Still Answering the Call. Just in a Different Way.

For more than 30 years, I've dedicated my life to serving others. I've worked the streets wearing the gear of a firefighter, an EMT, a paramedic, and served as a tactical medic.

Whether it was riding backwards as the hydrant guy, a driver/engineer, or taking charge in the officers seat; working a wheelchair van, IFT, or a 911 ALS ambulance; or geared up sitting in the back of the Bearcat on the way to a SWAT callout, I've experienced the unique challenges of Fire, EMS, and Law Enforcement firsthand. I know the pride that comes with the job, the bonds forged through shared experiences, and the weight of the things we carry long after our shifts end.

And I've experienced the heartbreak of losing seven friends and colleagues to suicide.

Seven lives. Seven people who dedicated themselves to helping others. Seven people who should still be here.

Those losses changed me. They strengthened my commitment to addressing the mental health challenges facing our first responder community and reinforced something I believe deeply: we cannot continue asking people to save everyone else while overlooking the people who need saving themselves.

My journey into canine-assisted support began with the recognition that sometimes the most meaningful connections happen without a single word being spoken. Through developing and leading therapy dog programs for first responders, I witnessed how dogs could help lower emotional barriers, offer comfort without judgment, and create opportunities for connection when words alone weren't enough.

That experience inspired me to pursue professional canine training and behavior education at Starmark Academy, building on my years of working with therapy dog teams and strengthening my understanding of canine behavior, communication, and the human-animal bond.

AnchorPoint K9 Consulting is where my lifelong commitment to public service meets my passion for dogs.

Today, whether I'm helping a family develop a stronger relationship with their dog, training therapy dog teams, or working with public safety agencies to build meaningful wellness and canine-assisted support programs, everything I do is grounded in the same belief: connection matters, and everyone deserves someone in their corner.

I know that dogs alone aren't the answer to the mental health crisis facing first responders. But I believe they can be an important part of a much larger effort to build trust, encourage connection, and remind people that they don't have to face life's hardest moments alone.

I may no longer be responding to emergencies in an ambulance, on a fire engine, or a tactical team, but my commitment to the amazing humans who do, has never wavered.

If the work I do through AnchorPoint helps prevent even one suicide, every bit of this journey will have been worth it.

I'm still here. I'm still serving. And I'm still answering the call.

Just in a different way.

AnchorPoint K9 Consulting

Your Anchor in the Storm.