Amy Johnson (Executive Director)                                                                                                        Teacher's Pet has changed my life. Working with the kids and the dogs and watching what they are able to accomplish is so humbling! Each day I think I couldn't possibly love it anymore...and then I do. To sum it up, I'm a kid and dog person. To be able to combine these two loves is a dream come true. By day, I work at Oakland University where I developed and facilitate the online Animal Assisted Therapy Certificate Program, I also teach a course through the Honors College entitled Understanding The Human Animal Bond and its Implications in Animal Assisted Therapy. I am also a member of the curriculum committee for the Delta Society / Pet Partners to create mini courses for AAT with veterans. Lastly, I work as a therapist through the Macomb County Juvenile Justice system, working with juvenile sex offenders and reunification when the offenses occur within the family. My education is in Teaching and Counseling. I am certified as a Trauma and Loss Specialist through the Trauma and Loss Institute (Starr Commonwealth) and dog trainer through Council for Certification of Pet Dog Trainers.. 

Nicole Pawlowski-Herr (Lead Program Facilitator)                                                     Simply put, I love animals.  They add a richness to my life that is beyond words.  I have always been interested in behavior and the “why” behind how people and animals behave.  This led me to a degree in Psychology and Behavior and is my motivation for training and working with “not-so-perfect” dogs.  Once I moved to Michigan I started working with Silver Lake Animal Rescue League, and then in 2005 joined the Michigan Humane Society as part of the Behavior Helpline.  Volunteering with these two organizations has been rewarding and has fed my desire to keep learning and studying cat and dog behavior.  In 2008, we created Herr Pet Training and specialize in the needs of the not-so-perfect dog.  We have become avid educators, doing what we can to help owners keep pets in their forever homes.  I am blessed share my life with my dog-trainer husband Brian and our furry clan: Tully, KittyPants and Bella (a Teacher’s Pet dog!).  Teacher’s Pet has been an amazing experience for me so far …I learn so much about (and from!) these kids.  Teaching them to give adoptable dogs the skills to shine is a great bonus!  Nothing has been better than witnessing the moment when a kid and their dog truly connect, when the walls come down and they really begin to trust each other.

Rachel Gentz (Lead Program Facilitator)                                                                                              I am the Lead Dog Trainer for the Humane Society of Macomb. I always ended up with the dog that no one else wanted to take because of behavior problems. My first foster failure, Homer, and his significant behavioral challenges is what led me to earn my certification through Animal Behavior College and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. I was thrilled to start working with the kids at Teacher's Pet because I can relate to making bad choices and overcoming them. The bond that is created between the kids and dogs and the progress they make together is something that can not be put into words. Dogs have made such an impact on my life, it is truly an honor to make even the slightest impact on the kids' and dogs' lives. Each session I learn more from the kids than I think I can ever teach them! I am so lucky to be a part of the Teacher's Pet family. I love that we collaborate with other groups, rescues and shelters. There is always something new to learn and if we all work together great things can happen! 

Patricia Miottel (Lead Program Facilitator) 
My mom always said that if there was ever a cry for help, it hit my ears first. If there’s an underdog (pun intended), I’m pulling for it. I’ve worked at the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center since 2007, and everyday I learn something new. When I was asked to be part of the Teacher’s Pet program, I jumped at it. It’s amazing to see the bond that is formed, but I’m not at all surprised. Most of the dogs we get from the shelter are strays or have been abused. When the kids learn that nobody cared that their dog--their family member--was on the streets, cold and hungry, or missing an ear becauseit was used as bait, they can unfortunately relate. But when they see the dogs learn to trust humans again, and love unconditionally, it gets me EVERY time. In the end, all of the participants, human and canine, become survivors, not victims. I am so lucky towork with these wonderful ladies, and am so grateful to Amy for bringing this amazing program to the JJC. To truly believe in what you do, and to be a part of the magic is awesome. My husband and I are also grateful because they introduced us to our two “kids”, Teacher’s Pet graduates, Minxy and Hamlet.

Diane Shekell (Foster Coordinator / Lead Program Facilitator)
When I first started the Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) certification program at Oakland University, I had no idea what a positive impact it would have on my life. I was interested in taking my dog to nursing homes and thought it would be a good idea to learn more about the human-animal bond. While working through the modules of the course, I learned about Teacher’s Pet so I went to observe a class first hand. It was an extraordinary experience. It was so impressive to watch all the kids train their dogs with such care and compassion. Every interaction was a positive one. The shelter dogs were getting a lot of kind words, attention and treats from the kids. It was clear that both the dogs and the kids enjoyed being together and were learning many things from each other. Since becoming part of the Teacher’s Pet program, I have received my AAT certification and have become a certified dog trainer. I have also completed a shelter dog practicum and enjoy keeping up on the latest information in this field. I am so happy to have found a place where I can share my love of all animals in a classroom setting. I feel very lucky to be here!

Melissa Kutchek, (Program Facilitator) I was first introduced to Animal Assisted Therapy in college, back in the early 90’s, where it wasn’t a very popular form of therapy. However, I also learned of a program was using dolphins to help kids with PTSD. I knew it was something I HAD to work in. So I moved to Chicago and volunteered at the Shedd Aquarium working with the Beluga Whales and Penguins, and received a certification in Dolphin Training at the Dolphin Research Center, where I was reintroduced to AAT. It was a very hard field to get into at the time with minimal to no funding available. Fast forward many moons later, I continued my career in Clinical Research and I thought AAT was just a pipe dream, until I met Amy Johnson and her program in 2016. I was completely blown away and knew I had to be a part of such an incredible opportunity and began volunteering! Fast forward 3 years later and Teachers Pet has become a full blown part of me. Now as one of the facilitators at Crossroads for Youth, I am able to help At Risk Youth AND shelter dogs, all while doing “therapy”, and my dream has come true. I am honored that not only myself, but my own rescue doggy PradaEnchilada, are able to represent such an amazing team of people with incredibly large hearts and a program that changes so many lives! To be a part of these magical moments will never ever get old for me, and each holds a special place in my heart.

Sue Itoh, (Program Facilitator) I love working with Teacher’s Pet. This is one of the best “jobs” I have ever had. I am so at home when I am with the kids and dogs. I have five kids of my own and when they became more grown and I had more time, I joyfully began volunteering with Teacher’s Pet. (It has been 6 years now!!) I have taught many subjects to many aged kids over the years; from swimming, canoeing as a camp counselor, teaching English at a YMCA conversation school and a girl’s high school in Kobe, Japan and also many years of teaching Sunday School at my church. I have always loved animals. As I was growing up, and during all the years of my kids growing up, there have been many and still are beloved and treasured pets. My most favorite part of working with the kids and dogs in Teacher’s Pet is the moment when trust occurs. We bring in dogs who are very scared or have no idea about manners and we work with kid who most have been through very tough traumas. Both dogs and kids have known in one form or other abandonment, brutality and not being loved unconditionally. When that moment of trust and feeling of being safe happens, I feel like I am in some elevated state, so privileged to be able to witness this. (It never gets old.) Once this moment happens, from then on, we get to see so many changes, mainly where both dog and kid become aware of their environment in a whole different way; going from their environments controlling them to knowing that they are the ones who can take control of their own reactions to their environment. This is when growth happens!!

Christine Rogers, (Program Facilitator) Teacher's Pet allows me to combine two of my passions in one place!  As a 20+ high school history teacher- my drive in life has always been to teach kids to be informed, responsible, and engaged members of society. Teenagers don't realize the ability to "make change" that they have when they become knowledgeable and take action.  And as a life long rescue dog mom, I have always wanted to find ways to improve the lives of the shelter pets that I can't take home with me.  Teacher's Pet allows me to interact with kids who are discovering/learning/practicing their power to make changes in their own lives and who are learning how to improve the lives of shelter dogs. 

Brian Herr (IT Manager)