Sharing Our Gratitude This Thanksgiving

Sammie Dabbs,
Executive Vice President, Sales

My “Giddo” (grandfather in Arabic) is the best advice-giver, storyteller, and still has a great golf putt at 94 years old.  

He is our family’s foundation for respect, optimism, and hard work. This Thanksgiving, I’m so grateful for my family, especially my Giddo, who built our foundation.  

Jessica Jonas,
Senior Events Manager

I am so grateful for the experience of international travel. In October, I was able to use my passport for the first time since 2019 to take an international trip. I am thankful for the support Hound Labs provides me in having enough time to experience new surroundings (and most importantly, new food) during this trip to Portugal. From the cities to the coastline to the mountainside vineyards, I was able to relax and enjoy this trip, made even more meaningful since it was my first time traveling internationally since COVID.

Linda Molyneux,
Chief Human Resource Officer

My son (who is now almost 24) was experiencing severe neck pain. The pain peaked the day after Thanksgiving in 2012 when he was 13. He spiked a high fever of 104 overnight so we took him to the Emergency Room the next morning. We were released with antibiotics and pain medication, but nothing changed. I would not give up. After days and days of visiting other doctors and undergoing lots of tests, we finally landed at Children’s Hospital of Oakland (CHO). The care team soon diagnosed my son with an abscess infection that somehow entered from the rear of his throat into his neck and was eating away at something called the Clivus bone, which is the smallest bone at the base of the skull.

Sandra Moon,
Materials + Supply Chain Manager

I’m extremely grateful for my amazing parents, Dean and Dottie. They celebrated their 60^th  wedding anniversary this year and are simply the best parents I could have asked for. They love unconditionally, even when some conditions could have applied. They provide so much support without judging even when they could. They love the outdoors, love to travel, love our family times, love their doggies, and just love the simple things in life.

Thank you is a very small phrase to convey my gratitude toward both of my parents, but I am still using it to say how lucky I am to be raised by two parents who are beautiful inside and out. Here’s to the rest of our lives and to our many tomorrows being EVEN BETTER than our yesterdays.   

Kate Neilson,
Director of Marketing Operations

I lived my first 21 years on the flat farmland of mid-Michigan before finding my way to the metropolitan mid-Atlantic. Last year, since my husband and I both have remote jobs, we were finally able to relocate to what is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places in the world: the Shenandoah Valley. Each day I am awed by the mountainous scenery, charmed by the small towns, and humbled by the history of this area. I am truly grateful to live in a place I feel so connected to. 

Brandie Reid,
Customer Solutions Manager

I am grateful for a lot of things in my life, my family and friends, my career, my fabulous colleagues here at Hound. But what I am most grateful for is my boys, Johnny and Ian. Not only do they keep me on my toes and make life interesting, but they are also my constant reminder of unconditional love. No matter what happens throughout their day, whether it was good or bad, they always make sure to tell me that they love me or that I am the best.

Samantha Schanz,
Senior Partner Marketing Manager

I am thankful every day that I met my husband, and he gave me the opportunity to be a mother to three phenomenal children. He is my best friend and I always ask myself, “What did I do to deserve a guy like him?” He is that wonderful. I am thankful I get to watch our children grow, see them smile, and hear them laugh. I am thankful that I get to inspire their sense of adventure and exploration, guiding them to be the best versions of themselves. It is a privilege to watch them grow and to be their mommy. My family inspires me. They are the reason I am who I am today. I am thankful today and every day for the impact they have on my life. Gratitude is a way for each of us to embrace all that makes our lives truly unique.

Jessica Cohen Taubman,
Manager, Compliance + Legal Affairs

Last October I gave birth to our daughter, Jacqueline, six weeks early after developing severe preeclampsia despite no prior history of blood pressure concerns. A wonderful team of doctors and nurses at Johns Hopkins took amazing care of both me and our daughter, and after a brief stint in the NICU, she joined our family at home where we settled in as a family of four. We recently celebrated her first birthday and reflected on how lucky we are that she is the adorable, happy little girl she is today. She’s also creeping closer to being the same size as her big brother, so she’ll be calling the shots around here in no time.