Team

Michael Schneider started the nonprofit organization Pilots To The Rescue in 2015 to combine his passion for aviation and dedication to saving animals. Michael is a commercial, instrument-rated pilot with more than 1,200 hours.

“I began my aviation journey in 2011 at the age of 35, earning my pilot's license in 2013. My instructor, a young and enthusiastic 21-year-old recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati Aviation program, taught me through the renowned Sporty's Pilot Shop. My love for aviation was ignited by a spontaneous decision to go skydiving. The thrill of the small plane, the pilot's skill, and the unique flight experience captivated me. After a few skydives, I took a discovery flight and was immediately hooked, signing up for flying lessons. Prior to joining PTTR, I gained experience through renting planes and participating in flying clubs.” –Michael Schneider

When Michael isn’t flying, he enjoys spending time with his wife, 4 boys under 8 years of age, and his 90 lb. rescue dog (Sydney), Michael resides in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and flies out of Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Fairfield, NJ.

With over 15 years of experience raising $100 million to support nonprofits and social ventures around the world, Jennifer Xu's role as Director of Development at Pilots To The Rescue brings her back to where it all began: a deep love for animals.

Years ago, Jennifer and her beloved rescue dog Maple volunteered in schools and libraries as a R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) therapy team. After Maple’s passing, Jennifer launched Maple’s Fund to help 100 therapy animal teams access the training they need to make a difference in their communities.

Before joining Pilots To The Rescue, Jennifer was head of development at CommonLit and Epic Foundation, where she built bridges between mission-driven nonprofits and visionary donors. From serving as a philanthropic advisor to family offices, leading investor relations at 500 Startups, to research focused on education and healthcare reform at Stanford University, her work has always focused on scaling impact through connection, compassion, and collaboration.

Today, Jennifer and her rescue dog Willow are a new therapy dog team in training and reside in Brooklyn with her husband and two rescue cats that run the show.

Cheryl is a passionate animal rights activist and marketing guru. She graduated with honors from Binghamton University in 2007 and started her firm Tools For Talent, Inc. Cheryl’s team has helped Pilots To The Rescue spread awareness about overcrowding in shelters while building an engaged online community and volunteer database.

Cheryl cares deeply about the non-profit work we do at Pilots To The Rescue. Her blog VeginnerCooking.com has a similar mission, to save as many animals as possible.

Patricia’s passion for animal welfare led her to form Paws PR, a company providing integrated communications campaigns and business strategies for pet product companies and animal welfare organizations. She started her career at NBC News as a writer and producer before going on to serve as Vice President of Communications at the ASPCA. In addition to her work in Pet PR, Patricia spent 5 years in corporate and healthcare communications and led award winning media campaigns for clients including AFLAC, AstraZeneca, J&J, Merck, P&G and Wells Fargo.

Patricia lives in NYC with her partner Brian and three rescued cats.

Amy was a meeting planner at an association management company where she worked with multiple trade, professional and medical associations to plan and execute meetings, conferences and conventions. Once she met her husband and got married, they moved from the mountains to the beach where she became a stay-at-home mom to her two daughters. Now that the girls are older and in school full time, she is ready to put her planning skills back into action as she coordinates all of our missions! In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family cruising the intercoastal waterway on their boat, hanging out at the beach with her family and friends or watching her girls ride horses, which is their current sport and passion.

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Albert developed a passion for aviation early on, aspiring to join the industry after earning a BS in Finance from Rutgers University - Newark. His journey led him to form a professional bond with Michael Schneider, the founder of Pilots To The Rescue. Albert’s company, Wet Wings, specializes in aircraft cleaning and sanitation services for the organization. When their plane underwent maintenance, Albert took charge of ground operations, and since then, he has traveled 60,000 miles supporting their mission.

Ashleigh dedicated eight fulfilling years to teaching kindergarten before deciding to stay home and focus on raising her three children. While she treasures her role as a stay-at-home mom, she also channels her strong organizational skills into her work as an executive administrator. In her spare time, Ashleigh loves traveling, reading, and creating lasting memories with family and friends. Her involvement with Pilots To The Rescue has been deeply rewarding, as it allows her to blend her love for animals with her passion for helping others in a meaningful and impactful way.

Paul began his aviation journey with ATP Flight School in 2021, shortly after graduating from college. Flying has been a lifelong dream, inspired by his frequent travels as a child. Initially, Paul considered a career in aerospace engineering, working for companies like Boeing or GE, designing planes. However, he soon realized his true passion was flying planes, not building them.

Two years later, a close friend and fellow rescue pilot, Viking, invited Paul on a rescue mission. The timing was perfect, as he had been searching for volunteer opportunities while also building flight hours for the airlines. During that mission, they rescued dozens of kittens and cats, and he was deeply moved by the overwhelming gratitude from the local rescue organization. It remains one of Paul's most memorable flights.

After several more missions and conversations with Michael, he knew that Pilots To The Rescue was where he belonged. The kindness, sincerity, and dedication of the people in this organization are unmatched, and Paul is proud to be part of such a genuine and heartfelt community.

MacKenzie discovered her passion for aviation while working on Nantucket Island, where she made friends with a local flight instructor. In an effort to avoid traffic on the ground, the two would fly back and forth to New Jersey together to visit her family. After a few of these trips, she decided it was time for a change and pursued her ratings. Before instructing, MacKenzie had a successful career in hospitality management.

MacKenzie is a proud member of Women in Aviation International and the Ninety Nines. She hopes to share the community of aviation with as many women and girls as possible.    

When she isn't in the air, MacKenzie can be found in her garden or hiking local trails. 

Jason currently works as a corporate pilot based out of Long Island. He began flying in 2020 after earning a degree in Mathematics, discovering that his true passion was aviation. Growing up in the Bay Area of California, Jason spent countless hours at the Oakland airport with his parents, captivated by the planes taking off and landing—a fascination that would shape his future.

At age 12, Jason's family rescued a dog, sparking a lifelong passion for animal rescue. Working with Pilots To The Rescue allows him to combine his love for flying with his dedication to helping animals in need. He is excited to contribute to the growth and development of Pilots To The Rescue's mission, making a meaningful impact through his work.

Vikingur is currently working towards becoming an airline pilot. He grew up in New Jersey, and has been an avid animal, and aviation lover since he could walk. Vikingur discovered Pilots To The Rescue at the beginning of his aviation career, and couldn’t believe there was a way to combine his two favorite things into one. When Vikingur isn’t flying missions for Pilots To The Rescue, it's because he’s gotten himself behind the yoke of something else that burns gas and has a propeller.

Mike Martins is working on his dream of becoming an airline pilot. He was born and raised in Newark, NJ watching planes fly over his head since he was little. Mike is a lover of all animals with a strong passion for dogs. Upon completing his studies in aviation, he was introduced to this fantastic organization, and could not be any happier. Since then, Mike has helped rescue countless souls with one of his proudest missions was transporting an endangered Mexican Grey Wolf! 

Since childhood, Stephen has been passionate about animals and aviation, always driven by a desire to help those in need. He combines these passions by using his flying skills to transport at-risk animals from overcrowded shelters to loving homes, giving them a second chance at life. Having rescued a puppy himself, he understands firsthand the transformative power of adoption—for both the animal and the adopter.

As a dedicated flight instructor, Stephen also guides aspiring pilots in achieving their dreams. An active member of the National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA), he is committed to promoting inclusivity within aviation. Currently, he is building flight experience to pursue his goal of becoming an airline pilot.

For Stephen, every flight is more than just a journey—it’s an opportunity to save lives, inspire others, and help vulnerable animals find safe, loving homes.

Ryan is a dedicated father of three boys and a lifelong aviation enthusiast with a passion for flying everything from Piper Cubs to fighter jets. He dreams of one day building his own aircraft. His aviation journey began during his service in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where he worked as a Flight Mechanic on C-130 transport aircraft.

After nearly a decade in law enforcement, Ryan made the bold decision to leave his role as a police officer to pursue his true calling in aviation. He is now a full-time flight instructor, sharing his love of flight with the next generation of pilots.

Ryan was introduced to Pilots To The Rescue by former instructors and has been eager to get involved ever since. In addition to volunteering with Pilots To The Rescue, he also serves as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer in New York, investigating cases of animal cruelty and neglect.

Hi there! I'm Kyle Kirschner, originally from central Jersey and currently residing in the same area. By profession, I serve as a Production Supervisor at a prominent global manufacturing firm based in North Jersey, conveniently close to PTTR’s main hub. Aviation has been a lifelong fascination for me, dating back to my earliest memories. On my 15th birthday, I embarked on my maiden flying lesson aboard a charming little yellow Cessna 150. Despite my initial struggle to reach the pedals, it was an instant love affair. To date, I've accrued approximately 65 hours of flight time and am diligently working towards obtaining my Private Pilot License, aiming to achieve this milestone within the coming year.

Beyond the skies, my heart is also drawn to the welfare of animals. Growing up, I was deeply involved in 4-H and surrounded myself with a diverse array of pets, fostering a profound love and respect for all creatures. My journey with PTTR began last year when I stumbled upon their inspiring work on Instagram. The organization beautifully merges my twin passions of aviation and animal advocacy, making it a perfect fit for me. Here's to spreading happiness through rescue missions!

Scott Rickles started in advertising sales straight out of college from Florida State University in 1978. He moved to Atlanta and began working in his father’s advertising rep firm Ray Rickles & Company which was established in Florida in 1952. Scott took over the family business when his father retired in 1988 and still loves advertising and marketing to this day. He joined Michael in Hospitality in 2006 and they still work together on a number of projects planned for 2021. Scott grew up with dogs and cats in the family while helping to raise 5 boys with his loving wife Tracy-Leigh.

Daniel joined Pilots To The Rescue in early 2019 after looking for a way to get involved in animal rescue flights. He came across PTTR and the rest is history! Growing up, his family adopted 3 dogs from various shelters on Long island here in New York. When Daniel isn’t on rescues, he enjoys spending time with family, friends, and his family’s adopted pup.  He has been flying as a commercial pilot for 9 years with more than 500 hours.

From New York City Brian began a career in the creative arts early in the 1990s as a theatrical and nightclub lighting designer. He is the founder and chief designer at BOLD, a New York and Los Angeles architectural lighting design firm. He’s also currently helping his husband start a unique pillow business. Given the opportunity, Brian will stop to say hello to every dog he sees. He grew up with two German Shepherds named Zeus and Thor. One was a rescue the other was found on the street. One of his dogs, Noodle, had epilepsy and eventually passed away from cancer. “The decision to take care of a pet should never be dependent on money” he says. He offers pet insurance to his employees and many friends. Brian has flown gliders, biplanes, power gliders, hang gliders and many single engine propeller planes. He currently owns a Cirrus. Brian was one of the earliest volunteers and donors to Pilots To The Rescue. He lives with his husband and his two Brussels Griffons Bodhi and Doozer.

President and CEO of Longview Trading, Inc.

ATP, Eclipse single pilot Jet rating, seaplane rated.

Sy grew up with dogs all his life and they surely are his best friends.

After school, Sy went into the garment business and ran a company successfully for over 25 years. He currently serves on two other boards.

Saving these dogs is Sy's greatest pleasure and he is delighted that PTTR makes it happen!

Tim is a passionate aviator with a deep affection for animals. Together with his wife, he dedicates his efforts to supporting animal welfare initiatives, cherishing moments with their beloved rescue dog, Wellington. With a background in law, Tim has steered the helm of leadership within several distinguished Boston startups for over 15 years. Presently, he holds the esteemed position of Chairman of the Board at the New England Legal Foundation.