From Puppies to People: Our Staff
Vera Arnold, Prison Puppy Coordinator
Vera and her husband Dave live just outside of Bowling Green, Ohio. Vera's background in dogs goes back almost 30 years. She was an instructor at a Dog Training Facility in the Toledo area for almost 20 years. Vera loves training her dogs and helping other people build a strong relationship with their own dogs.
Jan Brown, Development/Fundraising
Jan was born and raised in West Toledo, attending Start High School and the University of Toledo. She moved to West Virginia, receiving her masters degree in Special Education (MRDD) from Marshall University. Jan began working for Special Olympics in 1976, becoming Chapter Director of West Virginia Special Olympics in 1979. She served in that position for five years, growing the state chapter from 14 to 55 local programs and raising more than five times the original budget. She moved to Washington, DC to work for Special Olympics International as Assistant Development Director. She managed corporate affinity marketing accounts, direct marketing and provided fundraising and public relations training to hundreds of local, state and national volunteers across the country. Jan accepted a position with Florida Special Olympics, moving to Tallahassee and staying there for 22 years. While in Tallahassee, she also worked at Florida State University as Assistant Vice President for University Relations, owned a staffing and recruiting firm for seven years and became a licensed financial professional. Jan was very active in the Tallahassee community where she served on a number of boards of directors, is a former Rotary club president and a graduate of both Leadership Tallahassee and Leadership Florida. She returned to the Toledo area in February of 2009.
Jenny Barlos, Client Services Director 
Jenny joined Assistance Dogs 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 Assistance Dogs 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 Assistance Dogs 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 Assitance Dogs, 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, Outreach and Education Manager 
Rhonda comes to Assistance Dogs 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, dog Kaci & cat, Domino. In her spare time, Rhonda enjoys reading, going to her sons’ ball games, taking long walks on the beach with her husband and traveling.
Judy Eckel, Volunteer Trainer
Judy Eckel is a native of northwest Ohio. She attended BGSU, graduated with a BSN and worked as an RN for 31 years at the University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly known as the Medical College of Ohio. Judy began volunteering for ADAI in 1998 as a foster. She, along with her husband Ted and daughters Beth and Kristen have fostered 21 dogs for the organization. Judy and Ted live in Maumee with Blake, and ADAI fabulous flunkie. In her leisure time Judy enjoys reading, biking, gardening and scrapbooking.
Julie Jardine, Grant Writer
Margaret Katona, Foster Family Coordinator (Information Coming)
Marilyn Lazarus, Head 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.
Jannette Osterhout, Kennel Assistant (Information coming)
Jill Perretti, Client Services Coordinator (Information coming)
Shelley Wanner, Volunteer School Therapy Dog Coordinator (Information Coming)