I have been involved with dogs since 1968 when I whelped my first litter of puppies– my mother’s poodle and I was only five years old. I started training dogs when I was nine years old in 4-H and the Guide Dog Puppy Raiser program but turned to competitive training as an adult. My focus is agility but still actively train and compete in obedience, Rally, and conformation. In fact, I got involved in agility by way of conformation! A little unusual pathway into a performance sport but it was my involvement as a 4-H Youth Leader and conformation exhibitor that really spurred my interest in becoming a judge as well as a little encouragement from a fellow 4-H alumni, Carrie DeYoung.
When not training or competing, I work as an eighth grade science teacher and a public school advocate. During the COVID-19 shutdowns, I continued to work remotely with education leaders throughout the nation, including Hawaii with the National Education Association to ensure our students received the supports and services they required to navigate the pandemic.
While my heart dog is the Golden Retriever, I enjoy all breeds of dogs and appreciate the human-dog bond and magnificent aspects of all breeds. I am thrilled to be judging back in Oahu and looking forward to a great weekend of agility.