Hometown: Queens, NY
Current City: Dallas, GA
jason@friendstotheforlorn.org

Jason M. Flatt
President & Founder

Jason shared his home with his parents, Roy and Gerrie, brother, Evan, and pitbull, Calvin. His parents taught him animals were part of the family. From an early age, Jason’s love of animals was undeniable. He brought home every stray he came across and dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. However, life took its twists and turns. Instead, Jason had a successful 20-year career on Wall Street as a commodity/futures trader/broker, and then as a managing director for an equity research publication.

After losing his brother unexpectedly in 2005, Jason found himself in a very dark place. He needed a change and decided to move to Georgia for a fresh start and to escape some rough memories. Shortly after his move, Jason intercepted a 5-week-old pitbull pup, named Angelo, from going to the pound. Suddenly, the dark days got a little brighter. The love Jason and Angelo shared for each other made life good again. Jason went to the pound with the intent of adopting another pitbull as a playmate for Angelo. When he saw the pounds were filled with pitbulls, he was bothered. This realization bothered him enough that he decided to do something about it. In October 2009 Jason founded Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue.

Jason built FTTF on integrity, compassion, commitment, and love. He pours his heart and soul into every animal he rescues. He loves to rescue the Forlorn, the ones everyone else has given up on. He believes that there is a home for every animal and we just need to work really hard to find it. He prides himself on being decent to every animal and human, in every situation. Jason believes if you are able to help, you should. He has big plans for FTTF. These plans are almost as big as his heart, and his personality.

Hometown: Memphis, TN
Current City: Vinings, GA
lauriel@friendstotheforlorn.org

Lauriel Leonard
Board Member, Capital Campaign, Fundraising

Lauriel has always had a love for animals, and has volunteered and worked with many animal welfare organizations since the mid 90’s. Her most recent passion was as founding member of Georgia English Bulldog Rescue, Board Member, and Bully Ball Committee Chair for 9 years.

She met her first pitbull, Roxy, realizing even she had fallen for the false stereotype but found out firsthand how wonderful a pitbull could be.

She joined the FTTF Board and became the Events Chair in January 2018 to follow her heart and help the terrible problem shelters have today, pitbull over population, cruelty and high euthanasia rates.

A graduate of UGA, she has been co-owner of a design and manufacturing company, DEX Industries, for 18 years. She and her husband, Craig, live in Vinings, GA and share their home with Roxy, Addie Bobbles and Rosa Maria. Addie Bobbles came from a rescue in Tennessee, Rosa Maria from a local Atlanta rescue, and Roxy from the streets of West End Atlanta.

Hometown: Owensboro, KY & Jackson, MS
Current City: Marietta, GA
susie@friendstotheforlorn.org

Bo & Susie Wagner
Board Members, Legal

Husband and Wife team Bo and Susie Wagner own their own real estate closing firm, Wagner Law Group, LLC, where they handle real property closings, offer simple will preparation and create and manage LLC’s.

Bo Wagner has practiced law for nearly three decades. A Kentucky native, he received his BS in Commerce from Washington & Lee University and his JD from Northern Kentucky University. A frequent visitor to ATL, Bo finally made the move South just after the snowstorm of ’93. A son of a realtor and small builder, real estate is truly in his blood! He is on the Board of the Georgia Real Estate Closing Attorneys Association (GRECAA) and enjoys wine, cooking and taking his daily dog walks.

Susie Wagner was born in Jackson Mississippi but has called Marietta home since she was 4 years old. She has also worked in real estate law for nearly three decades, from her first position as receptionist to managing the entire closing operations of a local multi-office real estate law firm.  A lifelong dog lover, Susie also enjoys baking, crafts, and cooking with Bo.

Bo and Susie live in Marietta and enjoy their children, grandchildren and their 3 dogs.

Hometown: Iowa Park, Texas
Current City: Dunwoody, GA
slane@friendstotheforlorn.org

Susie Lane
Board Member, Foster Coordinator

Susie’s career spans 20+ years in the finance industry. The majority spent in the NBA where she worked as Director of Budget and Finance for the Atlanta Hawks. She also took on that role for the Atlanta Thrashers, Philips Arena and the Atlanta Spirit companies before she retired in 2006. She is a huge advocate for animal rescue and serves as a global ambassador for Rescue Project where she brings awareness to local shelters through triathlon, cycling and running. She’s been involved in rescue for over 10 years.

Susie and her husband Patrick are founders/owners of Elemental Altitude Training Center located in Dunwoody. The facility can simulate altitudes from 10K to 22K feet of elevation. Athletes come from all over the state to train in the facility. Clients range from hikers, ultra runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, and cyclists and even boxing. They’ve helped clients summit Kilimanjaro, Denali, Grand Tetons, Peru as well as several ironman races including the World Champion Ironman competition in Kona, Hawaii. They are currently training 2 combat veterans to summit Mt Everest next April.

Susie and Patrick reside in Dunwoody with their dogs Cooper, Ladybug, and Billie Jean.

Hometown: London, UK
Current City: Atlanta, GA
andrea@friendstotheforlorn.org

Andrea Devane
Board Member

Based in New York City, Andrea spent 17 years in sales and operations in the cosmetic industry for the Estee Lauder Companies and Unilever. After relocating to Atlanta, she spent another 14 years as an Associate Broker for Dorsey Alston Realtors.

In 2020 (in large part due to the pandemic and seeing an urgent need for healing from traumatic experiences) Andrea trained and became certified as a Havening Techniques Practitioner® (a psycho-sensory therapy) and now focuses on helping people remove the negative emotions attached to biological markers that are preventing them from living happy, fulfilled lives.

A life-long animal lover, Andrea found her first Pit Bull (Nessie No Ears) in 2000 and fell in love with this sweet, misunderstood, loyal breed. Since then, many more have found a foster or permanent place in the house: Delly, Tulley, Skid, Chase, George, Benny, Dolly, Nellie, Johnny, Baby, Jessee and Daisy. Andrea joined the Board in 2021 with the desire to make a more meaningful contribution to the advocacy and welfare of the breed.
Andrea was born and raised in England, attended Pepperdine University in California and now splits her time between Atlanta and South Georgia.

Current City: Hiram, GA
adventmarketingmedia@gmail.com

Jules Fandos
Board Member

Jules has had a life-long, deep love for animals and is a sucker for the lost, the abandoned, the unappreciated. She has a history of rescuing and loving pups of the pitbull breed. Recognizing from personal experience, the false narrative amplified towards these dogs, she is committed to stand for them and usher in education and understanding of how amazing bullies can be.

A graduate from The Georgia Tech Institute of Technology, Jules has 20+ years experience in marketing and visual graphics. She owned and designed two magazines for 15 years and continues to work freelance to create effective, eye-appealing branding and marketing collateral for clients in the US and abroad.

Jules and her husband live in Paulding county, share a blended family of six kids, two bonus sons, two pitties, a couple of cats and a host of grandpups and grandkittens.