Sitter Team Pics and Bios

Lilly was born in Fayetteville, AR and raised in Bentonville, AR. She grew up with many cats, the most at once being 8! She currently has 4 kitties, Simon, Fitz, Heiny, and Hermann. In her spare time, she loves cooking, baking, doing mosaics, and spending time with her fur babies. She loves cats because "I love how curious and interesting cats are! I could spend all day watching and playing with them. They are never a bore and never fail to make me smile." Lilly recently moved to the area and she is working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems. She decided to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team because, as she put it, "I have always been one to surround myself with cats. I spent many of my teen years fostering and helping out with my parents’ local cat rescue. I’m passionate about cats and being able to work with them in any way is so rewarding."

Ella was born in Reston, VA and grew up in Great Falls and McLean! She grew up with two tuxedo cats, Sadie and Splash. She now has a sweet kittie named Sadie. Some of her favorite things to do are drawing and art, enjoying the outdoors, and hanging out with friends! She loves cats "because, as independent as they are, they are still affectionate and it means so much to have a cat choose to show their love to you. I'm especially in love with how calming a cat's purr is." Currently, Ella is a nursing student at Utah Valley University! She says she decided to work for Cat Sitting by Susan because "I do genuinely love cats and spending time with them and knew that I would love working more with them! I know how important it is for people that their pets are safe, and I could never turn down the opportunity to make sure they are taken well care of."

Nicole was born in New Jersey, but grew up in New York. She went to college in Pennsylvania, and moved to the DC area when she graduated. Growing up, her first pet was a Siamese kitty named Cocoa. Since then, there have been many kitties: Pecan, Mustard, Cecelia, Sydney, and, as Nicole puts it, her soulmate kitty Simon, who lived an amazing 20 years! After Simon passed, her family welcomed two Siamese littermates, crazy “meezers” as she calls them, Max and Monty, who keep their household interesting! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, including the "meezer" kitties. She likes to run, cycle, attempts to play tennis, and keeps up with current events. Nicole also loves international travel and exploring different cultures. Her career has been in marketing and business development and she is currently consulting for some local companies. She says she decided to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team because "their sitters have taken great care of my boys when we've been away. I want to offer the same comfort to others who are looking for the best care for their fur babies when they are out of town."

Annie was born in New York City, NY and grew up in north Arlington, VA. Growing up, she first had two cats, Cinders (all Grey as the name suggests) and Chessie, a beautiful tabby, named after the cat on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad cars. She currently has no kitties, but she used to have three male cats, Boonie, Sammy, and Lucky Harry Houdini. They were all very affectionate and sweet. I spent so much time with one or the other on my lap and another next to me on the bed. Sometimes, all three were there at the same time! Contentment! In her spare time, Annie likes taking long walks on crisp fall days, cuddling cats, and taking care of horses. She enjoys reading mysteries and legal thrillers. She explains that she loves cats because they are independent yet loving. They decide who they like and when they want attention from, so when they do want attention, they give themselves unconditionally. Annie decided to work for Cat Sitting by Susan because she loves cats and loves taking care of them when their parents are away due to work or vacation. She says, "All one needs to do is read reviews of the services Cat Sitting by Susan provides to cat parents to understand why I chose to work with them over other cat sitters."

Kylie was born in Arlington and grew up in Falls Church. She says she always had at least one cat while growing up. She currently has four cats. In her spare time, she loves to read, go on hikes, play any sport, and just spend time with her pets. Kylie explains that she love cats "because I grew up around them and have always found so much comfort in their presence. Even when they don’t want to be social, just watching them do their own thing is always so entertaining and calming." She is a student at Franklin and Marshall College and is home for summer. She decided to work for Cat Sitting by Susan "because I genuinely think there is no better job than hanging out with cats and I want nothing more than to collaborate with a group of like minded cat lovers. I also know that I would feel much more comfortable having my cats taken care of by a like minded cat lover and would like to provide that assurance for other people."

Reem was born in Jordan and grew up in Fairfax. She currently has two sweet female kitties. In her free time, she enjoys boxing, going on walks, hanging out with friends, and cuddling with her cats. She explains that she loves cats "because they bring joy and peace into my heart, and they give me the unconditional love and emotional support that I need amidst the stress and challenges I encounter in my day-to-day life." Reem works for an international non-profit organization on development initiatives and humanitarian assistance projects in the Middle East region. She says "my passion is to serve vulnerable populations in third world countries." She made the decision to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team "because I want to make valuable use of my time doing something I enjoy. As a cat owner, I am aware of the need to take care of cats especially during travel, so I am keen to be part of the team to contribute to such great initiative of providing the support and care that cats need."

Kevin was born and raised in Frederick, MD. He has a "super energetic" Bengal girl named Lilly. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as running, climbing, soccer, snowboarding, archery, woodworking, and anything else that gets him outside. When asked why he loves cats, Kevin said, "While I never had cats growing up, I always loved being at friends' houses who had cats. One of my favorite things about cats is when they start to purr when petting them or giving them scratches --  The louder the better! I love knowing they are having a good time and enjoying having me around. I like that they are simultaneously both a cute ball of fur and muscular hunters." Currently, he is working on trying to grow a small hobby woodshop into a small personal business. "I’m currently learning the ins and outs of the business side of things including how to be a salesperson and effectively market on social media." He decided to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team because "I feel the guilt and worry of leaving my own kitty home when traveling or vacationing and I know that traveling is stressful for both families and their cats. I want to ensure that cat guardians have the peace of mind while traveling that their cats and kittens are not only well taken care of, but get enrichment while they are away. I hope to bring the level of care I would want for my own cat to other families who need to be away from home."

Brittany was born and raised in Alexandria, VA. She had a dog growing up and had a one-eyed cat while she was in college! She currently doesn't have any kitties, but is hoping for one soon. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her partner, playing golf, coaching cheerleading, and practicing French every day (she has a 1,006 day streak!) She says that she loves that cats all have unique personalities. She works as an administrative assistant for Falls Church Public Schools. Brittany decided to join the Cat Sitting by Susan because "I've always had a deep connection with animals and find joy in caring for their well-being. I'm drawn to the opportunity to provide loving companionship and attentive care to kitties while their owners are away. Whether it's playing, cuddling , or simply offering a comforting presence, I want to create a positive and enriching experience for all cats."

Fernanda was born in Brazil, and raised in Brazil and Washington, DC. Growing up, she had turtles, hamsters, a rabbit, and of course, kitties! She currently has a sweet boy named Beans who is a Korat, almost 5 years old, very friendly and smart. He loves playing soccer, and is getting pretty good at it! In her free time, Fernanda enjoys hiking, reading, and doing puzzles. Why does she love cats? "Too many reasons ...  I love the way they are 'wild'. They can be close to humans, friendly and domestic, but they never lose their instinct and I love observing the world through their 'eyes'." She decided to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team because "I love the idea of joining a group of people passionate about cats and serious about their work.  Meeting them and seeing how they decorate the offices just confirmed that!"

Kathy was born in Argentina and raised in Springfield, VA. Growing up, she had a dog named Chacho and a kitty named Luna. She currently has one 11 year old sweet fur baby. In her spare time, she enjoys nature, going for a jog, staying active, or sometimes just staying home and cuddling with her cat while watching shows together. Kathy says she loves cats because "they each have a unique personality to love. You earn their love and they teach you how to respect boundaries." She is working as a pediatric nurse, and as a home care and private school nurse. She wanted to join the Cat Sitting by Susan team because "it has received a lot of kind and respectable reviews. It makes me happy to see so many cat parents feel valued and have trust in a company. The website feels more personal and shows that they truly value their clients."