Lynne Bengtson has worked in the music industry for the past 17 years, most recently as Director of Concerts for Hennepin Theatre Trust. Lynne is the proud guardian of three furry four-legged girls, all of whom are rescued dogs; Sylvie, Jezebel and Ruby Jane.
Lynne made two trips to Tylertown, MS following Hurricane Katrina, and spent 17 days assisting at the Best Friends temporary rescue center. She is currently an assistant trainer at Just Paws Puppy Training in Minneapolis and will soon be training her own classes. Lynne co-founded Safe Hands Animal Rescue in October 2006 with Tylertown alumni Janine Campbell. In their first three months of operation they rescued, provided needed medical care and re-homed over 100 unwanted dogs that were being prepped for euthanasia. Safe Hands is continuing its rescue work and also provides education and low-cost or free spays and neuters. Lynne is certified in animal rescue through the United Animal Nations E.A.R.S. program and Noah’s Wish.
Barbara J. Gislason is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and a Leading American Attorney. She is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the practice area of Animal Law. She practices Animal Law in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was the founding Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Animal Law Committee and the American Bar Association (ABA) Animal Law Committee.
Gislason directs the ABA-TIPS Animal Disaster Relief Network and the ABA-TIPS Select Legal Panel on Emergency Management Regarding Animals, and was appointed the ABA-TIPS Advisor to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws regarding the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act. She also serves on the Project Advisory Committee for the Department of Homeland Security Animal Rescue and Restore Project and the Working Group regarding revisions to the National Response Plan and Annex related to animals. On his television show, Dr. Phil McGraw called Gislason "the top animal advocate attorney in the country".
Charlie Gumbusky is a veterinarian who volunteered on numerous trips to help the animals recover from Hurricane Katrina. He continues to volunteer his time to local rescue projects.
Paula McGranahan is employed in the sales department of Despatch Industries, an industrial oven manufacturer, where she has worked for the past 21 years. Paula spent a week in Tylertown, Mississippi as a Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue volunteer for the Best Friends Animal Society. After returning home, she signed on as a "remote volunteer" to help pet owners search various databases for their lost companions.
Paula is on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Spay and Neuter Project and is a volunteer with Safe Hands Animal Rescue. She has been certified as an Emergency Animal Rescue Services volunteer through United Animal Nations and has been involved in numerous aspects of animal care, training, and advocacy since childhood. Paula currently shares her home with three dogs, three cats and two horses.
Shari Timberlake worked in sales and marketing for more than 20 years and has been in the Mortgage Lending industry for the past 6 years. Shari made two trips to Tylertown, Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina as an animal rescue volunteer for Animal Ark and Best Friends Animal Society. Since that time, she has assisted Animal Ark and Safe Hands Animal Rescue during various rescue and adoption activities as well as traveling to Best Friends in Kanab, Utah to volunteer in “Little Lebanon,” where she helped care for the dogs and cats rescued from war-torn Beirut. Shari currently serves as “housekeeping staff” for four cats, one of whom is a Hurricane Katrina survivor.
Stephanie Timberlake has worked throughout the country for over 18 years in the sales and marketing areas of the music industry, including eight years with EMI Music Marketing and ten years with Universal Music Group. Her charitable work began over 20 years ago and was mainly financial in nature until Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, Stephanie has made two trips to the Gulf Coast as an animal rescue volunteer for Animal Ark and Best Friends Animal Society, which was based at the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary in Tylertown, Mississippi. She has also assisted Animal Ark (MN) and Safe Hands Animal Rescue (MN) in remote rescue operations and in fall of 2006, she traveled to Kanab, Utah with her sister Shari to assist Best Friends care for cats and dogs rescued from Beirut, Lebanon.
Kim Walsh-Borgan worked in advertising for more than 7 years at the largest agency in Minnesota with experience in Media, Broadcast Production, and Project Management. She began her film career as Assistant Director of HEXIDERMY (48 Hour Film Festival, Minneapolis, MN 2006). Kim made 3 trips to the GulfCoast> region as a Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue volunteer for the Best Friends Animal Society camp in Tylertown, Mississippi. She has been a volunteer for several animal rescue organizations, has been certified as an Emergency Animal Rescue Services volunteer through United Animal Nations and is currently a dog trainer. "Left Behind Without A Choice" is Kim's director, producer & writer debut.
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Animal Ark Staff
Mary Salter Director of Operations.
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Best Friends Staff
Michael Mountain Founder/President
Francis Battista Founder/Director
Silva Battista Founder/Director
Sherry Woodard Animal Behaviorist, star of hit series Dog Town on National Geographic Channel.
John Garcia Dog trainer, star of hit series Dog Town on National Geographic Channel.
Jeff Popowich Veterinary Technician, star of hit series Dog Town on National Geographic Channel.
Ethan Gurney Dog caregiver
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Crew
Kim Walsh-Borgan (writer/director/producer) worked in advertising for more than 7 years at the largest agency in Minnesota with experience in Media, Broadcast Production, and Project Management. She began her film career as Assistant Director of HEXIDERMY (48 Hour Film Festival, Minneapolis, Minnesota). Kim made 3 trips to the Gulf Coast region as a Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue volunteer for the Best Friends Animal Society camp in Tylertown, Mississippi. She has been a volunteer for various animal rescue organizations and has been certified as an Emergency Animal Rescue Services volunteer through United Animal Nations. “Left Behind Without A Choice” is Kim’s director, producer & writer debut. See above under "cast" for more information.
Katie Carpenter (editor) has been working in post-production for the past five years. After studying television and film at Miami University (Oxford, OH), Katie moved to New York City to work on The Isaac Mizrahi Show for the Oxygen Network. Katie currently edits television commercials, music videos and films at post-house Fischer Edit in Minneapolis. She is thrilled to be a part of the team creating this special documentary. .
Bobby Marsden (MN unit co-director) has been a working actor, writer, director and producer for the past 10 years. His credits include PAPER HEARTS (Producer, Audience Award, 48 Hour Film Festival, Minneapolis, Minnesota), the “We Want Your Shorts” commercial spots for IFP/MN (Producer), and DINNER AT FIVE (Writer/Director) He has also worked in the film festival market as a Festival Director (Solstice Film Festival 2006) and as Executive Director/Creator of Fearless Filmmakers (fearlessfilmmakers.com) which is an ongoing screening series in Minneapolis. Mr. Marsden also has a feature film currently in development.
Brandon Mathews (MN unit director of photography) graduated from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2001 with a double major in Film and Photography. Since that time he has been a freelance cinematographer and photographer working in the Midwest. He has worked on several films as Cinematographer, Producer & Photographer. Brandon’s projects include: Feature Film “Grace” (Director of Photography), Music Video “Love Arcade” (Director of Photography), Short Film “Love Evol Love” (Co-Director, Director of Photography) & commercials for Shells Brewery (Co-Director, Producer, Director of Photography).
D. R. Tibbits (MN unit assistant director) Independent writer/director Darren R. Tibbits has worked in the underground independent film scene for nearly a decade, honing his style while working and living in Chicago. After moving to Minneapolis in 2003, he made his first major production a success, the short suspense film Invention, which continues to show to enthusiastic crowds at film festivals nationwide. He and his film company Tuebor Films are in pre-production for his next short film, which is tentatively scheduled for production in late spring.
TJ Schwingle (MN unit assistant camera) a Minnesota native, started making films when he was about 8 years old. He would run around with his stepfather's 20-pound camcorder on his shoulder while chasing after and "interviewing" his family's pets. The footage was only marginally interesting, as nearly all of it was shot about 3 feet from the floor with the grace of an epileptic seizure. He still has that camera, but for some strange reason, people don't shoot on VHS anymore. TJ now works in the many positions of the camera department doing what he loves and making images that are far more captivating and far less nauseating. "Teej," "Schwingzies," or "Schwaaangle" (among other names that have been bestowed upon him) can be found on many a film set honing his cinematography skills (and secretly hoping to get a chance to flirt with the gorgeous actress/model/interviewee in front of the camera).
Victor Rukavina (MN unit assistant camera) hails from the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. He graduated with a film degree from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005. Currently, he works as a freelance filmmaker in the Twin Cities and travels whenever possible.
Pat Elwein (MN unit sound) Sound
Jason Watt(UT unit director of photography & sound) Vidoegrapher for Best Friends Animal Society.
Elissa Jones (UT unit assistant director) is the Guardian Angel Program Manager for Best Friends Animal Society.
Wally Borgan (Assistant Camera) is currently the lead guitar player for TNT, an AC/DC tribute band.
