Atlanta Nonprofit PALS Hires New Executive Director

Pets Are Loving Support, Inc. (PALS), a nonprofit organization that provides companion animals with the opportunity to stay in homes of seriously ill, disabled and elderly Atlantans, has named Thomas Burkhalter as its new executive director.

Burkhalter, who previously served on the PALS board of directors, has more than 15 years of experience in banking operations and information technology, including at Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Truist.

“Tommy has a wide range of talents and is able to make critical decisions on the fly and implement them in a forward-thinking manner,” says Bill Golden, PALS board member and treasurer. “And we’ve had a great experience with him having served on our board before, being actively involved from the beginning.”

In addition to his banking experience, Burkhalter has also worked as an independent contractor in financial technology, financial services processing, software development lifecycle, and product management. He resides in Midtown with his fiancé Luis Lázaro and their dog Truman, who coincidentally won one of last year’s PALS fundraising contests.

“I was already fascinated by PALS, its mission and its rich history,” Burkhalter says, “and I enjoyed my service on the board more than I ever imagined. So when the opportunity arose to synchronize a career change with serving animals and people through this agency, I jumped at the chance.”