I have always had an affinity toward animals. I cannot remember a time when I didn’t have some sort of furry or scaled creature in my world. We always had indoor cats, and from my pre-teen years until I left for college, I helped to raise “fancy” mice and “pet” rabbits. Growing up in a desert climate, provided opportunities to be creative in keeping the animals safe and comfortable. I was also a member of a national fish club and had up to 10 aquariums running at a time. I had a second love in my life, music. During my young professional life this was my priority and animals were my hobby.
In 2001, I met my future wife and moved to the Midwest, thus starting a new phase of life. The first job I acquired was at a pet store. I managed an aquatics section that had been mismanaged for months. In the time I was with this store I brought the aquatics section to a new level of health and made several new friends that are still friends today. I left the store’s employment with a renewed love of animals but with a newly found frustration in how the industry operates. Shortly after leaving, I spoke with a previous co-worker that was working for a pet supply company. She suggested that I come check it out. I did and the next 11-year phase of my professional development had begun.
This was a turning point for me. I was fascinated by the varieties of food and how they all claimed to be the best available for your pet. I loved the interaction with others that cared as I did about the animals in their world. I was intrigued by how things were made, where they came from and how they were sold, the whole process; ingredient producer/developer, manufacturer, distributor and store front. I started noticing gaps in knowledge of how each of these parts interacts and how that could lead to differing expectations of what a food could and couldn’t do. I wanted to bridge those gaps. I started studying, asking questions, writing, visiting stores, distribution centers, conventions and manufacturing plants. I also collaborated with a few others to write training materials, to share what we had learned so we could communicate with pet owners with the most current information. I was beginning to feel personal pressure to acquire more education to be qualified to have these conversations.
I completed my Associate of Science in 2014, from Columbus State Community College. My Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Industries with a minor in Community Outreach Education in 2018 is from The Ohio State University.
I will never stop learning and my plan is to continue my education and complete a master’s program. In the meantime, I am anxious to share with you my vision of bringing pet parents and pet professionals closer together through information and experience.
