Meet the Board
These three founding members of Wayward Journey came together to share their passion, experience, and dedication to our community’s animals.
Starting as a dog walker and cat cuddler at a local shelter 10 years ago, Alex went on to foster cats, kittens, and puppies, housing almost 700 animals in her time fostering. Alex became an employee at the animal shelter, where she worked her way up into management and then shelter operations.
Alex has her Master’s degree in Social Work from USC (Fight on, Trojans!) where she studied Community Organization, Planning, and Administration. Alex has been volunteering at the Grass Valley Animal Control Shelter since early 2024 and started Wayward Journey in 2025 in order to develop and expand the programs at the Grass Valley Shelter. Alex is excited to support more animals and the community with Wayward Journey’s mission and programs!
Alex Maloney
President of the Board
Taylor Davis
Treasurer of the Board
Taylor began working with dogs while completing her degree in Veterinary Technology from 2009 - 2011. During this time she worked with the Northwest SPCA in Oroville, and also with Yuba County Animal Care services. This work provided Taylor with the opportunity to handle hundreds of dogs (of all breeds, ages, and temperaments) on a weekly basis, and she gained extensive experience working with fearful and aggressive dogs. Taylor worked as the lead trainer for a local dog training company for 10 years before completing her Masters degree in 2023 and starting her own business, Take the Lead Canine Coaching.
Taylor became a founding member of Wayward Journey after Alex, the Executive Director, approached her about volunteering at the Grass Valley Animal Shelter. Taylor is industrious, compassionate, and sincere. Her experience, dog handling capabilities, and many talents are a huge asset to Wayward Journey.
Lauren Bernadett
Secretary of the Board
Lauren is an attorney living in the Sierra foothills. She was born and raised in Grass Valley and adopted her childhood dogs, a mother/daughter cattle dog pair, from the Grass Valley Animal Shelter. Lauren received her J.D. from UCLA Law and has worked in the environmental law and public agency fields for over a decade. She is an adjunct law professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law, where she remotely teaches water law every year.
Lauren is a founding member of Wayward Journey after Alex, the Executive Director, met her and realized her knowledge, passion for animal welfare, and eager spirit would be a critical addition. Lauren has rescued and fostered several dogs and happily resides in a household where the dog-to-human ratio leans heavily in favor of the former.