Lynda is so excited to be on staff as Student Advisor! She has been working with animals for ten years, but her love for animals and commitment to their welfare has been life-long. Lynda’s family has always included a variety of animals, giving her a unique perspective on multi-species coexistence.

 

A Chicago native, Lynda’s young life was filled with zoo visits, summer camp, nature walks, and rescuing stray pets and wildlife. In 2008, she earned a B.A. from the Evergreen State College. After working in environmental education, she began dedicating her time to dogs. She completed a volunteer internship at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, caring for and training all sorts of animals.

 

Working with her own Best Friends dogs, Surf and Ryan, has been an incredible journey for Lynda. She knows firsthand the challenges and the amazing rewards of loving dogs that aren’t “perfect,” and brings that compassion to her training and education career. Her approach is based on sound science, positive reinforcement, humane methods, and strengthening relationships. Lynda has experience in animal rescue, shelter work, grooming, daycare, walking, and retail management. She graduated from CanineLink Academy in 2013, and is trained in Pet First Aid and CPR. She is also a Senior Trainer at AnimalSense Canine Training & Behavior, and lives with her partner, Mary. She also loves cats and has her own rescue kitty, Rikku.

 

In her free time, Lynda enjoys making art, vegetarian cooking, reading, volunteering, gardening, photography, and microbrews.