Staff Shoutout: Elia

Elia - a woman with short cropped brown hair and big gold earrings smiles at the camera, with a tree in the background.PAWS NY welcomes Elia as our new part-time Intake Coordinator, working on the Program Team to help connect PAWS with more New Yorkers who need our services.

Growing up in the Bronx, Elia always had pets and her career has focused on serving her community in many ways. Read her Q&A below to learn more about her creative hobbies, favorite activities in NYC, and more!


What has your career been like leading up to PAWS NY? In addition to this part-time role, what else do you do?

My career leading up to PAWS NY has been an array of roles that have all centered around serving community, and hopefully making their lives better in some way! I am currently working part-time in the Spring cohort of analysts at Centri Tech, a foundation that works to address digital inclusion.

Elia - A woman in glasses and a zebra-striped shirt holds up a white cat with a black nose.

What about this position and organization attracted you? Why are you excited to be on the team?

As someone who has a deep love for animals, I was touched to learn about PAWS NY’s mission. Pets are our families and lifelines, and I’m excited to be contributing to work that keeps them in their home! 

Tell us about your pets, past & present.

I was lucky to grow up with a very bratty corgi, two kitties, tons of fish, and a hamster. Sadly, I recently lost my 22-year-old kitty named Chiruza, but I am grateful for the time we spent enriching each other’s lives! She was the cuddliest and the best.

Did you grow up in NYC? If not, when did you move here? Where do you live now?

I grew up in Riverdale, in the Bronx! Since then, I’ve lived in Brooklyn, Chinatown, Harlem, and now Inwood. 

Elia, a woman with chin-length curly brown hair, sits on a chair with a large white dog on her lap.

What is your favorite thing (or things) about living in NYC?

Honestly, I love everything about living in NYC! I love that we have so much culture and excitement at our fingertips. I especially love those days where you have no set plans and end up on a day-long adventure to a faraway borough or discovering something new in your very own neighborhood.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time, I love to do all things creative! I love to dance, sing, write, draw—really anything that gets those creative wheels turning!