support animal rescues, and we realize that bringing other pet lovers together gives us the ability to raise funds and help find new homes for abandoned and abused animals.
We are a growing team, and we are looking for volunteers and community leaders who share our love for animals and want to do something to help.
Olga Wharton Newman
Director and Founder
Olga is a first-generation immigrant who came to this country with an American Dream. She earned two Bachelor’s degrees in Indiana and an MBA in Texas. She spent her 20’s successfully climbing the corporate ladder in Dallas in the consumer finance sector. Until she became a pet owner and needed a pet sitter for her own pets. And she saw so much potential in creating and scaling the concept, she decided to create a company of her own.
And that’s when she gave up her business suit and started DFW Pet Sitting Services, Inc. Over the past 20 years, she grew her little one-owner-operator company into a large corporation that now services over 10,000 pet owners in Dallas and employs over 200 pet sitters. She now runs and operates this company out of La Jolla.
She also developed proprietary software for her business that she runs alongside her company and licenses this software to other pet sitting companies. She is an entrepreneur at heart and channels her creative energy into businesses.
La Jolla Loves Pets Foundation was born after Olga ran a pet event for the Foundation of La Jolla High School. She enjoyed being around pet lovers so much that she decided to open a nonprofit to raise money for pet charities and bring more pet events to La Jolla.
The idea took off, and new traditions were born. The drive to keep going has been fueled by the support of our lovely community and fellow board members.
Her dream is to be the ongoing support for local pet rescues. And to get every pet owner in La Jolla to purchase a $300 banner to dedicate to their pets. We will hang those banners at every pet event for years to come. She hopes this becomes a tradition that helps pet rescues and creates a memory lane for our own pets. How cool would it be to see photos of our pets displayed at local pet events 20 or 30 or 50 years from now? And it’s all for charity. One can’t go wrong here.
Ron Jones
Board Member, Official Emcee of La Jolla Mutt Strut, La Jolla Dog-O-Ween, and La Jolla Santa Paws
Ron Jones has been the Emcee of ALL La Jolla Loves Pets Foundation events! He’s been our Lucky Charm and a cornerstone of every outing. His presence, music selections, and voice have become an integral part of our organization.
He is widely known in our community for hosting La Jolla Concerts by the Sea for years.
His most recent adventure is the creation of La Jolla Insiders where he shares his deep knowledge of everything La Jolla has to offer. In addition to knowing where to go and what to see, he is able to share a deeper understanding of La Jolla’s history and traditions, finding a deeper meaning in your experiences. Whether you are a tourist, a local, or a new resident, you will always find something you didn’t know about pretty much anything in La Jolla.
Rosie MacAuliffe
Board Member & Treasurer
Rosie moved to San Diego in 1996 when she transferred from Piatti Sacramento to Piatti in La Jolla Shores. She now lives in the Shores with her two teenage daughters and loves the beach life and all that make La Jolla so special.
She’s always had four-legged family members in her home. And now she has GG, a senior chihuahua she adopted from Frosted Faces Foundation. GG is a special little lady who can travel with Rosie everywhere and continues to rack up frequent flier miles!
Rosie loves volunteering at our events and meeting other pet owners who want to help pets in need. She can be seen around town and our events in her pink vintage VW Beetle with GG as her co-pilot!
Stacey Gubernator
Board Member & Secretary
Stacey lives in La Jolla with her husband, three children, and two dogs. Originally from Boston, she graduated college and moved to New York City where she had a successful career in public relations/marketing focusing on lifestyle and hospitality brands.
An animal lover her whole life, she adopted two dogs, Ziggy and Rosie, during COVID. Ziggy, a three-legged husky mix, and Rosie, a spunky terrier mix, have brought her family so much joy. She has a passion for animal rescue and hopes to open her own shelter one day.
Cody Decker
Board Member, Director of Collaboration with Local Merchants
Cody Decker owns a famous pet store in La Jolla: Decker’s Dog & Cat. Besides bringing the highest quality pet products to its customers, Cody is an active member of our community.
He’s been the President of the La Jolla Merchant Association in the past and is now actively involved in pet events in La Jolla. He’s been a naming partner and sponsor of each pet event held by the La Jolla Loves Pets Foundation.
La Jolla Loves Pets Foundation 