Kestrel Schall, FDM (she/they) is an affective dog trainer who uses a gentle parenting approach to address the emotions that underly dogs’ behaviors. With a background in adolescent mental health, Kestrel navigates challenging situations with tremendous patience, compassion, and resourcefulness. A lifelong learner, Kestrel is always looking for real-world solutions that work for you and your pup. Kestrel’s favorite dogs to work with are herding breeds, who remind them of their own cattle dog mix, Honey.

My name is Ezra Pollard (he/him). I graduated from CSU with a Bachelors of Science in Zoology in 2022! I am extremely passionate about animal care! Cats are my world, and I love helping them feel comfortable and confident. I have nearly four years of experience working with cats in shelters, where I’ve honed my skills for handling all sorts of behavioral concerns to help cats feel more secure! I also have two cats at home, and 2 dogs with my family in Arizona! 

My name is Dany Riley (they/them). I am a Contract Trainer at Caring Behavior and a staff member at Animal Friends Alliance. I have over a decade of experience working with cats in a behavior and medical capacity. I am a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), with an Associates of Science Degree (A.S.), and an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology completed with Honors (A.A.S.-Veterinary Technician). I am also a Certified Shelter Behavior Consultant for Cats (CSB-C), a Fear Free Certified Professional-Veterinary (FFCP-Veterinary), and have completed the Fear Free Shelters training program (FF-shelter). I have extensive hands-on experience training and applying stress reduction techniques for shelter cats. I have focused my career on behavior management, shelter animal care, and feline medical nursing. I also provide training for shelter staff and volunteers, and have created shelter staff & volunteer training programs and behavior procedures for Animal Friends Alliance. I have also enjoyed fostering many cats and dogs with severe medical or behavioral disabilities and needs. I love focusing my work on providing care for cats. I have also enjoyed spending a few years working with dogs. Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives and ideas drive and influence me deeply. I am currently honored to be the elected JEDI Chair for the Animal Friends Alliance employee driven JEDI Council committee. I am originally an Oregonian, and my family still resides near the Portland area. I have lived in Fort Collins Colorado for about 25 years, enjoying the locale and amazing friends I have made. I live with my wonderful husband Kayle, our Cane Corso dog Cicada, two cats Iota & Chi, and several pet tarantulas. I have a passion for caring for invertebrates, especially tarantulas which I have kept as pets for over twenty years. I love body art and modification, winter camping, woodworking, gardening, and Netflix & chill. I also have enthusiasm for Middle Earth fantasy narratives, and Star Trek films!