Board of Trustees

Pamela Cloud Brighton
Co-Founder, President and Chairman of the Board

Pam could best be described as an assistant to Mother Nature, dedicating her life to nurturing and caring for the innocents of the world. To achieve that end, she began by attending Rosemont College in Pennsylvania in 1986 and received a Holistic Health Practitioner certificate a year later. Desiring to deepen her knowledge of natural science, she then attended Camden County College and received an Associates Degree in Animal Science in May 1990. While in college she had the opportunity to study under Dr. Harriet Doolittle, who tutored Pam extensively in the field of animal husbandry. She earned many academic awards, including a permanent position on the President's List at Camden County College, and was elected to the National Honor Society. During her academic years, Pam worked at the Little Feet Wildlife Refuge and Rehab Center, caring for land mammals and assisting in wildlife rescues, and fulfilled a 300-hour internship requirement at a local veterinary hospital. After college, she actively applied her education, most notably between 1991 through 1994 as the Manager of the Live Animal Unit at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, caring for over 100 birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians used for education. During this time she also held the position as a full-time teacher and naturalist at the Academy. She resigned in March of 1994 to assist her husband in a new business venture, Mobile Pet Wash, Inc., which is a professional animal “grooming on wheels” operation, currently in its thirteenth successful year of business. In June 1995 she took the position of Assistant Manager at Mullica Hill Farms Inc, in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, and was responsible for the 27-stall facility and its inhabitants of horses, dogs, cats, farm animals and wildlife. She trained new staff members and ran the facility in the manager's absence. During this time Pam also completed a 300-hour course to obtain a Homeopathic Practitioner certificate from 5 Elements School of Classical Homeopathy in Parsippany, New Jersey, and attended a two-week course at the International School of Homeopathy in Alonissos, Greece, studying under Homeopathic Master and International author George Vithoulkas. Pam left Mullica Hill Farms in June of 2001 to co-found The Oasis Animal Sanctuary with Phyllis Van De Weghe.

Pam resides in Cecil, Gloucester County, New Jersey, with her husband and their pets.

Phyllis Van De Weghe
Co-Founder, Vice President & Treasurer, Trustee

As a divorced mother of two, Phyllis began attending Montclair State College in January 1985 as a full time Accounting student while working full time to support her children. She graduated cum laude in January 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Moving to South Jersey in the Fall of 1989 with her daughters and a new husband, she worked in small accounting firms until accepting a position in February, 1992 in the Tax Compliance Group at Price Waterhouse in Philadelphia. Phyllis learned much about tax law, and survived four tax seasons with the Firm. In May 1996 Phyllis joined Comcast Corporation as a Senior Accountant in the Corporate Division's payroll area. Working in this capacity for three years, she accomplished the entire year end payroll processing and reporting requirements for over 300 domestic and foreign employees including the top executives, accounting for an annual payroll of over $75 million in wages and various forms of compensation. She was also responsible for administering Comcast's Incentive Stock Option Plan, split-dollar life insurance policies, and participated in creating the annual Proxy for the domestic and UK Companies. In February, 1999 Phyllis left Comcast to return to the individual taxation field at First Union National Bank, now known as Wachovia Bank. She joined the Capital Management Group as a Tax Officer, was promoted to Assistant Vice President in the National Services Group in August 2000, and promoted to Team Leader in the tax department of the Wealth Management Group in November 2002.

Phyllis resides in Gloucester Township, Camden County, New Jersey with her husband and five cats. Her horse is stabled at a boarding facility a few miles from her home.

Mary Johnson, Trustee

An efficient, “take charge” woman, Mary Johnson is a person who always strives to improve her working skills. In addition to taking college and banking courses, Mary successfully ran a one-person office for the Building Trades President for 13 years. She left this position to become the Administrative Assistant to the owner of a commercial painting company. In this capacity for 8 years, Mary handled all administrative aspects of the business, including bid package preparation, payroll, customer service, and various accounting duties. Now working in child day-care center, Mary continues to sharpen her administrative, customer service and “people” skills.

When Mary attended her first Oasis volunteer meeting in 2002, she realized the organization would provide a worthy outlet for her boundless passion for animals. Time after time she demonstrated her unique marketing talent by obtaining items needed by the organization, free of charge. Because of Mary’s customer service background and her easy-going nature, others tend to believe in her, and feel comfortable doing business with her. She possesses a willingness to work hard, a positive and happy outlook, and a fervent determination to help animals, all which provide the energy needed to help make Oasis fundraisers successful events.

Mary is well known in the local volunteer realm. Prior to her membership on the Board of Oasis, Mary had a 13 year affiliation with PetPALS, an organization that helps people care for their pets, and was a volunteer for CHASE (Challenged Horseman And Special Equestrian), a now-defunct therapeutic horseback riding program for disabled children in the Franklinville / Williamstown (New Jersey) area, as a fundraiser coordinator.

Because of her dependable assistance, marketing experience, enthusiasm, and knowledge of non-profit organizations, Mary has proven herself to be a valuable asset to Oasis. The Member Trustees elected Mary to the Board on September 26, 2003.

Mary resides in Franklinville, New Jersey with her husband and their three cats.

Allison Münch, Trustee

Leadership, loyalty and perseverance are all qualities that could describe Allison. As a very altruistic individual, she has always committed herself to community service. Coaching various sports for Monroe Township, New Jersey, she is a past president and current member of the Williamstown Rotary and served in various positions on the Williamstown Women’s Club. Allison is the Founder of the Williamstown High School Project Graduation, and served on the Monroe Township Board of Education for nine years, six of those as president. She has spoken at several leadership seminars, Lynchburg College and The National School Boards Association being two of her highlights.

A 1976 graduate of Glassboro State College with a degree in Health and Physical Education, Allison was already a seasoned sports official. She is a former Field Hockey and Basketball official and currently officiates Tennis and Softball for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Softball is one of her passions. She is the State Softball Interpreter for NJSIAA and has been since 1988. A former NCAA and ASA umpire, Allison has served as the Umpire in Chief for many National tournaments. She has also served on the rules committee for the National Federation of High School Sports and, in addition to training officials for high school ball, she also trained a Special Olympian to become a certified official. While receiving many awards and honors, her induction in the South Jersey Softball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992 is the one she most cherishes. Allison also serves as Umpire in Chief and New Jersey representative for the Phillies Carpenter Cup for Softball.

Allison’s Diversions is a business that she has created and owned since 1998. She allows her two golden tabby cats, (Butter) Scotch and (Cream) Soda, to be her “production managers”. Allison and her husband Keith are long time residents of Williamstown, New Jersey.

Allison commenced her position of Board member for The Oasis Animal Sanctuary, Inc. on November 14, 2007.

Kathryn (Kathi) Saxton-Granato, Trustee

Kathi is an experienced and effective organizer and coordinator able to bring people together around common concerns or goals and then create and coordinate activities that truly engage people and raise public awareness. Her strengths are based upon strong research skills, diverse experiences in education and a passion for promoting empowerment and advocacy.

After earning a B.A. in Historical Studies and NJ Secondary Social Studies teaching certificate from Richard Stockton College, she worked as a middle school classroom teacher and developed education programs for students and teachers as Education Coordinator for Programs at Wheaton Village. In that setting, and as Program Development Specialist within two Girl Scout Councils, along with volunteer activities with a local home rehabilitation group and in Gloucester County’s 4-H Youth Development Program, Kathi coordinated volunteers and developed experiential learning programs and opportunities for youth and adults in the community.

In 2005, she earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Oklahoma. Her studies in Organizational Development/Not-For-Profit Community Programs played an important role in the contributions she made to two advisory groups and service as a Director on two not-for-profit Boards. Following several semesters as a community college adjunct instructor, she accepted a position as the staff facilitator for the Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council, an advisory group in Atlantic County.

With her husband of more than 20 years and their two children, her time is divided between caring for an array of pets, watching their daughter play field hockey for Rowan University and supporting their senior son’s travel, musical, wrestling and zoological activities. Her new role as a Trustee for The Oasis Animal Sanctuary marks a transition from 15 years as a 4-H club leader working with youth, to expanded activities in support of animal welfare in the community.

Kathi assumed the role of Trustee for the Board of The Oasis Animal Sanctuary, Inc. effective January 1, 2010.