Dana Kelley

Dana Kelley ran restaurants in California and taught school in Florida and North Carolina. In 2019 she started volunteering at Lake Norman Humane, and today she’s its executive director. In 2026 the private rescue marks 10 years, and it’s putting the finishing touches on the Giving with Grace Spay Neuter Clinic, which aims to make low-cost spay/neuter surgery, dental cleanings and vaccinations available to the whole community.

Dana explains how fostering one animal frees up space to pull another off a county shelter’s euthanasia list. She also covers how a nine-person staff depends on volunteers, and why a gallon of bleach off the rescue’s Amazon wish list makes a real difference. She shares the triple-match Giving Tuesday campaign that turns every dollar into four, and gives one simple invitation to anyone who’s been nervous about visiting: start with a tour.

Lake Norman Humane
2106 Charlotte Hwy
Mooresville, NC 28117
(704) 663-3330

About the host:

Jeff Hamm is the visionary behind The Best of LKN – a media platform that has been spotlighting and promoting the most adored local small businesses and nonprofits in the Lake Norman area since 2020.

Jeff’s also an expert Lake Norman real estate broker who brings deep expertise in premium neighborhoods and strong ties to the region’s top builders, designers, and service providers.

Learn more:

Lake Norman, North Carolina
www.LKNreal.com

Banner Elk, North Carolina
www.BannerElkLiving.com

Jeff Hamm is a North Carolina real estate broker serving two of the state’s most sought-after markets: Lake Norman and the greater High Country region. He specializes in luxury and second-home property, from Lake Norman’s waterfront and golf communities to High Country communities including The Lodges at Eagles Nest, Elk River Club, Farm at Banner Elk, Diamond Creek, Blue Ridge Mountain Club, and Echota. His focus is buyer representation, where his relationships with each region’s top listing brokers, builders, and designers give his clients a measurable edge.

Jeff is also the founder and host of two local media platforms, The Best of LKN and Banner Elk Living. Each includes a podcast and newsletter that spotlights the area’s most admired small businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs. He publishes the annual Lake Norman Visitors Guide and Banner Elk Guide, produces regular market reports for both regions, and hosts The Best of Lake Norman Business Network.