Leadership

Officers

Therese Backowski

President

Billie Groom

Vice President

Billie Groom is the Founder of The Institute of Canine Psychotherapy. Billie has dedicated over thirty years to her pioneering work with dogs over the age of six months, pet-industry professionals, and pet lovers. Her unique and extensive work in the field of canine psychotherapy has led to the development of a method that prevents abuse, neglect, surrender, and euthanasia of dogs due to behaviorally-related reasons.

Billie possesses extensive hands-on experience working with hundreds of dogs internationally, including those from the fighting circuit, Korean meat market, backyard breeders, reputable breeders, and war zones, as well as discarded working dogs, and free-roaming dogs from Central America, Canadian northern reservations, and United States.

She has appeared on shows such as Roku TV, LA Tribune, and CTV, and was featured in Psychology Today Magazine. She is the winner of the American Best Book Fest Award for Pets/Narrative, Non-Fiction (2019) for her book The Art of Urban People With Adopted and Rescued Dogs Methodology.

Billie joined the DWAA in 2020 and shares that her membership has, “given me exposure to people with different experiences, interests, knowledge and viewpoints.”

To learn more about Billie and her work visit: Billie Groom a Pioneer of CCBT
Dog Training DisrUPted (podcast)

Emelise Baughman

Secretary

Marsha Pugh

Treasurer

Marsha Pugh has been a member of DWAA since 2004 and has been treasurer since 2009. She is a second generation dog person and has been showing and breeding dogs since her earliest memories. Marsha writes a bi-monthly pet care column for The Italian Greyhound Magazine. She conducts handling classes and judges 4-H competitions. Until her retirement in March 2010, she was the administrator of a multi-million dollar pension fund.

Carol Bryant

Immediate Past President

Carol Bryant is a familiar face in the Internet’s digital dog park, as a pet influencer, pet product and travel expert, writer/blogger, speaker, social media pro, and dog mom. She proudly wears her trademarked, “My Heart Beats Dog,” on her left bicep. King introduced her as a “dog lover of the highest order,” when she appeared with her Cocker Spaniel, Dexter, on Oprah Radio’s Gayle King show.

In addition to her own blog and social media presence, Carol was the PR, Marketing, Social Media Manager and blogger for BlogPaws Pet Blogging and Social Media company. Bryant founded FidoseofReality.com, a highly trafficked health and wellness dog blog for Cocker Spaniels and their canine friends.

Carol and her wife, Darlene, formed Wigglebutt Warriors, raising over $75,000 for homeless dogs to date. She is a featured guest on many television segments, radio shows, podcasts, speaking engagements, and a contributor to pet publications, including Dogster, Paw Culture, Dog Fancy, Fido Friendly, Pet360, AKC Family Dog, Today.com, and Hamptons Pet. She helps pet industry clients with event planning, public relations, traditional and social media footprints. Previous clients include Morton Salt, Doodie Pack, and Benji the Dog.

Carol received the DWAA 2018 Distinguished Service Award sponsored by the American Kennel Club. She has won several Maxwell Medallions and DWAA special awards and is the winner of the 2015 Women in the Pet Industry Woman of the Year in the Advocacy Category, Carol served as DWAA’s President from 2019 to 2021.

Ida Estep, Esq.

Legal Counsel

Ida Estep, Esq. is an attorney with a postdoctoral degree in tax law, also holds a master’s degree in social work. She has been active in dogs for most of her life and is involved in dog rescue, both as a foster and as legal advisor to rescue groups.

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Board of Directors

Lisa Begin-Kruysman

Class of 2026

Meet Lisa Begin-Kruysman, author of fiction and non-fiction books that inspire, educate, and change the way we view not only our furry companions, but also ourselves. Her knack for writing heart-felt stories that make us laugh and cry (often at the same time) has made Lisa a popular addition to the Widow’s Voice, for Soaring Spirits, International, a blogging site dedicated to enhancing the lives of widows through stories that share experiences, thoughts, challenges and wins, and of course, the impact of our dogs on our lives.

A long-standing member of the DWAA, she currently manages the DWAA Facebook Pages, sponsors a Special Award in honor of her late-sister for the DWAA’s annual Writing Competition and has been a frequent contributor to Ruff Drafts. She encourages other writers, artists, and producers active in the canine community to explore the benefits of DWAA membership to make a difference in the welfare of all dogs and to promote the positivity of the canine-human bond.

Lisa hails from New Jersey and currently resides in Southeast Georgia and Florida with her three-year old Maltipoo, Quint, Australian Shepherd, Penny. Jackson, a lab-hound mix was adopted on Valentine's Day, 2024 from a rural central Florida shelter, and most recently little Winn-ie, a puppy she met in the parking lot of a grocery store. She believes the right dog is delivered to us when a mutual need presents.

Merrie Meyers, Ph.D., APR, Fellow, PRSA

Class of 2025

Patricia Cruz

Class of 2024

Patricia Cruz began “stringing” for the NY Times in 1967 and wrote a weekly column for the original Long Island Press, New York Post and Newsday. I joined DWAA in 1971 and Approved to judge by AKC in 1972. I became an AKC Field Rep in 1978, and was elected to the AKC’s Board of Directors in 2012. I picked up a column in 1989. I judge all breeds outside the US including India, Cuba, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and most of South America and Central America.

Laurie C. Williams, CPDT-KA, CDTI

Class of 2026

Laurie C Williams CPDT-KA has had a love of and connection with dogs from as far back as she can remember. She is the owner and Director of Training and Behavior Counseling at Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center in Fredericksburg, VA. where she has been serving her community as a canine education specialist and dog behavior counselor for the past 15 years. She holds a B.A. from Norwich University in Montpelier, VT and was a member of the adjunct faculty of the Natural Sciences Department of Northern Virginia Community College for 7 years. Laurie is a nationally published writer with works appearing in the APDT Chronicle of the Dog, The Whole Dog Journal, Dog & Handler, 911, Essence, Fitness, and Good Housekeeping magazines. She is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the Dog Writer’s Association of America and is a therapy dog evaluator for Pet Partners, a Canine Good Citizen evaluator, and a licensed judge for the American Kennel Club.

Karen A. Harbert

Class of 2025

Karen Harbert has been a breeder and exhibitor of Cardigan Welsh Corgis for over 40 years with approximately 100 championships in dogs she has owned and/or bred, many of them obedience titled as well. She has served multiple terms on the Board of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America, and been president of two regional Cardigan clubs. She has judged a national sweepstakes in Canada and a CWCCA supported sweepstakes at home. She has served as editor of national and regional magazines, written breed columns for the AKC Gazette and is author of the ‘Murder at the Dog Show’ mystery series. Her professional background is in management in mental health and Child Abuse Investigation.

Joel Gavriele-Gold, Ph.D.

Class of 2024

Joel Gavriele-Gold is President of the Metropolitan Dog Club, NYC. He is a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City. Joel has published articles on the use of his dogs with his patients in the AKC Gazette, The Psychoanalytic Review and in other publications. He also writes about psychological mechanisms operating in humans in their relationships with pets. Joel has appeared on radio and television programs including: Good Morning America, Men Are From Mars, MSNBC and local TV news guest spots. He is a member of the Stewards Club of America and the American Canine Education Foundation. Joel is an instructor and supervisor to psychoanalytic students and has Skype sessions in Louisville. KY and Beijing, China. His Bouvier des Flandres, Dova accompanies him in his Manhattan therapy practice.