Meet Natasha Ibarra | Head of Sunshine Beagles

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natasha Ibarra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natasha, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor in the success of Sunshine Beagles is the overwhelming support from each and every one of our beagle parents. This community has come together countless times and in countless ways to take care of one another, offer ideas, provide resources, and to cheer each other on. Due to this outpouring of love and kindness, our community has snowballed from our humble beginnings and continues to do so. We have been able to accomplish so much in a such a short period of time, from successful fundraisers for local rescues, to bringing back lost & found beagles, to helping each other in our times of need. Without this unending support, our community would be nowhere near where we are today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
While Sunshine Beagles has operated entirely outside of my professional life, I have developed such a wide spectrum of skills as a result of heading this group, as well as a strong passion for helping animals, that I am transitioning my career to encompass this path. My current background is in office administration, specifically insurance, and while I have fine-tuned my organizational and leadership skills in past positions, I am stepping into the animal welfare fundraising industry. I am very excited for this change!

In my experience running Sunshine Beagles, I have found that what sets me apart from others is the emphasis I place on a holistic impacts in our efforts. We don’t just host events – we host events that give back to local animal rescues, and that foster meaningful relationships among our members. I focus on how and what others feel when they engage with us; putting positivity and compassion at the forefront of all that we do drives our success. When our members feel welcomed and valued, we have more fun together, and when we have more fun together, we are able to do great things. I am most proud of the way we consistently bring love and light into each others’ lives, and the lives of the animal community.

Focusing on the bigger picture is how I arrived to where I am today. It certainly hasn’t been easy, but it’s been more than enjoyable, and beyond fulfilling. The challenges I’ve faced in our journey have taught me many lessons – at times I have struggled to find a balance between working on projects with a group, and also trusting my own gut when making decisions. I have learned when, where, and how to delegate, and learning to do so has enabled this community to do more, and to do better.

What I would like the world to know about my story, our story, is how invaluable kindness and compassion are, and the immense power of positive connections. Coming together is what Sunshine Beagles was founded on, and what has continued to drive us beyond our wildest dreams.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend visiting, I would definitely take them to my favorite dog-friendly places. First, I would take them to Barkyard N Brews, our go-to spot for off-leash fun and the best place I like to hang out with friends. After, we’d enjoy lunch at Eclectico Restaurant & Bar for a latin-inspired meal. Next, we would head to Haulover Beach, our favorite dog-friendly beach, to soak up some sunshine. For nightlife, I would take them to Carousel Club, a fantastic new spot with live entertainment, delicious drinks, and their stunning signature spinning carousel bar. We’d also go to Neverland Coffee Bar to enjoy a morning coffee and brunch.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I could spend all day giving thanks to all those who have helped make Sunshine Beagles what it is today! Thank you to 3 Beagles Barkery, Tania Baez, for providing endless resources and assistance, from helping curate decor and content, to funding for event costs, to spreading the word on our current happenings and needs, to creative ideas for our events and initiatives. Thank you to Paula Henao for putting full support behind our every action and ambition. Thank you to Kathy Parra for stepping up to the plate to help coordinate our fundraising efforts and for offering so many ingenious ideas. Thank you to Basil the Beagle Pup, Samantha Hawley & Joe Turman, for continuously capturing our precious moments together and for being an invaluable resource of insight for our long term goals. Thank you to Yeliana Benitez for repeatedly being a fantastic foster, and for using her passion as a vet tech to support those in need in our group. Thank you to Sarahi Perdomo for being a pillar of compassion within our community, and for taking in one of our own beagles in need on short notice to care for him while his family recovers from hardship. Thank you to Daniel Goel & Karo Munoz for so generously designing not just our original logo, but our newest and brightest! Thank you to Yulissa Arancibia for putting together gratitude demonstrations. Thank you to Julie Mann for such a long-time supporter and friend. Thank you to Helen Garcia for being incredibly involved, even helping in the search for lost beagles. Thank you to Michelle Sarue for being present at every single event, and for supporting every single thing we do. Thank you to Selenia Mena for continuously showing up for others and for providing assistance in our efforts. Thank you to Courtney Wunderlich for always showing up, both to our events that are a far far drive, and even to help fellow beagle parents in emergencies at a moment’s notice. Thank you to Laura Garcia Dieguez for lending her talents and creative designs, and to whom we wish the best of luck to in her journey founding and growing her own chapter, Beagles of Pittsburgh! Thank you to Laurelie Lecussan for her crucial help in reuniting our most recent success story of a lost beagle back home, and to sponsoring our mission. Thank you to Adriana Figueroa, for not only being an inspiration to our beagle community, but for working day in and day out to help local animals in need.

This is only a short, very short list of all those who have supported us in our journey of spreading sunshine. Each of these individuals, as well as the countless others who have been a part of our success, have played a crucial role in establishing and growing Sunshine Beagles as a force of positivity and change within our greater community. There are no words sufficient to describe the depth of my gratitude and love for all of the beautiful people (and beagles!) that have made us who we are today, and who we continue to become.

Website: sunshinebeagles.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunshine.beagles/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashaibarra/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/SunshineBeagles/

Image Credits
Joe Turman Sunshine Digital Emotion (Damiano Favilli) Max Norman Santiago Navarrete