Stevan Allen
Chairman
Stevan Allen MAPT, CCRT is a Colorado native, born and raised in North Denver. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Colorado in Boulder and went on to obtain his Master of Arts Degree in Physical Therapy from Stanford University.
Upon graduation from Stanford, Stevan joined the oldest private physical therapy practice in California and within a 10-year period, grew it to one of the largest and most diverse private practices in the state of California. He was majority shareholder and President for over 30 years.
Stevan has over 40 years of demonstrated success in the field of physical therapy services, and clinical skills in orthopedics, neurologic, and sports medicine, as well as business development and practice.
Stevan and his family made the move back to Colorado to assist in the care of their aging parents, and decided to shift this physical therapy interests to animals. He became certified to treat animals in 2011 and remains dual licensed to treat animals and humans.
In 2013, Stevan founded and is sole owner of Sierra Peak Animal Rehabilitation Inc. Stevan specializes in customizing a physical therapy plan of care to meet the needs of his patients and owners.
He has served on the National level of the American Physical Therapy Association, Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, and has been the Vice President of the Animal Rehabilitation Special Interest Group of the Academy of Orthopedics PT for the past 6 years.
Recently Stevan established a Not for Profit, 501c3 corporations, Friends of Sierra, to advance the science of physical therapy in the field of animal rehab and to assist organizations and individual who are financial unable to receive physical therapy.
Jennifer Witcher
Vice Chairman
Jennifer Witcher is a distinguished professional with a diverse portfolio of roles and responsibilities. As the proprietor of JSW Notary Services, she serves as a Notary Public and Loan Signing Agent. Additionally, Jennifer co-owns Empeiria Hemp LLC, a leading company in the CBD industry. Her dedication extends to her position as an Administrative Assistant at Sierra Peaks Animal Rehabilitation. Jennifer also volunteers her time as an Administrative Assistant for Friends of Sierra, demonstrating her commitment to community service.
Jennifer, alongside her husband Pat, shares their lives with four beloved German Shepherds. Among them are Sakita, a 12-year-old female, Kai, an 11-year-old male, and Axel and Nya, both 5 years old. Her involvement with Sierra Peaks and Friends of Sierra deepened following her three-year-old German Shepherd Drago’s diagnosis with an FCE (Fibro-Cartilaginous Emboli). Jennifer witnessed firsthand the dedicated efforts of Stevan and Erin from Sierra Peaks, who worked tirelessly with Drago for over a year, contributing to his rehabilitation and quality of life.
Prior to relocating to Texas in 2022, Jennifer held the position of assistant treasurer and was a founding member of Rocky Mountain Working Dogs. Her involvement included training and competing in Schutzhund/IPO, where she and her adult German Shepherds achieved numerous titles.
Jennifer’s passion for dogs is evident in her role as Vice Chairman of Friends of Sierra, where she volunteers her time to support fundraising efforts for animals in need of rehabilitation services. Her dedication continues to enrich the community and support the welfare of animals.
Katie McLaughlin
Secretary/Treasurer
Katie McLaughlin comes to Friends of Sierra with a long history of loving and caring for her own furry family. While her human family is small, Katie and her family’s pets are diverse and many. Katie, David, and their daughter, Jane, share their love, time, space and energy with dogs Betsy and Asher, Bert the parrot, Juniper, the old and cranky calico cat, and V8 the tomato frog. Caring for and learning about their furry and feathery brood is a family hobby for the McLaughlin’s. Katie is a clinical social worker by training and is excited to be a part of Friends of Sierra.
Kathy Turner
Board Member
Kathy Turner spent 45 years in the computer industry managing programs and
engineering teams tasked with delivering solutions and infrastructure for the
federal government until her retirement in January 2021. She was frequently
recognized for problem resolution skills and ability to maintain calm in some of
the most chaotic situations. Many of the solutions Kathy’s teams delivered to the
Federal Government continue to deliver value to the Agency missions today.
Kathy developed a love for animals very early in life and has rescued 15 dogs and
cats in the last 30+ years. The special needs animals seem to seek her out. Her
successes include raising her epileptic Labrador and curing Distemper when her 1-
year-old Chocolate Lab developed it shortly after adoption. Both dogs lived happy
long lives. Kathy always seeks out all options for addressing her animal family
needs. Her vet frequently says; “when I come back, I’m returning as one of YOUR
pets”.
Kathy holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from George Washington
University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of
Maryland.
Kathy lives in Centennial with her husband, Doug, Labrador, Tucker and Orange
Tabby, Clyde.