Vicki Abbott, AKC multi-group judge, top breeder and handler of BIS dogs
Vicki has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs as a breeder, handler, and judge for more than 45 years. She has handled some of the top-winning dogs in the U.S., including the top winning Maltese Dog of all time. She has bred and shown numerous Best in Show winners as well as handling top dogs for other breeders. A few highlights of her breeding and handling career include: Six Maltese Westminster Best of Breed winners, a Westminster Toy Group Winner, five Maltese National Specialty Best of Breed winners, and over 500 Group firsts and over 150 Best in Shows on different Maltese. She retired from handling and began her judging career in 2001 but continues her breeding program with her daughter. Mrs. Abbott has also authored books on dog breeds, is a speaker at many events, and writes articles for National Canine Publications.

Wendy Davis, NAIA Director
Wendy serves on multiple boards overseeing racehorse welfare, safety and management and formerly taught coursework focusing on the management of racing animals, form and function of race and sport horses, and racing marketing/media – a course that includes a strong animal issue component, including the effect the animal rights organizations have on racing at the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program. Along with her passion for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds Wendy continues to compete in the hunter/jumper discipline.

Mark Dunn, AKC Executive VP, Managing Director of AKC Reunite, Vice Chair AKC Purebred Preservation Bank
Mark is the Executive VP of The American Kennel Club (AKC). Founded in 1884, the AKC is the oldest all-breed dog registry in the US and the largest in the world. Mark leads the AKC’s efforts to meet the needs of breeders and dog owners, works with pet industry leaders and international registry organizations, and oversees AKC’s DNA Program. Prior to joining the AKC in 2009, Mark was Director of Engineering and Quality at Qualex, a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak. He has over twenty years of experience leading operations, engineering, and business development teams.

Steven Feldman, President, Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)
Steven Feldman is the President of HABRI. His mission is to advance the science that demonstrates the positive roles that pets and other animals play in the integrated health of individuals, families and communities. Steven is an experienced public affairs advocate who has worked in the areas of wildlife conservation, animal welfare, healthcare and education. Prior to joining HABRI, Steve served as senior vice president for external affairs for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He also worked at Powell Tate, a leading public affairs firm, and as a staff member in the United States Senate. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs and a Master’s Degree in Political Management from the George Washington University.

Emily Fish, AKC group judge, breeder of AKC BIS dogs, 4-H leader and founder of successful program for juniors
Emily grew up showing and breeding dogs. Her breeds are Cardigan Welsh Corgis and Border Collies. As a breeder, it’s her belief that form follows function and her dogs have been successful in both the herding and conformation rings. She has bred a multi-best in show/national specialty winner, many group and specialty winning dogs, and multiple dogs with top performance titles. She started judging in 2010 at a young age and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of dog enthusiasts. This led to her developing the first AKC Junior Club in 2020. As a breeder judge, she has had the opportunity to judge multiple specialty shows across the USA and judged the 2019 Border Collie Nationals in Australia. Emily has also been involved with 4-H since she was old enough to compete, and her children have followed in her footsteps. Today, she is the head leader of the agility program in Clark County Dog 4-H.

David Fitzpatrick, AKC Group Judge and Breeder of the Year, renowned dog handler and BIS breeder
David has been involved with the dog fancy since 1970. He got his start as an AKC licensed assistant handler and went on to enjoy a wildly successful handling career and develop a renowned breeding program. Pekingese handled by, bred by, or co-owned by David have had the honor of multiple best in show wins at Westminster, the AKC National, Morris & Essex, and other prestigious events. His kennel has produced 100 champions, including 17 best in show winners. He has also received numerous personal honors for best handler, breeder, mentor, and sportsmanship. David is a Board Member of the Pekingese Club of America. The Progressive Dog Club, and the Pekingese Club of New Jersey. He is also a Member of the Maryland Kennel Club.

Arnold Goldman, DVM, MPH, NAIA Director
Dr. Goldman is a practicing veterinarian and founder of Canton Animal Hospital LLC in Canton, CT and is president of the Independent Veterinary Practitioners Association. Dr. Goldman is known as a champion for animals and their owners. He successfully advocated for the passage of public acts mandating the evacuation of household pets during disasters, and giving the Connecticut Department of Agriculture stronger control over the under-regulated rescue dog importation industry. His efforts have won him numerous honors, including being named as the 2008 Connecticut-Veterinarian-of-the-Year. Dr. Goldman is a graduate of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He speaks frequently on a variety of issues regarding animal welfare and veterinary medicine.

Phil Goss, President, USA Reptile Keepers (USARK)
Phil is a longtime herpetoculturist, with his first reptile breeding success in 1997. He has worked in all aspects of the pet industry including pet shops, as an animal breeder, pet product distributor, industry manufacturer, and now lobbyist. Phil’s love for all animals and his industry knowledge have allowed him to stay dedicated to his position as President of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers, or USARK, for over a decade. The pinnacle of USARK’s achievements thus far is a federal lawsuit victory against USFWS and two of the largest animal rights groups. USARK is often the first group to alert animal interest stakeholders on legislation impacting our communities and then to drive the fight through their grassroots advocacy and lobbying efforts.

Anthony Hutcherson, Board member, the International Cat Association and EveryCat Health Foundation
A lifelong cat lover, Anthony began an “ocelot–looking” Bengal Cat breeding program in 1992, while still a student in high school. Since then, he has served on the boards of multiple cat organizations, including as Director of The International Cat Association (TICA) and President of The International Bengal Cat Society, and become a breeder and owner of the highest achieving Bengal Cats in the world. Anthony has also written and edited numerous articles on feline genetics and breeding and as a respected subject matter expert, is regularly sought out by news and entertainment organizations. Mr. Hutcherson diverse scientific and professional background has also allowed him to serve as an HIV/AIDs Educator and HARM Reduction Coordinator, Public Information Officer, speech writer, and organizer. While these are all impressive achievements, Anthony is especially proud of authoring “All Kinds of Purrfect” a coloring book about the beauty of all cats for TICA in 2016.

Colton Johnson, Top dog handler, trainer and breeder of BIS dogs; Owner-founder of Under the Sun dog event center
Colton has been working with dogs his entire life and has been a highly successful, professional dog trainer for over two decades – something he considers more of a passion than a job. He is the founder and chair of Sunrise Service Dogs in his home state of Colorado. This work allows him to continually expand his education and evolve his training techniques as his organization partners exceptional people and canines. Colton also has a competitive side. He is the top ranked owner/handler of all time, and the proud breeder/owner/handler of the winningest Old English Sheepdog of all time. He has received awards from numerous kennel clubs and organizations for his dedication to the sport of dogs, including Westminster and the AKC.

Michelle Kutzler, MBA, DVM, PhD, Diplomate, American College of Theriogenologists
Dr. Kutzler is a Professor of Theriogenology in the Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. She, along with the rest of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Reproduction Control Committee, recently completed evidence-based Reproduction Control Guidelines. In addition, Dr. Kutzler breeds, trains, and shows AKC registered Dachshunds. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit as well as an AKC judge for hound field trials, earthdog tests, and trick dog, farm dog, and canine good citizen.

Emily Pieracci, DVM, MPH, DACVPM
Dr. Emily Pieracci is a veterinarian and the lead for the Zoonoses Prevention and Import Regulations Team in the Division of Global Migration Health (DGMH) at the CDC. Before joining DGMH she led canine rabies elimination programs for CDC throughout the African and Asian continents. She has extensive experience in the prevention and elimination of canine rabies, responsible dog ownership, and dog population management. Her current work focuses on preventing the importation of zoonotic diseases in imported animals through surveillance, public health policy, and preventative medicine. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine. In her free time, she works as a relief veterinarian in Atlanta and enjoys hiking with her dog, Wily.

Patti Strand, NAIA President & Co-Founder
Patti and her husband Rod have been Dalmatian enthusiasts for over 50 years, breeding and showing some of the top dogs in the history of their breed. Patti’s advocacy for animals and the people who love them started in the late 1980’s and continues to this day. She was honored as Dogdom’s Woman of the Year in 1993 for her legislative achievements and received AKC’s Lifetime Achievement Award 25 years later. Today, Patti is recognized as an expert on contemporary animal issues, and her recommendations on public policy and the animal welfare vs. animal rights debate appear in major media nationwide.

///