Our Speakers
Please note, speakers are being added and more will be announced soon! Many more tracks and speakers are pending! Please note speakers listed are subject to change.
Dr. Marty Becker
Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian,” has spent his life working toward better health for pets and the people who love them. In recent years, his realization that it’s impossible to provide for pets’ physical well-being without equal focus on their emotional well-being led him to found the Fear FreeTM initiative. Because the anxiety and stress of veterinary visits was preventing pets from receiving the veterinary care they need and deserve, Dr. Becker brought together veterinary behaviorists and dozens of other experts and leaders in the field to develop an educational program to train veterinarians in easing the fear and anxiety of their patients and clients. This training and certification program launched in March of 2016. Dr. Becker was the resident veterinary contributor on “Good Morning America” for 17 years and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the American Humane Association. He serves as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine and practices at North Idaho Animal Hospital.
Mikkel Becker
Mikkel Becker, CBCC-KA, KPA CTP, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CTC, is the lead trainer for Fear Free Pets. She is a certified behavior consultant and certified trainer who specializes in work with dogs and cats. Mikkel is the co-author of six books, including the recent, From Fearful to Fear Free, and was the featured trainer on Vetstreet.com. In her professional work, Becker uses positive reinforcement and non-force based training strategies that are rooted in scientific learning theory. Mikkel is committed to helping pets and their people live better lives together through motivational, reward-based training that’s closely partnered with the pet’s veterinary team.
Mychelle Blake
Mychelle Blake provides technical support for the IAABC’s online courses and the IAABC Journal. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) through IAABC. She is a regular contributor for the Pet Health Network since 2014 and also writes on pet, web design and social media topics for Love to Know. She served for many years as editor for both the IAABC and the APDT journals, as well as working for several years for the APDT. Along with her role at IAABC, she serves as the Web News Content Editor/Social Media Coordinator for the United States Dog Agility Association. She runs her own web development and design and social media consulting company, www.firelinkonline.com, which specializes in helping animal behavior consultants and non-profits/associations with their websites and social media.
Mychelle also has over 13 years’ experience working in animal sheltering both as a staff member and a volunteer. She has a Masters of Social Welfare from UCLA with a specialty in community organizing, development and planning and a Bachelors in Political Science from New York University. Mychelle lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with her three dogs Kaylee, Jack and Odie.
Brian Burton
Brian Burton is the Co-Founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC in New York, New York. He has worked with hundreds of owners and dogs with aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. His primary role with Instinct is Behavior Consulting. Brian is currently working toward his MA in Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College. Brian grew up fearful of dogs but overcame his fear and found a lifelong passion through shelter and rescue group volunteer work. He owns a 1-year old rescue rat terrier mix, Joey, currently in training. Brian’s previous rat terrier mix, Sammy, CD, CGC, RAE2 finished as the top-ranking mixed breed in the 2013 and 2014 AKC Rally National Championships.
Linda Case
Linda Case is a dog trainer, canine nutritionist and science writer who lectures throughout the world about dog nutrition, training, behavior, and health. Linda’s academic training is as a canine nutritionist and trainer. She earned her B.S. in Animal Science at Cornell University and her M.S. in Canine/Feline Nutrition at the University of Illinois, and was a lecturer of companion animal science at the University of Illinois for 15 years. She also taught companion animal behavior and training at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Linda’s presentations to pet professionals focus on promoting the use of critical thinking skills and the scientific method when making important decisions for dogs’ nutritional well-being, training, and health. Linda owns AutumnGold Consulting and Dog Training Center in Mahomet, IL (www.autumngoldconsulting.com). She is the author of numerous publications and of seven books, including “Dog Food Logic: Making Smart Decisions for your Dog in an Age of Too Many Choices”, “Beware the Straw Man: The Science Dog Examines Dog Training Fact & Fiction”, and most recently “Only Have Eyes for You: Exploring Canine Research with The Science Dog.” Linda also writes the popular blog “The Science Dog” (http://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/). She and her husband Mike currently share their lives with three amazing dogs; Chip, Cooper, and Alice, plus Pete the formerly feral cat. In addition to training dogs and writing, Linda enjoys hiking, swimming, bird watching, yoga and gardening – all of which she happily shares with her dogs.
Pamela Clark
Pamela Clark, CVT is a well-known author, speaker, and parrot behavior consultant whose experience with parrots dates back 40 years to the purchase of her first pair of lovebirds. Her knowledge extends to a wide range of parrot species and has been gained through experiences as diverse as breeding to rescue and rehabilitation. Pam has also trained parrots in behaviors as complex as that of free flight outdoors. Her particular areas of special interest include feather destructive behavior, training, flight and nutrition. As a parrot behavior consultant, Pam’s approach is uniquely comprehensive, coupling improvements in husbandry and nutrition with the most positive and most effective behavior modification strategies. She consults with clients throughout the United States, and as far away as Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia and India. Pam’s articles have appeared in the Grey Play Round Table, Companion Parrot Quarterly, Bird Talk magazine, Birds USA, Parrots magazine, Good Bird magazine and the Holistic Bird Newsletter and have been translated into several foreign languages. Pam also works as a veterinary technician for an avian specialist, Dr. Richard Hillmer of Oak Hills Veterinary Clinic & Bird Hospital in Salem, Oregon. In addition, she serves as co-instructor, along with Susan Friedman, PhD, teaching parrot behavior consulting for The Companion Animal Sciences Institute (www.casinstitute.com). She is also on the panel of experts for the World Parrot Trust (www.worldparrottrust.org). Pam lives in Dallas, Oregon with a mixed flock of 10 companion parrots, a dog and two cats.
Steve Dale
Steve Dale, certified animal behavior consultant (CABC), has reached more pet owners over the past few decades than any other pet journalist in America. He is the host of two nationally syndicated radio shows, Steve Dale’s Pet World and The Pet Minute (together heard on more than 100 radio stations, syndicated Black Dog Radio Productions, since 2005). He’s also a special contributor at WGN Radio, Chicago, and program host of Steve Dale’s Pet World (since 1997). He formerly hosted the nationally broadcast Animal Planet Radio. For 21 years, his twice weekly newspaper column was syndicated by the Chicago Tribune. Steve was a contributing editor for USA Weekend (2002 to 2014), and regular columnist at Cat Fancy magazine (2006 to 2014). He has written for a long list of magazines, from People to Dog World (where he was a columnist). He’s currently a columnist and contributing editor for CATster, and authors a column called Steve Dale’s Vet World for Veterinary Practice News. Steve is a regular speaker at veterinary and shelter conferences around the world, and for shelter fundraisers, and other special event and has served on the Boards of a number of animal care and welfare organizations.
Bob Deeds
Bob Deeds started in search and rescue with Search One Rescue Team in the early 90’s. Over the next ten years, Bob was called out on over one-hundred-fifty local searches. In 2000, Bob joined Texas–Task Force One, one of twenty-eight federal urban search and rescue teams that respond to federal disasters for FEMA, under Homeland Security. As a “Canine Search Specialist”, Bob certified two live-find dogs and a human remains detection dog for Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). Bob deployed to over thirty state/federal deployments, including, but not limited to, the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ike, the Moore, OK Tornado, and the OSO WA Mudslide. During his career, Bob was also pre-deployed to several sporting events – two World Series, two Super Bowls – and he was part of a post terrorist response task force at the 2002 Olympics, near Salt Lake City. With his K9 partner, Kinsey, he worked as an instructor with British USAR teams from “Her Majesty’s Royal Fire Service.” Their task was to show how USAR dogs are utilized in disaster environments at TEEX’s, “Disaster City” (located at Texas A&M). At “Disaster City”, Bob also taught a state level “Canine Search Specialist Course.” He also did numerous lectures on various aspects of SAR, for volunteer and professional handlers from all over the United States, and many foreign countries. Bob was a Lead Evaluator with FEMA, testing and certifying USAR teams for domestic and foreign deployment. Bob retired from Texas – Task Force One, December 31, 2015. Ironically, his last deployment was close to home. The tornado response to Garland and Rowlett, Texas (neighboring cities outside of Dallas), tornadoes that hit the day after Christmas, just four days before his retirement. Bob and his wife Karen own, and operate, “Canine Connection,” a board and training facility outside of Fort Worth, TX. Together, they have done numerous seminars dealing with behavior and training. Bob presents seminars focusing on various aspects of search and rescue, most notably on directional control. He was a guest presenter and ran workshops on directional control at the 2013 Penn Vet Working Dog Conference.
Karen Deeds
Karen Deeds, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She is the co-owner of Canine Connection in Ft. Worth, TX with her husband, Bob Deeds, a retired Federal K9 Handler on Texas Task Force I. Karen started her business in 1994 after realizing the need for educating the public about dog training and behavior while volunteering for a local humane society. She worked in the Assistance Dog Field for 15 years and currently provides her expertise on behavior problems including fear, anxiety and aggression. She has consulted and worked with thousands of pet dog owners, various shelters and many rescue organizations, as well as has testified in dozens of court cases regarding dog bites. She currently teaches at two facilities in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex focusing on Reactive Integration and Competitive Obedience and Rally. She also specializes in Puppy Problem prevention in the home and working with Reactivity and aggression cases. Karen has presented seminars to the general public, rescue groups, animal control officers, at various dog training clubs, dog training facilities, and various shelters throughout Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee. She has presented at the Dallas, TX SPCA, Texas A&M Veterinary College Behavior Club, Texas Animal Control Association Conference (2016 & 2017) as well as the annual Texas Unites for Animals in 2017 . She is often called upon to help rescue groups make difficult decisions about behaviorally challenged dogs in their care.
Jessica Dolce
Jessica Dolce is a Certified Compassion Fatigue Educator via the Green Cross of Traumatology, receiving her training through The Figley Institute and Tend Academy. She helps animal care and welfare professionals to navigate compassion fatigue and cultivate resilience, so that they can make a positive impact for animals and create a life that they truly enjoy.
Jessica brings more than fifteen years of experience working with and for companion animals to her online classes, workshops, and coaching. She is an adjunct faculty member at The Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. Her project, Dogs In Need Of Space, provides practical, emotional support to dog owners and animal care professionals around the world.
Jessica earned her Master of Science in Adult and Higher Education degree from the University of Southern Maine and holds certificates in mindfulness facilitation and positive psychology coaching. She can be found hanging out in libraries under piles of books, walking naughty dogs in the dark, and online at jessicadolce.com
Stephanie Edlund, CPBC
Stephanie Edlund, CPBC has worked with a myriad of different species from dogs and domestic cats to farm animals and exotics, in different settings such as zoos and vet clinics since she graduated as a zookeeper in 2009. Her main focus is on birds, and she has been in love with parrots in particular ever since she adopted her first parakeet at the tender age of eight. To date she is the only certified parrot behavior consultant in Scandinavia and she is also the chair person for the parrot division of the IAABC. She is currently studying biology at the university of Stockholm and is the consulting trainer for an educational free flight bird facility in Sweden, where she lives. She runs ’Understanding Parrots’ that offers online courses, articles and behavior consultations to parrot owners internationally via the internet. Through her small company ’Djursmart’ she also offers hands on classes, presentations and courses as well as private training and consulting services for parrot- and other pet owners, as well as professional animal caretakers in Sweden. When she’s not working or studying she spends as much time as possible attending classes and conferences to soak up everything she can on animal behavior. Her main area of interest is how we can apply the general principles of learning in practice to increase the wellfare of all learners, no matter the species.
Sarah Fraser
Sarah Fraser is the Co-Founder of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training LLC in New York, New York. She has worked with hundreds of owners and dogs with aggression, fear, and anxiety issues. Her primary role with Instinct is Behavior Consulting. Sarah is currently working toward her MA in Animal Behavior & Conservation at Hunter College. She has been volunteering at animal shelters for much of her life. Sarah owns an 11 year old rescue pit bull, Buster, CD, CGC, RN; a 3 year old rescue American Bulldog mix, Mozeez, RN, CGC, who finished as the top-ranking mixed breed in the Novice category at the 2015 AKC Rally National Championship; and a newly rescued 2 year old pit bull mix, Will, currently in training.
Lore Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB, CABC
Dr. Haug graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. She completed a one year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. In 2002, she completed a Master’s Degree and residency program in animal behavior at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. She ran the Animal Behavior Service at Texas A&M from 2002-2007 and then move to Sugar Land, TX to begin a private referral practice. Dr. Haug speaks frequently across the country at veterinary and animal behavior venues, with an emphasis on canine, feline, and equine behavior. Dr. Haug also has a special interest in neurobiology, behavior modification, and pharmacology. She has published articles in several veterinary journals and is a chapter author in several books. She is currently the Immediate Past President of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and is a long standing member, and past Chair, of the ACVB Examination Committee. Dr. Haug is also a certified consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers.
Jill Hourihan
Jill Hourihan is the owner of several animal-related, service-based businesses in the Greater Boston area, including dog walking, training, and behavior services. Since 2006 and as a sole proprietor, Jill has been able to grow her operations into a portfolio of financially successful businesses with a staff of 40. These include The Pet Republic training facility, Metro Pets boutique and self wash facility, organizing, arranging and overseeing training and behavior private lessons and consults, and Running the Pack Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Service. Known for her business acumen, Jill frequently mentors other animal-related, service-based businesses. Topics of specialty include: the buying and selling companies, negotiations, diversification, leveraging technologies and the creation of custom marketing strategies. More than anything, Jill enjoys learning what her business clients of any size do and don’t enjoy, and how they can build upon each individual’s strengths to create the business they want.
Katenna Jones
Through her business Jones Animal Behavior, Katenna Jones provides private dog and cat behavior consulting services, group classes, and speaks internationally to companion animal professionals. She is the former Director of Educational Programs for the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, Animal Behaviorist for the American Humane Association, and Behaviorist and Cruelty Investigator for the Rhode Island SPCA. Katenna is co-chair of the IAABC’s Shelter Division, has been involved in animal sheltering and rescue since 2000, consults regularly with shelters and rescues, and contracts with the ASPCA’s Field Investigation Response Behavior Team. She is also author of Fetching the Perfect Dog Trainer: Getting the Best for You and Your Dog and has contributed to numerous local and national publications. Katenna earned her Master’s Degree from Brown University where she studied animal behavior, learning and cognition. She is an Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Certified Cat and Dog Behavior Consultant, and Certified Pet Dog Trainer. She shares her RI home with her husband, dog, two cats, and seven chickens.
Dr. Elinor Karlsson
Elinor Karlsson is an assistant professor in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the director of the Vertebrate Genomics Group at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She is excited by the potential for using our own evolutionary history to understand how the human genome works, and in how that knowledge can lead to advances in healthcare. By investigating evolutionary history using high throughput genomic tools, Elinor aims to identify genes, pathways, and functional variants underlying polygenic traits, including susceptibility to infectious diseases, like cholera and viral hemorrhagic fevers, as well as psychiatric disorders (using dogs as a model organism). Elinor received her B.A. in biochemistry/cell biology from Rice University, and earned her Ph.D. in bioinformatics from Boston University. She was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University before starting the Karlsson Lab at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2014.
Adria Karlsson
Adria Karlsson, MAT, EdS, is an Applied Behavior Analyst and Certified Dog Behavior Consultant working out of Cambridge, MA. Her main focus professionally is on dogs and cats, but she finds the behavior of any species of animal, particularly humans, is endlessly fascinating. Her early professional training was in elementary education and working with dyslexic children. When she adopted a dog, Beskow, with behavioral issues she soon became immersed in the world of dog training. As Beskow’s issues became more pronounced she began to seek out and meet with different trainers and consultants in New England. It soon became obvious that this was a new calling and through volunteering, assisting, and teaching at the MSPCA in Boston while completing a second masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Simmons, she moved completely into the world of animal training. Since then, she has continued to pursue further education through conferences, professional workshops (including getting to work with birds at Natural Encounters, Inc!), and courses (including Living and Learning with Animals and TagTeach). Currently she is working for herself through her business (Dog Willing), mentoring for the IAABC Principles and Practice course, collaborating with the Darwin’s Dogs project, and raising four young sons alongside her two dogs and two cats.
Trish McMillan Loehr
Trish McMillan Loehr is a certified professional dog trainer (through CCPDT) and certified dog behavior counselor (through IAABC) who holds a Master’s degree in Animal Behavior from the University of Exeter in England. She specializes in training and behavior modification work with dogs, cats, and horses. During her seven years with the ASPCA, Trish gained a wide variety of experience in the field of animal behavior. For three years she was the director of the animal behavior department at the ASPCA’s New York City shelter, helping staff, volunteers, and adopters work with animals and make great matches. Trish has also helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. In addition to writing for the ASPCA’s Virtual Pet Behaviorist and other publications, she helped create and present several very popular webinars on dog and cat behavior and handling for the ASPCA Pro website. Trish has also spoken nationally and internationally on animal behavior and sheltering topics. Trish and her husband Barry live in Weaverville, NC (near Asheville) and currently share their lives with three amazing dogs, two sweet cats, and a genius horse. Prior to her work with the ASPCA, Trish managed dog daycares, volunteered in animal shelters, taught obedience classes, and worked with board-and-train dogs in her home. She has also trained and shown horses in various disciplines, and has begun incorporating clicker training in her equine work. Trish has also worked with cats with behavior problems, and enjoys helping our feline friends have more enriched lives through clicker training as well. (Yes, cats can be trained!)
Debbie Martin
Debbie Martin, LVT, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP, VTS received a Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology from The Ohio State University and an associate of applied science degree in veterinary technology from Columbus State Community College. She has been a full-time registered veterinary technician since 1996. Debbie is the animal behavior technician for Veterinary Behavior Consultations, a specialty veterinary practice located in Spicewood, TX, with practice limited to the prevention and treatment of animal behavior disorders. She assists a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Kenneth Martin, who is also her husband, during behavior consultations. Debbie is a co-owner of TEAM Education in Animal Behavior. Debbie is a Veterinary Technician Specialist (VTS) in Behavior. She is the past president and treasurer for the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians and an active member and previous recording secretary for the SVBT (Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians). Debbie is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner and Faculty Emeritus and also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). Debbie and her husband published a book on normal development and training in dogs, Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog. They are also the authors of the Karen Pryor Academy course, Puppy Start Right for Instructors. Debbie is the co-editor and a contributing author of the textbook, Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses published in 2015. Debbie is honored to be a Fear Free Certified Professional, a member of the Fear Free Advisory Panel, on the Fear Free Executive Council, and the Manager for the Fear Free online continuing education programs. In her free time she enjoys riding her motorcycle or dirt bike and spending time with her dogs.
Dr. Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB
Dr. Christopher Pachel, DVM, DACVB received his veterinary degree from the University of MN in 2002 and worked as a general practitioner for two years in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area prior to the start of his residency program. He operated a house-call behavior practice in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area until 2010 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2010. He is currently the owner of the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, OR, lectures regularly throughout the US and Canada, and has taught courses in veterinary behavior at the University of MN and at the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He has published research on feline water consumption preferences, wrote a book chapter on Intercat Aggression for the May 2014 issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, and is co-author of an forthcoming book chapter on Pet Selection for Animal Assisted Therapy.
Dr. Julie Reck
Dr. Reck is a veterinarian with passion for creating new communication avenues with pet owners. She believes that enhancing the communication capabilities of the veterinary profession will foster a stronger connection with pet owners and create an enjoyable professional environment for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and receptionists. In 2010, Dr. Reck published Facing Farewell, a book dedicated to providing pet owners with information to assist them with making difficult end of life decisions for their pet. Facing Farewell was awarded the Maxwell Medallion of Excellence for the best book in pet care and health by the Dog Writers Association of America at the 2010 Westminister Dog Show. In 2011, Dr, Reck opened the Veterinary Medical Center of fort Mill. The practice quickly flourished and is now home to 4 full time associate veterinarians. In 2016, Dr. Reck launched a revolutionary approach to veterinary wellness care called the Healthy Pet Happy Pet Experience℠. It is a two-step approach that divides the wellness visit into a one-on-one medically focused veterinary consultation and then separate seminars on key topics of pet care: grooming, nutrition, and training. Dr. Reck is passionate about positive culture development in veterinary practices.
Dr. Lynn Seibert
Lynne Seibert BS, DVM, MS, PhD, Diplomate ACVB received her DVM degree from the University of Tennessee. After 3 years in private veterinary practice, she completed Master’s and PhD degrees in neuroscience at the University of Georgia, with a focus on animal behavior and psychopharmacology. She completed a residency in behavior medicine at the University of Georgia leading to board-certification with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2001. She owned and operated a behavior referral practice in Seattle, Washington, and served as adjunct faculty at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and psychology faculty at Antioch University in Seattle during this time. She is currently involved in teaching veterinary students at Tuskegee University, and has taught veterinary behavior courses at 6 veterinary colleges. She is a past president of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, and served two terms as secretary-treasurer on the ACVB Board of Regents. She has presented over 2,000 hours of behavior education in 37 states and 4 countries. She developed and presented the online content for the psychopharmacology chapter of the University of Florida, Shelter Medicine Course. She is the author of numerous articles and book chapters and is currently a senior veterinary technical consultant for Elanco Animal Health. She also operates a clinical behavior referral service at North Georgia Veterinary Specialists, north of Atlanta. Her interests include avian behavior, compulsive and related disorders, psychopharmacology, and helping veterinarians implement behavior programs in general practice.
Michael Shikashio, CDBC
Michael Shikashio, CDBC, is the president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), and provides private consultations working with dog aggression cases through his business Complete Canines LLC. Michael is fully certified through the IAABC, is a full member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and is a mentor trainer for Animal Behavior College. Michael also offers mentoring and training to other professionals. Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, New York Post, Baltimore Sun, WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, The Chronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He is a featured speaker on the topic of canine aggression at conferences and seminars across the country, and he currently teaches courses through The Dog Trainers Connection and the IAABC. Michael resides in Mystic, CT and enjoys coastal life with his wife, two boys, and three dogs.