BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Becoming an alumni of UNC-Wilmington, Liz began a long career in motorsports and marketing. Throughout that time and travels, she has seen much of the United States and the devastating effects of our current economy. Therefore, she became deeply involved in charities and giving back to the community in any way she could.
 
In 2008, Mellott read an article about the effects of the economy on elderly pet owners. She researched a pet food bank to donate and volunteer with and found none. Realizing the lack of pet food assistance in the Concord/Charlotte area she decided to take matters into her own hands, Petey's Promise was born.

During all of her "free time" away from Petey's Promise, Mellott also runs a marketing company, Southern Blue Promotions, is a licensed NC Real Estate Broker, is a mother, and a NASCAR wife. With all of the duties she undertakes, she never gives up and remembers the famous quote, "A woman is like a tea bag: you cannot tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water." ~Nancy Reagan

Toby has had a long career in motorsports. Having spent five years on the World of Outlaws working with winning drivers like Sammy Swindel and Greg Hodnett, to name a few, he was encouraged to take a step over to NASCAR. After relocating to the Charlotte, NC area, he was quickly snapped up by Hendrick Motorsports. Since, Mellott has also served as a Tire Specialist for Penske, Yates, Gillett-Evernham, and Richard Petty Motorsports, where he currently is on the #9 Marcos Ambrose team.
 
Married to animal lover, and a huge believer in charity, Elizabeth Mellott, he couldn't help but fall into the demanding aspects of giving back to the community. Traveling most of the year, Mellott helps with coordinating large pick-ups, transportation, and is literally the "muscle" behind Petey's Promise.

Pamela U. Price resides in Raleigh, NC and utilizes her strong ties to the community to support many charities, along with Petey's Promise. Having rescued too many animals to list, Pamela understands and helps promote the need for pet food banks across the State. Past and present volunteer experience currently ranges from medical foundations to sports committees such as: Wake County Health Education Foundation – BOD, Wake County Medical Alliance, Urban Ministries of Raleigh – Tee-Up For Hope Benefit Tournament, Development Board, Development Volunteer of the Year – 1998, Junior League of Raleigh, and North Carolina USTA – Sanction & Scheduling Committee.

A life-long animal lover and pet owner, Corinne Economaki was happy to help when approached to become a board member of Petey’s Promise. Knowing full well how much a family pet becomes a family member, Corinne was in full agreement that people and their four-legged friends be kept together during challenging times.

After college a number of careers kept Corinne busy, most notably a seven-year stint in the restaurant business. “Every meal was a deadline, and it taught me to work with all kinds of people,” she says. Corinne worked her way up from kitchen help to manage a 200-seat restaurant with more than 75 employees.

After that she became involved professionally with National Speed Sport News, a weekly paper covering the sport of automobile racing.  Corinne started working at the paper as an advertising coordinator in 1985; was soon promoted to assistant publisher and finally publisher in 1991. Currently she is president and publisher of the periodical.

She currently shares her home with one cat and one dog.

Sara left NJ after high school and made the long trip to the beautiful Carolinas and UNC Charlotte. Through her sorority, Delta Zeta, Sara became active in community service and her fondness for charities continued to grow. As all other Petey's Promise BoD, Sara is an animal lover and rescued her cat Madison when he was only days old. Since that time, she has done everything she can to help animals in need.
 
Armed with her degree in Communication Studies, and a genius at all things graphic and designs, she was recruited to help get Petey's Promise up and running. Currently in charge of Web site, graphics, ad/ information materials, Treasurer, display booths for fundraising events, and keeping everyone grounded, Sara is one of the busiest members of the Petey's Promise Team.

At 18-months-old, Haven Kerchner got her first rescue dog. A German Shepherd/long-haired Collie mix her Dad rescued from a farmer who was going to destroy the litter of puppies, she named this adorable ball of fur and huge feet, Sam, and he was her best friend until his death when she was 12. Growing up in Kansas, her family always had an abundance of rescued animals from stray dogs to orphaned cats even when her family struggled to makes ends meet, and her parents and grandparents instilled a love of animals that is still incredibly strong today. Now, grown and living in North Carolina, she adopted both men in her life, her husband Mike and her Alaskan Malamute mix named Harley, all in the same week. Her life has never been the same, but she wouldn’t trade either of them for anything in the world. They fill her life with laughter, love and endless entertainment.

When not trying to win a battle of wills with a headstrong Malamute (which she loses almost all the time), she freelances in baking, public relations, graphic design and journalism.  She has worked in motorsports and politics, and supports many other charities including Predigree’s Adoption Drive, Jimmy V and Relay for Life for cancer research, CVANS Women’s Shelter in Cabarrus County and organ donation.

Katie came on board with Petey's Promise as Vice President of Fundraising in early 2011. She received a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. During her time at UNCC, she wrote frequently for the student newspaper. Katie later went on to work as a staff assistant for a weekly motorsports publication and then as a communications associate for a small public relations and marketing agency in Charlotte. She is now a freelance communications professional.

As an avid animal lover her whole life, Katie became a vegetarian several years ago. In her free time, she loves going to movies, reading, and writing fiction.

Tom is an alumni of Western Carolina University and became a resident of Charlotte, NC, after a stint with the SBI in the early 1990's. After arriving in Charlotte, Updegraff began a long and impressive career with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department and SWAT team. He is also an active Lt. Colonel in the National Guard and has served four terms of active duty for our Country in the past ten years.
 
Having been an animal lover his entire life, Petey's Promises utilizes Updegraff's background with community involvement to coordinate resources and information with other departments, such as the various Fire Departments, to help expand knowledge of our abilities to help in animal-related crisis.