Meet the Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
With a shared vision and unwavering commitment, we strive to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. Each member brings unique strengths and perspectives, creating a dynamic synergy that fuels our progress. We celebrate our successes. Always moving forward with determination and resilience. Together, we are not just a team, but a family, united by our passion and purpose.
Founder and CEO
Cheri Thompson
Attorney Cheri Brown Thompson graduated from The University of South Carolina School of Law in 1999 and passed the Bar Exam on her first attempt. Her passion for Criminal Law and love for animals inspired her to create the Healing Species Compassion Education and Violence Intervention Curriculum for youth to break the cycle of violence and bullying. Healing Species has positively impacted many lives and received several national and local awards.
Teen Volunteer
Caelyn Appell
Our little "can do" volunteer adds so much to our team, that we just had to include her here. Not quite a teen, but a tween, you'd never know it. Fearless, strong, and willing to sweat, but with an actual heart of pure gold, her absolute purity, devotion, and complete love of every single dog warms the soul daily. She brings the ray of light we all need, exuberance, enthusiasm, joy, love, efficiency, & ability that any team would cherish.
Lead Classroom Instructor
Camille Thackston
Camille is a retired educator who has dedicated her career to teaching in the Midlands of South Carolina. Her diverse roles include serving as a teacher, science specialist, professional development specialist, and literacy consultant and coach. In her current position as a Classroom Consultant for Healing Species, she combines her two greatest passions: educating children and advocating for the welfare of dogs in need through compassion, education, and understanding.
Classroom Instructor and Volunteer
Joanna Hinds
Joanna is a Clemson graduate starting her master's in education. She also helps with all dog care each summer, & in our school classrooms/Compassion Education and Violence Intervention Programs when available.
Volunteer
Cameron Thompson
Cameron, the son of Cheri Thompson, is an adept dog whisperer who dedicates his weekends to assisting with dog care at the Sanctuary. Despite the demands of his full-time job during the week, he remains committed to this compassionate endeavor. Cameron exemplifies devotion as a friend, son, and employee.
Volunteer
Logan Gunter
Logan Gunter started working for Healing Species when he was 17. Even then, his dedication, loyalty, hard-work-ethic made him a stand out guy! After a few stints elsewhere, Logan returned to Healing Species in early 2025. Putting all of his expertise, experience, job trainings, and deep love for the Healing Species mission and vision, and deep love for all of the rescued dogs, he is ever more, the stand-out-guy, taking the lead of running the day to day at the Healing Species Woodlands Sanctuary.
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Volunteer
Ellison O'Cain
Oh what can you say about our Elli except she is an Angel sent straight from Heaven. Graduating Orangeburg Preparatory School May 2025, entering Clemson this fall to study vet sciences, Elli has proven to be such a reliable, helpful, part of our team. From attending events representing Healing Species, helping with adoptions, assisting in the office, and mainly, loving, caring for, and assisting Logan in feeding and meeting the needs of the rescued dogs living at our Sanctuary, we know Ellison will be successful at whatever she sets her mind to. We hope, maybe one day, she too, will return to Healing Species after attending Vet School.