Growing up, I had two passions—animals and art. I chose one as my profession and enjoyed a career as a designer for 30 years. Something was always missing though—a sense of purpose and fulfillment, the need to make a difference somewhere or with someone personally—something that was not achievable in the corporate world. 

Outside of work, I poured my heart into my other passion by volunteering, fostering, and adopting whenever possible. One of those adoptions was for a once-emaciated 10-month-old puppy who feared everything. Thus began our long journey to figure out how best to help him. That experience strengthened my longing for something more fulfilling while spurring my interest in dog behavior and training. Adopting my dog solidified my need to do something else with my life. But, as we all know, real life and responsibility often get in the way of where you want and need to be. That’s what happened to me. Finally, a window of opportunity presented itself, and I could not pass it up. Today, I’m a Certified Canine Training and Behavior Specialist after graduating from the Starmark Academy for Professional Dog Trainers. I furthered my education by completing a shadow program at The Canine Cooperative, which focused on reactivity.

My passion is helping dogs navigate the world around them by teaching foundational skills while building confidence, neutrality, and calmness.