Lillie Goodrich
Founder, Executive Director & President

Reviewing a career of work usually leads you to write a pretty standard biography of experiences but now that I'm here, committed to Glen Highland, the past is barely relevant. Gone are the schedules and timelines, meeting other people's needs; gone are the political agendas manufactured to suit someone's ego; gone are the pressure cooker environments where everything is critical yet totally out of proportion.... instead, what I experience with rescue work is far more gentle, yet more demanding in a very different way. I am now working 24/7, not because of the internet, but because animals need you up by 6am, filling their tummies and back out at 8pm, for a final piece of business. Their bark for attention is so honest, so direct (unlike the business world) and so easily handled...they just want to be with you.

Ever since the age of five, I'd dreamt of helping animals who were hurt, abandoned or uncared for. In fact, I prayed every night for the safe-keeping of those in danger. My own 'inner-tuning' led to an intuitive relationship with border collies who's sharp focus and instinctive brilliance is well-noted in the dog world. This breed tunes into the people and situations around them in order to understand what's needed. Finally, the dogs led me to my life's work.

That 'calling' led me to co-found Glen Highland with life partner, John Andersen. We worked side by side for 25 years in upstate NY until his death 4/20. Over the years as Executive Director, I have been channeling my intuition into matching border collies with new guardians, as well as utilizing my professional experience to oversee the day-to-day rescue operation and affiliated programs. Over 3000 dogs found new lives since the inception of Glen Highland. We also created The Getaway, a wildly successful dog lover’s vacation experience where funds supported the rescue. And, also created Camp Border Collie for Kids, pairing inner city children with rescue dogs were over 400 children transformed their hearts.

Now, the work has moved to Virginia with a Senior Sanctuary and Rescue devoted to Border Collies age 10 and over. Thirty dogs find safe haven living as Residents til the end of their lives, if adoption is not possible. This more focused approach allows us to target dogs who truly have no one to help them. Part of the joy of working with dogs is also being an Animal Communicator. Being able to ‘hear’ dogs allows me to know their desires and ways to help them on their journey. Many people ask for private sessions to help them benefit from understanding their dogs better just as the rescue dogs benefit from me understanding them more clearly.

My background has been full of creation - original ideas becoming a reality with twenty years experience in highly competitive industries - television, advertising, and marketing, acting as a catalyst for innovative projects, leading multi-million dollar projects for Fortune 500 companies (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lexus, Maybelline Cosmetics) as well as producing for television broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Time-Warner).

My life’s work is now the Border Collie breed, assisting these highly intuitive and sensitive dogs. My awareness of their capacity to heal and transform people is profoundly humbling and I remain forever grateful for the support of others who love them as much as I do.

Gina is President and CEO of National Public Media, where she is committed to ensuring the continued growth of NPR and the public media system through the funding from corporate sponsors. Garrubbo has spent more than 20 years in traditional and digital media growing marketing and sales teams, launching brands and building companies. She was one of the builders of Women.com, one of the first websites for women, and BlogHer, which brought independent voices to millions of readers. Garrubbo built advertising sales teams for Oxygen Media, Discovery Communications and in syndicated television.

Gina jumped into the Camp Border Collie for Kids summer program running from 2001 to 2012, sponsoring funds to help make it possible for over 400 inner city children to spend time at GHF learning about the special nature of Border Collies. Many children healed their fear of dogs as well as their hurting hearts from the difficult home settings they experienced.

Garrubbo holds a BA from Wells College and sits on the boards of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Tappp and the Eat REAL Philanthropic Board.

Ashley is a Leadership Coach and Partner with 10X Leadership Lab, a conscious coaching and consulting practice. For nearly a decade, Ashley has helped leaders discover, believe in, and operate from their truest selves. Using her expertise in human behavior and multiple credentials in the fields of social work and coaching, Ashley has helped individuals and teams work through challenges, show up courageously, grow with each experience, and create meaningful connections.

Ashley is the daughter of Glen Highland Farm founder, John Andersen, and has been involved with the rescue in a variety of ways throughout the years. She has held administrative support, direct care, and operational oversight positions with Glen Highland Farm as well as with the former camp program ran through the rescue, Camp Border Collie for Kids. Always in awe of the spirit of the dog, Ashley’s role as a board member is fueled by the tenacity, love, and wisdom that each dog brings with them upon arrival to Glen Highland’s sanctuary.

Nancy considers herself to be quite a serious Border Collie lover. While both of the Border Collies in her life were adopted, her second Border Collie, whose name is Lupa, was adopted from GHF. That is when Nancy’s love affair with GHF began. She is enthralled by all the work we do and supports us in any way she can.

Nancy has been a Food Scientist for 30+ years and specializes in startup beverage companies. In fact she is well known in the beverage industry as the “Beverage Queen!” She develops the beverages and is responsible for everything inside the bottle. Some brands you know that she has developed and manages the ingredients for are Vitamin Water, Smart Water, SoBe, Capri Sun, FUZE, CORE Water, Newman’s Own Iced Teas, Body Armor….and many other energy drinks.

Nancy lives in Florida, but also travels to New Jersey, New York City and Park City, Utah….always with Lupa and her husband Greg by her side! Nancy has two sons. Bryan is an Aquatic Veterinarian and is extremely focused on creating policy for ocean fisheries. Ian is an Astro Scientist and works on the finance side of start-up space companies. Nancy and Greg love to travel and are very active. Nancy loves the Pilates Reformer and bike riding. She is the Board President for over 20 years of School Aged Child Care of Leonia, a non for profit before and after school program that also runs a summer camp in Leonia, New Jersey.

She is a board member of her Synagogue, Gesher Shalom in Ft. Lee, NJ, has been a board member of her condominium. Nancy is very excited about being further involved with GHF by being a board member.

Tracy joined Glen Highland in October 2013, after meeting with Lillie and John during a Getaway vacation stay that summer. The Office Manager at the time was looking to leave and Tracy’s prior work experience in Executive Administration for an International financial company in the UK, an Office Manager for an Architect firm in CT, the HR Manager for her husband’s international trading company in CT and volunteer Treasurer for an elite Girls Hockey Program in CT, were pre-requisites to tackle the next challenge.

Born in England, Tracy moved to the US in 1995 and rescued her first border collie, with her husband, from a shelter in Armonk, NY, followed in quick succession by bringing a border collie puppy over from England and then an aussie shepherd from a local CT shelter. Rescue was always the way to go, giving a dog in need, a home to call their own.

In 2007 Tracy saw an expose about Glen Highland Farm on TV; in that moment there was no other place to be considered for rescuing the next border collie. In 2010 they adopted their first GHF alum, Jack, with subsequent GHF adoptions Sadie (2012), Lizzie (2014) and 2 visits as campers to the Canine Getaway in 2011 and 2013.

Even though Glen Highland is now located in Virginia, Tracy continues to work remotely in CT and NY.

Joycelene (Jos) first experienced Glen Highland in 2006 as a Getaway vacation guest with her beloved dogs, Ben and Molly. She loved the rescue and began volunteering to help with dogs on many return visits. It was through those interactions that she got to know the Founders, Lillie and John. Moved by their commitment and dedication to rescue Border Collies, Jos was eager to do more to help. Using her graphic design background and photography skills, she created the website for the dog vacations at the Farm which were the primary fundraisers for the rescue program. Over a meal one evening, Lillie had said to her, “If you ever want to completely change up your life and move to NY, give us a call!”

In 2012, Jos moved from Maryland to upstate New York with GHF rescue alum Jane to begin a new endeavor - the Senior Sanctuary for Border Collies. Jos always had an affinity for senior dogs, with a patience and demeanor making her just the right match to be the caretaker for the Senior BCs in the rescue. Over the years she adopted several spectacular seniors who were 12+ years old: Norm, Argos, Nathan, Lotti and currently, Parker.

Being the primary caretaker for senior dogs proved both challenging and rewarding, but Jos would not have it any other way… As a rescue colleague put it, “The hardest job you will ever have, but also the one you will love the most.”

Jos also managed the Getaway vacation for 8 years, helping to grow the business and becoming a familiar face to several hundreds of dog lovers and their dogs that vacationed at the Farm every summer. With the sale of the vacation business and the move of Glen Highland to Virginia in 2020, Jos looks forward to a continued focus on rescue work with senior dogs and being able to spend winters without a down parka.