Leadership
striving for excellence
Board of Directors

Colleen
Rolland
President
Colleen Rolland is President of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB), commencing her term in August 2019. She is a Pet Loss Grief Specialist, certified through the American Association of Health Care Professionals and trained as a Pet Loss Counselor with the renowned Dr. Wallace Sife, a private practice Psychologist and founder of APLB, in 2014. Colleen became his Deputy Trainer and was asked to join their Board of Directors in January 2015.

Michelle
Crossley
Vice President
Dr. Michelle Crossley joined APLB while preparing for her doctoral dissertation that explored pet loss and human bereavement. She quickly volunteered to be the Newsletter Editor and began working with Dr. Sife in this capacity. After some time, Michelle joined the Board of Directors and was then certified as a Pet Loss Grief [Counselor] Specialist under the training of Dr. Sife.

Marsha
Zimmer
Treasurer
Marsha became a member of the APLB in 2014 when she was searching for support
after the loss of her heart dog Lucy.
Shortly after joining, she took the APLB Pet Loss Grief Specialist class facilitated by Dr.
Wallace Sife. The intent was to volunteer as a Chat Host which she gladly did for two
years.

Alana
Birchall
Secretary
Alana Birchall brings a wealth of experience to the APLB, drawing from her extensive background in corporate communications and over a decade of volunteering as one of our pet loss chatroom hosts. After completing our Pet Loss Grief Specialist course in 2013, she had the privilege of working closely with our founder, Dr. Wallace Sife, in the Friday night chatroom for seven years, receiving invaluable mentorship along the way.

Rebecca
Sell
Chat Chair
Rebecca Sell discovered the APLB in 2022, while looking for a way to help others dealing with pet loss. She completed the Pet Loss Grief Specialist certification that Fall, and by the end of that year she was a volunteer host in the APLB Chatroom. She continues to be a Chatroom host and has also gone on to be the APLB Chairperson for the Chatroom and Video Support Group hosts, and in 2025 she was honored to be asked to join the APLB Board of Directors.
Executive Officers
President
Colleen Rolland
Vice President
Dr. Michelle Crossley
Treasurer
Marsha Zimmer
Secretary
Alana Birchall
President Emeritus
Ellie Waldron (through December 31st, 2021)
Chat Room & Video Support Group Pet Loss Grief Specialists (PLGS)
Christy Burbidge
Patti Cole
Jane Collier
Erin Dicesare
Renee Freeman
Susan Groenke
Adrianna Harrison
Pam Michel
Marshall Neely
Sofia Nourozi
Nina Papazian
Meg Richie
Saskia Scott
Marjene Schrader
Rebecca Sell
Angela Shook
Courtney Wennerstrom
Social Media Coordinators
Sofia Nourozi
Renee Freeman
Jessica Abernathy
The Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement (APLB) is a non-profit association of volunteers who are experienced and knowledgeable in the subject of pet loss and grief. Our chat room is free to all.
Our Board of Directors meets bi-monthly to pursue our goals and objectives as an association. If you become a member and are interested in becoming a volunteer on one of our many committees, or the Board of Directors, please contact us.
Our beloved animal companions have brought us together, and in honor of them, we are here to provide our assistance to anyone who requests it.
The APLB is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization.