From Puppies to People: Our Staff
Dr. Bill Wolfe, Executive Director
Dr. Bill Wolfe joins Assistance Dogs of America, Inc, as Executive Director with more than 35 years of military and consulting experience in the public and private sectors. His background is extremely diverse, stemming from military to business owner, consultant to congressional liaison, project management and program design to college faculty/researcher. Dr. Wolfe has contracted with federal, state and county government agencies and has been relatively successful in the federal grant arena.
He has served on numerous boards including Project SEARCH, Sylvania Partners in Education, and the Ability Center of Greater Toledo. Currently, he is serving as a board member of Project SCOUT at The University of Toledo and on the Lucas County Board of MRDD.
Jenny Barlos, Client Services Director
Jenny joined ADAI as the Client Services Coordinator in August, 2007. She is responsible for interviewing potential clients, organizing and facilitating team training and graduate activities, graduate follow up visits, certifications, and recertifications.
Jenny came to ADAI after working as the Clinic Director for Humane Ohio, a low cost spay/neuter clinic. Her background includes working with animals, as well as working in education and government. She is currently city councilperson with the City of Maumee and previously was an instructor with at risk teens and adults for the Lucas County Educational Service Center, Owens Community College and Penta Career Center. Many of her students included individuals with a variety of disabilities. She is a member of the Maumee Kiwanis, The Toledo Symphony League and on the board of the Friends of the Library. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications degree from Bowling green State University. Jenny and Harry, her husband of seventeen years, live in Maumee with their two teenage sons, Michael and Graham, and two cats. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, hiking and spending time with family and friends.
Tim Conradt, Kennel Manager
Tim moved from Avoca, Michigan, to join ADAI in November 2006. His family is very
active with dogs and for over 25 years he has competed with dogs in conformation and obedience in
American Kennel Club (AKC) events. This involvement led Tim to join the AKC Registered Handlers
Program which designates Tim as a person who puts safety, security and the well-being of the dogs
above all else.
Prior to joining ADAI, Tim worked as an automotive engineer. Tim decided to change
paths and pursue a career where his love and knowledge of dogs would be put to good use. His
responsibilities at ADAI include the daily care and health maintenance of the dogs in the program
and he oversees the maintenance of the property and buildings.
On weekends, you will find Tim competing with his clients’ dogs at various AKC events around
the country. Currently, Tim owns a Bullmastiff, Copper, who has his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and
therapy dog certifications. Copper enjoys attending a local elementary school three days a week and
will hopefully have his AKC championship in the near future.
Rhonda DeKoninck, Prison Puppy Coordinator
As ADAI's Prison Puppy Coordinator, Rhonda DeKoninck oversees the work of the inmate puppy trainers in the Toledo Correctional Institute and at the Northeast Pre-Release Center in Cleveland. She attends weekly training sessions in Toledo and monthly sessions in Cleveland. She enjoys watching the unique personalities each of the dogs in her program display.
Rhonda also coordinates the furlough volunteers and helps with training the dogs at the facility. She believes it is a wonderful experienceto be involved with a project that helps people with special needs and allows the inmates to give back to the community they abused.
Rhonda comes to ADAI with a vast background in management, sales and teaching. She has a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communications from Valparaiso University and a teaching certificate from Indiana Purdue – Fort Wayne. She has been a store manager for Kroger and Casual Corner, a sales rep for Purina Mills and a Publications/English teacher at East Noble High School in Kendallville, Indiana. Rhonda lives in Perrysburg with her husband, Matt, three boys, Nick, Kyle and Noah and puppy, Kaci. In her spare time, Rhonda enjoys reading, going to her sons’ ball games, taking long walks on the beach with her husband and traveling.
Patty Gelb, Development Director
Patty joined ADAI in March 2007. Patty assists in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of ADAI’s fundraising efforts to enhance community support and participation in events that help further our mission. She came to us from the OPRS Foundation (part of Swan Creek Retirement Village) where she worked part-time writing grants, assisting with activities and teaching the residents of Swan Creek computer skills. Before Patty moved to Toledo in 2002, she was the Manager of Internet Marketing in Detroit for AAA Michigan and The Auto Club Group which is the holding company for seven other AAA organizations. Her responsibilities included all promotional and advertising development as well as website design for the eight state region. Patty graduated from East Carolinas University in Greenville, NC with a degree in Marketing and Communications. Growing up the daughter of a Marine, she moved with her family all over the world including going to High School in Oslo, Norway. Patty lives in Sylvania with her husband of seven years Grant, her stepchildren Aaron and Miranda and their two Tibetan Spaniels, Maka and Meli. She likes to travel especially to visit her sister in Florida and parents in Hawaii. Other hobbies include painting, playing with her dogs, gardening, taking care of their salt-water fish tank and reading.
Dawn Hammer, Client Services Coordinator
Dawn is also a licensed Realtor in the state of Ohio and has worked as an Office Manager and Administrative Assistant in both the medical and business fields. She is a member of Optimists International, has volunteered at animal shelters both in Ohio and Kansas and has been a Hospice volunteer. Dawn and Kevin, her husband of fifteen years, live in Maumee with their two small “canine kids”, Peanut & Toby. Her hobbies include reading, scrapbooking, scuba diving, traveling and spending time with her friends and family. The best part of being at ADAI for Dawn is meeting the many wonderful clients and seeing the amazing relationships that form between them and their assistance dog. She can also get her “big dog fix”, while leaving all the hair at the office!
Marilyn Lazarus, Staff Trainer
Marilyn is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. She came to Toledo, Ohio with her family in July of 1993. Marilyn worked as a legal secretary for nine years in a large downtown law firm in Baltimore. She has been involved with obedience training since 1982 when she and her husband joined an obedience club with their two rough-coated collies. Both dogs achieved their Companion Dog title. Prior to that, she self-trained two dogs. She was active in pet therapy for three years, taking her collies on weekly visits to a Baltimore area nursing home.
Since coming to Toledo, she had her collie, Jessie, certified as a Therapet, allowing her access to visit hospital patients as a “pet therapist”. They spent a year visiting patients as volunteers at St Vincent’s Medical Center and at a nursing home. Marilyn began with ADAI in October 1997 as a volunteer, then as a trainer, Training Director and, most recently, as the Client Services Director. Marilyn left ADAI in October of 2006. She has returned to ADAI working part time with the dogs in their final stages of training. She attends on-going educational seminars and enjoys discussing training techniques over the Internet with many different k9 oriented groups.
Marilyn also teaches dog obedience classes at Sylvania Veterinary Hospital, volunteers at the Toledo Area Humane Society and started a training business in 2007 called Partners in Training offering private consultations and lessons. Marilyn's daughter is a senior at Ohio State University and her son currently goes to ITT Technical Institute in Maumee. Marilyn and her husband reside in Sylvania with their two dogs and two cats.
Kali Makula, Training Director
Kali Makula has always been involved with animals in some way. Her interest in dog training began in 4-H when she competed in obedience with her lab mix. From there she started attending seminars and reading anything that had to do with dogs to further her knowledge in training. In March of 2000 she heard about Assistance Dogs of America and decided to become a volunteer. In September of 2000 she was hired as a part-time apprentice trainer. Since then her involvement in the organization continues to grow. She has recently taken the position of Training Director. This position involves working closely with foster parents and puppy raisers on a regular basis, preparing all the dogs in final training for placement, and working with teams during graduate training class. One of her most enjoyable moments as a service dog trainer is seeing a dog increase the independence in someone’s life. It makes all the time and training worth it.
Kate McComb, Marketing
and Special
Events Coordinator
Kate McComb joined Assistance Dogs in the fall of 2006 as the PR/Marketing
Intern. She became a full time employee when she accepted the position as Marketing and
Volunteer Coordinator in May of 2007. Her position changed again in March of 2008 as she
added Special Events Coordinator to her title. A Bowling Green State University graduate,
Kate earned a degree in public relations and a minor in design. She is responsible for
organizing and executing fundraising events. She also produces promotional materials such as
videos, flyers, brochures and displays.
Kate lives in Toledo with her dog, Lucy, and two cats. She enjoys spending time with
her family and friends, bowling, traveling and seeing movies, concerts and sporting events.
Everyday Kate looks forward to working alongside ADAI’s volunteers and trained dogs.
But her favorite part of being involved with ADAI is seeing the dogs transform into loyal,
dependable and loving companions when they are matched and trained with their partners.
Leslie Osterhout, Apprentice Trainer
Leslie Osterhout became our Apprentice Trainer in February of 2008. Leslie had dogs, and many other animals, since she was a child. She always wanted to have a career in the animal field. She had many jobs working with animals and has enjoyed them all.
Leslie knows she will get great pleasure from training dogs at ADAI. She loves the idea of being able to help individuals gain more freedom.
Cindy Preston, Kennel Assistant
Cindy became involved with ADAI in July of 2003 as a volunteer. She assisted with kennel cleaning and community outings with the training staff. In November of 2003 Cindy became more involved with the organization by signing on as a foster parent for a Golden Retriever puppy named “ Parker”. She enjoyed her involvement with ADAI enough to become a staff member in February of 2004. She assists the Kennel Manager with various tasks primarily relating to the care of the dogs and maintenance of the property and offices. Previous experience consists of 25 years of dedicated service to Foodtown Supermarkets. At the end of her tenure with the company is when Cindy decided to explore other interests relating to canines. Cindy has one grown son, Ryan. She has successfully helped train her first graduating foster dog, “Brooke” a beautiful black Labrador, placed in April of 2005.
Karen Swartz-Dowling, Volunteer Coordinator and Administrative Assistant
Karen Swartz-Dowling has been the Administrative Assistant of ADAI since the end of
2005. She is responsible for keeping the office organized and is proud to maintain a recycling
effort. Before joining ADAI, Karen has worked at the Wood County Job and Family Services as a Case
Manager and Employment Specialist. She also worked as the Director of the Interfaith Hospitality
Network. She has always been interested in working with animals and when the opportunity to work
with ADAI arose she knew it was a perfect match. Karen obtained child and family community services
and special education degrees at Bowling Green State University.
She is married to Justin Dowling and they have a beautiful boy Frederick Thomas. Her
interests include playing cards and spending time with her family. Karen believes the most
rewarding aspect of her job is watching each person meet their new best friend for the first time.
Witnessing moments like that is what she loves most about working at ADAI.
Joanna Viola, Staff Trainer
Joanna Viola joined ADAI in January of 2006. Joanna assists the Training Director in
preparing dogs in final training. She also teaches the Intermediate and Advanced levels of foster
class and oversees the out-of-town puppy raiser program, shelter evaluations and pet home
adoptions. She grew up on a farm in Michigan where she helped her family raise pigs, sheep and a
cow. Her family also raised and bred Labrador retrievers, which taught her basic dog care and
training. She gained more experience with animals by working on a dairy farm for five years. She
then spent a year as an Animal Technician for a training, boarding and grooming center before
moving to Ohio in 2006.
Joanna lives in Maumee with her black Lab, Nitro. She currently volunteers for
Bittersweet farms and as a big sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In her free time she
enjoys the outdoors, bike riding, going to museums and festivals and spending time with friends and
her dog, Nitro.
For Joanna, the most rewarding part of working at ADAI is seeing the clients and dogs bond
over the period of two weeks in team training. She enjoys working with the teams and seeing the
dogs training pay off while they are helping someone gain more independence and self
confidence.