Meet Our Owner

Tricia grew up in North Carolina and got her first dog at the age of four.  She began training dogs for agility and obedience competitions in 1999 and has done everything from showing dogs to fostering strays ever since.  She currently lives with 5 dogs of her own and usually has at least one foster dog.  

Tricia’s educational background includes a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and an MA degree in College Student Development from Appalachian State University.  She was employed as a college student advisor for 15 years, working closely with students challenged by academic difficulty, learning disorders and personal issues.   Tricia was the Executive Director and founder of Furry Friends Recovery, a therapy dog organization, from 2013 to 2021. 

She holds a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credential for the state of IL and a certification in Animal Assisted Therapy from the Animal Behavior Institute. She is also active in the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) including certification as a leader for NAMI Peer to Peer, NAMI In Our Own Voice, NAMI Connections, NAMI Ending the Silence and NAMI Provider Education, as well as NAMI Peer to Peer State Trainer.  Tricia is also the current Treasurer for NAMI Alliance of Peer Professionals.

Tricia has personal experience struggling with mental illness and feels strongly that dog therapy was a major component in her recovery.  She is dedicated to making sure that others benefit from the healing power of dogs during recovery.