Magical Creatures is part of the LEAP Program
our team
LEADERSHIP
helena lundblad
Founder & Executive Director
Helena Lundblad, originally from Sweden, has always gravitated towards animals of all kinds. She spent much of her childhood around horses, and always had several companion animals in her home. Raised in a small town in the northern part of Sweden, vegetarianism or veganism was never something she was exposed to. It wasn’t until she was studying Public Health Science at the university that she started eliminating meat from her diet. At first it was mainly for health,and environmental reasons, but later on, when learning more about standard practices in animal agriculture, both Helena and her husband, Mathias went fully vegan in 2017 and started advocating for animal rights.
Helena moved from Sweden to San Diego 2012, and a few years after that she and Mathias relocated to Hawaii’s Big Island for his work. When searching for the property that would become their home, Helena knew she wanted the space to be able to have animals around her, but starting a sanctuary was never in the plans.
It was when an orphaned, four pound, wild goat named Janice came into their lives in 2016 that everything changed. Janice arrived with severe injuries to all of her hooves. It’s unclear exactly what had happened to her, but it appeared she had burnt all her legs. Her injuries caused two of her hooves to fall off, and the remaining two became badly deformed. Janice lived in the house for the first six months of her life while healing from her injuries and learning to walk in prosthetic legs. The bond between Helena and Janice grew very strong during that time – and with that bond also came the realization that, in all the ways that matter, there’s no difference between the species we call pets and the ones we call farm animals. Janice will always hold a very special place in Helena’s heart and is the reason Magical Creatures came to be.
Since founding Magical Creatures Sanctuary in January 2018, Helena has worked tirelessly to provide sanctuary to the many farmed animals on the Big Island who need rescue — whether from slaughter or neglect, wildlings who have been orphaned due to hunting or car accidents, or animals with special needs — and continue outreach and education efforts in the community.
Lydia relocated to the Big Island from Minneapolis, MN in September 2023. She is a dedicated individual whose journey towards a fulfilling career at Magical Creatures Sanctuary has been shaped by diverse experiences. Her professional life began in the government sector, where she gained valuable insights on policy and regulation. This experience influenced her decision to pursue a Master in Public Administration in 2016.
She also has experience in the nonprofit and corporate sector and worked for a primarily plant-based food production company prior to her arrival in Hawai'i. During this time, she regularly volunteered at a farm sanctuary on the weekends, forging a profound connection with the rescued animals and the sanctuary's mission. This deep-seated passion eventually led her to make a life-changing decision – leaving the corporate world behind and dedicating herself full-time to Magical Creatures, where she works to provide love and care for animals while advocating for their rights. With a unique blend of professional experience and unwavering compassion, Lydia is an advocate for animal rights and a vital asset to the sanctuary's mission.
Lydia Green
Director of Sanctuary Operations
Barbra J Portzline, PhD
Director of Advancement
Barbra went on a private tour and fell in love with Magical Creatures Sanctuary at first sight. She and her husband signed up to sponsor Apache, and then her company decided to donate a portion of their Hawai’i retreat proceeds through Patreon as a way to give back to the island and sanctuary. However, she knew that wasn’t enough. Recently, she accepted the position of Director of Advancement to help ensure the sustainability of our sanctuary.
With over 25 years of experience, Barbra is an established leader in program and process evaluation and organizational development. Her clientele is diverse, ranging from government, nonprofit, education, healthcare, and community organizations, to the corporate sector. Barbra is the past president of the New Mexico Evaluators and the New Mexico Association for Talent Development, a current mentor for the Stanford University Latino Entrepreneur Scaling Program, a 2022 Diverse Business Leader Honoree, and one of a handful of Certified Return on Investment (ROI) Professionals®. She has also sat on the Board of several non-profits and a local Chamber of Commerce, and has given countless hours to mentoring and supporting small business owners across the nation.
Facilities Manager
Animal Health Manager
Board of Directors
Lolita Perez Ayala, Board Chair - photo and bio coming soon!
Danielle Spitz, Vice Chair
Danielle Spitz is New York born and bred. As an only child, she frequently sought the companionship of animals. She met her husband Andrew as a young teen at a horse ranch his family owned and operated. During the years before they went off to college, they rescued and rehabilitated a variety of creatures, domestic and wild. After attending business school at the University of South Florida, Danielle worked in multicultural communications, assisting Fortune 500 companies with their international marketing campaigns. Within a few years, they relocated to Northern California for Andrew to pursue a career in veterinary medicine at UC Davis. Danielle was introduced to vegetarianism by vet student friends and eliminated meat from her diet. Danielle and Andrew then relocated to Santa Barbara, where they began working with ASAP Cats, a nonprofit organization that sheltered cats for Santa Barbara County. They created the Sponsor-A-Cat program in 2000 that is still a part of the fundraising efforts for ASAP Cats today. Danielle and her family relocated to the Big Island in 2012. Living in Waimea, they rescued their first goat kid in 2017, and their small farm quickly became home to other animals in need of assistance. Danielle met Helena and the Magical Creatures team while assisting with the placement of rescued cows and calves from a shuttered dairy. She currently serves on the Board of Directors.
Mathias Lundblad, Secretary/Treasurer - photo and bio coming soon!
Lucy Codron joined the MCS Board of Directors in April 2023. She has spent her whole career working in the nonprofit and social impact sectors, with experience in grantmaking, development, and philanthropy. Lucy was lucky enough to visit MCS in early 2023 and experience how special the sanctuary is in-person. She fell in love with the residents and was eager to get more involved with the organization. Lucy lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband and dog, Rae.
Lucy Codron, Board Member
Pat VanEvery, Board Member - photo and bio coming soon!
Agnes Horvath, Board Member - photo and bio coming soon!
