Raised in small-town Nebraska, I grew up around livestock, and trace my kinship with animals to childhood. As a graduate student, I fled the feedlots for more humane pastures, relocating to San Francisco where I earned a Master's Degree in cultural anthropology, then worked as an NIH-funded researcher at UCSF. When the Great Recession of 2008 dried up most scholarly grants, I fell into dog walking as a temporary gig, but soon realized I’d stumbled onto a rewarding new career. Though humans are a fascinating bunch, the animal world is where I put down roots. Fourteen years ago, I started Urban Animal Adventures, a San Francisco pet care business that helped me discover my true passion is all things canine. Through my work with hundreds of the City’s pups, I learned I can most effectively serve the species–and their people–in a role that brings my training as a researcher to bear. In search of humane and evidenced-based approaches to nurturing friendly dogs, I spent the last two years diving deep into the data, earning a Certificate in Training and Counseling from the Academy for Dog Trainers. My goal is to make the science fun, accessible, and applicable to circumstances unique to you and your furry friend.