Richard Vitolo, Chairman
Term:  2024-2025

Richard was first introduced to Boykins by a friend who bred them in 1986 and has been a LBD owner and fan of the breed ever since. With his first two Boykins he trained and participated in local field trails, as well as, in the BSS national trails. Always, he says, the dogs exceeded his rookie training skills! His current Boykins, Dixie and Maggie, (#s 6 & 7) are both BSR alums. Since 2004, Richard has served BSR™ as a foster/transporter and most recently a member of the Finance Committee.

After a career in commercial real estate lending and finance, Richard and his wife and retired to the Foothills of NC where he volunteers in several capacities for their neighborhood POA. In addition, he volunteers with a group that maintains a section of the The Mountain to Sea Trail in NC, is a member of the local Master Gardner organization and serves on the advisory board of the local YMCA. 

Jill Freeman, President

Jill joined BSR™ as a volunteer in February, 2010.  She became a foster of a pregnant dog less than two weeks after becoming a volunteer-that experience was "baptism by fire" and she learned a lot about the administrative end (medical expenses, processes, how transport trains were put together etc) at warp speed.  She then took on the Regional Coordinator role in North Carolina in May of 2010.  Later that year, Jill took on still more responsibility by adding Transportation Coordinator and Communications coordinator roles. 
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Jill became Executive Director in 2015, and held that position through February 2017.  In March 2017, the Board unanimously voted that she take on the role of President of the Board.

In addition to her wide ranging role within BSR™, Jill has worked as an English teacher, Project Manager, Volunteer Coordinator for MASC and Baker.

Lynn Jacobs, Treasurer

​Lynn's introduction to Boykin Spaniels was 25-30 years ago via her parents and one of their friends.  She and her Mother  became involved in BSR™ in 2005, and she currently serves as a foster and transport volunteer for BSR as well as Treasurer.  

Lynn also volunteers as treasurer for her local bicycle club and serve on the BOD of Louisiana Society of Enrolled Agents, having also served on committees for the National Association of Enrolled Agents.  

Other interests include bicycling, reading, walking and running with the dogs and working out at the gym.   Her household currently includes a Boykin Spaniel, Button (12, inherited from my late mother), as well as a Sussex Spaniel, Pete (10).  

Lynn has a vibrant career as an Enrolled Agent (federally authorized tax professional) as well as a Louisiana civil law notary and a U S Tax Court Practitioner.

Julie Cox-Seidel, Secretary

Julie became enamoured with the Boykin Spaniel breed in 1985 while working for the SC House of Representatives during the legislative debate to name them as the official state dog. Many owners brought their Boykins to committee meetings during testimony.  She totally fell in love with the breed and has had Boykins since. Julie and her husband decided to always have two Boykins, and were approved by Boykin Spaniel Rescue™ to adopt our first rescue about 15 years ago. It was at that time we realized how many Boykins actually needed to be rescued or adopted - especially older dogs. Maggie (Abbi) came from Missouri, J.J. (Molly) from Georgia, and Victor and Remy from NC.  

Julie has lived in Columbia since she attended college at USC where she earned two bachelors degrees and did graduate studies in economics. Thesis: Health Care Cost Containment. Julie has worked for the House Ways and Means Committee before starting her own business. She is the founding partner of Capitol Information Affiliates LLC (CIA) in Columbia SC. CIA provides legislative lobbying, monitoring, non-profit association change/compliance, strategic planning, and executive management.

Julie is excited to be a part of the Boykin Spaniel Rescue™ team and pledges to do her best to further the mission of the organization.

Catherine Danforth

Catherine first experienced life with Boykin Spaniels when her parents brought one home when she left for college. Charleston was the best Boykin, but was lost at the young age of four to lymphoma. Her family was hooked though and three more Boykins have joined the family. 

Catherine’s first experience volunteering for BSR was assisting in the transport of a dog 600 miles from Georgia to Virginia. Since, she and her mother have participated on numerous transports and other projects for BSR. Her family has fostered a number of dogs, including ones recovering from difficult surgeries. 
 
Her other activities include volunteering with the Atlanta Sports Council, Atlanta Track Club,  Georgia Aquarium, and the High Museum of Art. Catherine has a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services with a concentration in Non-Profit Administration.  She is employed as a  paralegal and primarily works in risk management and defense of civil cases. 

Fred Fogelin

Leslie Kern

​Leslie has been involved with Boykin Spaniels for twenty years.  She has bred, trained, hunted, shown and participated in almost every activity with great success.  She is well respected for her knowledge and mentorship.

Leslie has been an active member of the Boykin Spaniel Society, AKC, the Boykin. Spaniel Club and Breeders, Coastal Empire Hunting Retriever Club, Beaufort Kennel Club, holding Board positions for many of these organizations.. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, and Approved Mentor and Judges Educator.  
She has competed in three different arenas: BSS, UKC and AKC in Field, conformation and performance. Several dogs have titles in multiple venues in addition to Westminster Kennel Club. 

John Steinmeyer

After admiring the breed for years, John got his first Boykin Spaniel when he and his wife Carol welcomed an 8-week-old puppy named Sadie into their family in December of 2017.  John and Carol have always had dogs but circumstances never allowed for a Boykin to join the mix.  Sadie immediately found her way into their hearts and John became even more interested in Boykins because of their loyalty, intelligence and energy level. In the summer of 2019, he discovered Boykin Spaniel Rescue and signed up as a volunteer and adoption applicant.

That August they were asked to foster an older Special Needs Boykin named Crash. Crash was 11-years-old with several health issues. With his advanced age and multiple health issues, it became apparent to everyone that it would not be in Crash’s best interest to transition again to a new environment. So, it was decided Crash would remain with John and Carol.  Both Sadie and Crash get along very well with a third dog, 8-year-old Ginger, a Cavachon.  As if 3 dogs weren’t enough, there are 2 cats in the family also.

Professionally John has over 35 years of experience in financial services, working in a corporate setting for 17 years and then directly with clients for the past 19 years.  He has his own investment advisory firm and also is an Investment Advisor Representative licensed with the SEC.  John has particular expertise in planning for retirement, especially distribution of income in retirement, and in legacy planning.  He also has an interest in charitable giving and planning.

John is a native Charlestonian and his family’s history here dates back over 200 years.  He is a graduate of the College of Charleston 

Over the years, John has been involved in numerous civic groups and non-profit organizations, and was active in coaching youth sports.  He has served as treasurer of his church for the past 15 years and is a member of its finance committee.  In addition to BSR, he also regularly volunteers at the MUSC Children’s Hospital

Julie Winters

​In the years prior to retirement, she was a principal responsible for the Chesapeake Bay
restoration efforts of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program.
Prior to this, the Agency’s Deputy Administrator asked her to develop and implement a new,
agency-wide performance management system. The effort received the President’s Quality
Award for Overall Management in 2007. From 2003 to 2006 she directed the Agency’s E-
Government Initiative under President Bush’s Management Agenda where she successfully led
the Agency to achieve the “green” status. From 2002-2003 she was a special advisor to the
Chief Federal Environmental Executive within the Council on Environmental Quality and from
2000-2002 she was the deputy director of the Agency’s Pollution Prevention Division.
Earlier in her career, she was a technical expert and negotiator representing the US government
during the development of the industry-based ISO 14000 environmental management
standards. She was also a technical expert for the US Trade Representative on paper trade
barriers with the European Union and for the Federal Trade Commission in the development of
guidance on the use of environmental claims in product marketing. She also has significant
environmental policy experience with asbestos, lead, toxic substances, life cycle analysis,
pollution prevention, toxic release inventory, and Superfund site clean-up.
In addition to her professional work, she has served on numerous Board of Directors for
organizations that advance environmental policy issues, and encourage safe, recreational
boating. She is an experienced sailor and has been an assistant offshore sailing coach for the
US Naval Academy where she was honored to collaborate with midshipmen in their leadership
development and sail training. Julie has written grant applications and managed confidential
databases for Boykin Spaniel Rescue. She passionately spends time hiking and traveling with
her spirited Boykin Spaniel, Whisper, downhill skiing, and boating with friends. She did post
graduate work at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, has a MS from North Carolina
State University, and BS from Kansas State University.

Non-Voting Team Members


​Jeannine Culbertson, Executive Director

-In 1995, a sad brown dog with haunting amber eyes sat in the local SPCA waiting for the right person to make him theirs.  He had already been turned back into the shelter twice for being too attached to his adopters and following them everywhere, and again for being messy at his waterbowl…hardly offenses in Jeannine’s mind!  Devoted to her husband, the dog was christened “Shadow” and was never more than a few feet away.  It was their veterinarian who told them what a Boykin Spaniel was, while the family preferred to think of Shadow as simply “the greatest dog ever.”  When Shadow passed in 2010 at the age of 16, it was firmly decided that a boykin spaniel needed to always be a part of the family, and Jeannine researched rescues, zeroing in on Boykin Spaniel Rescue™.  A match was not to be had for the 2 years of her first application, and so Rider was purchased from a nearby breeder.  A second application was submitted as a renewal and in 2013, BSR #814, Scooter, came to join the family.  Neurotic with separation anxiety and crate phobia, getting him settled and secure was a labor of love.  At the same time, Jeannine was leaving a career in Architecture and looking for opportunities to use her project management skills for something worthwhile.  Boykin Spaniel Rescue just happened to need a Regional Coordinator, and it was settled, Jeannine had gone to the dogs.  

Prior to BSR™, Jeannine had had a career as a museum facilities specialist and exhibit planner with various architectural firms since graduating University of Virginia with a BS in Architecture in 1987, and from Virginia Commonwealth University with a MA in museum studies in 1992. 

Once committed to BSR™, Jeannine continued to put her project management, organizational and technical and  skills to use, not only as a Regional Coordinator, but later as Transport Coordinator, then Intake Coordinator and Assistant Executive Director to Jill Freeman.  In 2017 Jeannine accepted the position of Executive Director of BSR™, focusing on the “Dogs and People” side of the organization.  She has built out extensive areas  of the  Dog and Applicant Database that serves all of BSR's  tracking needs. Along the way, a third Boykin has joined the home, and Rider, Scooter and Ziggy provide daily input to her work helping little brown dogs everywhere, mostly from the couch in her home office!

Lynne Brown, Director of Operations & Marketing

Lynne joined BSR™ as a volunteer and then Regional Coordinator in 2016, after a 25 year career from corporate life as Vice President of International Business at a medical device manufacturer.  Her roles throughout her career included sales, marketing, strategy and operations.

During her time as Regional Coordinator, she started assisting with some of the Marketing efforts and working with the team to develop ways which BSR™ could update operational infrastructure and streamline processes.  In 2016, Lynne was asked to take on the role of Director of Operations and Marketing.  Lynne's responsibilities include oversight of the marketing and operations, including fundraising and website development.

Lynne is a dedicated PFC foster, and spends much of her time with her PFC foster, Ruthie.