Meet Noel Kiswiney | Nashville Native & Senior Dog Geezer Guardian””

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

Hi Noel, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?
One of my favorite books is Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist.’ I first read it in my early twenties, a few months after taking a rather large leap of faith: I had resigned from my job as publicist in the music industry to become a librarian on a cruise ship. I intended to do this job for a short time – only for one year – but after reading ‘The Alchemist,’ a new thought process was triggered, and I realized my reasoning was based on fear and expectations rather than what felt right for me. The book played a part in what ultimately became my decision to continue working on ships for nearly seven years (only two as a librarian, the remainder as an onboard marketing/revenue manager). The experiences I had, lessons I learned, and people I met are ones I otherwise never would have encountered, and truly put me on the path to who and where I am today.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m the Director of Business Operations at Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, a 501(c)3 nonprofit in Mt. Juliet, TN, that is committed to providing lifetime homes and care to 500+ senior dogs. We offer a forever foster program rather than traditional adoption so that we can provide and cover the cost of each dog’s medical care for life, even after they’ve been placed in a forever home. Because of this, we do require our Geezer Guardians (forever families) to live within 100 miles of the sanctuary.

I am so proud of the work we do at OFSDS. All of the senior dogs in our program come to us from surrounding area rescues, shelters, or animal control facilities – either as strays or owner surrenders. We aim to intake the hardest-to-place seniors first (those with advanced medical or mobility needs, super seniors, etc.), and always have a waiting list. We almost never know our Old Friends’ stories, but we do know that they are incredible reminders of resilience, forgiveness, love, and compassion. To serve and care for them on behalf of our donors is a privilege. There are always challenges, and there are definitely hard days, especially when they cross the Rainbow Bridge. However, we look at the silver lining knowing they were loved and cared for in their final chapter.

My path to OFSDS isn’t an obvious one, as I have no background in nonprofit organizations or animal welfare. My career started in the entertainment industry, working in radio promotions, music supervision, strategic marketing & soundtracks, and public relations. One of the biggest lessons I learned during this time was that no job is worth your health: I made the very difficult but necessary decision to resign from my “dream job” because the stress had started causing some serious health issues. Still, it was exciting and I enjoyed being part of it. A few years into my career, I was presented the opportunity to work for a cruise line and travel the world. After learning more, I decided it was worth taking the chance of losing my place in the music industry.

As I mentioned before, my intention was to do this for one year, but I fell in love with the lifestyle and made what felt like a risky, unpopular decision to continue working on cruise ships as a librarian. I knew I needed to be challenged, though, and spoke up to one of my bosses from corporate. They asked me to help with the rollout of a new initiative, which led to my promotion as an onboard marketing/revenue manager. Speaking up was scary, but it paid off; and while this may not always be the case, it was another lesson worth learning.

After nearly seven years on ships, I “came back to land” and melded my experiences in the music and cruise industries together by working with and booking musicians to perform on the same cruise line I’d worked for. Then 2020 came around: on January 8, I became a Geezer Guardian and brought home my first Old Friend, Russ. On March 13, the cruise industry (and pretty much everywhere else) shut down. I was furloughed, but was still taking Russ to Old Friends once a week for laser therapy.

I got to know some of the staff a little bit over time and, right before Thanksgiving, I heard them talking about an opening for a part-time Events & Volunteer Support person. I already loved the organization and figured I could help out until the cruise lines started operating again, so I applied. Like deja vu, my intention was to do this for a short amount of time, but I fell in love with the people and dogs and organization from a new perspective, and I couldn’t leave. I’ve now been with Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary three years and absolutely love where I am and what I’m doing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I don’t spend much time in the city these days, but some of the places I enjoy taking friends when they visit are: FOOD – Frothy Monkey, Hawker’s, Butcher & Bee; SHOPPING – the Nashville Farmers’ Market, 12 South, Downtown Franklin; ACTIVITIES – a show and/or tour at The Ryman, a Sounds/Preds/Titans/Nashville SC game, trail walking/hiking at Percy Warner or Shelby Bottoms.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am full of gratitude for the many people who have encouraged and supported me over the years. Most importantly, and unsurprisingly, are my parents. While they taught me many lessons, one that especially made an impact on my story is: don’t turn down (or accept!) an opportunity until you know more about it – ask questions, have a discussion, do some research, etc. What you find out may support your initial answer, but it may open up a whole new world of possibilities!

Others in my life who also deserve a shoutout include: two of my closest friends (also my longest-running friendships at 30 and 20 years, respectively!) who keep me grounded, hold me accountable, and are my prime examples for authenticity; my group of girlfriends from college who helped begin the process of really shaping the young-adult version of myself and still bring hours of laughter to my life today; employers who recognized my value and potential and gave me opportunities I otherwise wouldn’t have pursued on my own; and my current two Old Friends Eugene & Trixie for all the joy and light they bring to my life daily.

And, of course, my current place of work, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary: I was a “Geezer Guardian” for nearly a year before I joined the team; I already loved the organization’s mission, but after seeing its work in action and getting to know its staff, I applied for a job. Three years later and to be a small part of what we do is nothing short of incredible.

Website: https://ofsds.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofsds/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldFriendsSeniorDogSanctuary/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@oldfriendsseniordogs

Image Credits
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary Wendy Jo Photography