Board of Directors

The Positive Links Board is made up of volunteers from the fields of domestic violence and animal advocacy who are dedicated to reducing violence in our society.

Tammy Fiebelkorn – President

Tammy Fiebelkorn has been representing District 7 on the Albuquerque City Council since 2022. During her tenure, she has championed initiatives focused on environmental protection, sustainability, equity, affordable housing, and animal welfare. Professionally, Tammy works with Western Resource Advocates, where she develops policies to safeguard New Mexico’s land and water while promoting clean energy solutions. She is dedicated to alleviating energy and transportation burdens for low-income New Mexicans, advocating for climate change policies, and enhancing climate resilience. With expertise in decarbonization, she has taught courses on energy conservation codes and policies, served on the New Mexico Code Change Committee, and lobbied for decarbonization at the state legislature. Tammy has also created educational materials on climate resilience and environmental policy. In recognition of her efforts, she received the 2020 Climate Conservation Award from the Climate Change Leadership Institute. She holds degrees in economics and finance from Northeast Louisiana University and a master’s degree in natural resource economics from Colorado State University.

As the founder and president of Positive Links, a nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about the connection between animal abuse and human violence, Tammy trains domestic violence workers, social workers, animal control officers, and other professionals on this critical issue. She organizes the annual New Mexico Conference on the topic and has provided statewide training to law enforcement and animal control officers. Tammy is also committed to legislative efforts that enhance environmental and animal rights protections. She played a key role in passing ordinances in Boulder and Estes Park, Colorado, that prohibit the exhibition of wild and exotic animals, and in establishing New Mexico’s Link Awareness Day.

Tammy resides with her partner, Paul, and their furry and feathered family members: Frida, a 19-year-old mutt; Frijolito, a 15-year-old mutt; Cinderella, a 13-year-old mutt; and Mr. T, a 72-year-old parrot.

Lisa Sieben

Lisa is our newest board member although she has been volunteering at Mutt Strutt, Positive Links Conference and tabling for years.

Lisa is a long time animal lover and advocate for animal rights. Lisa believes they are all someone, not something. She lives in Albuquerque with her husband Chris and their doggies.

Lisa is originally from the Boston, MA area and has a BS in Accounting and is a CPA. She is also the organizer of the local Albuquerque vegan group, ABQ-Vegan & volunteers for other vegan organizations & local non-profits in NM. You can catch her volunteering at Santuario de Karuna, a local farmed animal sanctuary a lot of her free time.

Lisa looks forward to continuing her work with Positive Links & helping educate the public of the link between domestic violence & animal abuse.

Tamara Ward – Vice President, Treasurer

Tamara  developed Project Second Chance, an internationally recognized animal-assisted intervention program, during her career with the state of New Mexico, where she worked with incarcerated juveniles. She retired from the state in 2012 after a distinguished career. Tamara is a certified trainer for therapists in the AniCare and AniCare Child intervention programs, specializing in working with individuals who abuse animals. Her expertise has made her a sought-after trainer for professionals addressing animal abuse. Over the years, Tamara has been featured on CNN News, The Paula Zahn Show, Dog Fancy Magazine, People Magazine, and several programs in the Albuquerque area. She is also a respected speaker, having presented at universities and organizations on topics such as animal abuse, The Link between animal abuse and human violence, and working with offenders involved in animal-related crimes. Her written contributions include publications in Animals and Society and a feature in Afternoons with Puppy by Dr. Aburey Fine.

Since retiring, Tamara spends her time working in the family business and actively contributing to Positive Links, a nonprofit addressing the connection between animal abuse and human violence. She and her husband, Bill, share their home with a cat and a dog, continuing their lifelong commitment to animal welfare.