I graduated with honors from Jean Donaldson's Academy for Dog Trainers, founded in 1999 in San Francisco with the aim of providing comprehensive and leading edge education to dog trainers, behavior counselors and other companion dog professionals. A rigorous, positive-reinforcement, hands-on academy based on humane treatment of animals, learning theory and fact, the school has gained a reputation as the "Harvard for dog trainers." Jean Donaldson has written Mine! A Guide to Resource Guarding, Dogs are from Neptune, and Culture Clash, which Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian, Ph.D, author and pioneer of positive dog training, called "quite simply the best dog book I've ever read."

Thanks to my loyal, happy clients, I was the recipient of the 2004 1st Runner Up award in the category of Best Dog Trainer in Chicagoland Tails magazine. Considering all of the competition in this area, I am very proud of this accomplishment.

I attended an intensive Clicker Training seminar led by Karen Pryor, renowned animal trainer and behaviorist.

I'm a member of The APDT (Association for Pet Dog Trainers), a professional organization of trainers who seek to advocate positive reinforcement training by offering continuing educational opportunities for trainers, other animal professionals and the public. I have attended 5-day seminars in Portland, Oregon and Orlando, Florida.

I'm the recommended dog trainer of The Mike North Morning Show on 670 The Score Chicago Sports Radio, offering my services to Score listeners; I'm also featured on Mike North's website.

The success I made for myself in my previous career as a consultant, culminating in work as a Creative Director at Inforte, helped hone my client service skills and creativity - to solve problems and produce results. I provided internet direction for clients across the U.S. More important, that success allowed me to follow this dream of a life devoted to strengthening the bond between people and dogs. Through first-hand experience I also appreciate people's busy schedules and strive to design a strategy to help you have a rich relationship with your dog within the confines of your busy schedule.

My undergraduate degree in Journalism and Fine Arts helped lay the foundation for solid research, setting and meeting deadlines, attentive listening and clear communication in both the written and visual form.