Who We Are

Allison Cardona, California Director

Allison Cardona joined the Koret Shelter Medicine Program in January 2022 as California State Director. She is thrilled to serve on this esteemed team and make an impact for animals and the people who care for them. Prior to this, Allison worked for nearly five years as deputy director for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. In that role, she oversaw two full-service animal care centers, a communications center, public relations, adoption partners, behavior and enrichment, and volunteer programs.

Allison also served as liaison to the County’s Homeless Initiative ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have options and resources for their pets as well as participating in the County’s Anti-racism, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, assisting with the implementation of an anti-racist policy agenda. Before that, Allison spent fourteen years as a senior program director at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in a variety of departments including adoptions, spay/neuter, disaster response, large-scale cruelty operations, animal hoarding cases, cruelty intervention programs and community engagement.

She serves on the Leadership Council and volunteers on-site at the Downtown Women’s Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing trauma-informed care to unhoused women in Los Angeles. She received a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs from Empire State College and is a graduate of the USC Price School of Public Policy Executive Leadership Development Program and Southern Utah University Certificate in Executive Animal Services. The proud daughter of Colombian immigrants, Allison is deeply committed to racial justice and equity work. She lives in Los Angeles with her partner, Yvonne and beloved dog, Emma.

Read an interview with Allison in our first newsletter.

Nadia Oseguera-Ramón, California Program Manager

Nadia Oseguera-Ramón joined the Koret Shelter Medicine Program (KSMP) in September 2022 as California Program Manager. Prior to joining the KSMP, Nadia received a Bachelor of Art degree in Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her desire to help animals combined with her profound understanding and appreciation for people’s diverse experiences and motivations encouraged her to pursue a career in animal welfare.

Nadia’s professional background in customer care and education enabled her to approach animal sheltering with compassionate communication and collaboration, open-mindedness and solution-driven problem-solving. During her five years with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Nadia managed a high-volume feline foster program in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC). Her proudest accomplishments while at the ASPCA included: developing programs to help vulnerable felines, removing barriers to fostering, providing learner-centered trainings for foster caregivers, and supporting felines with behavioral challenges.

Nadia attributes her insight and appreciation for the challenges and successes that animal sheltering professionals experience daily in high-volume animal shelters to her time working on the ground at DACC animal shelters and her collaboration with DACC team members.  In her new role at KSMP, Nadia looks forward to working alongside shelter leaders to brainstorm and implement innovative, lifesaving operations.

Read Nadia’s assessment of our first year.

Ivy Ruiz, Outreach Specialist

Ivy joined the UC Davis team as the new Outreach Specialist for the Koret Shelter Medicine Program in September 2022. Ivy has a long history in shelter care and medicine; she is a Registered Veterinary Technician who has worked in high-capacity shelters in California. She is excited to continue to serve the animals and the people by sharing her knowledge and experience gained over the years. Her passion for animals led her to a position as a Superintendent for the City of Visalia’s Animal Services Department where she trained her team to create change that would dramatically improve animal save rates in the city.

Ivy’s passion for animal and human welfare shines through her community engagement as a member of the Tulare County Animal Services Advisory Committee, the Communications Committee with the City of Visalia, and the SMART team, which addresses issues surrounding the homeless community.

When Ivy’s not at work, she uses her college softball experience to help train young girls in the community, where she coached the Sequoia Softball 10U All-star team to a Sectional championship and into District playoffs. Ivy and her husband of many years enjoy traveling up and down the state watching her children compete in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Soccer, Baseball, and Softball. When her schedule permits, Ivy can be found on a date night with her husband at the local Costco.