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
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
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)

Kelley Corson
KPA-CTP, CPDT-KA
After years of working for the New Hampshire SPCA, Kelley found her passion for helping dogs through behavior work. Kelley graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy and moved to Austin in 2021. In addition, Kelley is Fear Free Shelter Certified and a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) to help foster her passion to learn. Her number one priority when training dogs is that the dog is happy and comfortable in their environment. To Kelley, training isn’t all about learning to sit, but also building a lasting relationship. (She/Her)

Steven Tallas
CBCC-KA, CDTK, Dip.CBST
Steven has seven years of professional experience in dog training and behavior and is a Fear Free Certified Trainer. He entered the behavior world by volunteering at his local animal shelter. Steven graduated from the Master's Program at CATCH Canine Trainer's Academy, is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, and is a graduate of the Companion Animal Sciences Institute (CASI) specializing in aggressive dog behavior. He loves helping pet owners build better relationships with their dogs through education, communication, and shared adventures. (He/Him)

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)

Olivia Tiffany
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)

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)

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)

Allison McDonald
ABCCDT
Allison is a lifelong animal lover and dog owner. During the pandemic she dove deep into training her puppy Khan and found joy in the challenge of working with Khan and her existing dog Olivia as they had very different learning styles and motivations. She started mentoring with Every Dog to complete her certification through Animal Behavior College and stayed on as a Trainer. Allison hasn't found her dog training niche yet, but she's excited to further understand what makes each dog tick and learn more about different areas of dog training. Dog mom to very good Dobie boys! (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 she will finish her certification with the Victoria Stilwell Academy in fall of 2023. Kaci enjoys helping pet parents celebrate all of the tiny victories, and know that their dogs are thriving in the patience and care they’re providing. (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)