IAABC Staff

The IAABC staff provides the organization and our IAABC members with support and assistance.

• More about Kathrine

  Kathrine Christ MIA, CTC, CDBC

  Executive Director

  Kathrine is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and owner of Hands Full Dog Training, LLC in Wichita, Kansas. FULL BIO

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  Kathrine Christ MIA,, CTC CDBC, CSAT

  Kathrine is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and owner of Hands Full Dog Training, LLC in Wichita, Kansas.

  As a 2011 graduate of Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service with a Master of International Affairs degree, Kathrine has had an ongoing interest in public policy and nonprofit work.

  Prior to starting her own business, Kathrine worked as a research compliance officer for Texas A&M University, reviewing research protocols and working with the Institutional Review Board to ensure ethical treatment of the human subjects involved in research at the university. Her experience in regulatory affairs also included service in a U.S. Embassy as an intern in the consulate, investigating treaty trader visas and performing initial intake of visa applicants.

  She has also made inroads with local policy, serving on the Dangerous Dog Subcommittee of the Wichita Animal Control Advisory Board and successfully promoting changes to city codes that provide finer-tuned assessment of and consequences for dogs involved in bite or aggression incidents. In her free time, Kathrine enjoys playing the Irish whistle, powerlifting, clicker training her horse, mountain biking, and taking care of her 4 children, 2 dogs, and 1 husband.

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  Mike Lamberth

  Director of Operations

• More about Tiro

  Tiro Miller
  PhD, SBA

  Digital Marketing Manager   

  Tiro Miller, PhD, SBA, is the managing editor of the IAABC Foundation Journal and lead author of the IAABC and IAABC Foundation monthly newsletters. FULL BIO

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  Tiro Miller PhD, SBA

  Tiro Miller, Ph.D SBA is the managing editor of the IAABC Foundation Journal and lead author of the IAABC and IAABC Foundation monthly newsletters.

  They live in San Francisco with their partner and a rather demanding chihuahua, where they volunteer at the SFSPCA and write in their spare time.

  Tiro’s favorite thing about working for IAABC is the chance to bring together people with unique and interesting perspectives on animal behavior.

• More about Melinda

  Melinda Lee

  Communications Director
  Membership Services

  Melinda has worked with various state and local agencies implementing Information Systems for over 15 years and recently pursued an education in dog training and behavior. FULL BIO

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  Melinda Lee

  Melinda has worked with various state and local agencies implementing Information Systems for over 15 years and recently pursued an education in dog training and behavior.

  She is currently studying with Catch Canine Training Academy and is a volunteer with Best Friends Animal Society, the ASPCA and HSUS.

  Melinda runs a small business part-time offering fine stationery for special events in which she offers calligraphy, letterpress and graphic design services.

  She is a Supporting Member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

  Melinda currently resides on Long Island with her boyfriend and their beloved dog.

• More about Rochelle

  Rochelle Burtt CDBC, CBCC-KA

  Technology Director

  Rochelle is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and avid supporter of the IAABC. FULL BIO

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  Rochelle Burtt, CBCC-KA

  Rochelle is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and avid supporter of the IAABC. She first started down this path nearly 30 years ago when she earned a Diploma in Animal Science, but her primary job for many years was as a Software Developer. She is now getting back to her true passion of working with animals and helping people on more of a full-time basis.

  Rochelle is an avid volunteer in Service Dog work and is dedicated to promoting the LIMA protocol. She shares her life with her husband, four sons, a Labrador Retriever, a German Shepherd, and a senior cat.

• More about Dae

  Dae Grodin

  Social Media Director

  Dae is the owner and trainer of Dog-Abilities, a professional dog training business, servicing the Northern KY and Cincinnati areas since 2011. FULL BIO

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  Dae Grodin

  Dae is the owner and trainer of Dog-Abilities, a professional dog training business, servicing the Northern KY and Cincinnati areas since 2011. She offers private training, behavior consults, group classes, 4H Dog Club classes, board and trains, and dog walking services. Dae is also a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP). She also belongs to various dog training organizations, including IAABC, APDT, and PPG.

  Dae’s dog training journey began 17 years ago when she decided to train her first puppy, a Boxer. Together, they learned the power of positive reinforcement training. While in college, Dae became increasingly interested in animal behavior, taking college classes, reading various books and articles on the subject. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a major in psychology, she decided to pursue both her passions for psychology and animal training. This led her to working in boarding, training, and daycare facilities, where she gained knowledge under other positive, skilled, reward based trainers, as well as honing observational skills and hands-on experience with many different dogs.

  Since 2004, Dae has been involved with APDT conference as Conference Staff and Task Force, and most notably received the Ian Dunbar Member of the Year Award in 2015. Currently, Dae is the Social Media Director for IAABC, running their Instagram accounts @iaabcpets (#petsbehavingwell) and @iaabcbehavior, as well as the Facebook Pets Behaving Well group. Each month, submissions are taken for the Pets Behaving Well Contest, showcasing animals of all species behaving well. Winners receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

  Dae lives with 3 dogs—a Husky/German Shepherd Dog mix, a Parson Russell Terrier, a Border Terrier, a house bunny, and foster Pitbull. Dae’s dogs actively work in search and rescue, therapy dog and crisis response work, nose work, barn hunt, agility, and trick training. When she is not working with dogs, she enjoys hiking and photography.

• More about Pierinna

  Pierinna Isis Tenchio

  Language Director

  Pierinna is the IAABC Language Director and the IAABC Foundation Journal Spanish Editor. FULL BIO

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  Pierinna Isis Tenchio

  IAABC Language Director, IAABC Journal Spanish Editor. Masters in Canine Clinical Psychology and Education, Vet assistant, first aid certified and pet groomer. She is also a journalist, professional translator and proofreader, as well as Editor in chief of El Telégrafo newspaper, Uruguay. She’s been invited to take part in the National Shelters Program by the Cero Callejero Foundation, with whom she is taking action on animal welfare.

  Living in a country where science-based dog training was not common, many years ago she began her research in order to set herself for success in the field. Thus, she has taken courses at Karen Pryor Academy (KPA), Dunbar Academy, Pet Partners, Victoria Stilwell Academy (VSA), Dog Training College, and specialized in children-directed education regarding animal care and behavior. She is also a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and Doggone Safe.

  She has worked with guide dogs, in cooperation with Freedom Guide Dogs, from New York, supporting organizations for the blind in her country.

  At the moment, along with her son, Manuel, together in DogFam, they perform an amusing show for children of all ages, teaching them about canine body language, pet care at home and animal welfare.

  Passionate about dogs, she devotes most of her time to ensure their wellness in society, offering a helping hand as a volunteer in rescue organizations and writing articles about animal welfare and behavior in the newspaper at which she works. Her human and non-human children take up most of her heart.

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  Nikki Finn-Loudenslager

  Credentialing Program Director

• More about Devin

  Devin Zimmer CDBC, CBCC-KA

  Volunteer Coordinator

  Devin is a CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA, IAABC-ADT, a Fear Free Certified Professional, a Canine Good Citizen evaluator, and is currently in the process for becoming a Family Dog Mediator. FULL BIO

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  Devin Zimmer CDBC, CBCC-KA

  Devin has been training dogs since 2011. She is a CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KSA, IAABC-ADT, a Fear Free Certified Professional, a Canine Good Citizen evaluator, and is currently in the process for becoming a Family Dog Mediator. She graduated from Transylvania University (yes, really) with a degree in psychology.

  Devin owns Ain't Misbehavin' Dog Training offering private sessions and behavior consultations, offers group classes through Bluegrass Dog Training Academy, trains puppies for a local Labrador breeder, and is currently working on launching behavior services at PetVet365. She is thrilled to become more involved with IAABC and hopes to someday be a board member.

  Devin lives in Lexington, KY with her partner and her four dogs: a Belgian Tervuren named Rogue, a Doberman named Phoenix, a Boxer mix named Apollo, and an American Bully named Houser.

• More about Marjie

  Marjie Alonso CDBC, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP

  Stakeholder Liaison

  Marjie was a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant and owner of City Dog Training in Somerville, MA. FULL BIO

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  Marjie Alonso CDBC, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP

  Marjie was a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant and owner of City Dog Training in Somerville, MA for decades, during which time she also served as Training Director, and then behavioral consultant for the New England Dog Training Club, the oldest AKC club in the US, and as a member of the American Humane Association's Advisory Board for Companion Animal Behavior and Training.

  Marjie is the co-founder of the Somerville Foundation for Animals, which hosts the Somerville Dog Festival each year. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants; a Certified Training Partner of Karen Pryor Academy; a Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers; an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator; and a Professional Member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)

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