In Good Times & Tough Times
WatchInspired by their companion animals
David Whitman
Executive Producer
Mutual Rescue’s executive producer is David Whitman, whose lifelong curiosity about the world was ignited in childhood by a passion for reading about faraway places. He became an A.F.S. exchange student to Belgium, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, then volunteered as a Peace Corps forester in the eastern Caribbean before returning to the Bay Area. U.C. Berkeley’s music department praised him for “revolutionizing Hertz Concert Hall,” where he worked with many of the world’s preeminent performing artists and scholars, Cal Performances, and the Berkeley Art Museum. Independent travel abroad led to numerous photography exhibits, publications, and awards. He was appointed to the establishing committee for Art Basel Miami Beach and cultural delegations to Brazil, Switzerland, and Italy. Collaborating with Italy’s Ministry for Cultural Heritage, the storied Uffizi Galleries, and Opera Laboratori, he coordinated a monumental, transatlantic exhibition in California on Leonardo. He then directed Silicon Valley’s resplendent, global Tech Awards before joining forces with Carol Novello to create Mutual Rescue. He and his basenji pals live in Arizona’s majestic Granite Dells.
Finnegan Dowling
Senior Manager, Shelter Engagement
Finnegan Dowling is Mutual Rescue’s senior manager of shelter engagement and a regular contributor to the Mutual Rescue blog. She has been poking around animal welfare for more than 25 years and has worked in shelters in Washington, Colorado, California, and Nicaragua. Prior to Mutual Rescue, she was the social-media manager for Humane Society Silicon Valley, where her work was honored with Shorty and Communicator Awards. Finnegan’s writing has been published in The Bark, Bay Woof, and Huffington Post. She lives in coastal Texas with an opinionated dog and her husband. When not working, you can usually find her reading, writing, or running around Latin America.
Blythe Jack
Strategic Adviser
Blythe Jack—a lifelong animal lover and a proud pet parent to her dogs Oakley and JosieBelle—is Mutual Rescue’s strategic adviser. As a board member at Humane Society Silicon Valley, she fell in love with Mutual Rescue and its mission at first meeting in 2017. Her support is reflected in every facet of the initiative. Blythe has been an active private-equity investor in the consumer sector for nearly 25 years, having been a managing director at TSG Consumer Partners for over 11 years, where she led investments in consumer brands such as BrewDog, Backcountry, Dutch Bros, IT Cosmetics, and Canyon Bicycles, among others. She counts a great husband of over 20 years and teenage daughter among her pack, along with their beloved hounds.
Love and respect to the people who’ve shared their inspirational stories in Mutual Rescue films: Tanner Hopson, Kimo Pokini, Shakeema Hutcherson, Bhuvana Hariharasubramanian, Abhishek Raut, Jade and Jessica Allen, Kim and Brian Rose, Sarah Coletti, Patrick Donovan, Michael Uy, Jessi Burns, Josh Marino, Tracy Campion, Robin and Mark Myers, and Eric O’Grey, and to their companion animal co-stars: Rei, Jazz, Kubo, Keema’s pack, Lollipop, Trubs, Lana, Domino, Grace, Abbie, Andi, Scout, Jack, Liza, Jake, and Peety.
Additional love and respect to the people, companion animal co-stars, and rescue organizations featured in our Mutual Rescue Moments series: Cindy Lamont and the residents of Dogtree Pines Senior Dog Sanctuary; Diane Foxen, Orion, Humane Society Silicon Valley; David Martínez, Pancho, Española Humane; Dana Russell, Mocha, Freddie; Lynette Fisher, Maisie, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Silicon Valley Pet Project; Rudy Valencia, Topa, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation; Ruth and Roan Gentry, Sammy, Churchill Animal Protection Society; Amy Thran, Herbert, Flying Pigs Sanctuary; Laurie Gaetano, Oliver, Pima Animal Care Center, Humane Society of Southern Arizona; Michael Angelo Torres, Cricket, Muttvillle Senior Dog Rescue; Calvin Tucker, Henry, Saving One Creature At a Time (SOCAT); Samantha Brinegar, Joey, Fairytale Farms, Wiley’s Wish; Mary Kniskern, Stella, Prison Pet Partnership Program; Susannah Greenwood, Pullman, Lincoln, Paxton, Silicon Valley Pet Project, Cat Town; Meridel Gatterman, Sadie, Teller County Regional Animal Shelter (TCRAS); Sarah Hall, Dogs Matter; Elena Page, Angela Stell, Raina, Baxter, NMDOG; Mimi Christensen, Ariel, Sunrise of Bethesda Senior Living; Doreen Jakubcak, Eileen Farkas, Debbie Williamson, Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary; Steve Lee, Lillian Lee, Bobe, Baby, Humane Society Silicon Valley; Sandy Brychta, Rebel Rey Lee, Cupcake, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue.
Tectonic Video is a Chicago-based video strategy and production company that works exclusively with nonprofits. “We’ve partnered with Mutual Rescue from the beginning,” says Tectonic’s founder and CEO, Doug Scott. “We’re humbled to have created so many award-winning Mutual Rescue films together. We’ve seen how shelter animals and their people do indeed rescue one another, and we’re inspired by the tireless efforts of animal-shelter employees and volunteers to save lives.”
Advocate Creative is a branding and design agency for nonprofits and foundations. Since their inception in 2012, Advocate Creative has made it their mission to advance their clients’ missions. They help create brands, build websites, design print pieces, and launch campaigns for today’s most impactful organizations. Advocate Creative’s work is reflected in Mutual Rescue’s website design and the signature illustrations—by art director Jessie McGrath—in Mutual Rescue’s films and Coloring Pages For All Ages.
Alex Williamson is a Grammy-nominated composer, producer, and arranger for film, television, and games. His work with Mutual Rescue includes the films “Tanner & Rei,” “The Love Is Mutual,” “Kimo & Jazz,” “Keema & Her Pack,” “Bhuvana & Abhishek & Lollipop,” and, with Christopher Tin, the memorial montages “Still Yours” and “Silent Paws.”
Fenwick provides legal advice and assistance to Mutual Rescue, principally for intellectual property protection. From emerging enterprises to large public corporations, the law firm’s clients are leaders in the technology and life sciences sectors who are fundamentally changing the world through rapid innovation.
Stories submitted to Mutual Rescue have been reviewed by notable professionals in animal welfare, science, philanthropy, journalism, and the arts, including Dr. Marty Becker, Tom Corwin, Jenna Donleavy, Jennifer Erwitt, Ethan Goldman, Tisha Haney, Ingrid King, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, Maggie Lawson, Josh McGuire, Jude McVay, Doug Menuez, Karen Mullarkey, Amy Shojai, Phoebe Smolan, Rick Smolan, Gina Spadafori, Morgan Spurlock, Tracey Stewart, Mark Ulriksen, Kayleen VanderRee and Danielle Gumbley, the Mutual Rescue leadership team; filmmaking partner Tectonic Video; and board members, staff, and volunteers at Humane Society Silicon Valley.
