Meet Our Team
These dedicated folks continue to work diligently to further expand our circle of compassion.

Susan Hartland, Executive Director

​​Originally from Toronto, Canada, Susan's mission to protect and save animals began over thirty years ago when she worked with homeless animals in rural shelters.  It was through this experience that Susan recognized just how widespread the unnecessary suffering and exploitation of all animals was and how great the need was to end it.  Witnessing the suffering of so many animals evoked an awareness within her that all animals are individuals with feelings who deserve to live and be treated with dignity and respect.  After making this connection, Susan adopted a vegan lifestyle which was not only a compassionate decision but one that benefits the environment and wildlife as well.  
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Over a decade ago, Susan left the corporate world where she had worked as an engineer in the broadband industry to work in the non-profit world. After spending years advocating for the protection and rights of all non-human animals, working full time for the animals was the next step. Susan has been incredibly fortunate to have worked with some incredible people as Director of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Director at Wildlife Waystation and Director of Animal Rights in the Netherlands and Belgium.  

Susan believes that non-human animals deserve autonomy, to not be bred, bought, sold, exploited, and slaughtered for human wants.  All other species should live their lives without intervention from humans, and it is our responsibility to protect instead of destroy and manage our impact upon this planet that we share with so many others.
Kayla Swope, Animal Care Manager
Kayla joined the Full Circle team in 2017, and has 10+ years of animal care experience. She grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Shippensburg University in 2013 with a degree in Elementary Education. After graduating, she decided to pursue her passion in caring for animals. As a child, she fell in love with pigs, and made the connection that you don't eat something you love. This caused her to stop eating pigs, and gradually other animals. After learning more about farm animals, she became vegan in 2011. She began fostering and bottle feeding kittens at a young age, and in 2014 began working at Centre County PAWS, a dog and cat rescue. She continued fostering cats and dogs. Knowing farm animals were among the most exploited animals, she wanted more experience helping them, so she took an internship at Animal Place in 2016, where she learned how much she loved caring for farm animals. This led her to start working at Full Circle Farm Sanctuary.
Kayla currently resides in Opelika, Alabama with her fiancé Spencer, dog Bentlee, and pig Nora. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, mountain biking, reading, and listening to podcasts.
Carley Pasquale, Lead Animal Caregiver
Carley is originally from Western Pennsylvania and moved to Georgia to join the Full Circle Farm Sanctuary team! She has loved animals since she was very young. Her cat, Hyde, was her inspiration to save animals. Though Hyde wasn't the friendliest cat to most, he immediately became her best friend. Hyde showed her that all animals are worth saving no matter the personality and no matter the species!
Carley’s animal experience ranges from amphibians to sea lions; she spent a long time learning veterinary skills at a mobile vet clinic for cats and dogs, and worked with wildlife rehabilitation. She is especially interested in enrichment activities for animals.  Joining the Full Circle team made her dream of working with farmed animals come true.
Emma Fobean, Animal Caregiver
Emma is originally from Northeast Ohio.  She has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Creative Writing, Visual Art, and Language from Stonehill College.  She volunteered frequently with farm animal sanctuaries beginning in 2013, and has been vegan since 2011. She values ensuring that every resident is content and fulfilled in their forever home at Full Circle Farm Sanctuary. She enjoys reading and appreciating the vibrant sunsets at the sanctuary.
Riki Higgins, Education and Outreach Coordinator
Riki is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at Full Circle, and a former educator with a bachelor's and master's in Special Education. Riki went vegan in 2011 after betting their friend they could do it for a month - and never stopped! From there, they volunteered in animal rights work frequently, both organizing vigils and protests, and shifts at local animal sanctuaries. They founded the Knoxville, TN chapter of the Animal Save movement and helped found what would later become Scruffy City Veg Fest - Knoxville's first Veg Fest. Eventually they left teaching to pursue animal rights work full-time, and joined the care team at Full Circle. After serving on the care team for two years, Riki transitioned to assisting with social media, education, tours, and other efforts by Full Circle to share a message of animal rights with the world at large.
Currently Riki lives in Warm Springs with their roommates Hadley, a great dane, and Fred, a chinchilla. 
Erin Tompkins, Animal Caregiver & Graphic Designer
Erin has worked at Full Circle Farm Sanctuary since February 2018.  She has been vegan for 12 years, and has enjoyed a lifelong passion for animals.  She is now dedicated to helping Full Circle promote animal rights.  She is a graduate of Auburn University's Animal Science program, and has witnessed the animal ag industry from the inside.  Erin worked at Zoo Atlanta for several years, then moved on for ethical reasons.  From her education and work experience, she brings knowledge of positive reinforcement communication and enrichment techniques.  In addition to animal care, Erin works as Graphic Designer, creating sanctuary merchandise designs and images for various campaigns.  Always for the animals!
Jim Marcinko, Animal Caregiver
Jim moved from Northeast Pennsylvania to Georgia and joined Full Circle Farm Sanctuary in 2021. He grew up around animals and always had a love for them. Jim made the transition from vegetarian to vegan in 2016 after re-watching the same documentary that inspired him to go vegetarian. He has an Associates Degree in business and is currently pursuing a Veterinary Technician degree. He has been working with rescued farmed animals for 5 years and plans to use his education to further aid them.
Jim enjoys spending his time relaxing outdoors, listening to music, and reading. He is also passionate about environmental conservation, wildlife conservation, and the Green Movement.
Courtney Perez, Business and Programs Manager
Courtney has 20+ years of experience working in the financial services industry. In early 2016, she was unexpectedly inspired by a social media post to transition to a vegan lifestyle.  This led her Full Circle Farm Sanctuary were she leads the Outreach and Education Department, including Business and Programs Management responsibilities. 
Courtney is originally from the greater Boston area and now lives north of Atlanta with her husband and dogs Bambi, Benny, and Roscoe. ​