Ashley Morrison
Founder
Ashley Morrison was a kitten rescuer and mental health advocate whose mission was to spread happiness and knowledge while saving lives. Ashley held a B.A. from the University of Washington in Media and Communications. She was known for her work as Youngestoldcatlady and is the founder of Ashley’s Kitten Academy.
Ashley fostered and volunteered for multiple shelters for about 5 years before making the transition to running her own rescue. When not fostering an exuberant amount of kittens, she enjoyed traveling, trying to befriend every cat she saw, and watching too many true crime documentaries.
Ashley passed from suicide on April 9th, 2023. She is dearly missed by her friends, family, and her many followers. With their support, Ashley’s mom and the Kitten Academy board are carrying her mission forward.
Cindi Morrison
President
Cindi, also known as “Ashley’s mom” has grown to love fostering since Ashley brought home her first kittens. Ashley was still living with Cindi at the time and the two made a great pair. Since Ashley’s passing, Cindi has taken over the reins of keeping the non-profit going and making sure that no one forgets how wonderful and impactful her daughter was on this world.
Dr. Laura Robertson, DVM
Board Member and Veterinarian
Dr. Laura Robertson, a veterinarian at Twin Pines Animal Hospital grew up in Southern Idaho and migrated to the Pacific Northwest to attend the University of Puget Sound where she graduated with a BS in biology. After working for 4 years in biomedical research, she found her passion volunteering at PAWS rescue organization. She attended Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating at the top of her class in 2009. She has a special interest in feline medicine and clinical pathology. Her goal in veterinary medicine is to educate her clients to allow them to make an informed decision that is best for their pets and their family. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and Washington State Veterinary Medical Association. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling, and enjoying the amazing outdoors in the Pacific Northwest.
April Welch
Board Member and Clarity Coach
April Welch is Ashley’s thought partner for all her out-of-the-litter-box ideas, purrrrfect solutions & the occasional rant about how adorable toe beans are. April was the first official Youngest Old Cat Lady fan & recognized the potential Ashley’s passion & talents could bring to the world. With consistent nagging, eh-hem, I mean encouragement, YOCL was born on Instagram.
April’s mission in life is to laugh at ALL of Ashley’s jokes & remind her “it’s because she’s awesome” when the trolls get a little too obsessed.
When not kissing the ground Ashley walks on, April can be found living in the mountains of WA State enjoying the peacefully empty house her Fireman husband built & where they raised their 2 boys.
Pre-COVID she could be found brewery hopping in search of a good (gluten-free) stout, road tripping with her husband, hosting friend & family dinners (her husband cooks, ’cause she can burn water), binge-watching anything with a “who-done-it” theme & reminding her 13+ y/o cat that they’ve earned their sass (okay, she may still be doing those last 2 daily).
Rebecca Ortel
Board Member
Rebecca was Ashley and Cindi’s first contact with the fostering world. She handed them their first three foster kittens back in 2015 and held their hands as they learned how to save these little lives. Rebecca has worked in animal welfare for 20 years. She is very knowledgeable about all things nonprofit and a tremendous help to the team.