YOUR GEEK WEEK PRESENTERS November 13-17, 2021
Contents Beth Adelman ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Angie Arora ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Natasha Attwood .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Dr. Lynn Bahr................................................................................................................................................. 4 Tiffany Baker ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Eva Bertilsson ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Irith Bloom .................................................................................................................................................... 7 Veronica Boutelle .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Dr. Conor Brady............................................................................................................................................. 8 Cristina & Aurélien Budzinski ........................................................................................................................ 8 Dr. Christine Calder ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Dr. Hannah Capon ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Suzanne Clothier ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Ana Costa .................................................................................................................................................... 11 Tracey Lee Davis.......................................................................................................................................... 11 Alexis Davison ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Jean Donaldson ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Laura Donaldson ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Tamsin Durston ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Petra Edwards ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Coleen Ellis .................................................................................................................................................. 14 Dr. Eduardo J. Fernandez ............................................................................................................................ 15 Kamal Fernandez......................................................................................................................................... 16 Jade Fountain .............................................................................................................................................. 16 Dr. Simon Gadbois ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Paula Garber ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Aimee Gardiner ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Mychelle Garrigan ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Dr. Lisa Gunter ............................................................................................................................................ 19 Andrew Hale................................................................................................................................................ 20 Dr. Naomi Harvey ........................................................................................................................................ 20 Dr. Susan Hazel ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Dr. Dorothy Heffernan ................................................................................................................................ 21
Julia Henning ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Dr. Lynn Honeckman ................................................................................................................................... 22 Dr. Katie Howie ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Emelie Johnson Vegh .................................................................................................................................. 23 Rain Jordan.................................................................................................................................................. 24 Judy Luther .................................................................................................................................................. 25 Jimmy Mai ................................................................................................................................................... 26 Michelle Martiya ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Leslie McDevitt............................................................................................................................................ 27 Rebecca Mead............................................................................................................................................. 27 Jasmine Molloy ........................................................................................................................................... 29 Jules Morgan ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Simone Mueller ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Julie Naismith .............................................................................................................................................. 31 Gina Phairas ................................................................................................................................................ 31 Helen Phillips............................................................................................................................................... 32 Shannon Riley-Coyner ................................................................................................................................. 33 Evelia Rivera ................................................................................................................................................ 34 Veronica Sanchez ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Alexandra Santos ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Dr. Kersti Seksel .......................................................................................................................................... 36 Michael Shikashio ....................................................................................................................................... 36 Dr. Kristina Spaulding .................................................................................................................................. 37 Louise Stapleton-Frappell ........................................................................................................................... 37 Dr. Melissa Starling ..................................................................................................................................... 38 Grisha Stewart............................................................................................................................................. 38 Victoria Stilwell ........................................................................................................................................... 39 K. Holden Svirsky ......................................................................................................................................... 40 Melissa Taylor ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Dr. Holly Tett ............................................................................................................................................... 41 Zazie Todd ................................................................................................................................................... 42 Emily Tronetti .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Niki Tudge ................................................................................................................................................... 43 Nancy Tucker............................................................................................................................................... 44
Yvette Van Veen.......................................................................................................................................... 44 Dr. Mindy Waite .......................................................................................................................................... 45 Ruby Welsford............................................................................................................................................. 45 Karolina Westlund....................................................................................................................................... 46
Beth Adelman Beth Adelman MS is a cat behavior consultant and publishing professional based in Brooklyn, New York. She is currently on the PPG Feline Committee and was a founding member of the Cat Division of the IAABC. She is the former editor-inchief of Cats magazine and DogWorld and former cat columnist for the New York Post, and has won several awards from the Dog Writers Association of America and the Cat Writers Association for her work. She is currently a regular speaker on cat behavior at New York’s Meow Parlour. Beth has worked as a writer and speaker for the Winn Feline Foundation and received Winn’s Media Appreciation Award in 2011. She has also been a speaker for Cat Camp, Catsbury Park, the Cat Writers Association, the IAABC, Kutztown University, Pet Sitters International, the Garden State Cat Club, and the Cat Fanciers Association, and a guest on a variety of radio shows. She has edited more than 100 books about companion animals, many of them award winners.
Angie Arora Angie Arora is a registered social worker who has worked at the cross-section of the human-animal-bond for over 16 years, focusing on pet loss bereavement and veterinary wellness. As a certified compassion fatigue specialist, Angie works with animal-care providers to foster wellness and address systemic causes of burnout and compassion fatigue. She also serves as the board secretary for the International Association of Veterinary Social Work, is the research chair for the International Association for Animal Hospice & Palliative Care and volunteers her time to address equity issues within veterinary medicine. Angie works with VetVine as a virtual pet loss facilitator and is the lead coach for their VETPeers Wellness and Professional Resiliency Coaching Program. She is a professor with Seneca College’s social service worker program, where she was the principal investigator of a research study that developed guidelines for veterinary teams to better support clients through their pets’ end of life.
Natasha Attwood Natasha “Tasha” Attwood is a dog trainer and behavior consultant at Miyagis Dog Training and Behaviourist Services in Skegness, Lincolnshire, UK. She is an IntoDogs approved dog trainer and behaviourist, a member of ICAN, PPG, DTC, ISCP, DWA, ATA, CMA, KAD (Kids around Dogs), Deaf Dog Network, and the Assistance Dog Training and Education Support Network. She is also a Pet Dog Ambassador instructor and assessor. She lives with Diesel, a spaniel mix and three wolfdogs, Koda, Django and Zombie. Diesel is an owner trained assistance dog and Koda is an assistance dog in training.
Tasha is also a DMWYD Triple Crown instructor, a Trick, Canine Conditioning and Stunt Dog judge, a Dog Parkour UK instructor and assessor, a Canine Hoopers World instructor and assessor, a DTC approved instructor, a Canine Rally instructor, a Fun Dog agility coach, a Scentwork instructor, a nutrition advisor, a UK Disc Dog Association instructor and judge, an approved Assistance Dog Network and Education instructor, and a canine body language and puppy specialist. She works with deaf and blind dogs and publishes dog training tutorial videos on YouTube and other social media platforms to raise awareness of the training abilities of wheelchair users and people with disabilities to make her teaching accessible to as many as possible. Tasha also mentors trainers and upcoming behavior consultants from various backgrounds and specialties across the UK.
Dr. Lynn Bahr Dr. Lynn Bahr is a 1991 graduate from the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine. She credits a special gray and white ball of kitten fluff with leading her down the path of a career in feline medicine and behavior. Helping to strengthen the human-animal bond is now her life’s mission and guiding force and her areas of interest and special care for felines include health and wellness, environmental enrichment, hospice, and ending the practice of declawing. Dr. Bahr is currently the CEO of Dezi & Roo, a company that designs, manufactures and sells enrichment products that enhance the lives of cats their owners. Dr. Bahr was the recipient of the 2018 Pet Age Woman of Influence Award and serves on the Board of Directors of
Pandemonium Aviaries, Fear Free Advisory Board, and Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics, and is a member of the Pet Professional Guild’s Cat Committee.
Tiffany Baker Tiffany Baker is a certified canine behavior consultant as well as founder and owner of Boss Babe Dog Training, LLC in Dallas, Texas. She has been professionally working with dogs and canine behavioral modification since 2013. Tiffany specializes in aggression, fear-based behaviors, anxiety, new animal integration and families with children and dogs. Her training journey began with her own dog, Nadia, otherwise known as Naughty Nadia. Nadia was an anxious mess, and Tiffany quickly realized she was out of her depth. What started as a means to better her dog’s well-being and mend their relationship, quickly grew into a passion for the science of animal behavior. Tiffany began to immerse herself in the animal rescue community and has continued to be involved for many years. She has volunteered with 501c3 rescue organizations and fostered several animals, both felines and canines. Tiffany has also volunteered with many animal shelters across the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex to further grow her knowledge and experience working with animals and developed her dog training skills as a dog trainer at Petsmart. Over the years, Tiffany became a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, received her title as a certified behavior consultant canine (CBCC-KA), and a certified Control Unleashed instructor (CCUI) in 2021. Tiffany is extremely talented in her ability to not only effectively modify behaviors in dogs but also provide tremendous support, compassion and guidance to the Boss Babe pet guardians. She advocates for a positive reinforcement, science-based training style. She believes that these methods are not only the most effective way to teach a dog and handler new behaviors, but it also creates a new and better understanding within the canine human relationship, further strengthening the bond and allowing for growth. With each dog and handler team Tiffany has the pleasure of working with, her dedication and drive to continue learning and developing her skills as a canine behavior consultant grows.
Eva Bertilsson Eva Bertilsson works in the collaboration Carpe Momentum together with (her Geek Week co-presenter) Emelie Johnson Vegh. Their goal is to help people acquire knowledge and skills in science-based, modern, humane, and empowering teaching strategies for the benefit of learners of all species. Within Carpe Momentum, Eva teaches seminars on the general principles of behavior and learning, coaching trainers in the skill of creating great training sessions regardless of venue or species. Eva has a master’s degree in behavior analysis and is a board member of the Swedish Association for Behavior Analysis. She has a passionate interest for the combination of behavior science and animal welfare, and loves networking; connecting people and ideas. Starting out as a dog trainer who loved to play with her dogs, Eva was an avid dog sports competitor for many years – first in obedience and then, bitten by the agility bug, in the agility ring, where she won national and international titles. Together with Emelie, she published the book Agility Right from the Start, which outlines the authors’ philosophy and structured approach to training – making it a worthwhile read not just for agility enthusiasts. Eva has been part of the Clicker Expo faculty for many years, teaching together with Emelie. Eva and Emelie, aka E&E, also introduced TAGteach to Scandinavia in 2005 and were the first European TAGteach faculty. Nowadays Eva spends much of her time disseminating behavior science and best practice animal care, working with various species in a variety of settings. She has been instrumental in introducing Fear Free in Scandinavia, and is an accredited Fear Free speaker. Currently she is engaged in several Swedish projects focused on improving the individual’s welfare and trainerlearner interactions in husbandry procedures and medical care. Eva’s home is a village named Ljungskile on the west coast of Sweden, where she also hosts the annual CCC conference on Choice, Control, and Communication. Much of the time, however, you’ll find her traveling the world.
Irith Bloom Irith Bloom has loved animals for as long as she can remember. She grew up with dogs, gerbils, and a pet snake (who was housed far from the gerbils) and was fascinated by horses. After years of (unsuccessfully) begging her parents to let her ride, she took matters into her own hands and won a horse in an essay contest. Irith’s parents were too busy to train the animals, so Irith became good at teaching useful (from the human point of view) skills to non-human animals. A self-admitted geek, Irith has spent a great deal of time studying the science of behavior. She is fortunate enough to be invited regularly to give presentations on a variety of animal- and learning-related topics. Her writing on these topics has also been published both online and in print. Irith is faculty at Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior and dogbiz’s Dog Walking Academy. She is also a CPDT-KSA, a CBCC-KA, a CDBC, a CSAT, a KPA CTP, a VSPDT, and a CBATI, as well as being certified in TAGteach, a positive-reinforcement method for teaching humans. Irith is a member of the board of directors of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), on the advisory board for Daily Paws, chair emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a former member of the APDT Legislative Task Force. She also volunteers for National English Shepherd Rescue. Irith has a BA in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and lives in Los Angeles, California. Her company, The Sophisticated Dog, LLC, offers online training and behavior services to clients worldwide as well as limited in-person services for clients in her local area. Irith also offers consulting services for fellow pet professionals.
Veronica Boutelle Veronica Boutelle MA Ed. CTC is co-founder of dogbiz, where she helps lead the THRIVE! program to support dog trainers’ business success. Veronica is the author of How to Run a Dog Business: Putting Your Career Where Your Heart Is and the co-author of Minding Your Dog Business: A Practical Guide to Business Success for Dog Professionals, and writes standing business columns for the Pet Professional Guild BARKS from the Guild and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers’ Chronicle of the Dog.
Dr. Conor Brady After college, Dr. Conor Brady BSc Ph.D spent five years in guide dogs as a pup supervisor and guide dog trainer. It was while he was working in Guide Dogs in Australia that the true powers of raw feeding came to light. That was 15 years ago. Since then, bar a couple of years as a raw dog food producer himself, Dr. Brady has been a full-time writer, speaker and dedicated advocate for natural canine food and health. As a dog lover and keen researcher, the subject fascinates and consumes him, providing him with near bottomless rabbit holes that demand exploration. He recently released the findings from his last decade of work in the book, Feeding Dogs, which made it to the top of a number of best-seller lists, including #1 in Small Animal Veterinary Medicine in the US (Amazon Charts). It today remains the top-rated book on Amazon on canine nutrition. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Wicklow, Ireland. When he is not writing or doing consults, you will find him out walking with his slightly odd blue roan cocker spaniel, Dudley. What Dudley lacks in brains and overall finesse he makes up with single-minded determination, though that statement is equally true for both of man and dog. Cristina & Aurélien Budzinski
Cristina and Aurélien Budzinski are dog behaviorists in France, certified by Turid Rugaas. They are also certified Herbal Choices practioners and mantrailing instructors. They are passionate about understanding dogs and their well-being, so decided to study them from a scientific perspective. They have been carrying out field studies for a number of years to observe dogs while measuring their pulse rate. Combining their experience in dog training and collecting data from many very different dogs, they were able to discover some fascinating facts about what dogs do naturally and why they do it. “Understanding is the best way to learn,” is the Budzinskis’ motto. As such, they are always eager to learn more about every possible aspect of a dog’s life, which includes behavior, physiology and even psychology. Emotions are a big part of how dogs cope with life and the aim of their studies is to observe canine behavior in depth, and to then offer people another way of seeing how dogs feel. Cristina and Aurélien have already presented their work in several countries and at Geek Week 2020. They are currently conducting more field studies and observing dogs in different contexts
so they can continue to better understand canine behavior and how we can help dogs cope better with life.
Dr. Christine Calder A graduate of Mississippi State University but native of New Jersey, Dr. Christine Calder has lived and practiced veterinary medicine in both New Jersey and Maine for many years. In addition to general practice, Dr. Calder has worked at the San Francisco SPCA, Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Most recently, she was an assistant clinical professor in community veterinary services and veterinary behavior at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. As a general practitioner, Dr. Calder always had an interest in animal behavior especially clinical veterinary behavior and, in 2016, she finished a residency with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. In 2017, she became a diplomate with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (DACVB). Her special interest is in shelter behavior, feline behavior, and shy/fearful dogs. She shares her home with three Rhodesian ridgebacks, a black Lab, two French bulldogs, and a snake.
Dr. Hannah Capon Dr. Hannah Capon MA Vet MB MRCVS, winner of the 2020 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Impact Award, the 2019 Ceva Vet of the Year and finalist in the 2019 Petplan Vet of the Year, is a first-opinion veterinary surgeon in the UK. She is also recognized for her tireless work with Canine Arthritis Management (CAM), an online education and support service for owners of arthritic dogs and professionals that care for them. CAM began as a simple Facebook page in 2015 where Dr. Capon would promote earlier identification and thorough multimodal management plans. Today, it boasts a flourishing service run by a team of veterinary professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to help dog owners. CAM has become an unstoppable force, and now includes a respected website full of downloads such as the unique Home Safe tool (#itsmyhometoo), a large social media presence, and an online shop stocking awareness merchandise, owner education and other canine essentials. CAM is an education provider for first opinion practices, as well as dog groups, paraprofessionals and owners, and an inspirational campaign group to raise awareness of the serious nature of this disease (#yourdogmoreyears). CAM has worked with numerous
industry partners but is especially proud of recent work with Hills Pet Foods creating a 12-part webinar series that had 1,300 sign ups within the first three weeks of release.
Suzanne Clothier Suzanne Clothier has been working with animals professionally since 1977, with a deep, broadly varied background of experience. She is well respected for her humane, practical and sensible Relationship Centered Training (RCT™) approach to dogs and the people that love them. She has taught throughout the US and internationally on a variety of topics. Her thoughtful, effective tools and materials have been put to use by everyday pet owners, and by trainers, breeders, veterinarians, academics, in guide and service dog organizations, and in animal assisted therapy. She also serves as a consultant to guide and service dog schools. Regarded as an innovative trainer with exceptional observation skills and a broad range of knowledge, Suzanne is always in demand as an exciting, informative and entertaining speaker capable of making complex topics easily grasped and practical. Her works includes: • • • • • •
CARAT™ - a novel temperament assessment and scoring system. The Enriched Puppy Protocol™ – a program for early puppyhood development, from birth to 9 weeks. RAT™ (Relationship Assessment Tool) – a dog/human relationship dynamics assessment. FAT™ (Functional Assessment Tracking) – a 15-dimension functional assessment of an individual dog. CCC™ (Connection, Cooperation & Control, with Cindy Knowlton) – a puzzle-based training program. Your Athletic Dog: A Functional Approach – a gait and movement assessment.
An award-winning author of videos, books, and numerous articles, Suzanne’s writings have appeared around the world in countless languages from Danish to Japanese. Her book Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships With Dogs (Warner, 2002) has received widespread praise from every corner of the dog world, including being included twice in The Wall Street Journal's list of Top 5 Dog Books. Suzanne is a member of PPG and IAABC. A long time German shepherd breeder, she lives on an upstate New York farm with husband John Rice, and their considerable animal family.
Ana Costa Ana Costa BIntSt BIntBus (Hons) (animal science) and Ph.D candidate (University of Auckland, New Zealand) returned to university because she had too many questions about animal behavior and not enough answers. She is particularly passionate about helping dogs and humans live together successfully, through education, understanding, and researching the human/canine experience. In 2019, Ana published her honors research on sales of dogs on Gumtree (an online classified advertisement and community website), and is currently a Ph.D candidate at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Her current research centers on understanding puppy owners and their experiences, as well as researching the effect of “puppy blues.” Ana has a background working with dogs who suffer from anxiety disorders and is a graduate of the Delta Institute in Australia. She currently lives with a special needs dog, Nervous Nina.
Tracey Lee Davis Tracey Lee Davis CTC graduated with honors from the Academy for Dog Trainers in 2004. She was then integral in opening a facility that became one of the most prominent daycares in the Silicon Valley during her tenure there, offering daycare, boarding, grooming, and training. She became a certified kennel operator in 2007 and a CPDT-KA in 2008, which she maintained until 2014. After getting laid off in 2013, Tracey Lee switched gears and created ZingPop Social Media in 2014. A social media expert and certified partner for Constant Contact, she coaches entrepreneurs to grow their business using social media and provides total management for their email marketing campaigns. Tracey Lee is also a sought-after speaker for associations and business groups. She is Alignable's 2021 Local Businessperson of The Year for San Jose, a certified content marketing strategist, and the co-owner and vice president of the Women’s Networking Alliance. She also really, really loves cheese.
Alexis Davison Alexis Davison is a member of the Karen Pryor Academy Faculty and teaches the Dog Trainer Professional Program in Australia and New Zealand. She is a business consultant and Dog Walking Academy instructor for dog*biz in Australia. Alexis established her business, Scholars in Collars, in 2002 when she completed her Certificate IV in dog behavioral training. She has been a Karen Pryor Academy certified training partner since 2011. Named 2014 Dog Trainer of the Year by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia, Alexis’s professional memberships also include the American Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the Pet Professional Guild Australia. Alexis began developing Un-Chase!® in 2012 to help clients and students seeking solutions to their dogs’ chasing behaviors. Since then, she has helped countless dog lovers curb their dogs’ chasing behaviors and shared her innovative approach with dog training professionals. Alexis conducts regular workshops and in-home consultations in the semi-rural area of Adelaide Hills, as well as metropolitan Adelaide. She regularly speaks at dog training and related industry conferences, seminars, and workshops. Alexis currently shares her home with her partner, Ross, two Australian shepherds, a central bearded dragon and a number of chickens.
Jean Donaldson Jean Donaldson is the founder and principal instructor of The Academy for Dog Trainers, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019. She is a four-time winner of The Dog Writers' Association of America's Maxwell Award and, in 2017, was recruited to create Dog Training 101 for The Great Courses. Born in Montreal, Canada, Jean founded the Montreal Flyball Association, and Renaissance Dog Training, the first positive reinforcement-based school and counseling service in the province. Her own dogs, and dogs she has trained, have earned numerous titles and wins in a variety of dog sports, including OTCh, TDX, HIT and FDCh. While a student, she worked as an adoption counselor at the Montreal SPCA and later served on its board of directors. Before founding The Academy, Jean worked exclusively with referral aggression cases for six years. She lives in Oakland, California, with her dog, Brian, adopted in 2015.
Laura Donaldson Dr. Laura Donaldson is a retired Ivy League professor (Emeritus, Cornell University) who has also been a dog trainer and canine behavior specialist for over 15 years. She holds a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary humanities (her favorite course to teach was called “Gone to the Dogs: The Canine in Literature and Culture”) and has done graduate work in applied animal behavior. She is a certified dog behavior consultant through the IAABC; a Karen Pryor certified training partner; and a certified Control Unleashed instructor. Laura owns Four Paws, Four Directions Dog Training & Behavior Consulting LLC, located in the Fingerlakes region of Ithaca, New York. In her currently full-time behavior consulting practice, she focuses almost exclusively on dogs struggling with dog-dog and dog-human directed aggression issues. She teaches both in-person and online Control Unleashed classes. She is also a published writer on dog behavior and is very proud that her essay, The Cognitive Revolution and Everyday Dog Training: The Case of Look at That, won the 2018 Maxwell Medallion Award for best magazine article on dog training and behavior. This article, along with several others, is part of a forthcoming book titled Slow Thinking is Lifesaving for Dogs™: New Approaches for Canine Aggression. Laura’s aim in this book is to bring the emergent research on canine cognition to the everyday practices of dog training and particularly, of canine aggressive behavior. Both the book and her session at Geek Week explore more productive and effective ways to address canine aggression (and other behavior issues).
Laura lives with her husband and three dogs, and her background includes working Border Collies and a flock of Navajo Churro sheep.
Tamsin Durston Tamsin “Tam” Durston is a clinical animal behaviorist (mAPBC/ABTC), an accredited dog training instructor (mAPDT), and a registered veterinary nurse. Currently studying for a master’s in psychology (human behavior), Tam has a special interest in establishing empathetic communication as a foundation for trusting, enriching relationships – whether handler-dog, the owner-dog-animal welfare professional triad, or within teams of people working collaboratively. Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, and Tam manages their veterinary engagement team. The team design human behavior change interventions aimed at influencing positive welfare outcomes for dogs through embedding an understanding of canine behavior within veterinary settings.
Petra Edwards Petra is a Ph.D candidate the University of Adelaide, Australia where she is investigating how companion dogs experience their veterinary care, and strategies that can be implemented to reduce stress. Petra’s honors research focused on the equipment that Australians use to walk their dogs, including looking at beliefs about dog walking, behavior and exercise. Petra has keen research interests in animal training and behavior, welfare, human-animal interactions and relationships, and comparative psychology. In conjunction with her research, Petra also has an extensive background in, and passion for, humane animal training and behavior (specializing in dogs) with the view for increasing quality of life, improving human-animal bonds and helping companion animals live their best lives in a society often not set up for them. She has experience consulting on behavior problems in dogs, taking basic manners training and puppy classes, running seminars for pet guardians and staff within the animal care industry, including veterinary practice, dog training clubs, day care centers and local government.
Coleen Ellis Coleen Ellis’s rockin’ world started in small town rural Kansas. After graduating from Fort Hays State University, and a 20-year run of success in sales, her profound love of animals and the death of her beloved 14-year-old dog Mico collided with Coleen’s marketing insight and entrepreneurial spirit to form a defining moment for her in 2004. That’s when she founded the nation’s first standalone funeral home for pets, to help people just like her honor the life shared with a special animal. And, as it turned out, there were a lot of people just like her. She quickly became a national advocate and influencer for respectful and dignified pet loss services. Her passion for “all things pets” is felt by her audiences when she presents, as well as by her readership. Her book Pet Parents: A Journey through Unconditional Love and Grief has become a go-to guidebook for pet parents and animal care professionals. She is also an in-demand blogger and spokesperson worldwide, sharing her thoughts and insights with veterinary professionals to help both them and their clients navigate the difficult realities of pet loss. Coleen’s journey as an entrepreneur and business leader has recently taken a new path – one focused on energizing and inspiring others with what, upon reflection, has always been her life’s guiding center-beam: what animals teach us about business and human interaction. She’s
turned these insights, examples, and observations into easy to remember life and business tips that pretty much everyone can relate to. She calls it “AQ,” or Animal Quotient, and they sculpt a cornerstone for some interesting conversations, meaningful lessons and common-sense direction. Coleen resides in Southlake, Texas, and is a founder and past co-chair of the Pet Loss Professionals Alliance and the current executive director and past president of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science where she interestingly shapes newly required pet death care curriculum for human funeral directors in training. She is also on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater, Fort Hays State University, and is their 2018 Alumni Achievement Award recipient. She shares her home with her husband and their four-legged family, Albert, Rudy, and Beulah. Dr. Eduardo J. Fernandez Dr. Eduardo J. Fernandez received his Ph.D. in psychology (minors in neuroscience and animal behavior) from Indiana University, where he worked with the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Zoo. He received his MS in behavior analysis from the University of North Texas, where he founded the Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals (ORCA).
Most of his past and current work involves behavioral research applied to the welfare and training of zoo, aquarium, and companion animals. He is currently a senior lecturer of applied animal behavior and welfare in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide, Australia. His past positions include a visiting professorship in the School of Behavior Analysis at the Florida Institute of Technology, an affiliate professorship in the Psychology Department at the University of Washington (UW), a research fellowship with Woodland Park Zoo, and a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship. While working with UW and the Woodland Park Zoo, he started the Behavioral Enrichment Animal Research (BEAR) group, which conducted welfare research with many of the species and exhibits located throughout the zoo. He currently runs the Operant Welfare Lab (OWL), which is dedicated to the use of learning principles to improve the lives of animals across many settings, including exotic animals in zoos, companion animals in homes, and agricultural animals in farms. Many of his past publications, research projects, and presentations can be found on his ResearchGate profile.
Kamal Fernandez Kamal Fernandez is an internationally renowned dog trainer, author, and world championship level sports dog coach. With over 30 years’ experience in the world of dogs and dog training, Kamal has pioneered the use of reinforcement-based methodology to train dogs, from unruly pets to Crufts winners. Living in the scenic county of Sussex, UK, he shares his life with his young daughter and his 11 dogs, who range from a Chihuahua cross to a Malinois, and from rescue/rehomed dogs to dogs he has bred and raised since birth. His broad and diverse group of dogs highlights his philosophy that any dog can be trained. Prior to being a professional dog trainer, Kamal worked in law enforcement – specifically with young offenders whereby a reinforcement-based ethos was widely embraced. Kamal embraces this philosophy of reinforcement-based teaching and learning and applies it throughout his life. He has competed at the highest level in dog sports, including at Crufts, and speaks at conferences and seminars all over the world, including the Victoria Stillwell Bite Conference, IMPACT conference for service and military personnel, and The Lemonade Conference, as well as television appearances on Sky’s Dogs Might Fly, which documented the journey of 12 rescue dogs as they were trained to “fly a plane.”
Jade Fountain Jade Fountain founded animal behavior consultancy, Animal Behaviour Matters, in 2010 and has a passion for training animals and humans to improve behavioral welfare. As a behavior consultant, she works with animals and their caregivers (pet guardians, zookeepers, animal handlers) to improve outcomes with behavior problems in homes and animal care settings. She has worked with a multitude of species from marsupials, sea lions, and big cats to fish, goats and dogs. In her career she has led behavior teams in shelters, trained dogs and cats for film and TV, endangered species such as wallabies and cheetahs, service dogs for assistance roles (autism, PTSD, mobility), and detection dogs for conservation. Jade is a presenter and lecturer in applied behavior and animal training at universities and TAFEs (technical and further education institutions) and teaches workshops for animal handlers and trainers in Australia, the USA and Scandinavia. She has been working in conservation-based recovery programs at zoos and wildlife parks throughout Australia and overseas and spends her time teaching and training across the applied animal behavior, behavioral ecology and conservation biology fields.
Jade holds an MSc in zoology (animal behavior) from the University of New England, a graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis (Griffith University) and a BSc in zoology/psychology from the University of Tasmania. Currently, she is working toward a second masters’ degree, in applied behavior analysis (Griffith University). She has conducted research on reward pathways in the brain during operant learning in laying hens, personality in Tasmanian devils, and aggressive behavior in native Australian birds. She is a certified canine and feline behavior consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), a CPDTKA and graduate of Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Behavior and Training.
Dr. Simon Gadbois Dr. Simon Gadbois is a researcher in animal behavior and animal learning and psychophysics at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. He integrates biology (ethology), experimental animal psychology (psychophysics and learning), and neuroscience within a post-cognitivist perspective. A generalist, he has studied olfaction, learning/memory and social behavior in species of mollusks (slugs and snails), fish (three species), reptiles (three species), birds (pigeons) and mammals (rats, dogs, red foxes, coyotes and wolves). He has studied Canids for 30 years and established the Canid and Reptile Behaviour and Olfaction lab at Dalhousie in 2006. His research on wild canids was focused on natural action sequences and social endocrinology. His current research on domestic dogs is mostly on applications of olfactory processing, including medical alert dogs and wildlife conservation canines.
Paula Garber Paula Garber is a professional cat behavior consultant and owner of LIFELINE Cat Behavior Solutions in Westchester County, New York. She holds a master’s in education from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a diploma in feline behavior science and technology from the Companion Animal Sciences Institute. She is also a certified animal training and enrichment professional and certified feline training and behavior Specialist through the Animal Behavior Institute, a Fear Free certified animal trainer, and is certified in Low-Stress Handling for Dogs and Cats. She is chair of PPG’s Feline Committee and serves on PPG’s Steering Committee, and she recently joined the faculty of DogNostics Career Center. She is a proud member of the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals and the Animal Training Academy, and serves as
president and co-founder of the Cat Protection Council of Westchester, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization whose mission is to better the lives of community cats through advocacy, education, and community outreach. She resides in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and four rescued cats. Aimee Gardiner Aimee Gardiner is a behaviorist and trainer based in the West Midlands, UK. She holds a BSc (Hons) in applied animal behavior and training and a national diploma in animal management and has been training animals for 15 years. She is a provisional member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, a Dog Training College verified trainer, and a member of PPG British Isles. She specializes in reactive, aggressive and anxious dogs, as well as the training and legalities surrounding assistance dogs. She also helps rehabilitate former street dogs adjust to life with their new families. She is also a trustee and head of behavior and training at the Assistance Dog Council, where she provides advocacy and helps problem solve training issues in assistance dogs. This year, she helped run the Virtual Dog Conference 2021, where there were in excess of 700 hours of talks by various canine professionals around the world. The event aimed to provide pet owners with expert information and education on reward-based training during lockdown. She has two flat-coated retrievers with whom she competes in conformation dog shows and gundog working events. She has recently started to dabble in agility, hoopers and obreedience with a team of flat-coated retrievers. She is also a dog show judge, judging her beloved breed. Mychelle Garrigan
Mychelle Garrigan runs Firelink Digital Marketing, which serves small- to medium-size businesses and nonprofits, with a special niche for pet care professionals, which she serves through Pet Pro Marketing, a division of her company. She provides a full range of online business services include website design, SEO, Google My Business setup and management, website audits, copywriting and strategy development for content marketing and social media marketing. She also has specialties in helping individuals develop online courses and events and web accessibility, and runs an online course platform for pet care professionals at Hippocampus Online. She studied web design, internet technology and programming at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Iron Yard Front End Engineering program. Mychelle's professional background includes over 20 years working in administration, development, and marketing/communications positions in the nonprofit world. She has a master’s (social work with a concentration on community administration, planning and programs)
from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition to her digital marketing and web design experience, she has worked as both a professional editor and writer, and has written for several websites on dog and cat behavior and training, and small animal, bird, and reptile care. She has worked as both a volunteer and staff person in shelters and rescues across the US and previously worked in administration for the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), and the United States Dog Agility Association. She is also certified dog behavior consultant via IAABC. She currently serves on the board of directors of SiouxperCon. Mychelle lives with her dogs Kaylee and Jack, two bearded dragons, a ball python, chickens, and several fish in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Dr. Lisa Gunter Lisa Gunter Ph.D MA CBCC-KA is the Maddie's Fund research fellow at Arizona State University in the Department of Psychology and conducts her research in the Canine Science Collaboratory. Before beginning her graduate studies, she worked for nearly a decade with pets in animal shelters and with dogs and their owners. The goal of Dr. Gunter’s research is to better the lives of companion animals and their owners. To this aim, she has investigated the breed labeling of shelter dogs, their breed heritage, shelter housing and social interactions with other dogs, temporary fostering, short-term outings, behavioral indicators of welfare, post-adoption interventions focused on owner retention, and more recently, fostering during the pandemic and safety net programs to help keep people and their pets together. Under the mentorship of Clive Wynne, Dr. Gunter earned her master’s in 2015, and her Ph.D in 2018 as a graduate student in the behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology program at Arizona State University. Prior to her graduate school, she worked as a behavior consultant and trainer in San Francisco, where she taught group classes and worked with owners experiencing issues of fear, anxiety, and aggression with their dogs. Her interest in canine behavior began in 2002 as an animal shelter volunteer, training dogs in basic skills and assisting in shelter dog playgroups. That interest grew into a career where she managed the behavior programs of several shelters throughout the West. These experiences led her to co-found Wagfield Academy, an online dog training and behavior resource for owners, and the Institute for Shelter Dogs with Dr. Erica Feuerbacher, where they combine the latest in shelter research with the current best practices in workshops for staff and volunteers.
Andrew Hale Andrew Hale is a certified animal behaviorist and full member of the Association of INTODogs. With a degree in human psychology and a background in human therapy, Andrew is passionate about exploring the emotional experience and its role in behavior. Having worked with companion animals for over 10 years, Andrew focuses on bringing alignment between the emotional and care needs of the animal and that of their human carer. Along with colleagues Kim Brophey and Dr. Kathy Murphy, Andrew hosts the popular Beyond the Operant series of talks. Andrew has taken an active role in the dog training industry in the UK, having been the chair of the Association of INTODogs and involved in setting up the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter. He is currently the behavioral consultant for Pet Remedy and the British Isles Grooming Association.
Living in Devon, UK, Andrew shares his home with his husband and their two dogs, enjoying family time on the beach and Dartmoor.
Dr. Naomi Harvey Dr. Naomi Harvey is a zoologist with a specialty in applied animal behavior and veterinary health and welfare. Since November 2019, she has been working at the Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity as a research manager in canine behavior. She also holds an honorary position as an associate professor of companion animal behavior and welfare at the University of Nottingham, UK. With a BSc in zoology from Cardiff University and PhD in applied canine behavior from the University of Nottingham, Dr. Harvey has a particular specialty in designing and validating methods for securing robust and valid measures of animal behavior from their owners and carers. She also has expertise in veterinary epidemiology, having successfully designed and led the Itchy Dog project to investigate the environmental and genetic risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis and its impact on dog behavior. Dr. Harvey’s research interests lie in improving the evidence base for issues affecting companion animal welfare within the fields of veterinary medicine and clinical animal behavior, to better inform how we manage and treat the animals in our care. Her Ph.D focused on how behavior develops in juvenile guide dogs, and as such, she has a particular interest in the adolescent phase of development and what it could mean for our pets.
Dr. Susan Hazel Dr. Susan Hazel is a veterinarian who worked in private practice, medical research, and public health before taking up her current position in 2006 as an academic in the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Hazel is program coordinator for the undergraduate degree in animal behavior at the school, a unique program offering a comparative psychology focus. She teaches a foundation first year course in animal behavior, welfare and ethics and, since 2007, has supervised more than 30 honors and DVM student research projects, and nine Ph.D students. She has published more than 60 scientific articles. Dr. Hazel has also designed an undergraduate practical class whereby students learn to clicker train chickens. This enables them to put into practice their theoretical knowledge of how animals learn, and Dr. Hazel has supported other universities to run similar classes. The class not only provides practical skills, it has also changed students’ attitudes to chickens and their sentience. Dr. Hazel’s main research interest is in companion animal behavior and welfare, and how human-animal interactions influence both human and animal welfare. She is on the Dog and Cat Management Board of South Australia (SA), the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee of SA and on the board of RSPCA SA.
Dr. Dorothy Heffernan Dr. Dorothy Heffernan trained as a psychologist at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. While conducting postgraduate research there, she realized how the knowledge she was gaining (and imparting to her students) was applicable to her own interactions with her horses. That started her on a journey to discover how modern, science-based techniques could work with equines and, over the last 20 years, she has focused on learning about equine behavior, ethology and training. Dr. Heffernan is a member of PPG and offers training to horse owners who would like to resolve a whole range of behavior issues, from handling and loading to issues under saddle. She adheres to the LIMA protocol (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) and is also an endorsed trainer of the World Bitless Association, helping owners transition to bitless riding using positive reinforcement techniques. She is also a chartered member of the British Psychological Society. Although no longer an academic, she continues to work with postgraduate students, cosupervising research on the application of learning theory to improving the lives and welfare of a number of different species, including equines. She has three equine friends of her own so
understands the day-to-day health, behavior, management and weather challenges horse owners face. Julia Henning Julia Henning is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Adelaide, South Australia who has a special interest in feline behavior, animal affective states and human-cat dyads. Her current Ph.D project focuses on play as an indicator and promotor of positive affective state and welfare in domestic cats. Previously, her honors project looked at quality of life in cats with epilepsy and burden of care in their guardians. Julia is passionate about science communication and enjoys using her background in film, composition, and live performance to effectively communicate scientific findings.
Dr. Lynn Honeckman
Dr. Lynn Honeckman graduated from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in West Lafayette, Indiana in 1993, and has practiced in small animal medicine and exotics over the past 28 years in Illinois, New York, and Florida. She had experience in wildlife rehabilitation in the Chicago area as well as shelter medicine at New York's North Shore Animal League, before moving to Orlando, Florida in 1999. In 2011, Dr. Honeckman opened Veterinary Behavior Solutions in Orlando, Florida, to focus on behavior cases throughout the Central Florida area. Dr. Honeckman is a special counsel for PPG and has helped create the Central Florida Force-Free Behavior and Trainers Network, where she works very closely with other professionals in the community to help reduce and treat fear, anxiety, and aggression in the companion pet. Dr. Honeckman is also the committee chairperson for AVSAB position statements, and is on the advisory board for Dr. Marty Becker's Fear-Free(™) initiative, as well as a certified Fear Free elite professional. Dr. Honeckman is currently working toward a non-conforming residency in veterinary behavior with Dr. Karen Overall.
Dr. Katie Howie
Dr. Katharine “Katie” Howie is an assistant professor at the College of Business and Economic Development at the University of Southern Mississippi where she teaches courses on digital marketing and social media strategy. She has published academic research in high quality journals such as the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Product and Brand Management, among others. She received her Ph.D in business administration from the University of Mississippi, and an MBA and BS in marketing from Missouri State University. She is also on the editorial board for the Journal of Business Ethics. In her free time she loves to be outdoors, cooking, or playing with her pups and kids.
Emelie Johnson Vegh Emelie Johnson Vegh works in Carpe Momentum, a collaboration with (her Geek Week co-presenter) Eva Bertilsson. Their goal is to help people acquire knowledge and skills in science-based, modern, humane, and empowering teaching strategies for the benefit of learners of all species. Within Carpe Momentum, Emelie teaches seminars on the general principles of behavior and learning, coaching trainers in the skill of creating great training sessions regardless of venue or species. Emelie has a degree in education and is a high school teacher in Swedish and English (both language studies and literature). She added to her degree with further studies of both linguistics and children’s literature. She writes fiction for adults and has also published a series of children’s books with a focus on positive reinforcement training. She works as a translator and editor, reveling in finding ways to tell stories and make information available to a great many people. Together with Eva, she published the book Agility Right from the Start, which outlines the authors’ philosophy and structured approach to training – making it a worthwhile read not just for agility enthusiasts. Emelie has been part of the Clicker Expo faculty for many years, teaching together with Eva. Emelie and Eva, aka E&E, also introduced TAGteach to Scandinavia in 2005 and were the first European TAGteach faculty. Emelie lives with her husband, three children and two dogs in Malmö, Sweden. She enjoys many different sports and finding ways of breaking them down and teaching them to others, both adults and children. Her goal is to make learning accessible, interesting and fun. As a dog trainer, Emelie has experience from a variety of venues and has competed in various dog sports
with several dogs of various breeds. Currently, she’s working with her young field golden retriever Tessa, getting her ready for a number of different sports. Rain Jordan Rain Jordan CBCC-KA CPDT-KA KPA CTP CFDP I/M works with private dog owners, rescues and shelters, and others. As a canine fear abatement expert having developed, tested, and performed research on interventions for fearful and other disenfranchised dogs, she provides professional fear abatement services to individuals and organizations in North America and abroad. She also teaches the rigorous, anti-aversives Fear Abatement Mastery (FAM) program for animal behavior professionals and trainers, and for veterinary, shelter, rescue, and other professionals. She has developed innovative behavior, placement, and prevention programs for shelters and rescues, largely as a result of having been the behavior director of a private shelter, caring for and conditioning captive feral, traumatized, anxious, and fearful dogs. Previously a college professor, Rain is a freelance essayist for newspapers and other publications and has authored several books on dog behavior and animal welfare, including The Dog Who Couldn't Be Petted and Such Small Hands: An Anti-Aversives Primer.
Dr. Robert King
Dr. Robert King received his BBA in marketing, an MBA in marketing, and an MS in finance and economics from West Texas A&M University, before earning a Ph.D in marketing from the University of Mississippi. Dr. King teaches principles of marketing and advertising to undergraduates as well as marketing strategy and social networking to graduate students. He also serves on several boards of directors, as well as enjoying his own small business ventures, and uses this knowledge to aid in the teaching of his classes. Dr. King’s research includes a wide variety of topics, but most fall under the scope of marketing strategy, electronic word-of-mouth, technology use in business, and business ethics. Dr. King enjoys spending time with his wife and dog. When not at work he enjoys reading, the outdoors, traveling, golf, and cooking.
Judy Luther Judy Luther, creator of Trust Centered Training™, is known for her skill and knowledge as a behavior consultant and training instructor. Based in Missouri, Judy has provided training services for over 27 years. Her skill and experience include a variety of species, both domestic and exotic. Judy runs a private training business, Dog Star Training, LLC., where she teaches a wide range of dog-related classes, in addition to providing private training and consultation. She is a soughtafter speaker, evaluator, volunteer, and legal advisor. She provides animal talent for print advertising, film, motion pictures and stage entertainment. Her skill in gaining the trust of the animals she works with and understanding of the people she teaches guides them to a high level of success. Judy teaches animals based on the latest scientific research, which led to the creation, development and implementation of Trust Centered Training™. She has developed online courses to meet the needs of her International students where she teaches them about the importance of developing a strong relationship with their dogs, and how to use the latest research in canine cognition to teach dogs. Judy is a member of the Pet Professional Guild and the American Humane Educators Association, as well as a board-certified pet dog trainer through the Certification Council of Professional Trainers, a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy, a certified canine massage therapist, a Canine Good Citizen evaluator, an AKC Puppy S.T.A.R evaluator, and an APDT C.L.A.S.S. instructor and evaluator. She is also chairwoman of the PPG Canine Committee, sits on the PPG Steering Committee, and has volunteered for the Missouri Puppies for Patrol program. She consults and provides educational support for several service dog and therapy dog programs. She founded the Missouri Disc Dog Club and performs with her team at football half-time shows, schools, company functions, fairs and entertainment venues. Judy also works with schools to educate children how to prevent dog bites and how to be kind to their pets. She volunteers her time as a behavior consultant to rescue groups and shelters throughout Missouri and Illinois. Judy is a contributing writer for Pets Best Insurance, Tame Magazine, Tails Magazine, Angie's List, and Positively.
Jimmy Mai Jimmy Mai is a Vietnamese student based in Australia with an interest in understanding how to promote positive behavior changes in humananimal relationships to achieve a higher quality of life for both. After attaining a bachelor’s in psychology from Victoria University, Australia, Jimmy joined La Trobe’s Anthrozoology Research Group in Bendigo, Australia, where he conducted his honors research on acculturation and pet-ownership. He then commenced a Ph.D program in psychology at La Trobe University to develop his research career within the human-animal area. During the first year of his Ph.D, Jimmy volunteered as a puppy raiser for the first time. This experience led him to focus his research on puppy raising practices and understanding the characteristics of optimal models for this practice. He believes that besides puppies’ behavioral outcomes, successful puppy raising programs should also ensure their volunteer raisers' positive program experiences and competency. He hopes his research findings will help the assistance dog training, and the wider dog training industry, to achieve higher program efficiency and satisfaction for both human and dog participants. Jimmy is due to submit his Ph.D thesis for examination in September 2021. He has already published four of his thesis chapters, with his thesis supervisors as co-authors, in reputable peer-reviewed journals: Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Applied Animal Behaviour Science and Animals. During his candidature, he was invited to peer-review manuscripts submitted to Animals and presented his research at three international conferences. In 2018, he spoke about his honors research at the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ 2018) Conference in Sydney, Australia. In 2019, he presented the findings of his Ph.D research at the International Working Dog Conference (IWDC 2019) in Stockholm, Sweden. In June 2021, he contributed an on-demand, pre-recorded video to ISAZ 2021 about one of his published studies.
Michelle Martiya Michelle Martiya is an Animal Behavior College certified dog trainer and Animal Behavior Institute certified exotic animal trainer, specializing in connecting and building relationships with fearful and feral equids. Michelle has been helping pets and their people for more than seven years, combining her natural ”way” with animals and her many years of experience, with a robust education in animal behavior and training. Michelle's animal experience includes both domestic and exotic species, and she currently coaches people in training their equids and exotic pets through video calls and other virtual media.
Leslie McDevitt
Leslie McDevitt MLA CDBC CPDT-KA is the author of the internationally popular Control Unleashed series of books and DVDs. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has helped people all over the world learn how to use her science-based methods to help companion, performance, and working dogs learn how to functional optimally without stress in very challenging environments. For close to 20 years, Leslie’s methods have empowered diverse populations of dogs – companion dogs, shelter dogs, competitive performance dogs, K9 SAR and detection dogs, therapy dogs, and more. If you have a dog that worries about stuff that happens – other dogs, people, noises, the unexpected – or you are a giant behavior geek that is interested in counterconditioning with an operant base using start button behaviors, Leslie has lots of tools for you!
She has taught all over the world and is especially proud of her roles as Clicker Expo speaker and consultant for the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. She is also very proud of her evergrowing number of certified Control Unleashed instructors.
Rebecca Mead Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Mead is a research officer at Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity. She works mainly on mixed methods research projects related to human behavior and canine welfare and currently leads the Choosing My Dog project, which investigates dog acquisition behavior. She also works on research related to the impact of COVID-19 on dog welfare. Additionally, she supports other teams across the organization, particularly with survey development, qualitative research, and data analysis. Prior to joining Dogs Trust, Becky worked within a variety of science- and education-related roles in the public and charity sectors. These include researching school-based qualifications
and producing official statistics for the UK government, organizing university placements for school students from low-income backgrounds through the in2scienceUK charity, and volunteering as an instructor with Riding for the Disabled Association. Becky has a Ph.D in biology education, which focused on how evolution and genetics are taught in secondary schools. As part of her doctorate, Becky was lucky enough to spend time in the Galapagos Islands, working alongside the Galapagos Conservation Trust. Findings from her thesis enabled Becky to collaborate with organizations such as the Darwin Correspondence Project to develop teacher training resources. Becky has an MSc in environmental biology and a BSc in environmental science, both of which allowed her to develop her passion for animal welfare, conservation, and ecology. Becky is also a qualified secondary school science teacher. Becky has always loved animals and dreamed of working for a charity such as Dogs Trust where she is able to use her research skills to develop evidence-based policies and practices which improve dog welfare. In her free time, she can be found exploring the beaches and countryside of West Wales with her terrier, Alfie. Prior to joining Dogs Trust, Becky worked within a variety of science- and education-related roles in the public and charity sectors. These include researching school-based qualifications and producing official statistics for the UK government, organizing university placements for school students from low-income backgrounds through the in2scienceUK charity, and volunteering as an instructor with Riding for the Disabled Association. Becky has a Ph.D in biology education, which focused on how evolution and genetics are taught in secondary schools. As part of her doctorate, Becky was lucky enough to spend time in the Galapagos Islands, working alongside the Galapagos Conservation Trust. Findings from her thesis enabled Becky to collaborate with organizations such as the Darwin Correspondence Project to develop teacher training resources. Becky has an MSc in environmental biology and a BSc in environmental science, both of which allowed her to develop her passion for animal welfare, conservation, and ecology. Becky is also a qualified secondary school science teacher. Becky has always loved animals and dreamed of working for a charity such as Dogs Trust where she is able to use her research skills to develop evidence-based policies and practices which improve dog welfare. In her free time, she can be found exploring the beaches and countryside of West Wales with her terrier, Alfie.
Jasmine Molloy Jasmine Molloy is a certified dog trainer and behavior consultant (CTC) who graduated from Jean Donaldson’s Academy for Dog Trainers in 2019. She has been training dogs professionally since 2017 and holds a Level 4 diploma in advanced canine behavior.
Jasmine is passionate about reward-based training, particularly with breeds that are stereotypically “difficult” to work with or considered impossible to train with positive techniques. She specializes in puppy training, general obedience, tricks and canine freestyle. She has a Siberian husky-German shepherd cross named Maya and a Belgian Malinois named Logan, who are both trained to a high level in tricks, agility, parkour, stunt dog and disc dog. They have performed in a range of displays at various events, showing off their tricks and disc dog skills. Maya also appeared as part of a stunt dog display team at the National Pet Show at the National Exhibition Centre Birmingham in 2017. Jasmine and her dogs have a large social media following, having amassed over 100,000 fans on their TikTok page.
Jasmine runs classes under Puppy Stars Training Academy and offers one-to-one training and behavior consultations in Northamptonshire, UK. Via remote services, Jasmine is also able to connect with and support owners from all over the world. Jasmine works as a bio detection adult support trainer for the charity Medical Detection Dogs as of 2021, delivering training classes to bio detection dog foster carers. She ensures the charity’s various bio detection dogs (working on COVID-, cancer-, and bacteria detection, amongst others) receive day-to-day training for their manners and life skills, and that they have access to physical and mental enrichment and a variety of activities outside their work.
Jules Morgan Jules Morgan has been a dog trainer since 1993 and has run her own dog training business since 2002, where she teaches puppy, pet and gundog classes. Her teaching now focuses on gundog training at all levels from her base in Surrey, England, as well as the increasingly popular series of Gundog Games Workshops and Camps held around the country. Her passion is to promote and encourage ethical, non-coercive, science-based training in the gundog arena. She is a qualified dog trainer with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK, an accredited animal training instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC), and accredited trainer and full assessor for the Gundog Club. She also holds the British Association for Shooting and Conservation safe shot certificate and the Lantra shooting assistant/loaders certificate. She is a co-founder and secretary of the Vale and West Gundog Club in Worcestershire, England which was set up to support and encourage gundog handlers wishing to use, or already using, force-free training and to organize events where members can learn about competition and assessment in a safe environment. Together with co-presenter Helen Phillips, she is director and creator of the Gundog Trainers Academy (GTA), which was set up to meet the increasing demand for ethical gundog training with a robust qualification and assessment procedure. The GTA has just completed the rigorous assessment process for accreditation to the ABTC and is now a member organization as well as a PPG corporate partner.
Simone Mueller Simone Mueller MA is a certified dog trainer, dog behavior consultant (ATN.AG) and owner of the Training4Paws Dog School near Heidelberg, Germany. She specializes in force-free, anti-predation training and is the author of two books in the Predation Substitute Training series, Hunting Together and Rocket Recall. Simone is proud to be an associate trainer at the Scotland-based Lothlorien Dog Training Club and a member of both PPG and the Pet Dog Trainers of Europe.
Julie Naismith Julie Naismith CTC is a trainer who works solely with separation anxiety cases. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Canmore, Alberta with her husband and three dogs. Julie trained at the Academy for Dog Trainers under the apprenticeship of the world-renowned trainer and force-free advocate, Jean Donaldson (also speaking at Geek Week). She is the author of bestselling separation anxiety training guide Be Right Back! and has also authored a new book about puppy separation anxiety, titled Be Right Back! Puppy Separation Anxiety Edition. A total separation anxiety geek, Julie feels privileged to help thousands of guardians around the world via her Separation Anxiety Heroes membership program, her separation anxiety training app, and the support she gives to the 40,000 plus members of her free Separation Anxiety Dogs Support Group on Facebook. In addition, she runs the SA Pro Program, a certification program for separation anxiety trainers and behavior consultants, and hosts the podcast Fixing Separation Anxiety. Julie is a proud sponsor of the Bow Valley SPCA and is passionate about helping spread the word that dogs and guardians everywhere can overcome separation anxiety.
Gina Phairas Gina Phairas BSc Comms CTC is co-founder of dogbiz, the dog training industry’s leading business support company, and a former instructor at the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. Gina oversees the dogbiz University program, developing business courses and coleading dogbiz’s THRIVE! program to help R+ trainers succeed in their dream businesses.
Helen Phillips Helen Phillips is the owner of the Clicker Gundog Training Centre in the UK and is a qualified teacher and an animal training instructor with the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC). She has been shooting and working dogs in the field for over 30 years, during which time she has been responsible for running varied types of beating lines and working her own dogs from large commercial shoots to rough shooting days. This finally culminated in the organization and running of a small syndicate shoot in Worcestershire, UK. Helen has been breeding Hungarian Vizslas since 1998 and has spent a lifetime with dogs from crosses to spaniels and hunt point retrieve dogs. As a result, she has extensive understanding of living and working with hunting dogs. She has also achieved the working gundog certificate on dummies and on game and has competed in working tests and participates in grouse counting. She taught a canine training and behavior course at Warwickshire College, England at two levels for six years and was a business partner with Learning About Dogs in Gloucestershire for 10 years. She has a distinction in the certificate of canine training and behavior from Warwickshire College and holds the City and Guilds Level 5 teaching qualification. She has also achieved the Learning About Dogs clicker trainers competency assessment program levels 1, 2 and 3 with distinction and was an active assessor for the scheme. Alongside this, she trained with Kay Laurence for many years and taught a variety of the clicker training workshops at Wagmore Barn in Gloucestershire. Currently, she is teaching clicker gundog courses around the world as well as at her own training facility. Her focus is on promoting the use of force free, positive reinforcement training techniques and strategies within gundog training and field sports in general. She is a PPG special counsel and has also created – and is the chair of – the Vale and West Gundog Club in Worcestershire, whose mission is to provide support and encouragement to those wishing to use, or already using force-free training and organize events that provide a safe environment for members to participate in. She is an instructor and assessor for the Gundog Club, an organization that declared its force-free policy in 2018 and runs courses each year for all levels. Alongside co-presenter Jules Morgan she designed and is a director of the Gundog Trainers Academy (GTA) to meet the increasing demand for ethical gundog training with a robust qualification and assessment procedure. The GTA has just completed the rigorous assessment process for accreditation to the ABTC and is now a member organization as well as a PPG corporate partner. She is also author of the book Clicker Gundog, which draws on building a strong connection between dog and handler working as a team in the environment.
Dr. Lisa Radosta
Dr. Lisa Radosta DVM DACVB graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. She completed a residency in behavioral medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, during which time she was awarded the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists Resident research award two years in a row. Dr. Radosta is the owner of Florida Veterinary Behavior Service, a specialty practice in southeast Florida, and co-owns Dog Nerds, an online educational resource for guardians whose pets have behavior disorders. She is a sought-after speaker both nationally and internationally. She is a coauthor of the Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat; Blackwell’s Five Minute Veterinary Consult; Decoding your Cat; Canine and Feline and Small Animal Pediatrics; and From Fearful to Fear Free, the ultimate guide for fearful dogs. She is also the editor of the 4 th edition of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat. Dr. Radosta has authored research articles published in the Journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science, Journal of Veterinary Behavior and The Veterinary Journal and written review articles for Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Compendium, NAVC, Veterinary Team Brief, Clinician’s Brief and AAHA Newstat. She has served on the Fear Free Executive Council and the AAHA Behavior Management Task Force. She has also been interviewed for many publications including Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Palm Beach Post, NAVC Clinician’s Brief, Sun Sentinel, WebMD, AAHA trends, Real Simple, Good News for Pets, DVM 360 and AAHA News Stat. She has appeared on Lifetime television, Laurie Live, local news in southeast Florida, Mitch Wilder's Amazing Pet Discoveries, Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, Steve Dale's Pet Talk and Dogs, Cats and Scapegoats.
Shannon Riley-Coyner
Shannon Riley-Coyner is deeply interested in the science behind animal behavior. Her education includes a biology degree, specializing in zoology, from Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. She is also a registered veterinary technician, a certified professional dog trainer, a Karen Pryor Academy certified training partner, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a member of the Pet Professional Guild, and a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.
In 2011 to 2012, Shannon interned with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Rachel Malamed. She is one of the few veterinary technician graduates (2012-2016) of the North American Veterinary Professional Institute Behavior Course presented by Dr. Karen Overall, Dr. Kersti Seksel and Dr. Martin Godbout. In 2014, she completed Living and Learning with Animals (LLA), for veterinary and other animal behavior professionals, by Dr. Susan Friedman. She has also served as president for the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians. She founded Ventura Pet Wellness and Dog Training Center in Ventura, California, in 2006. The center offers a variety of training classes and Shannon specializes in helping fearful and unsocialized dogs. In 2015, she also developed Truly Force Free Animal Training, an internetbased training site dedicated to spreading knowledge regarding force-free training. In 2019, Shannon published her first book, The Evolution of Dog Training: From Choke Chains to Clickers, uncovering the secrets of a well-behaved dog.
Evelia Rivera Evelia Rivera CPDT-KA is the owner/trainer of PAWsitive Approach, LLC in Milford, Connecticut. She graduated from the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree and then worked at a local Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited aquarium from 2006-2016, where she became a marine mammal trainer and worked with harbor seals, river otters, and meerkats, along with sea turtles and a variety of fish. During her time at the aquarium, she began working with a therapy dog group. She enjoyed working with seniors and at-risk teens, helping them build bonds with therapy dog teams. Shortly afterwards, she began working and training pet dogs for the same group, working with pets and their parents to become therapy dogs. In 2016, Evelia decided to expand her passion for animal welfare and join a local shelter as their behavior coordinator. Using enrichment and training to help build bonds with cats who have been brought to the shelter and having adjustment problems along with “fierce” TNR kittens who didn’t know (yet!) what good things people could bring. Her experience with exotics and canines helped her work with and understand felines and hoisted her firmly into the world of cats. Some of Evelia’s other experiences include being a past member of the Beardsley Chapter of American Associations of Zookeepers (past co-secretary), presenting twice at IMATA conferences on sea turtle training and lionfish conditioning, a Canine Good Citizen evaluator, a supporting member of the IAABC, an APDT professional member who is also on the APDT the membership committee, and a PPG member. Born in Bridgeport, Evelia grew to love and respect animals during family trips to the Connecticut Beardsley Zoo and her dream was always to work with marine life or horses. In
between her work she is a busy mother of two and resides with her fiancé, her boxer/staffy mix, and two bottle-fed cats. Veronica Sanchez Veronica Sanchez M.Ed, CABC, CPDT-KA is the founder of the Cooperative Paws Service Dog Coach™, an educational certification program for professional trainers in service dog training. Veronica also offers a variety of online courses on service dog training and often speaks and writes on service dogs for professional associations. She is the author of the book, Service Dog Coaching: A Guide for Pet Dog Trainers. Veronica has a masters’ in education and a bachelors’ in psychology from George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia. She also has a certificate in brain research in education from the University of Washington. She has supported owner-trainers training service dogs for mobility, hearing, mental illness, neurological problems and dual guide-mobility work. Veronica’s interest in service dogs is both personal and professional. She has a disability herself, a neurological condition called generalized dystonia, and she has trained her own dogs to assist as service dogs.
Alexandra Santos Alexandra Santos is a professional canine behavior consultant and trainer. She obtained her formal education through The Animal Care College in the U.K. where she graduated with honors for the diploma of advanced canine psychology, and through The Companion Animal Sciences Institute where she graduated with distinction for the diploma of advanced dog training. She is the author of the books Puppy Problems, Puppy Training: How to housetrain your puppy effectively, How to leash train your dog and enjoy walking him, O meu cão e eu, Cão educado, dono feliz (published in Portugal), and has also authored and co-authored several scientific articles for the Journal of Applied Companion Animal Behavior and the International Institute for Applied Companion Animal Behavior. Alexandra lives and works in Lisbon, Portugal, as a guest professor at Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias and provides individual coaching for dogs and their people. She has been a presenter at several seminars in Portugal and Brazil on positive reinforcement-based training and regularly presents webinars for PPG.
Dr. Kersti Seksel
Dr. Kersti Seksel BVSc (Hons) MRCVS MA (Hons) FANZCVS DACVB DECAWBM FAVA graduated in veterinary science from Sydney University, Australia. She has a BA in behavioral sciences with a major in psychology as well as an MA (Hons). She is a fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in animal behavior, a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and a diplomate of the European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine. Dr. Seksel is the principal of Sydney Animal Behaviour Service, a specialist practice in behavioral medicine in Sydney. She teaches the distance education course in behavioral medicine for the Centre for Veterinary Education (University of Sydney) and is an adjunct associate professor at Charles Sturt University, Australia. She has presented at numerous conferences nationally and internationally and has authored many textbook chapters, and the book Training Your Cat, is a regular presenter on ABC radio and is a consultant on VIN (Veterinary Information Network). She also created and pioneered Puppy Preschool® and Kitten Kindy® classes internationally.
Michael Shikashio
Michael Shikashio CDBC is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and a full member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, New York Post, Fox News, The List TV, Baltimore Sun, WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, The Chronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He also hosts the popular podcast show The Bitey End of the Dog where he chats with leading experts on dog aggression. He is a featured keynote speaker at conferences, universities, and seminars around the world, and offers a variety of educational opportunities on the topic of canine aggression, including the Aggression in Dogs Master Course and the annual Aggression in Dogs Conference.
Dr. Kristina Spaulding Dr. Kristina Spaulding has been in the dog training and behavior profession since 1999. She has a Ph.D in biopsychology—the study of the biological basis of behavior—and is a certified applied animal behaviorist. She is particularly interested in stress, neurobiology, cognition, emotion, and wellbeing and how to apply these concepts to the prevention and early intervention of behavior problems in dogs. In addition to working with behavior clients, Dr. Spaulding teaches a variety of online courses and webinars on the science of behavior through her website, Smart Dog Training and Behavior. She also regularly presents on canine behavior science at conferences and other events. In 2019, Dr. Spaulding received the Association of Professional Dog Trainers’ (APDT’s) Member of the Year Award. She currently serves on the IAABC Foundation Board and the Fear Free Advisory Group.
Louise Stapleton-Frappell Louise Stapleton-Frappell BA (Hons) PCT- A PCBC-A CAP3 CTDI DNFSG DN-CPCT CWRI is a professional canine behavior consultant and trainer, accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She is also a co-partner and faculty member of DogNostics Career Center and a board member of the Pet Professional Guild. Louise’s experience, her background as a teacher, and her impressive pet industry credentials means she is uniquely qualified to share her skills and knowledge with both the public and pet industry professionals. The creator of the DogNostics’ Dog Trainer Certification Program, DogNostics’ Pet Dog Solutions Programs, and several other programs for pet professionals and pet dog guardians, Louise has presented at conferences internationally and has gained a reputation for expertly teaching and training humans and canines at her own establishment, The DogSmith of Estepona, in southern Spain. Louise has published numerous articles on dog training and dog behavior and is also the published co-author A Lexicon of Practical Terms for Pet Trainers and Behavior Consultants and Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the Bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People.
Dr. Melissa Starling Dr. Melissa Starling has a BSc (Hons) in zoology from the Australian National University and was involved in several projects on wild bird behavior before becoming an ecological consultant for a private company. She then worked briefly on frogs for the Australian government before tackling and completing her Ph.D in dog behavior, emotion and cognition in 2013. She continues to study dog behavior for a living, focusing on applied behavior of working dogs. Dr. Starling loves to write and has written popular articles for The Conversation and coauthored a book – Making Dogs Happy. She also manages to find time for her animal behavior consulting business, Creature Teacher, on the side. Sometimes. She has worked in a highvolume board and train facility and is at her happiest when geeking out on peculiar behavior cases, or applying herself to near impossible research challenges. Animal behavior was her first and most enduring love and she has been working in this field for over 10 years now. Grisha Stewart Grisha Stewart is an award-winning dog trainer, author, international speaker, and online dog school facilitator based in Oregon, USA, who specializes in dog reactivity and canine empowerment. She has been training dogs and their humans professionally since 2003. Her seminal book Behavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Aggression, Reactivity, and Fear in Dogs was published in late 2011. Her second book The Official Ahimsa Dog Training Manual: A Practical, Force-Free Guide to Problem Solving & Manners was published in 2012 and updated in 2014. She also has over a dozen DVDs, with six currently in print. Her third book BAT 2.0 was released in early 2016. Grisha is an enthusiastic presenter who creates her seminars to accommodate a variety of learning styles. She presents dog training and behavior seminars around the world and lessons online. There are over 70 different courses in her online dog training school, with more coming every few weeks from a variety of instructors, including Grisha.
Victoria Stilwell Victoria Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer best known as the star of the international hit TV series It's Me or the Dog. Having filmed over 110 episodes since 2005, Victoria is able to reach audiences in over 120 countries with her philosophy of positive training methods. She also served as a judge for Greatest American Dog on CBS and as the on-camera behavior specialist for Dogs Might Fly on Sky One and the One Show on BBC1. Her new show, Dogs With Extraordinary Jobs, is airing worldwide including Channel 5 in the UK and the Smithsonian channel in the USA. Victoria is the CEO of Victoria Stilwell Positively Dog Training (VSPDT) – a global network of world-class positive reinforcement dog trainers. Since its launch in 2010, VSPDT has become the industry leader in the field of dog training by attracting world-class positive reinforcement dog trainers who share Victoria's dedication to providing the public a brand name they can trust in humane, force-free positive training. Victoria is the founder and president of the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior – the world's premier dog trainer educational institution, creating new generations of positive dog trainers and enhancing "The Future of Dog Training." Victoria is also the author of four best-selling books: It’s Me or the Dog – How to have the Perfect Pet, Train Your Dog Positively, The Secret Language of Dogs and The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Puppy. A regular guest on talk shows, news broadcasts and radio programs in the US, Europe and Asia, Victoria has been the recipient of multiple international awards and honors. She is the resident pet expert on CNN's HLN and has been a regular columnist for several magazines including The Bark, American Dog, Dogster and Dogs Today. She has been featured in numerous journals, magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, USA Today, Cosmopolitan, Time.com, Oprah Magazine, Rachael Ray Everyday, MSNBC.com, Self Magazine, Shape Magazine, The Daily Mail, the Sunday Times, The Mirror and The Sun. Victoria’s Positively Podcast series is available globally, and also she serves the executive producer of various ongoing television projects in addition to her own popular informative dog training videos and the critically acclaimed Arson Dogs, Guardians of the Night and Unsung Heroes web series. Victoria is able to share these and other premium video content through her custom subscription-video-on-demand service, Positively TV. Victoria is committed to helping the cause of animal rescue and rehabilitation and is heavily involved organizations around the world to increase awareness of puppy mills, dogfighting, animal abuse, pet overpopulation, dog bite prevention and other animal-related causes. She is the executive director of the Victoria Stilwell Foundation - a nonprofit charitable organization committed to providing financial assistance and dog training expertise to small rescue shelters and assistance dog organizations who practice positive training methods.
A co-founder of the National Dog Behavior Conference series, Victoria also serves on the Advisory Boards of RedRover, The Grey Muzzle Foundation, DogTV, Dognition, W-Underdogs and Canine Assistants, and is honored to be an ambassador for the RSPCA and the Soi Dog Foundation.
K. Holden Svirsky K. Holden Svirsky CTC completed a behavior internship with Dr. Jeannine Berger at the San Francisco SPCA in 2015. She is a graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and was awarded its shelter and rescue scholarship in 2014. She has completed Michael Shikashio’s (also presenting at Geek Week) Aggression in Dogs master course and is beginning her certification for treating separation anxiety with Malena DeMartini. Holden sits on the PPG Shelter and Rescue Committee, is an author of ThePetRescueResource.com, and has had articles published in BARKS from the Guild. She has been a teacher as long as she can remember, and began her career in behavior work with children, teaching language and math skills to students with autism, attention deficit, attention deficit-hyperactivity, dyslexia and hyperlexia. She worked full time as a behavior specialist at a number of shelters from 2012 to 2019. She performed intake at shelters all over the state of California, taught public classes, held private consultations, executed behavior modification on hundreds of shelter animals, ran playgroups, counseled adopters and trained service dogs for veterans. Holden currently teaches specialty group classes for the award-winning Bravo!Pup in Oakland, California including classes for shy/fearful dogs and inter-dog social behavior. In her private practice, HoldenK9, she consults privately for individual clients and shelter/rescue organizations across the United States. Holden grew up with working-line gun dogs, has adopted & fostered many mixed breed shelter dogs, and currently shares her life with a Yakutian Laika -- an ancient sled dog breed -nicknamed ZZ. In her free time, Holden is a sailor and canicross runner, hoping to get into bikejoring in 2022. She currently lives on Nantucket Island.
Melissa Taylor Melissa Taylor is the behavior and training manager at Friends For Life Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas. She has logged more than 20 years in shelter animal behavior, starting with an internship at the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York City. She developed a lasting love for cooperative care from training livestock and wildlife as the coordinator of the Behavior and Training Department at the Houston SPCA, and applies the same principles to the dogs, cats, exotics, and humans she works with now at Friends For Life. Over the course of her career, Melissa has focused on the development of shelter humane education programs, particularly those for volunteers, with the intention of mentoring new companion animal trainers and behavior consultants with practices steeped in evidence and based on building trust, security, and partnership. Melissa has started several shelter behavior volunteer programs and consults with other humane organizations on starting such initiatives of their own. Dr. Holly Tett Dr. Holly Tett is a certified professional force-free dog trainer and clinical psychologist. She uses her dual knowledge of human and animal behavior to help pet parents approach training from a realistic and informed perspective. Her specialty is working with anxious dogs (and their people), helping them to build a connection from a science-based, attachmentfocused perspective.
Dr. Tett advocates for training to hold the welfare of the dog at the forefront, and for humans and dogs to live a respectful, harmonious life together. She offers one-to-one training as well as groups, and has an array of hugely popular online programs, including her training membership, Canine Connection. She is also the host of The Letters From Your Dog Podcast, aimed at helping pet parents become better informed about how to understand not only training, but also the world through their dog’s eyes, helping to eliminate frustration and confusion at both ends of the leash.
Zazie Todd Zazie Todd Ph.D is an animal behavior expert and award-winning author. Her book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, with a foreword by Dr. Marty Becker, won a Maxwell Medallion from the Dog Writer’s Association of America. Her premium newsletter, The Pawsitive Post, brings readers bimonthly tips on dog and cat behavior and the latest in canine and feline science. Zazie is the creator of the Companion Animal Psychology blog and also has a blog, Fellow Creatures, at Psychology Today. Her writing has appeared in Modern Dog, Modern Cat, Inside Your Cat’s Mind, Pacific Standard, The Psychologist, and Reader’s Digest. She is the owneroperator of Blue Mountain Animal Behaviour in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, and is an affiliate member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. She has a Ph.D in psychology, is an honors graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers, and has an advanced certificate of feline behaviour (with distinction) from International Cat Care. Originally from the UK, she lives in Maple Ridge with her husband, dog, and two cats.
Emily Tronetti Emily Tronetti MS CTC CPDT-KA has an MS in anthrozoology from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and a certificate in applied animal behavior from the University of Washington. She’s currently pursuing her doctor of education (EdD) in educational and professional practice, with a specialization in humane education, from Antioch University in Culver City, California.
Emily is a certified professional dog trainer and graduated with honors with a certificate in training and counseling from The Academy for Dog Trainers. She’s also a certified Fear Free Animal Trainer and a member of Fear Free's Speakers Bureau. Additionally, Emily is a cofounder of the Humane Alliance of Rescue Trainers, which matches shelter and rescue organizations with credentialed trainers for behavior consulting and support at no cost. She also owns Coexistence Consulting, which strives to improve the interactions and relationships between humans and other animals through consulting and humane education.
Niki Tudge Niki Tudge MBA PCBC-A CABC CDBC is the founder and president of the Pet Professional Guild, DogNostics Education and The DogSmith. She has substantial leadership experience in business management and administration, particularly in the nonprofit sector, which encompasses her role as the president of Doggone Safe, a nonprofit educational organization. She has published numerous articles, which have been featured in publications such as the New York Times. She has also authored five books; her most recent project, Pet Training and Behavior Consulting: A Model for Raising the bar to Protect Professionals, Pets and Their People, which she co-authored, was published in 2019.
Niki holds a dog training and dog behavior credential from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board, has successfully completed two diplomas (animal behavior technician and canine behavior science and technology) with James O’Heare at the Companion Animal Science Institute and is a certified dog trainer and dog behavior consultant through the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals.
Before following her passion into small business and nonprofit management, she enjoyed a distinguished career in the hospitality industry, holding executive positions all over the world. Her real passion in her corporate role was the identification and development of female talent in the workplace. She enjoyed managing and coaching her team through both their personal and professional development and loved watching the process of female empowerment and growth at a high level of management. In most recent years, Niki has invested time in moving her love of running from a hobby to a professional business. Her professional credentials include International Sports Science Association (ISSA) certified fitness trainer, ISSA certified transformation specialist, nutritional coach and ISSA elite trainer. She is also a certified chi walking and running coach and has successfully complete the MAF Foundations’ certificate course. Along with her business degrees from Oxford Brookes University in the UK, Niki holds a Six Sigma Black Belt certification, specializing in data analysis and process improvement and is an International Training Board (HCITB) certified people trainer at levels TS1, TS2 & TS3, and a certified facilitator and project manager. In addition, she was recognized for her outstanding contribution to the business community and honored with a Fortune 500 Company Leadership Award for her accomplishments.
Nancy Tucker Nancy Tucker is a certified trainer with the CCPDT and a fully certified behavior consultant with the IAABC. She teaches seminars, webinars, and workshops on dog training, dog behavior, and the business end of training throughout Canada, the US, and Europe. She has presented at conferences for the Pet Professional Guild, the IAABC, the Dog Event in France, the WOOF! conference in the UK, and The Lemonade Conference. She teaches online courses focusing on various topics including how to resolve separation anxiety, how to use desensitization and counterconditioning to address fearful behaviors, and how to tackle other common behavior issues. Nancy has written numerous articles on dog behavior and has a professional background in public relations and copywriting. She shares her home in Quebec, Canada with her husband and their ridiculously cute border terrier, Bennigan.
Yvette Van Veen Yvette Van Veen is the owner of Awesome Dogs in London, Ontario, Canada and brings to the table over 20 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. She has worked with multiple rescue groups specializing in feral dogs, has written over a thousand articles for various publications such as The Londoner and Toronto Star, and presented at various conferences. She is certified through the Pet Professional Accreditation Board and was Canada’s first Professional Canine Trainer - Accredited (PCT-A). As a firm believer in continuing education, she has resumed studies at Western University in London, Ontario, working on a degree in psychology (animal cognition). During her continuing studies she won the dean’s Honour List award. Yvette’s love and passion for dog training comes from the sense of communicating between one species and another. By focusing on learning strategies that improve training, Yvette believes we improve our ability to express our intentions to them. She shares her home with her student son and a diverse mix of canine and feline companions.
Dr. Mindy Waite Dr. Mindy Waite is a board-Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA) located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is also a lecturer in behavior analysis in the psychology department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she performs research on companion canine behavior. Her early studies focused on the prevalence, function, and function-based interventions for mouthing behavior in dogs. Current studies are assessing simple, owner-implemented food preference assessments for dogs and also training dogs to cooperatively engage in basic veterinary care. Her research has received several awards, including the Marian Breland-Bailey Award and Fear Free Award, as well as competitive funding from Fear Free. Dr. Waite will begin lecturing in the applied animal behavior and welfare program at Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 2022. She received her BS in genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her Ph.D in molecular biology (mouse brain development) from the University of Michigan, and her MS in behavior analysis from Marquette University.
Ruby Welsford Ruby Welsford is an openly autistic force-free dog trainer based in Leamington Spa, UK. She has successfully met the criteria as a dog trainer via the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (distinction), and is one of only seven Association of Animal Behaviour Professionals members in the UK. Despite effectively being medically “drunk” 24/7 due to having mild ataxic cerebral palsy, Ruby set up the UK Disc Dog Association and actively competes and judges for Disc Dog in the UK. She has trained teams to World Cup qualifying level and was the first UFO World Cup qualifier judge in the UK. Her formerly severely dog-reactive dog Betsy is now a working canine performer, with over 300+ stunt performances to her name. Betsy has also starred in adverts, magazines, social media campaigns and on several TV channels, and now acts as a stooge dog for dog-reactive dogs. Ruby’s younger dog Milo has already been invited to perform at several events postlockdown, and has done some media work. Ruby teaches disc dog, trick dog and clicker training seminars across the UK. She also assists people to train their own assistance dogs, and consults for an Assistance Dogs UK charity. She has been approached by other charities and social services, production companies, rescues, and even the Ministry of Defence to consult, and has assisted with writing an assistance dog policy
for a local hospital. Between February and May, she hosted four virtual dog training conferences over the third lockdown.
Karolina Westlund Dr. Karolina Westlund helps pet guardians and people working professionally with animals to get happier, reasonably well-behaved animals that thrive in the care of humans. She teaches animal behavior management through blog posts and the odd free short online course, as well as more extensive online courses. She is an associate professor of ethology at Stockholm University, Sweden and sometimes publishes scientific articles related to enrichment, animal training, and well-being.
