Our Team
Miranda Hitchcock
Founder, MS Applied Animal Behavior, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified
Miranda began her work with dogs as a volunteer at an animal shelter in Maryland, and then taught puppy classes and reactive/fearful dog classes before moving to Austin. Among her shelter work, she was the Shelter Operations Manager for Austin Animal Center and oversaw the shelter's behavior program and animal care. Miranda is a "behavior nerd" who's passionate about equity and access in the dog world. Miranda holds a Master's Degree in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare from Virginia Tech. (She/Her)
Michele Mendoza
Founder, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certified
A lifelong dog lover, Michele started dog walking and pet sitting to earn extra money while working in corporate marketing roles. A long-term client opened her eyes to positive reinforcement training and inspired her to learn more about dog behavior. In 2010, she left the corporate world to start a training facility of her own, training thousands of dogs everything from manners to agility. After selling the business, she worked on the Behavior Team at Austin Animal Center and connected with Miranda over a shared passion for dog behavior. (She/Her)
Eric Tarango
CPDT-KA, FFCP
Eric began dog training when he rescued his own dog who had resource guarding issues. In 2014 he moved to Austin, a dog loving city that helped him grow as a trainer. He shadowed a service dog trainer for a couple of years and was inspired to learn how animals thought and how they see the world. He started working as a dog trainer, teaching basic manners classes and private lessons for several years. He has helped and worked with thousands of dogs, and has a passion for learning about behavior problems and treatments in dogs. Eric also does dog training in Spanish for Every Dog. (He/Him)
Olivia Tiffany
CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP
Olivia got her start working in the kennel at DogBoy's Dog Ranch and eventually became the assistant kennel manager and a trainer for the company. There she learned about dog behavior, how dogs interact, and how to work with a wide range of breeds and personalities. She really fell in love with dog training when she adopted a black lab with leash reactivity. Helping her pup work through these behaviors made her want to help others who have the same issues. In 2021 she graduated from The Karen Pryor Academy and is excited to further her knowledge and education. (She/Her)
Devi Puckett
CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, M.Ed
Devi's passion for animal training and welfare was evident at an early age when her favorite phrase was, “can I keep it?” Her many pets have included reptiles, insects, tarantulas, rats, hamsters, hedgehogs, doves, parakeets, cats, and dogs - she has never met an animal that she didn’t love. Her previous career as a high school teacher shaped her into a patient and accessible coach of people. Whether it’s starting a puppy off on the right paw, building the human-canine bond, or working on challenging behavior, Devi’s positive approach is grounded in a solid scientific foundation. (She/Her)
Lana Lesley
CCDT, CPDT-KA
Lana came to animal welfare and dog behavior training in 2018, after 23 years in the performing arts as a producer, performer and executive director. Beginning as a volunteer dog walker and eventually a trainer at a local rescue, Lana fell in love with every one of "her" dogs, and with the process of helping them learn coping skills and life skills. A lifelong learner, Lana completed the Master Program at CATCH Training Academy and earned her Professional Dog Trainer certification. She looks forward to earning her Behavior Consultation certification. (She/Her)
Kaci Taylor
VSA-CDT
Kaci started her deep dive into behavior study after adopting her now 6 year old dog, Buddy, and seeking certified help with his journey through reactivity, separation anxiety, and more. Positive science-based training became her passion after seeing how Buddy’s quality of life has been impacted, and completed her dog training certification program with the Victoria Stilwell Academy in fall of 2023. Kaci enjoys helping pet parents celebrate all of the tiny victories, and loves to know that their dogs are thriving in the patience and care they’re providing. (She/Her)
Lauren Biegel
Agility & Nosework
Following a childhood of begging for a puppy every Christmas (with 3 successes!), Lauren has taken every available opportunity to work with dogs: volunteering at local shelters, fostering, and working at a doggy daycare. Through her foster fail, Ollie, she learned about fear and reactivity behaviors and gained the confidence to adopt a high-energy puppy (Layla). Layla and Lauren have competed in scentwork, FastCAT, Barn Hunt and have done additional training in rally, agility, and tracking. Lauren fell in love with Every Dog as a volunteer and is thrilled to join the team! (she/her)
Joanna Cordry
CPDT-KA
Joanna has a Masters degree in Educational Psychology and a graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, and she's always been fascinated by the behavior exhibited by all animals. She’s been lucky enough to balance a career in behavioral health and disability advocacy with her love of all things dog and dog behavior . She’s apprenticed with a service dog organization, worked on the behavior team of a shelter, competed in agility, and practiced recreational nosework. She’s currently a student in the Karen Pryor Professional Dog Trainer Academy and the Pet Harmony PETPro program. (She/Her)
Alexandra Dilley
MA, CPDT-KA
Alexandra was the Director of Behavior and Training at the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC. During her time there, she worked with the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Asheville, North Carolina, to develop HRA's first intensive program for severely fearful dog rehabilitation. She also taught classes on everything from obedience to dog reactivity. She has a Master's in animal behavior and completed a formal mentorship program on the treatment of separation-related problem behaviors. Alexandra provides treatment for dogs with separation-related problems.(She/her)
Jane Howard
CPDT-KA
Jane has dedicated the last decade of her life to creating and improving the bond between humans and their animals. She trained hearing, mobility, and companion dogs on everything from the very basics through advanced commands (like opening cabinet doors and alerting owners to ringing telephones and fire alarms). She has a deep understanding of canine temperament and body language earned by work for Service Dogs Inc. Her favorite dogs to work with are shy puppies that just need a little boost of confidence to reach their full potential, and all kinds of service dogs. (She/Her)
Andrea Carter
CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP
Andrea’s first job working with dogs was as a kennel tech at a small board & train facility, and her experiences volunteering with shelter dogs created a space in her heart for dogs who need friends the most. After teaching group classes at a pet store for 7 years she completed the Karen Pryor Academy to deepen her understanding of training. Volunteering with Service Dogs Inc. and working at the Austin Animal Center on the Behavior Team helped ignite a desire to keep learning even more about why dogs do what they do, and how we can help them fit into our lives successfully. (She/Her)
Rachelle Trafton
Trainer
Rachelle was born and raised in Austin, and grew up visiting the Austin Animal Center and hiking or biking every weekend. She started delving into training nine years ago when she adopted a six month old dog reactive dog, Lucy. I quickly was drawn into studying positive reinforcement training, and learning how to communicate with her. When the opportunities to train at PetSmart and DogBoy's Dog Ranch came up, she grabbed them. Rachelle is excited to educate people about their fur babies and teach them that they, too, can speak dog. It's the coolest thing in the world. (she/her)
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Hannah Teson
Fundraising & Marketing
Hannah is a proud Austinite, all around animal lover, and digital marketing specialist in the non-profit sphere. She enjoys crafting campaigns that spark curiosity and genuine connection with her community. Believing that philanthropy goes beyond the gift of financial giving, she understands how to inspire support without exclusion. When she's not being a marketing nerd, Hannah loves going to arcades, exploring spooky spots around the city, hanging out with her cats, and catching up on an endless library of podcasts. (she/her)
Our Board Members
LaTonya Jeffery
LaTonya has over 16 years of proficiency participating in all phases of software development. She is theLead Business Architect/Principal Consultant at Advance Business Group, LLC. LaTonya has two lovable Portuguese Water Dogs, Koda and Karly and has developed a love of dog training. (She/Her)
Joshua Lee
Joshua has experience working in marketing and community outreach. He previously worked for two local nonprofit organizations in animal rescue and dog training, and is a Marketing Specialist with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. He has 3 adorable rescue pups, Monkey, Winston, and Penny. (He/Him)
Jess Mills
Originally from Austin, Jess worked in the New York City Mayor's Office for four years and has an MBA from the University of Texas. Currently, he is the Founder and Principal of Rivercity Group LLC, which provides strategy consulting to nonprofits. He has always been passionate about helping animals. (He/Him)
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Camille Sabino
Camille is passionate about social impact. She has worked in for-profit and nonprofit settings from startups to public companies. Camille got her Master's in Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. Outside of her career, Camille enjoys spending time with her senior rescue dog, Finley. (She/her)