Any legitimate organization with a nonprofit status will have a board of directors in place. This board allocates where any money raised goes and also remains active in the pig community as well as the organization as it evolves. The board is responsible for many things, but one is to keep information as up to date as possible on the website, Facebook page as well as other social media platforms. Since this organization has been around for a number of years, the direction has changed quite a bit and the focus is now on promoting healthy pigs, ensuring owners have all the resources available to them and also protecting the breed. Every one of these board members is trying to do the same by advocating, educating, and volunteering. If you are interested in becoming a part of the solution to the pet pig problem we have in the US, let us know! We welcome new faces and would love to have you on the NAPPA Team.
Pam Munici – President/Director/Co Treasurer
President and Director of North American Pet Pig Association manages/leads a team of volunteers providing education to protect and preserve the pet pig, as well as to educate the public, pet owners, pet pig owners. Publishes a bi monthly printed pet pig newsletter. You can reach her website
http://www.petpigs.com/ or contact her using the contact us page on this site.
Ana Garcia – Director & Secretary
My name is Ana Garcia and I am a director on the NAPPA board. I am owned by two wonderful pigs. I had no idea how to take care of a pig 2 yrs ago but I sure did learned fast, Miss Piggy is my potbelly pig and she chose me to be her mama. I got Miss Piggy when she was just 4 days old, Miss Piggy just turned 2 in April 2016. I am also owned by my precious Frankie. Frankie is a kunekune (kunie-kunie) pig. Frankie chose me as her mama when she was 3 months old, Frankie turned a year old in March 2016.
I love animals and it shows, here are my loving and loyal pets, Charlie my little Chihuahua is 8 yrs old. Charlie is my shadow following my every footstep. Oliver is my 9 yr old African Grey, he is a character and has a very large vocabulary but enjoys telling people to shut up, I need to teach him some manners. Tequila is my Moluccan Cockatoo that I rescued! Tequila is 8 yrs old and is such a gentle soul, she loves to cuddle close and have her head scratched.
I am also the owner of a small Graphic Design/Illustrator company. I have designed a few covers for Bestselling Authors as well as several logos for businesses. I am very honored to be part of the NAPPA organization, an organization that is truly for the wellbeing of all pig breeds.
Dana Boyle – Director
Dana Boyle, from northern New Jersey, is an occupational therapist, director of rehabilitation, and has been the proud owner of a potbelly pig since 2009. With many questions about raising and training a potbelly pig, Dana researched and came across NAPPA. Since then, she has contributed to NAPPA by writing columns about life with her potbelly pig, Snacks, who she adores. She tries to educate others about owning a potbelly pig as a pet. In addition, Dana also volunteers with the Pig Placement Network and with the Randolph Regional Animal Shelter for dogs.
Ghislaine Martin – Director
Ghislaine Martin has been a member of the pet pig community since Pig Little came into her life in 2007.
She holds a Veterinary Assistant’s degree from Ashford College, graduating with High Honors.
She served as a past Director of NAPPA in 2009- 2012 and is a past Vice President of American Mensa, Albany NY chapter.
Ghislaine is the founder and Sanctuary Manager for Kenelm Farms, a 501c3 Farm Animal Sanctuary specializing in farm pigs and pot belly pigs. The sanctuary is located in Kinderhook, NY. She is active in rescue transport (mostly) east of the Mississippi.
She practices herbalism and works for a herb supplier in Eastern New York State.
Helen Morrison – Director
Helen Morrison has a lifelong love for animals, growing up with dogs, cats, rabbits and birds. Her first job at age 13 was grooming ponies and donkeys, and cleaning stalls. During her first semester at college, she signed up for a belly dance class, and fell in love with the rich, earthy music. She still performs, teaches, and hosts dance fund raisers for animal charities. She is a prize winning baker, earning almost two dozen ribbons at county and state fairs
Helen earned a BBA in Computer Science from Kent State University. Together with her husband, they ran a software company in the 1980s. She became a freelance writer, a technical writer/trainer for an OEM, and then back to computers as a Web Developer.
Helen first heard of mini pigs in the late 1980s, and bought her first pig, Damien, in 1992. Not long after, she connected with other pet pig owners through the Cleveland Freenet Usenet Groups (the precursor to the internet), and began her journey helping pigs in need. Over the last 25 years Helen has helped dozens of rescues and sanctuaries and hundreds of pigs, providing transportation, foster and forever homes, sponsoring, fund raising, and educating people about pigs and their needs.
Debbie Pagerie – Director
My name is Debbie Pagerie, and I live in West Milford New Jersey. I am the Director of Catering at a Country Club in Bergen County, where I have been employed for 36 years. Two years ago I mentioned to my co-workers that for my next pet, I may try a Pig. So, for Christmas that year, to my complete surprise , the Team all chipped in and presented me with a Vietnamese Potbellied Piglet from a nearby pet store. I immediately named her Ruby, and beyond that, knew absolutely nothing about owning a pig. After much research, training, and many mistakes later, I am proud of myself for never giving up on her. Ruby is loved by all who meet her. She comes to work with me about three days a week, and when she is out and about on the property, there is soon to be a crowd of people with cameras trying to get a selfie with a pig. Since we host a lot of weddings, Ruby is often invited to take pictures with the wedding parties. Every day is an adventure, connected to a learning experience. This is my life with Ruby.
Debbie Perkins – Director
I am a person who believes in the humane treatment of all animals. A good portion of my youth was spent living and working on a farm with my Grandparents and it taught me a lot. I have helped with many rescues and attended Pet Night in DC for the past two years raising my voice for NAPPA.
Kimberly Shaffer – Director
My name is Kimberly Shaffer. I am a 41 year old female. I live in a small town called Portersville in Western Pennsylvania. I purchased my home on 2 acres of property when I was 23 years old. I am a nurse. (20 years now). I work full time. I am a single mother of 2. My daughter Savannah is 17 and my son Colton is 15. We currently have 6 house piggys and 2 foster piggy’s.
Pork Chop (our first pig) is 11 years old and we got him when he was 14 weeks old on December 5, 2013. (I knew nothing about pigs and he was on a Facebook buy/sell/trade site for $50). I read lots of books about pigs to learn and I joined several pig groups. Pork Chop suffered a left shoulder luxation on May 18, 2017 from a routine hoof and tusk trim. To this day he still has 2 screws and wire in his left shoulder.
2 years later, we got our boy Pumba who was a rescue from Ohio. (July 26, 2015, Male approx. 2 years old). He was always shy and timid and he hates men. He is around 12 years old now. He suffered a spinal injury (Dx: ANNPE) on June 16, 2022 and is total care. He is the sweetest boy ever. We will not give up on him as long as he has quality of life.
Our 3rd addition was Honey pig (female, born July 2019.) Honey was a rescue from the (Kanawha 32) West Virginia (backyard breeding hoarding case). We brought her home on July 23, 2020. She had severe mastitis and was full of worms. She was so scared we couldn’t put hands on her for the first few weeks of her being in our care. She is the only pig we actually got to name. She has become very comfortable here.
Our 4th pig is Bruce. (Male, June 23, 2021, approx. 12 months old when we got him). He was an owner surrender from a young irresponsible male. The novelty wore off quick I guess. Dogs were involved and he was bound to end up in the wrong hands. Owner has since completely forgotten about him. Bruce is our largest pig. He is safe and loved here with us.
Our 5th pig was a rescue from Ohio. (June 2, 2022. Male 3 years old at that time). His name is Pig pig. Owner was going to end his life with a bullet because he was “aggressive” and bit their toddler. He lived in a mud hole with no shelter or water. He was thin when we brought him home. He never was supposed to stay with us permanently but his forever home in Maine fell through and we kinda got stuck with him. He is definitely a hot head and he lashes out and bites us daily. I can only imagine the trauma he has experienced and even after 2 years of love his personality has not changed. We have been able to gain about 75% of his trust so far but we won’t give up on him. He has also gained about 60 pounds since coming to live with us.
Our 6th pig is Eeyore. (Male approx. 6 years old) rescued 1 year ago from Butler, PA. He’s a huge sweet 320 pound baby.
We love pigs! I lay in my bed at night scrolling Facebook and reading about this pig and that pig that need help. I have rescued, fostered, networked, educated, fundraised and transported pigs for about 10 years now. I created the master list of pig rescues in the United States. There are approximately 600. I created a fundraising group on December 21, 2017 (Piggys In Need Game Page) where we run games of chance to fundraise for 110 pig rescues which includes 5 in Canada. We have raised over $100,000 there so far. I recently started a new group called “Pig Spinal Injury Support Group” in honor of Pumba. I try to participate in the auctions by donating and bidding on items. My kids and I have spent our vacations traveling to several different pig rescues to volunteer. We are pro spay/neuter and we are against breeding. We are avid supporters and followers of Mo Money for Pigs. We haven’t eaten pigs for over 10 years. Pork Chop started this crazy pig madness and never did I picture my life to be what it is today. We are very blessed to be able to do what we can.