VOLUNTEER WITH US
The IAABC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations and volunteers. Each volunteer has a role that helps the IAABC Foundation work towards its mission to inspire, develop, and provide quality, evidence-based education, research, and other charitable activities in animal training and behavior.
Volunteers can help from anywhere in the world in a variety of ways, from contributing to social media campaigns to transcribing videos, or even organizing events. In fact, most of our team members running the foundation are volunteers!
As an IAABC Foundation volunteer you are joining into a community of animal lovers who, together, are a vital part to the Foundation’s mission. Though we are remote, we work closely together online, keeping in touch and connected. Your volunteer hours are greatly appreciated by the Foundation, and won’t go unrecognized.
AVAILABLE POSITIONS
Browse our available volunteer positions below. If you don’t see something that interests you, contact our volunteer coordinator to discuss other possible opportunities!
Creative Writer
Summary:
The Creative Writer is responsible for writing copy for marketing and education to be disseminated via the IAABC Foundation social media accounts, email campaigns and website.
Responsibilities include:
- Familiarizing with all IAABC Foundation offerings which includes but is not limited to courses, live events, the IAABC Journal, fundraising initiatives and other projects
- Writing copy with a marketing and social media eye, based on the relevant organizational guidelines, with an understanding of animal behavior and adhering to LIMA
- Team communication using Slack
Job Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Familiarity with social media platforms and social media marketing best practices and trends
- Knowledge of best practices in inclusive and accessible communications operations
- Strong creative writing skills
- Technological skills including familiarity with Google Workspace applications
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Polite, clear and responsive communication skills
- Cultural competency and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work as part of a diverse international remote team
- Ability to communicate empathically and in a positive and encouraging manner
- Availability to volunteer 3-5 hours per week
Job Tasks:
- Adhere to operational workflows and the communication / marketing strategy
- Adhere to the organizational social media guidelines
- Maintain the brand voice and brand integrity across all platforms
- Contribute to the planning and messaging of organization initiatives
- Work with the team to respond to social media emergencies
Events Assistant
Summary:
The Events Assistant is responsible for organizing and tracking event timelines, updating the Events Director of upcoming deadlines, as well as helping with other administrative tasks as needed to ensure everything is on schedule and running smoothly.
Responsibilities include:
- Organizing timelines and deadlines related to upcoming events
- Keeping the Events Director informed of event timelines
- Keeping meetings organized and on track
- Regular team communication using Slack
Job Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Organizational and time management skills
- Ability to work independently within a remote team environment
- Ability to communicate in a positive and encouraging manner
- Available to volunteer 5-7 hours per week
Job Tasks:
- Report to the Events Director
- Attend weekly team meetings
- Recording meeting minutes
- Time management during meetings
- Update Events Director of upcoming deadlines
- Assist Events Director in researching relevant event opportunities, as requested
- Other tasks as assigned by the Events Director
Graphics Editor
Summary:
The Graphics Editor is responsible for creating graphics for marketing and education to be disseminated via the IAABC Foundation social media accounts and other organizational platforms.
Responsibilities include:
- Familiarizing with all IAABC Foundation offerings which includes but is not limited to courses, live events, the IAABC Journal and other projects
- Creating graphics with a marketing and social media eye, based on the relevant organizational guidelines, with an understanding of animal behavior and adhering to LIMA
- Preparing graphics in formats suited for each IAABC Foundation channel and post type or other organizational platform
- Team communication using Slack
Job Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Familiarity with social media platforms and social media marketing best practices and trends
- Knowledge of best practices in inclusive and accessible communications operations
- Strong graphics editing skills using Canva or equivalent
- Technological skills including familiarity with Google Workspace applications
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Polite, clear and responsive communication skills
- Cultural competency and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work as part of a diverse international remote team
- Ability to communicate empathically and in a positive and encouraging manner
- Availability to volunteer 3-5 hours per week
Job Tasks:
- Adhere to operational workflows and the communication / marketing strategy
- Adhere to the organizational social media guidelines
- Maintain the brand voice and brand integrity across all platforms
- Contribute to the planning and messaging of organization initiatives
- Work with the team to respond to social media emergencies
Website Administrator
Summary:
The Website Administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining the organization’s website.
Responsibilities include:
- Overseeing and managing the website, including content creation and maintenance
- Ensuring website functionality and user experience is optimal
- Monitoring website performance and analytics to identify areas for improvement
- Implementing website security measures to protect against cyber threats
- Collaborating with other teams to ensure alignment with overall marketing and communication strategies
- Staying up-to-date with web development trends and best practices, and providing recommendations to improve website functionality and user experience
Job Requirements – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Strong understanding of web development, design principles, and website management systems
- Experience with HTML, CSS, WordPress, Divi, and other development plug-ins and languages
- Experience with website analytics tools, such as Google Analytics
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to troubleshoot technical issues
- Strong communication and collaboration skills to work in a positive and encouraging manner
- Attention to detail
- Cultural competency skills
- Organizational skills
- Team communication using Slack
- Access to a reliable computer and internet
- Availability to volunteer 3-5 hours per week
Job Tasks:
- Site maintenance: Regularly checking for errors, broken links, and other issues, and fixing as needed
- Content management: Creating, editing, and publishing content on the website, including text, images, videos, and other media
- Website security: Ensuring the website is secure from cyber threats such as hacking attempts, malware, and other types of attacks
- Website performance: Monitoring website performance metrics, such as page load times, and implementing optimizations to improve website speed and responsiveness
- User management: Creating and managing accounts, access levels, and permissions on the website
- Analytics and reporting: Monitoring website traffic and user behavior using tools such as Google Analytics and creating reports to track website performance.
- SEO: Optimizing content and structure to improve search engine rankings and increase organic traffic.
- Technical support: Responding to inquiries and resolving technical issues related to site functionality.
- Upgrading website software and applications: Updating website software and applications to ensure they are up to date and functioning properly.
- Backup and recovery: Ensuring that regular backups are performed and that the website can be quickly recovered in the event of a disaster or other data loss event.
Retired Lieutenant James W. Crosby (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville, FL, USA) has extensive canine behavioral training and expertise and served as chief of two Florida Animal Control agencies. Jim served on the Board of Directors of the Florida Animal Control Association and has worked with and assisted FACA, the Southeastern Animal Control Association, and several others across the US and Canada. 
Dot Baisly is the Executive Director for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Behavior Consultant at Heal Veterinary Clinic in Watertown, MA. Dot also holds a master’s degree in Animal Behavior from Tufts University and is a certified professional dog trainer (CPDT-KA), a certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC), certified cat behavior consultant (CCBC), and certified shelter behavior specialist (CSBS). Dot is currently a core member of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance team where she facilitates course content. Most recently she was the director of behavior for Northeast Animal Shelter where she built a behavior program and transformed the organization’s approach to behavior as a result of her leadership. Prior to this she was also the lead behavior staff at the SPCA of Westchester and then the Animal Rescue League of Boston.
Tabitha Kucera is an Elite Fear Free and Low-Stress Handling Certified Registered Veterinary Technician, VTS (Behavior), CCBC, and KPA CTP. She is the owner of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training in Cleveland, Ohio. Her teaching credentials include lecturing on the regional and national levels and lecturing at multiple veterinary technology programs. She is a Fear Free certified speaker, a Fear Free Practice Certification Consultant, a behavior consultant for Cat Pawsitive Pro, and host of the podcast, Tails from a Vet Tech. Tabitha has helped to develop training and behavior programs for various veterinary hospitals and shelters and works as a consultant for many shelters and private veterinary practices.
Darris currently serves as the National Dog Training Manager for one of the nation’s largest pet retailers, focusing on program operations, communications, strategy, partner training and development and the implementation of innovative programs. Darris has worked in the industries of animal training, behavior, and broadcast television for 15 years. Darris is recognized with the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers as CPDT-KA and holds certifications as a Fear-Free Animal Trainer and American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen® Evaluator. He has trained animals at zoological facilities, working with both domestic and exotic animals. He fosters dogs, volunteers with rescues and adoption partners, and has worked on the front lines in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Darris also serves as an expert judge on American Rescue Dog Show, and on-air contributor to local and national television and print publications on pet lifestyle and animal behavior.
Matthias Lenz has over 10 years’ experience as a professional dog trainer and is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP). He works full time as the Puppy Raising Manager for BC & Alberta Guide Dogs and helps pet dog owners through his personal business as well. He is a Supporting Member of the IAABC, where he served as the Chair of the Working Animals Division for two years before taking on his current role as a board member with the IAABC Foundation.
San Choi is the founder of a dog training and daycare service in Los Angeles, California and serves on the IAABC Foundation Board. He is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner with eight years of animal care experience. He specializes in helping families build meaningful relationships between people and the animals they live with.
Kierah Moore has been in the behavior realm for almost 10 years. It all started with a Chicago kid working on a farm for college credit. Upon receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences, she eventually made her way to a large pet retailer where she trained dogs, trainers, and made an impact on pet parents’ lives every day. 
Dr. Learn attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, she completed an internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in NJ. She remained in general practice for 20 years before she began her residency in Clinical Behavioral Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Lisa Radosta in South Florida, and Dr. Amy Pike in NoVA. She completed her residency training and was certified as one of only 90 board certified behavior specialists in the world by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists. She is currently the Chief of Clinical Behavioral Medicine at the Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Richmond VA.
Catja lives with a retired older cocker spaniel, who still loves to work, and a younger Australian Koolie, who is starting his first competitions. Since 2009, when she finished her instructors’ course, Catja has been working full-time with teaching on the topic of training, both online and at in-person workshops and conferences. She is always on the path of continued education and curious to learn.
Shawna Karrasch started using positive reinforcement (R+) when she worked at SeaWorld in San Diego. For ten years she was immersed in using R+ in a systematic way, teaching complex behaviors to many species. You cannot, after all, coerce a whale or sea lion to do anything they don’t want to do! From there, she developed a love of horses and jumped into that world by working first with show jumping phenoms, John and Beezie Madden. Since then, Shawna has worked with other Olympians and top athletes as well as casual horse owners whose primary goal is having a loving companion. Shawna has been instrumental in sharing this applied learning theory with the horse world and was an original pioneer. R+ has taken off from the work she began back in the 90’s and this method of training has grown a hundred fold thanks to what she started. She is a fun and highly engaging speaker with a gift for clearly explaining the science and theory. Not too many of us came to horses learning any other way except traditionally. Shawna’s marine mammal background gives her a completely unique perspective on teaching both people and animals. Her expertise in the field of equine behavior is second to none.
Justine is an IAABC Certified Horse Behavior Consultant, a member of the Application Review Team and a Co-Chair of the UK & Ireland division. She is also a registered Accredited Animal Behaviourist with the Animal Behaviour & Training Council, one of the organisation’s trustees and the chair of their Equine Committee. She was recently awarded an Honorary Degree for distinction in the equine industry from Writtle University College, UK.
Gabriel Lencioni graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences from the University of São Paulo. During those years, he was concerned about how patients were being treated, so in search of better approaches, Gabriel went on to study animal behavior and welfare sciences. Gabriel has published research on the topic of automated methods to assess facial expressions related to pain and other affective states in horses and is currently working on his PhD at the University of São Paulo, in Brazil.
As an IAABC Certified Horse Behavior Consultant and ABTC Accredited Animal Behaviourist, Trudi runs a successful horse behavior and training consultancy in the UK, helping horse guardians and charities find solutions to behavior problems. Complementing her behavior work, Trudi creates programmes of gymnastic training to refine the horse’s physical and emotional balance both on the ground and ridden.
Prof. Robin Foster is a life-long animal admirer, ally, and advocate. As an animal admirer, she earned a PhD in animal behavior and has taught university courses in animal learning and behavior for more than 30 years. She also conducts and supervises student research on animal learning, behavior, and human-animal interactions. As an animal ally, Robin is certified as an Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and an Equine Behavior Consultant (CEBC), and she owns a private consulting practice for equine and canine behavior cases. As an animal advocate, Robin currently serves as membership secretary for the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) and is past chair of the Applied Animal Behavior Committee of the Animal Behavior Society.
Dr. Trevino grew up in Houston, Texas. In 2009, he graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine; later, he completed his Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas. Dr. Trevino has practiced both emergency and general veterinary medicine in the greater Houston area for many years. For a six-year period, he provided international aid for animals as a World Vets staff veterinarian.
Tarah Cornelius is the Director of Animal Care at the Houston Zoo. She has worked with animals in zoos for over 20 years and has been at the Houston Zoo for the past 8 years. She serves on the steering committee of the Behavior Scientific Advisory Group and a member of the Ambassador Animal Scientific Advisory Group for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She has an Associate of Science degree in Zoo Animal Technology from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida.
Dr. Gibson grew up in southern Illinois with a family Yorkshire Terrier. In high school, he volunteered at shelters in the St. Louis area where he assisted with socialization, enrichment, and basic training of the shelter dogs. This sparked his interest in animal behavior and welfare and started his journey to veterinary behavioral medicine. 
Andre Yeu is the founder of When Hounds Fly Dog Training, responsible for growing it to over 6 locations across Canada, with a talented team of 20 dog trainers and behavior consultants.
Gabrielle Johnson (they/them), owner of Best Life Dog Services, is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the IAABC and holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology. They specialize in aggressive behavior and nervous system dysregulation, using virtual training options to support clients worldwide. Gabrielle works with clients using a trauma-informed and integrative approach, and actively creates a safe space for clients who are disabled, chronically ill, mentally ill, and neurodivergent.
Dr. Pike is a native Arizonan and graduated from Colorado State University’s school of veterinary medicine in 2003. Working as an Army veterinarian after graduation and taking care of the Military Working Dogs returning from deployment spurred her interests in behavior medicine. Dr. Pike completed a Residency program and became board certified in 2015. 
Dr. Kristina Spaulding has been in the dog training and behavior profession for over 20 years and owns Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior LLC. She has a B.S. in wildlife ecology and a PhD in biopsychology—the study of the biological basis of behavior—and is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. As part of her graduate training, Dr. Spaulding was formally trained in effective teaching techniques. In graduate school, she received an award for Excellence in Teaching by a Graduate Student. She is currently a co-instructor for the graduate level course in animal behavior consulting at Virginia Tech.
Dante is the founder of DanteDogWorks. His focus is on teaching other dog trainers and dog owners around the world how to successfully train and live with dogs using positive reinforcement-based training. 
Kiki Yablon is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, and a co-instructor for Susan Friedman’s BehaviorWorks, and holds a master’s degree in applied behavioral science from the University of Kansas, where her thesis research involved dogs who barked at their caregivers while they were on Zoom. 
Michael Shikashio is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and was the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Member of the Year in 2020. 
Dr. Denise Johnson is a general practitioner of veterinary medicine and IAABC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant. Special interests include behavioral health and low-stress handling. Additional qualifications include Elite Fear Free, Low-Stress Handling Silver, and Cat Friendly Veterinarian Certifications.
Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Certified Cat Behavior Consultant who has been working with cats in shelters, homes, and clinics for over 20 years. She offers cat behavior consulting through Feline Minds.
Jennifer, along with her husband, founded Medical Mutts with two goals in mind: helping those who need service dogs and helping dogs that have been abandoned find a quality forever home.
Dilara Göksel Parry was raised in Istanbul, Turkey and holds degrees in Psychology (Neuroscience emphasis) and Comparative Literature from Oberlin College. She has worked in the animal welfare field for the majority of her professional life, including 12 years as the Cat Behavior Coordinator at the San Francisco SPCA. In 2008 she co-founded Feline Minds with Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado, where they focus on private consultations to help cat guardians live harmoniously with their cats, and consult with animal welfare organizations with an emphasis on improving cat sheltering practices. In addition to staying busy with Feline Minds, Dilara works part-time at Cat Town Oakland, an innovative, cage-free rescue for cats deemed unadoptable in traditional shelter settings.
Melissa Taylor is the Behavior and Training Manager at Friends For Life Animal Shelter in Houston, Texas. Melissa has logged more than twenty years in shelter animal behavior, starting with an internship at the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center in New York City. She developed a lasting love for cooperative care from training livestock and wildlife as the Coordinator of the Behavior and Training Department at the Houston SPCA, and applies the same principles to the dogs, cats, exotics, and humans she works with now at Friends For Life.
Chirag entered the field professionally in 2004 and has since become a leading figure in the profession internationally. He consults on the behavior management and training of all animals living under human care (including domestic and wild ones). He is highly sought after for work with high profile private clients and organizations, as well as teaching workshops and presenting at conferences. Chirag has been an expert on a number of TV shows. 
Dr. Haug graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. She did a one year rotating internship at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine before returning to Houston in a general practice. Dr. Haug worked in general medicine and emergency medicine until 1999 when she returned to Texas A&M to complete a residency and Master’s degree in Behavioral Medicine. After her residency, she remained on faculty at TAMU running the Animal Behavior Service until 2007 when she returned to the Houston area to work in a private referral practice doing behavioral medicine exclusively. Dr. Haug currently sees behavior cases in a variety of species.
Kayla Fratt is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with a background in ecology and shelter behavior. Since 2019, Kayla has merged dog behavior and ecology to work in the field of conservation detection dogs. In addition to co-founding a conservation detection dog organization, Kayla travels internationally to provide training and support to emerging working dog groups. Kayla provides mentorship and education for best practices and standards for scent-detection dogs through consultation. She also hosts a podcast to spread the word about how working dogs and their handlers can contribute to conservation efforts.