TRAINERS
Natahnee
President
Natahnee is an Associate Certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She holds a BA in Animal Behavior from Franklin and Marshall College, an MS in Biology from Shippensburg University, and has completed the Aggression in Dogs Master course with the esteemed Michael Shikashio. Natahnee has experience documenting and quantifying animal behavior “in the wild” in Yellowstone National Park and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and more than 15 years of experience evaluating and rehabilitating shelter and rescue of dogs. She is co-creator of Cheddar Paws Dog Art, an artist collective with a mission to paint long-term shelter and rescue dogs (and cats) to help them gain exposure and get adopted. You can find Cheddar Paws paintings on display at various local businesses. Natahnee also volunteers with the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art’s Saw- Whet Owl research program.
Hannah
Hannah is an ABC Certified Dog Trainer and Fear Free Shelters Graduate with a passion for animal welfare. In addition to Harrisburg’s Great Dog Program, Hannah volunteers at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area (HSHA) walking dogs, helping to assess animals for adoptability, developing and implementing behavior modification plans, and as a foster parent for dogs with behavioral or medical challenges. Hannah was named HSHA Foster Parent of the Year in 2020. She is a member of the HSHA Volunteer Advisory Council, which works directly with the organization’s leadership to affect positive change. Hannah combines her love of animals with her passion for photography in her business, H. Forsyth Photography. She utilizes her animal behavior expertise to make photography accessible for all pets, including those with physical or behavioral needs. Hannah also volunteers her time and photography services to local shelters. Additionally, she is a photographer for Cheddar Paws Dog Art, which helps to find homes for overlooked shelter animals through art. Hannah actively contributes to improving shelter programs and supporting the local animal welfare community.
Shaylee
Shaylee is a Certified Dog Trainer through Animal Behavior College with a background in volunteering at local animal shelters. Her hands-on experience includes working with shelter dogs, focusing on training and socialization to enhance their adoptability and readiness for their forever homes.
Currently serving as the Community Engagement Coordinator at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, Shaylee combines her professional expertise with a passion for helping animals. In her spare time, she fosters dogs with medical or behavioral challenges, offering them the care and attention they need outside of the shelter environment.
In addition to her role, Shaylee also started her own business, Four Paws Dog Training, last year. Through this venture, she continues to provide professional training services to dog owners in her community.
Shaylee began volunteering with the Harrisburg Great Dog Program where she is passionate about sharing her knowledge and providing training, support, and education to local pet owners.
Elysa
Elysa is a dedicated volunteer dog trainer with a unique blend of expertise in human psychology and behavior modification. With a strong background in understanding the complexities of human behavior, Elysa applies this knowledge to build trust and foster positive relationships with dogs, particularly in challenging shelter environments. Over the years Elysa has developed a compassionate and effective approach to training, specializing in working with rescue and shelter dogs who may have experienced trauma or behavioral issues. Elysa’s holistic methods focus on patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, creating lasting behavioral change and helping dogs find and remain in their forever homes. With a deep understanding of both human and canine behavior, Elysa excels in bridging the gap between people and pets to ensure a harmonious relationship for both. Elysa is currently enrolled in Michael Shikashio’s aggressive dog masters course, and is working towards becoming a certified dog behavior consultant.
BOARD MEMBERS
Joe
Vice President
Joe is a Graphic Designer by day and a dog lover at all times. He came across Harrisburg's Great Dog Program through volunteering with Cheddar Paws Dog Art and wanted to help. Although time is limited with kids and life in general, he helps when and where he can, often in big ways, by volunteering time and talent designing educational pet signage for local parks, formatting educational brochures and booklets for print, designing shirt and flyer logos and layouts, developing community and school organization media, and learning how to be a better advocate for dogs. After living in Baltimore for 20 years and seeing so many bully breeds ignored or abandoned there, he developed a soft spot in his heart for them, and hopes to help educate people that all dogs are great and the "questionable" or "misunderstood" breeds and dogs are often the ones with the biggest hearts... they just need some help along the way, as demonstrated by his family's rescue dog, Mikey. He's thrilled to be involved with HGDP.
Charlotte
Secretary
Charlotte graduated with a B.A. in Mass Communications from Bloomsburg University. Her interest in dog behavior was piqued while she and her family raised eight puppies for the Seeing Eye.
After raising their eighth dog for the Seeing Eye, Charlotte began working at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, first as Humane Educator and then as Director of Animal Care. Charlotte was involved with the development of behavioral programs for the canine residents.
Through her work at the Humane Society, Charlotte has helped to evaluate, socialize and rehabilitate hundreds of dogs over her 14 years there. Over the years, Charlotte and her family have shared their lives with 23 dogs.
Jeffrey
Treasurer
Jeff was licensed to practice law in 1995 and specializes in family law. He serves as County Solicitor for Tax Assessment Appeals as well as various charitable organizations including the Panther Ram Foundation and The Hanna Foundation. He also advises the Assessors Association of PA.
Jennifer
Jennifer was a YWCA of Greater Harrisburg Tribute to Women of Excellence awardee in 2013. She currently serves on the following nonprofit Boards of Directors: Estate Planning Council of Central PA., Feel Your Boobies Foundation, Harrisburg Great Dog Program, National Standards Foundation Board (Council on Foundations affiliate), and West Shore Wildlife Center.
She actively volunteers with the following: Speranza Animal Rescue, Humane Society of Harrisburg Area, Pitties Love Peace and West Shore Wildlife Center.
Jennifer is the co-founder of Tahoe’s Legacy Fund. This fund is in honor and memory of Tahoe – a young victim of animal cruelty – specifically dog fighting. Tahoe’s Legacy Fund will provide support to local organizations around animal abuse and welfare issues in an effort to elevate awareness of them, so that Tahoe’s life and too early demise, was not in vain.
SPECIAL THANKS
Cindy
We would like to give special thanks to Cindy Armour-Helm and her family and staff for supporting Harrisburg’s Great Dog Program in countless ways, including use of the Better Homes and Garden’s Office and grounds as our training facility!
Dan Boreman
We would like to give special thanks to Dan Boreman of Boreman & Babb for graciously providing his accounting services to Harrisburg's Great Dog Program