Tammy Thies never planned to become one of the leading voices in big cat rescue. She was building a successful career in advertising, working with major brands when an encounter with big cats being used for commercial entertainment opened her eyes to a world of animal exploitation she never knew existed. What began as a desire to help a few wild cats became a lifelong mission to change how these animals are treated.

Today, Tammy is the founder of The Wildcat Sanctuary, a nonprofit in Sandstone, Minnesota, providing a permanent home for approximately 160 rescued wild cats. With more than 200 acres, a dedicated team of caregivers, and rescue efforts reaching across the globe, the sanctuary cares for animals rescued from roadside zoos, private ownership, trafficking, and other situations of neglect and exploitation. But Tammy's mission goes beyond rescue. Through education, advocacy, and legislative efforts, she is working toward a world where sanctuaries like hers are no longer necessary.

In this episode, host Sally Hed Dahlquist visits The Wildcat Sanctuary in person to talk with Tammy about the realities of big cat rescue, the hidden world of captive wildlife, the challenges of building a nonprofit, and what it takes to dedicate your life to a cause without losing yourself in the process.

From international rescues and the impact of Tiger King to donor relationships, compassion fatigue, leadership, and learning to let go of control, Tammy shares the lessons of more than 25 years spent building an organization that has grown far beyond anything she originally imagined.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• How a photo shoot involving captive tigers changed the direction of Tammy's career
• Why she left a successful advertising career to build The Wildcat Sanctuary
• The reality of big cats being used for entertainment, private ownership, and commercial profit
• How the sanctuary has rescued animals from across the United States and internationally, including Argentina and Ukraine
• What makes an accredited sanctuary different from a roadside zoo or private animal collection
• Why true sanctuaries don't buy, breed, trade, or sell wild animals
• How Tammy works with law enforcement agencies on complicated animal rescue cases
• What it takes to provide lifelong veterinary care, rehabilitation, and enrichment for rescued wild cats
• Why education and legislation are just as important as rescuing individual animals
• How the Big Cat Public Safety Act has helped address private ownership and cub petting
• The financial challenges of building and sustaining a nonprofit funded by donations
• Why Tammy believes nonprofit founders and caregivers should not have to sacrifice their own well-being to serve a mission
• How gratitude, donor relationships, and recurring gifts help keep the sanctuary operating
• Why succession planning matters when an organization's responsibilities may extend decades into the future
• How compassion fatigue and repeated exposure to animal suffering affect caregivers
• Why Tammy is learning to step back, trust her team, and make more room for family and personal life
• What it means to build a mission that can continue long after its founder steps away

Whether you're an animal lover, nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, caregiver, or someone trying to turn a personal passion into meaningful change, Tammy's story is a reminder that making a difference takes more than good intentions. It takes commitment, education, collaboration, and the willingness to build something that can outlast you. And sometimes, making the world a better place also means learning when to take care of yourself.

Inspired?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who cares about animals, conservation, or making a lasting difference in their community.

Learn more about The Wildcat Sanctuary, sponsor a rescued cat, or support their mission at wildcatsanctuary.org.

Support the Mission:

Unstoppable: Stories That Move is a podcast with a purpose to raise $1 million for medical research and help find cures for cancer and other diseases.

Donate today at unstoppablestoriesthatmove.com or mail a check to:

PO Box 12
Afton, MN 55001, USA

Together, we can save lives.

In this edition of Sally’s Hotline, we hear from the unstoppable Deena Johnson Lee, a retired fire chief, mentor, and leadership coach known as The Feminist Fire Chief. After building a career in the high-pressure world of emergency services, Dena now helps women develop the confidence, authenticity, and resilience to lead, particularly in male-dominated fields.

Deena’s advice begins with a powerful idea: the most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with yourself. Whether you want to lead a team, pursue a new career, or make a change in your personal life, leadership starts with understanding yourself, recognizing your patterns, and challenging the beliefs that may be holding you back.

But self-leadership does not mean doing everything alone. Deena encourages listeners to surround themselves with mentors, trusted advisors, champions, and people who can offer an outside perspective. She also shares how retirement led her to rethink the meaning of purpose. Rather than waiting to discover who she was supposed to become, she decided to design that future herself.

This short but meaningful tip episode is a reminder that you can choose who you want to become and begin taking steps toward that version of yourself today. Keep showing up, keep growing, and bring your authentic self along for the journey.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• How self-awareness and self-mastery form the foundation of effective leadership
• Why recognizing limiting beliefs and personal patterns matters
• The importance of continuing to show up and step up
• How mentors, champions, and trusted advisors can support your growth
• Why an outside perspective can help you see beyond your professional world
• What Deena means by upgrading your personal operating system
• How she designed her next chapter as a coach, mentor, and keynote speaker
• Why working backward from your vision can help you build the life you want

Key Takeaways:

Leadership starts with yourself. Understanding your strengths, patterns, beliefs, and motivations helps you become a more effective leader.

Keep showing up and stepping up. Growth requires participation, even when you are still learning.

Your authentic self is your greatest contribution. You do not have to become someone else to make an impact.

Nobody succeeds alone. Build relationships with mentors, champions, trusted advisors, and people who offer different perspectives.

Upgrade your operating system. Periodically examine whether your habits, beliefs, and ways of thinking still serve the person you want to become.

You can design your purpose. Decide who you want to be, work backward from that vision, and begin taking action.

If you want to hear Deena’s full story, including her journey from waitress to fire chief, her experiences navigating gender bias in the fire service, and her work empowering women in leadership, listen to the previous episode of Unstoppable: Stories That Move.

Learn more about Deena’s coaching and mentorship at supportherstrength.com, and follow her on social media at The Feminist Fire Chief.

Support the Mission:

Unstoppable: Stories That Move is a podcast with a purpose to raise money for medical research and help find cures for cancer and other diseases.

Donate today at unstoppablestoriesthatmove.com or mail a check to:

PO Box 12
Afton, MN 55001, USA

You can also support your community by volunteering with your local fire department.

Together, we can save lives.

Deena Johnson Lee knows what it means to take the heat. As a firefighter, she faced burning buildings, dangerous emergencies, and the physical demands of saving lives. As a woman rising through the ranks of a male-dominated profession, she faced another kind of pressure: proving she belonged, earning respect, and learning to lead without sacrificing who she was.

Deena's journey began as a young mother working as a waitress. An EMT class sparked an unexpected passion for emergency medicine, eventually setting her on a path from waitress in 1996 to fire chief in 2021. Along the way, she navigated single motherhood, demanding physical training, gender bias, and the challenges of leadership. Now retired from the fire service, Dena is known as the Feminist Fire Chief and runs Support Her Strength, where she coaches and mentors women to lead with confidence, authenticity, and resilience.

In this episode, host Sally Hed Dahlquist talks with Dena about the realities of firefighting, the importance of public safety, what it takes for women to succeed in traditionally male-dominated careers, and the personal growth that comes from recognizing when old ways of thinking no longer serve you.

From carrying heavy firefighting equipment and building trust inside the firehouse to setting boundaries, overcoming people-pleasing, and developing what she calls internal personal protective equipment, Dena shares lessons about leadership, belonging, courage, and making room for the next generation of women.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Deena went from working as a waitress to becoming a fire chief in 25 years
• Why an EMT class changed the direction of her life
• What it was like raising two children while pursuing a career in emergency services
• The physical and mental demands of firefighting and emergency response
• Why volunteer firefighters are essential to communities and need greater support
• How Deena built trust and credibility as a woman in the firehouse
• The difference between proving your competence and feeling like you belong
• Why women don't have to become "one of the guys" to become "one of us"
• How gender bias and workplace expectations affect women in leadership
• Why Deena encourages women to aim for professional respect rather than approval
• What it means to upgrade your internal operating system as your career and identity evolve
• How self-worth, self-trust, and boundaries become a form of emotional protective equipment
• Why movement, fitness, and physical strength remain important parts of Deena's life
• Why mentorship and representation matter for the next generation of women
• How Deena is continuing her mission through Support Her Strength

Whether you're navigating a male-dominated workplace, stepping into leadership, changing careers, or learning to trust yourself after years of trying to meet other people's expectations, Deena's story is a reminder that you don't have to shrink yourself to succeed. You can be capable, compassionate, courageous, and entirely yourself.

Inspired?

Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who is ready to lead with confidence, challenge expectations, or open doors for others.

Learn more about Deena's coaching and mentorship through Support Her Strength at supportherstrength.com.

Support the Mission:

Unstoppable: Stories That Move is a podcast with a purpose to raise $1 million for medical research and help find cures for cancer and other diseases.

Donate today at unstoppablestoriesthatmove.com or mail a check to:

PO Box 12
Afton, MN 55001, USA

Together, we can save lives.