Leah is a true hero in the world of sugar glider rescue. A powerhouse of love, care, and unwavering dedication. After escaping an abusive 8-year relationship, she found a new purpose in rescuing and caring for gliders, and she hasn’t looked back. For Leah, this is more than a passion—it’s her life’s work.
Her journey began in 2018 as a glider owner, and by 2020 she was taking in rescues. In 2021, Sugar Haven Rescue was born. Today, Leah has created an incredible sanctuary for over 60 gliders across 20+ cages. In 2024, her mission became a 501c3 nonprofit, supported by a passionate team dedicated to providing the best care possible.
Every glider, no matter how long they stay, holds a piece of Leah’s heart. She grieves their losses and celebrates their victories as though they were family. When a glider is found in an abusive situation, she acts without hesitation—contacting authorities, going public, and fighting for their safety and rights.
Leah also runs a hands-on mentoring program within the rescue, helping future glider owners prepare for adoption and offering ongoing support afterward. She ensures that both gliders and their new families are set up for success well beyond adoption day.
Her work extends far beyond traditional rescue. She travels across the northeastern U.S., hosts education events in Massachusetts, and provides nail trimming services to keep gliders healthy and happy. From urgent rescues to empowering new owners, Leah has built a network of care that reaches far beyond her sanctuary.
She is the heartbeat and voice of the glider world—an unwavering advocate who makes a difference every single day.
Leah's #1 and right-hand woman, Christina is the mom of the pack, ensuring that Leah stays on track and that everything gets done. She's quickly becoming the rescue's #2 location, despite her husband's protests, and is responsible for fostering all our chunky and hospice gliders.
A newcomer to the glider world, Briana has quickly become an essential team member. In just six months, she’s handled a tail amputation, a rejected joey, and several other tough cases. She fosters multiple cages alongside her own, is on track to become the rescue’s #3 location, and manages auctions, contracts, and clerical work.
Our veterinary liaison, Melissa is in charge of compiling and mapping out vet offices that handle glider cases across the U.S. She’s also becoming our go-to for tech support, having built our website, set up our Discord server, and assists tech guru John in creating a custom application for daily rescue operations.
A creative powerhouse, Kylee runs our social media, online stores, and photo contests. If you’ve ever seen one of our designs and thought, "OMG I love that!", you’ve got Kylee’s creative brain to thank.
The spunky kid of the group, Jalyn has a fiery passion for animal rights. She is the primary point of contact for foster parents and ensures that monthly check-ins are made to confirm that all gliders in foster care receive top-notch care.
A foster and tech guru, John is building a custom app from the ground up to streamline the rescue’s day-to-day operations. His coding skills, kind heart, and passion for animals make him an irreplaceable part of the team.
A recent addition to the team, he’s already become our go-to problem-solver. Whether it’s fixing broken hyperlinks or saving us from a Google Form disaster, non-techies can rejoice – Mike's got your back!
With a heart of gold and a smile that never quits, she’s always ready to help out. As our coordinator for community outreach and events, Renee is the one who keeps everything running smoothly. Keep a look out for the big things she's got planned for us in the coming year!
These four are our safety experts, ensuring every stitch, toy, and piece of equipment meets the highest standards. They don’t just check for safety—they also share their knowledge, mentoring and guiding anyone eager to learn how to keep gliders safe and happy.
The dream team—supporting, guiding, and encouraging our foster and adoption applicants every step of the way. From the first inquiry to the happy day a glider goes home, they’re there to answer questions, offer advice, and ensure every match is a success. We truly could not do this without you.
You hit the ground running and built our current Excel and Google Form system, bringing organization and structure to the chaos. We love you—and so many others who helped get us here. Though you’re no longer actively volunteering, your contributions remain invaluable, and we deeply appreciate all you’ve done.
An honorable mention goes to all of our incredible foster parents, transportation railroaders, and generous vendors. We cannot thank you enough for the time, resources, devotion, dedication, and love you give to support the gliders and our rescue.
SUGAR HAVEN RESCUE, INC
Providing care and education to ensure sugar gliders are understood and well-cared for
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