Board of Directors

Nick Costa

Nick Costa - Board President

Nick began volunteering with Second Chance in 2017 as a dog foster parent and became a regular at the Pints for Pooches events. From getting his first family rescue dog, Teddy, in 2nd grade, he has loved rescued animals. He and his wife, Shelby, have fostered over a dozen dogs that have moved on to their forever homes and one special case that continues to live with them. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he loves the great outdoors, especially fresh snow in the mountains! When not volunteering or exploring North Carolina, Nick works in real estate with an emphasis on investment properties.

nicholas.costa@exprealty.com

Bill Foley

Vice President

Bill joined the board in 2023, having fostered and volunteered with Second Chance alongside his family since 2017. Bill has worked in the lighting industry for over 30 years, leading several manufacturers and consulting for many others. He is passionate about saving ever more animals by making ongoing improvements in partnership with the organization. Bill contributes to Second Chance primarily through his experience in business unit management, marketing, process optimization, financial planning and strategy. The Foley household is blessed with Tobi Dog and Lindey Dog (both “Foster Fails”), Jazz Cat (a rescue) and Emma Daughter (a recent college graduate).

BillFoley@SecondChanceNC.org

David Holmes

Treasurer - Board of Directors

David joined Second Chance‘s Finance Committee in 2022 and the Board of Directors in 2023. He was first introduced to Second Chance in the early 2000’s when his family adopted their first dog through Second Chance. David has a big heart for animals and is excited to help further the organization’s mission. As a triangle native, David and his wife live in Raleigh with their dog, Ruby. They enjoy getting outdoors to hike whenever possible. David is a CPA with a public accounting background and works at a water technology company.

davidholmes@secondchancenc.org

Connor Fraley

Secretary - Board of Directors

Connor joined the Board of Directors in 2021. He and his wife, Casey, first got involved with Second Chance as adopters of two dogs in 2018. Shortly thereafter and to the present, they became and continue to be highly involved in the Dog Program, serving as foster parents for dogs adopted locally as well as dogs adopted up north through the Hearts to Home transport program. Connor and Casey have "foster failed" another two dogs along the way as well.

Outside of Second Chance, Connor works at a local law firm while continuing his education in the legal field. He is also highly involved in the soccer community as a referee, referee coach, and instructor.

Since graduating from NC State and moving to Hillsborough, Connor looks to continue his involvement with Second Chance by using his experience, education, and leadership to help steer the organization toward its goal of ending animal homelessness.

connor@secondchancenc.org

Shelby Hunt

Board of Directors

Shelby joined the Board of Directors in 2019, but first became involved with Second Chance as a volunteer and dog foster shortly after moving to the Triangle with her husband Nick (also on the Board) in 2015. Originally from Southern California, Shelby has always loved animals and is thrilled to continue being a part of the organization’s mission to give all cats and dogs their “second chance,” mainly focusing on HR and event support. Shelby and Nick currently live in Holly Springs with their rescue dog and cat, Kai and Mila, as well as their human "pup" Ford, whom they welcomed in 2023.

shelby@secondchancenc.org

Liese Zweigart

Board of Directors

Liese joined the Board of Directors in 2021, but her involvement with Second Chance actually began in 2004, when she started volunteering with her two teenagers and her partner, Chris, until moving to Pittsboro four years later. After working at RTI International for 21 years, she took a job as the Volunteer Manager at Paws4ever in Mebane before moving back to Wake County in 2019 and rejoining Second Chance as a volunteer. She and Chris currently live in Holly Springs with their two dogs, Murray and Peaches.

liese@secondchancenc.org

Ryan Villiger

Board of Directors

Ryan started volunteering with Second Chance in the summer of 2021. He knows how important some good quality time can be for these precious animals. He has a rescue husky of his own who loves to talk and howl. Ryan has worked for State Farm for the past 7 years. He currently serves the Raleigh community as a State Farm Agent on Six Forks Road in Midtown. He is originally from Chicago but struggles with the cold months, so he moved to Raleigh in 2021 and absolutely loves it! The weather better fits his desire for hiking and motorcycles.

Ryan@myvillageagent.com

Lee Ruderman

Board of Directors

Lee joined the Board of Directors in January 2025. Born and raised in Durham with several family cats, he returned to his hometown in 1999 with his wife Darielle to raise their three children and beloved dog Roscoe. Lee and his family, all devoted animal lovers, have fostered more than 50 kittens through the Animal Protection Society of Durham. Lee has worked in Human Resources leadership positions across a range of technology and life sciences companies and is excited to bring his HR expertise and passion for animal welfare to help support Second Chance’s mission and growth.

LeeRuderman@SecondChanceNC.org

Andrew Sylvester

Board of Directors

Andrew joined the board in 2024 and has always had a love for animals. Andrew and his wife Lexie are the proud parents to Fenlow, a setter mix who was rescued from a farm. Andrew works for EnlivenHealth as the Sr. Director of Strategy and Business Operations and is passionate about leveraging these skills to help transform and grow Second Chance as a pillar in the triangle community for generations to come.

Andrew@SecondChanceNC.org

Bethany Mello

Board of Directors

Bethany joined the Second Chance family in 2022 shortly after moving to the Raleigh area with her husband Nick. She joined the board in 2025 and plans to use her program management expertise to help drive efficiencies and execute on our mission so we can save as many animals as possible. In addition to fostering over 100 dogs to date, she continues to make an impact by helping with fundraising, event coordination, identifying opportunities for marketing, and spreading the word of what this amazing rescue does everyday. Driven by a desire to make a lasting impact, Bethany is committed to supporting the mission of the rescue organization and ensuring that every animal receives the care and attention they deserve.

BethanyMello@SecondChanceNC.org

Jenny Smith

Board of Directors

Jenny joined the Board in 2025, having volunteered with Second Chance for the past 7 years, often alongside her daughter. A native North Carolinian, Jenny graduated from NCSU and lives in Cary with her husband Kyle, son Austin and daughter Breanna who is now attending college in Maryland. The Smiths have long been animal rescuers, integrating volunteering into their daily lives. Jenny further strengthens the Board through her 25+ years in finance, serving as tax manager for a large mining and manufacturing company in Raleigh.

JennySmith@SecondChanceNC.org

Jay Sharpe

Board of Directors

Jay has long been passionate about animal rescue, joining the Second Chance Board in 2025 and having formerly served on the Board of the SPCA of Wake County. He contributes a wealth of financial expertise, as an audit partner and owner of Sharpe Patel PLLC, a CPA firm with offices in Raleigh, Charlotte and Wilmington. Jay lives in Raleigh with his wife, Elizabeth and 7-year-old son, Logan. His other children, Ella Wood and Lucas currently attend UNC-Wilmington (Jay’s alma mater). The Sharpe family also consists of a black lab, a rescue dog and a guinea pig. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, golf, watching sports and attending concerts.

JaySharpe@SecondChanceNC.org