Our Team
Laura Gilman-Boutot has been involved in community non-profits since she was a small child. Raised in Manchester, NH, her family supported local animal welfare agencies, teaching their children to put those in need first and imparting the core belief that giving your time was the most valuable donation you could make.
Laura brings a diverse background in event planning, fundraising, marketing, and public relations to the Animal Rescue Alliance. For more than 15 years, Laura has owned and operated her own international talent booking and management firm.
Throughout her career, Laura’s love for non-profit work led her to serve on several boards of directors for both animal welfare organizations as well as health and human services agencies. In less than three years, Laura raised over $1,000,000 for animal welfare agencies in NH alone.
Laura started and manages The Bob Gilman Fun Run Ski and Snowboard Race, in memory of her parents who both succumbed to cancer. The popular, annual event raises money to assist New Hampshire residents battling cancer with anything from taxi rides to treatments, prescriptions, and more. https://www.bobgilmanfunrun.com/
Laura is most passionate about connecting the community with the causes that support the “underdogs” in the state of New Hampshire. The Animal Rescue Alliance is fortunate to have her leading the way as we work towards supporting all animal rescues in New Hampshire in new and innovative ways.
Ross Norwood lived all over the US and even in Brazil before landing in Texas in middle school. She packed up her life and her three rescue dogs and moved to New Hampshire in 1999 when she married her husband. For many years, Ross worked in international marketing for a large non-profit organization, then continued her career in marketing working in Boston and New Hampshire. From large event planning, to training seminars, to marketing material creation and strategies, Ross enjoyed many years in the creative world of marketing and communications.
In 2002, Ross left the corporate world planning to work with dogs in some capacity. That path took a little detour with the birth of her first daughter in 2003, and a second daughter followed a few years later. In 2008, Ross and her family adopted a dog from a rescue in Maine, an experience that eventually led to the creation of Canine Commitment of New England (CCNE). CCNE grew to be one of the largest rescues in New Hampshire, saving thousands of dogs – and even some kittens – over the years.
After a decade of running CCNE and the rescue out of her home, Ross made the difficult decision to close the rescue side of CCNE. Her heart remains with the rescuers working so hard each and every day to connect animals in need with loving, permanent home. A desire to continue to help led to conversations with Laura and the redirection of CCNE as an alliance to support all rescues in New Hampshire. She is excited to be able to help other rescues, but also excited to spend more time with her growing girls and wonderfully supportive husband. Offering very limited boarding to exceptional dogs and their people rounds out her days and fills her heart.
Dale Green, Canine Emancipator, has more than 20 years of experience working in animal rescue. Currently, Dale works with the rescue she founded and runs, For the Love of Dog Rottweiler and Pitbull Rescue. In addition to her work with the rescue, Dale started and operates her own private transport, helping to bring thousands of animals from southern, overpopulated states to northern rescues. She also assists two towns in the state of New Hampshire as an Animal Control Officer, responding to calls ranging from wayward bulls to barking dogs. In her spare time, Dale often is found walking with one of her own, personal dogs, attending a Grateful Dead tribute, or enjoying a beach. Dale’s years of experience and wealth of knowledge, as well as her positive, upbeat attitude, bring a welcome resource to the Alliance.
Brianna Chickering is an animal lover extraordinaire. She joined Canine Commitment as a volunteer many years ago, working in the kennel at first, then becoming a foster and all-around superstar volunteer. Brianna earned her undergraduate degree in Human Services, and is beginning work towards a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration. Currently she works as an academic advisor at a local university. She shares her life with her husband and their two rescue dogs, Bruin and Penny. Brianna brings an energy and a joy to her volunteer work, and looks forward to helping the alliance as it grows and helps rescues throughout New Hampshire. She almost has forgiven Ross for closing the kennel, but she can be counted on to remember all – seriously all – of the dogs that she met while volunteering.
Robyn Perry is a native New Hampshirite currently living in Goffstown with her husband, three children, two recue dogs and two rescue cats. Robyn has volunteered with Canine Commitment since its earliest days, first as a foster, then as a go-to-for-everything volunteer at the kennel building, and, for the past several years, as a member of the Board of Directors. Robyn’s “day” job includes her own real estate paralegal services company, but she also makes time for volunteering at a variety of other organizations. Robyn became indispensable at CCNE, assisting in just about every angle of running the rescue. When two pregnant mama dogs went into labor on the same morning, Robyn was the first call and she was at Ross’ side in 20 minutes. Robyn spends her free time as any good child of Conway, NH would – skiing and snowboarding. She also is an avid scrapbooker, organizing weekend scrapbook getaways for friends throughout the year.