As the author of Chill Out Fido! How To Calm Your Dog, Nan brings 23 years of experience and works with dog professionals, shelter employees and volunteers, along with pet dog owners.

In addition to being a faculty member of Karen Pryor Academy Nan also holds one of the highest certifications available by the Certification Council For Professional Dog Trainers, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, and is a Certification Instructor for the Dog*Tec Dog Walking Academy; all of which require continuing education to maintain those certifications.

Through her business, Beacon of Hope Dogs Behavior and Training Services, Nan and her trainers provide dog training classes in addition to private behavior and training classes for both dogs and cats and their people. She also lectures and holds seminars that help the public and other trainers understand dog behavior.

A passion of Nan’s is working with dogs from rescues and in shelters after spending 10 years working in the largest shelter in San Diego, as well as at the San Diego Humane Society.

Because of that passion, Nan has developed volunteer training programs and lectures for many local shelters, ensuring that the dogs not only receive environmental enrichment, but positive training to help improve the adoptability of the dogs. Included in these programs are safety measures that help staff and volunteers understand how to read body language of dogs and training techniques that help dogs find and stay in their new homes.

Nan holds memberships in Pet Professional Guild (PPG), IAABC, is a Karen Pryor Academy Professional Training Partner, studies Improvisational techniques and also a certified DogSafe First Aid.

Photography, writing and learning to paint watercolors are some of Nan’s interests.