Our Staff At Heaven Can Wait

Born and raised in upstate NY, Francesca attended Harvard University in Cambridge, MA before moving to Las Vegas in 2017. She was originally pursuing a career in academia before she focused on maximizing community impact with roles at local nonprofit organizations. She believes that the best way to make a positive difference is through transparency, collaboration, and effective community engagement. Francesca has always been passionate about animal welfare and was thrilled to join the HCW team as Executive Director in 2020. She and her husband have three cats at home - one adopted from HCW back in 2017 - and the best dog in the world, Mona.

Dr. Henderson graduated from UNLV in 1972 before attending Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine. He has been a practicing veterinarian since he graduated in 1981. First practicing in Reno, he came to Las Vegas where he opened his own practice, Sunrise Veterinary Hospital, in 1983. He has been the owner and operator for almost 40 years. Dr. Henderson was one of the first advocates of Trap-Neuter-Return programming in Las Vegas as a solution to the pet overpopulation and euthanasia crisis in our community. He has been the Medical Director at Heaven Can Wait since 2002, and in his tenure, has performed over 100,000 spay & neuter surgeries on both pets and community cats.

Dr. Younanian is a 2016 graduate of Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, after completing her Bachelor's degrees in Biology and French at the University of Alabama in 2012. Relocating to Las Vegas shortly after receiving her degree, she spent her first seven years in small animal private practice before joining Heaven Can Wait full-time in 2023. She enjoys interacting with her clients and patients, and seeing the positive impact the organization has on expanding access to affordable veterinary care. When not at work, Dr. Younanian can generally be found outdoors, enjoying one of the area's many local hiking trails; or relaxing at home with her big, fluffy rescue cat, Philippe.

Dr. Meyer grew up in Columbia, MO, home of the University of Missouri. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Truman State University in 2014 before returning to Columbia to attend the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She graduated from veterinary school in 2018 and moved to Las Vegas. She worked as a small animal general practice veterinarian until 2021, when she decided to change course and join Heaven Can Wait, initially as a relief veterinarian, and then as Heaven Can Wait’s first full-time veterinarian. Her medical interests include surgery, preventive care, and accessible community medicine. She spends her free time hiking, traveling, horseback riding, and enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee. She and her husband have a cat, Charles, and two dogs, Ryka and Juniper.

Annika was born in Henderson and raised in Las Vegas, but is of German heritage. She actually started out her career to be a human nurse, but diverted into animal medicine after a year. She graduated and got her first job as a Veterinary Technician. She joined Heaven Can Wait in 2009, and became the Lead Vet Tech in 2010. She was inspired to become a Veterinary nurse because she loves all Animals.

Prior to joining HCW in 2021, Melina amassed nearly two decades of experience in high-level administrative positions, honing her skills in the marketing and Department of Defense sectors. Her early passion for animals led her to devote her spare time to volunteering for rescues, as well as operating a house/pet-sitting business for many years. In 2020, Melina embarked on a new adventure with her fiancé and wheeling wonder dog Cameron, relocating to the vibrant neon city. Combining her passion for animal welfare with her extensive administrative background, she eagerly joined the HCW team. Melina and her husband currently share their home with Cameron, as well as a new addition to the family, a hairless cat named Vador. In her leisure time, Melina enjoys traveling, cosmetology, antiquing, and listening to the music of Billy Joel.

Kelly began her career at Heaven Can Wait in 2021. She has taken care of animals from exotics to dog and cat companions since she was a girl. As a Las Vegas native, she was a veterinary assistant for 8 years at local clinics, owning family pups and finding furever homes for some others in need. Her experience in animal wellness and admiration for the incredible bond between human and companion inspired her to pursue a career connecting people who truly care, to the animals and causes that need them. In her leisure time, she loves Onewheeling, games with loved ones, dancing at shows, and beach adventures.

Nathaly is originally from Peru, and lived in Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas, where she's spent most of her life. She loves animals, and is affectionately called "the cat whisperer" by the rest of the staff. Nathaly started volunteering for a trap-neuter-return program when she noticed a feral cat colony in her backyard, which is how she got started with Heaven Can Wait. In addition to her kitties, she has a sweet dog named Goldy.

Kelli was born and raised in Las Vegas and graduated from CSN's Veterinary Nursing Program in 2013. She immediately joined the team here at Heaven Can Wait because of her strong interest in Trap-Neuter-Return and serving community cats. She has three cats of her own: Muffin, Yoda, and Kitten.

Taylor is a graduate from the College of Southern Nevada’s Veterinary Nursing program. She chose this career path so that she can give back to animals, providing the best for them in all opportunities.

Elizabeth is a Las Vegas native who joined Heaven Can Wait in 2010. She's a cat and dog lover, and has one cat called Eric who she found as a park as a kitten. Fun fact: she's an identical twin! In her free time she enjoys karaoke and a game of pool.

Jane emigrated from England in 1998 after meeting her American husband who was based in the UK with the US Air Force. She loves cats and dogs, and has pets of her own at home. Jane started volunteering at HCW's Sunday Clinics several years ago. When a job opportunity came up, she jumped at the chance to join the team.