Julie Buesser is a professional dog trainer and curriculum writer in Chicago, IL. She specializes in raising and training service dogs and is an evaluator for the AKC Canine Good Citizen program. Julie joined the CCPDT Board in 2013, served as Vice President from 2014 through 2017, and became President in 2018.

Julie is the Chicago Area Field Representative for Paws With A Cause, a national non-profit organization that custom-trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities. In addition, she is a Urology Nurse Practitioner in the Chicagoland Area.

Julie has always admired the relationship people with disabilities have with their assistance dogs and began volunteering as a puppy raiser at age 16. She previously served as NYC Chapter President for Canine Companions for Independence. In her current role as field representative for Paws With A Cause, she coaches clients through the challenges of placement and certification of their assistance dog and provides ongoing training support. Julie also worked with the ASPCA as a volunteer dog captain/foster and trained Search and Rescue Dogs with members of FEMA in MD and PA.

Julie holds a BA from Loyola University Chicago, a BS in Nursing from Columbia University, and a MSN from Loyola University Chicago.

Ruth LaRocque owns Seattle Pet Pals LLC with her partner and provides training in the Seattle and greater Puget Sound areas of the Pacific Northwest. In addition to being a CPDT-KA and a CBCC-KA, Ruth is a graduate of Jean Donaldson’s highly regarded Dog Trainer Academy, a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and a graduate of the Karen Pryor Academy. She conducts private, in-home behavior consulting and training services for dogs, cats and other family pets and specializes in addressing fear and aggression. Ruth is a presenter for the internationally recognized Family Paws’ Dogs and Storks program for new and expecting families with dogs, as well as the Dog and Baby Connection program. In addition to building relationships between pet dogs and their human families, she enjoys training and competing in agility with her border collie, “Seven”, who qualified for USDAA ‘nationals’ in 2016.

Ruth completed a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an emphasis in pre-vet studies. She combined her skills of working with people and her passion for training animals when Seattle Pet Pals was created in 2003. She and her partner Tim currently share their home with Sugar (Husky mix), Daisy (Maltese), Seven (Border Collie), and Romeo (beagle).

Carol Hutelmyer, MSN, RN, is a Professional Nurse and dog owner. Over her long nursing career, Carol learned the value of dogs to provide patients companionship and stress reduction. After retiring in 2008, Carol and her Border Collie/Lab mix Pippin became certified in Animal Assisted Therapy and began volunteering in a wide range of settings, including a hospice unit. Three years ago, Carol and Pippin began visiting schools and universities to provide stress relief for students. After Pippin’s death in 2015, Carol adopted Bella and looks forward to returning to her Animal Assisted Therapy volunteer work as Bella matures. From her own experience as a dog owner, CaroI is keenly aware of the value of dog training and of the need to provide owners a way to find and choose qualified professional dog trainers.

Carol holds a BS in Nursing from Georgetown University and an MS in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She and Bella live in Philadelphia, PA.

James Akenhead, Ed.D, is the owner of Signature K-9 Behavior & Training, which has focused on building relationships between humans and dogs for more than 20 years. A distinguished business leader, consultant, and academic, he holds four independent dog training certifications, five university degrees, including a doctorate, and serves as an adjunct professor at five universities. He served two terms on the board of directors of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, is a founding member of two local therapy dog organizations, a presenter at Kutztown University Dog Training program, and the founder of Youngstown State University Canine Behavior program. James is also a member of the K-9 Doctoral Dissertation Committee in Virginia and a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars on ameliorating aggression.

James was selected as a Distinguished Graduate of the School of Technology at Bowling Green State University and was chosen as Business and Professional Person of the Year in their local community. He is the author of six books, including “Thoughtful Owners, Great Dogs: Canine Behavior and Training, A Triadic Approach.”

He and his wife Charlene recently relocated to Bedford, VA, and have been raising and training German Shepherds for more than 45 years.

Jamie Bozzi has been a certified professional dog trainer and certified canine behavior consultant for almost 20 years. She believes in creating and maintaining industry standards, educating the public on teaching and training using current scientific training techniques, and furthering the dog training and behavior consulting profession.

Jamie has always been an animal lover and was involved in a variety of equestrian disciplines for over 30 years. In 2000, she decided to pursue a dog training career professionally. Jamie is the founder of smrtdog (help with your four-legged kid) – a dog training & canine consulting business. Jamie has written over a dozen articles for SD Pets Magazine, San Diego Pets, the San Diego Gazette and most recently the APDT’s The Chronicle of the Dog. She has also presented at numerous training and behavior conferences.

Jamie lives with her four dogs in Southern California and is heavily involved in dog sports – canine scent detection, agility and Treibball.

Yvonne Ferguson is the owner and head trainer of Quinte Canine located in the Quinte region of Ontario Canada. She is a Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) Evaluator for the Canadian Kennel Club, a Certified Trick Dog Instructor, and a Behaviour Consultant and Course Instructor for Canine Foundations. Yvonne is also an active participant in various dog sports, including Rally Obedience, Obedience, Tricks and Scent Detection.

Yvonne has trained hundreds of dogs in both group and private classes and has helped countless dogs complete successful, comprehensive science-based behaviour modification programs. Yvonne holds a Social Service Worker Diploma from Sir Sandford Fleming College and her 10 years’ experience in social work allows her to offer programs and services that meet the needs of both the dogs and the people she works with. She also holds canine and behaviour certificates from the Universities of Minnesota, Edinburgh, Melbourne, and Georgian College. Yvonne is a very active volunteer for numerous not-for-profit canine organizations, using her knowledge and skills for the betterment of dogs and the people who love them.

Yvonne lives in the Quinte region of Ontario with her spouse and her dog, Wrangler, a German Shepherd who holds multiple titles and championships in Scent Detection, Obedience, Tricks.

Amanda Kowalski is the Research Project and Event Coordinator for the Center for Animals and Public Policy and Center for Shelter Dogs at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Amanda is engaged in research that has the potential to vastly improve canine and feline welfare and save the lives of shelter animals. She recently completed her Masters of Science in Animals and Public Policy at the Cummings School and she chairs the CEU and Legislative Committees for CCPDT. Amanda also owns a dog training business, The Scholarly Canine.

Prior to moving to Massachusetts, Amanda had worked for multiple animal welfare organizations working towards improving the behavioral health of shelter animals. As the Manager of Behavior and Training at the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, Amanda worked to develop and implement community based programming, a shelter animal training program, a volunteer behavior program, and a behavior center. She has also provided testimony on public policies affecting animal welfare and volunteers with the MSPCA’s Animal Action Team. Amanda strives to positively impact the animal welfare and dog training field through community engagement and collaboration, as well as through her professional and academic endeavors.

Amanda currently lives in the Boston, MA area.

Penelope Milne has been a trainer and behavior consultant for more than 30 years. Penny is the owner of DubDubDog Animal Behavior Services, and the Training Director for the Animal Keeper/Pet Suites (a small chain of upscale pet resorts). Penny is a charter member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and an Honors Graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers.

She is the author of “Puppies! Why Do They Do What They Do?” and “Kittens! Why Do They Do What They Do” and is a sought after speaker, having presented for veterinary conferences, universities, shelter groups, and daycare providers.

Penelope attended the University of California Irvine, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Psychology. She lives in Laguna Beach, California with Garson the Brilliant, a foster failure Schnauzer, and her human significant other.

Leigh Sansone, of Ruff Customers Dog Training in Atlanta, has been training dogs professionally for a decade. In 2006, after practicing law for 15 years, she shifted focus from special education litigation to humane animal training. Leigh began moonlighting with a pet store chain, teaching obedience while still practicing law, and she fell in love with training and behavior modification.

In 2010, Leigh started her own company, consulting privately with dog owners about anxiety, fear, and aggression issues, and creating and implementing behavior modification plans. She also does behavior consulting with the ASPCA. She was a senior behavior consultant for NYC-based therapy dog organization The Good Dog Foundation. Leigh moderates several online animal training discussion groups, and her training tips have been published in APDT’s Top Tips from Top Trainers, a compendium of advice from leading trainers and consultants. In 2014, Leigh achieved a long-time goal, completing all five Bailey Farhoody Operant Conditioning Chicken Workshops, and in 2015 she returned as an assistant during those workshops.

Leigh received her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University, with double majors in Psychology and English, and received her JD from Vanderbilt University School of Law. She lives in NYC with her 11-year-old former shelter dog, Miss Alabama (“Allie”).

Nicole Skeehan is the owner of Philly Unleashed in Philadelphia, PA, and the former Director of Behavior & Training at the Pennsylvania SPCA.

Nicole’s first job working with animals was at Animal Friends, a no-kill animal rescue and resource center in Pittsburgh. Three years later, the Pennsylvania SPCA recruited her for the position of Director of Animal Behavior and Training, where she created an evaluation and enrichment program for all of the shelter animals, including dogs brought in from cruelty, neglect, and animal-fighting cases. Nicole’s efforts were featured on TV shows such as Animal Cops: Philadelphia, Animal Planet’s Dogfighting Exposed, and local TV and radio programs. Nicole has also co-instructed classes for and spoken at numerous universities.

In 2011, Nicole left the Pennsylvania SPCA to found her own dog training company, Philly Unleashed, and to work as the Director of Training and Animal Programming for New Leash on Life-USA, a new-generation prison program that rescues dogs from high-volume shelters and places them with prison inmates for training. She lives in Philadelphia with her fiancé and two rescued dogs; Uluru, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, and Porterhouse, a border collie mix.

Brad Phifer, owner of Bradley Phifer Dog Training, is an Indianapolis-based dog trainer and behavioral expert who has helped countless owners live happier lives with their pets. Dedicated to the professionalization of dog training, he divides his attention between CCPDT and his two businesses—Bradley Phifer Dog Training and Sirobe Basenji. Brad has been on the CCPDT Board since 2009 and served as President from 2012 through 2017. He has served as Director of Animal Behavior Programs for the Humane Society of Indianapolis, an open admissions shelter receiving approximately 10,000 animals per year, and the Director of Pet Behavior Services for the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic & Wellness Center. Prior to that, Brad was the Headmaster for Bark Tutor School for Dogs.

Brad has a passion for learning and regularly attends and hosts continuing education seminars for pet care professionals. In 2003, he successfully completed the Purdue University DOGS! Course. He is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed®, Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed®, and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the Basenji Club of America. Brad is active in AKC Conformation shows and professionally handles many breeds including Basenjis, Briards, and Afghan Hounds. He shares his home with 3 dogs in Indianapolis, IN.