By Sarah McKean, Animal Friends’ Board Chair

Marleen Ashton has served Animal Friends and the Board of Directors since 1992. Under her leadership as Chair of the Board of Directors, Animal Friends launched a Capital Campaign in 2003 to build the state-of-the-art Caryl Gates Gluck Resource Center at Animal Friends, which opened in March of 2006. During Marleen’s tenure as Board Chair, Animal Friends conducted additional campaigns to fund the Mobile Resource Center to deliver low-cost veterinary services to underserved communities, an Endowment Fund to ensure financial security for the organization in perpetuity and the construction and opening of the Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center in 2017, a low-cost, full-service veterinary clinic. Marleen received the highest honor for her volunteer service at Animal Friends when she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. In addition, Marleen served as the Honorary Chair of Black Tie & Tails in 2016. Following her term as Board Chair, Marleen served as Past Chair from 2017-2021. Marleen was elected as Director Emeritus in January 2022.

Marleen is also a retired Judicial Hearing Officer for the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Family Division. Along with her late husband, Jim Ashton, Marleen provided Animal Friends with pro bono legal services and won many civil cases for the financial benefit of Animal Friends. Marleen shares her home in Washington County with her German Shepherd, Lexie.