Amy Alliston began training dogs and horses in her teens. After becoming a Registered Nurse she took a special interest in the positive impact that animals have on human health. She then became involved in training service dogs and later therapy animals. In 1999 she founded Healing Paws and Claws, Inc. a non-profit volunteer organization which provides pet therapy, humane education and dog bite prevention education to children, the elderly and the disabled. Amy was also the first to bring The Delta Society to Virginia, an organization which provides standardization and registration to animal therapy teams which are now required in most health care institutions. Amy has recently received her CGC (Canine Good Citizenship) training certification.
Virginia Broitman began training in 1981 and is now a nationally recognized clicker trainer. Her business, North Star Canines, provides behavior counseling and training based on positive reinforcement techniques. She has also trained Service Dogs for people with disabilities. In 2006, the “Companion Award” was given by the VA Federation of Humane Soci eties to a dog she trained for a boy with autism and seizures.

Virginia has produced four clicker training videos, which are sold internationally. She also presents training workshops around the country, and is a faculty member of Karen Pryor’s Clicker Expos. Her own dogs have participated in pet therapy visits, agility, herding, and TV/advertising work. Currently, she has 5 dogs and 4 pet rats.

 

Connie Kniseley teaches obedience and agility classes in the private sector and is very involved with training therapy dogs.   As a co-founder of TheraPets of the Roanoke Valley, Connie provides training and information about animal assisted therapy and activities. Connie maintains her  instructor and evaluator's certification through the Delta Society. Connie is also a field trainer for Saint Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation in Roanoke which provides service dogs, therapeutic social dogs and hearing dogs throughout Virginia. Connie and her two dogs are certified through Delta Society as a Pet Partners Team and they visit area hospitals and nursing homes.