The Team
Who We Are
Kate Dyck
Director, President, Cofounder
Kate grew up in Houston surrounded by a variety of pets, though her parents never allowed her to have a dog. As soon as she arrived at college, she adopted a pup named Jackson—her "heart dog" and constant companion. In 2019, Kate and her husband, Bryan, made the move to Pearsall, where she started taking her dogs to Pearsall Veterinary Clinic. It was there that she quickly became close friends with cofounder Kristi. Kate soon began fostering for a local rescue, where she met Isa, the other cofounder. When that rescue disbanded, the three women decided to continue their mission by founding Jackson's Brush Puppy Rescue, a tribute to Kate's beloved Jackson.
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In addition to her passion for rescuing dogs, Kate and Bryan have a strong love for agriculture, which is what brought them to Pearsall. They farm peanuts, cotton, and raise cattle. At home, Kate stays busy caring for her eight personal dogs, five indoor cats, a herd of dairy goats, and laying hens. When she’s not focused on rescue work or farm duties, she enjoys spending time with friends, bird hunting with her rescued bird dog, Sissy, and fishing.
Kristi Contreras
Vice President, Director, Cofounder
Kristi was born and raised in Hondo, where she still resides with her husband and four children. She has been obsessed with animals (dogs specifically) as long as she can remember. Always wanting to "mother" the family pets and spend time with them outside. She has worked in the veterinary field for almost 20 years as a veterinary technician, and happily sees no end in sight. Kristi enjoys spending time with her family and four dogs, Gloria, Molly, Daisy, and Bear (all former brush puppies). She also enjoys watching Texas Aggie football, high school soccer, and watching the marching band perform.
Isa Hunter
Director, Treasurer, Cofounder
Isa grew up around and LOVING dogs and has deep family roots to the Frio and LaSalle counties, even though she grew up in the Chicago suburbs!! She and her husband have 3 beautiful pups (RIP Einstein & Tank 05/2024) that love going for long hikes and swimming. Isa got involved with rescue when she and her husband started fostering and eventually adopted a dog through a Chicago rescue in 2017. When they moved to Austin, Isa knew there was a need for help and didn't want to stop rescue work. She began supporting organizations like APA! and South Texas Brush Puppies since 2019. Isa is now one of the founding members of Jackson's Brush Puppy Rescue to continue saving as many dogs as possible.
Shanna Gates
Director, Foster
Shanna Gates is a lifelong resident of Frio County and a graduate of Pearsall High School, Class of 1981. She attended Bee County College on a volleyball scholarship, reflecting her long-standing commitment to teamwork, leadership, and community involvement.
Shanna has dedicated her life to service in many forms. She worked for Frio Hospital as a physical and respiratory assistant for two years and later spent ten years at the local nursing home as a certified social activity director and assistant administrator. She has also been deeply involved in youth and agricultural programs, serving for more than 30 years as a 4-H volunteer and horse club leader.
In addition to her public service, Shanna is a successful business owner. She owned and operated an oil change and detail service station for 20 years and has owned and operated a commercial cleaning business for more than two decades. She is also the owner of Gates Cattle Co., where she continues her work in agriculture.
Shanna has served Frio County as Justice of the Peace for an impressive 31 years, demonstrating her strong commitment to her community and its residents. Her lifelong dedication to service, leadership, and hard work makes her a valued member of the board.
Hilary Cortez
Director
Hilary Cortez is a South Texas native who was born and raised in the area. She grew up in Austin before returning home to her hometown of Cotulla, where she continues to live and work today. Hilary has had a lifelong love for animals and has been rescuing animals of all shapes and sizes since childhood.
She studied veterinary science for a time while living in Austin and has been involved in local dog rescue since 2017. While family and professional responsibilities have required her to step back from hands-on fostering in recent years, Hilary remains actively involved in rescue efforts and is committed to supporting the mission in meaningful ways.
Hilary has known and worked alongside the other directors for many years, sharing a common passion for animal welfare and advocacy. Professionally, she serves as a Vice President at a local bank and truly loves her career. In addition, Hilary is a graphic designer—a long-time hobby that has grown into a side business—and she used her design skills to help create the Jackson’s Brush Puppy Rescue logo.
Hilary is married and has three children who keep her busy with their activities and schedules. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors with her family. At home, her animal family includes four dogs, two guinea pigs, and a betta fish. While she loves all animals, dogs hold a special place in her heart—especially senior and working breeds. She has a particular soft spot for big, “scary” dogs, believing they love the hardest and make the very best family companions.
Liz Lutz
Social Media Lead, Foster
Elizabeth grew up in D’Hanis, Texas where she developed a deep love for animals at an early age. Always loving on the family pets, and finding & bringing home stray cats & dogs against her dad’s wishes. That love followed her into adulthood, where she and her husband now share their home with five dogs and four cats, all of whom are very much their children. Their pets even have a room of their own, a true reflection of how important they are to their lives.
Elizabeth and her husband began fostering for Jackson’s Brush Puppy Rescue in early 2025, inspired by the memory of one of their adopted senior pups. Wanting to honor that life, they opened their home to dogs in need and quickly found purpose in helping them heal, grow, and get ready to find their forever families. Elizabeth & Zack love providing a safe environment for dogs who need patience, consistency, and compassion.
When she’s not working, Elizabeth can usually be found at home caring for her furry family and embracing the beautiful chaos that comes with rescue life. She loves capturing photos and videos of her pets—so much so that she has over 30,000 saved on her phone. She also runs an Instagram account dedicated entirely to her pets and fostering journey, @lutzoflovepets, and helps create video content for the rescue.
