About Us
Congratulations to our PCSA certified employees! The PCSA (Pet Care Services Association) is an international non-profit trade association that provides education, accreditation and information to the boarding kennels and the public. Camp K-9 of Marin is proud to be a member of the PCSA and to have our staff become certified as pet care technicians based on the highest standards in our industry.
Camp Greeters
Steve Holloway
Front Office Manager Certified Pet Care Technician
Steven was born and grew up in Marin County and comes to us with a great love for animals, especially dogs! He was raised with two German Shorthaired Pointers and a Boxer as babysitters. Over the years he has many other dogs, including a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a Labrador Retriever, a Belgian Shepherd, and three Pugs! For Steve, the best part of working at Camp K-9 of Marin is the fact that it allows him the opportunity to interact with many wonderful people and then go play with their dogs!
Monica Schindler
Camp Greeter
Monica grew up in Marin, spent years working for the airlines and traveled around the world. She has always loved dogs and had many in her day. Her dog Roxy, a rat terrier mix, has been a camper with Camp K-9 of marin for over five years. After her youngest child went to college she decided to go back to work and surround herself with doggies and dog lovers. Monica is a great addition to our team.
Barbra Fogt-Aster
Camp Greeter
Barbra has a degree in Interior Design and as flight attendant had the opportunity to travel all around the world. Eventually, she settled down in Marin County, raised two children and currently lives with two wonderful dogs and a bird. She loves her dogs and her bird, but wanted more dogs without more dog responsibility! She was a Camp K-9 of Marin customer and decided that if she worked with Camp K-9 of Marin she could be around more dogs and have the best of both worlds. Barbra loves meeting our great doggie parents and their outrageously wonderful dogs. She thinks that it doesn't get any better than that. If a greeter asks you to spell your last name -- even if it's Smith, you're talking with Barbra!
Camp Trainers
Allyson Stoops
Camp Trainer
Ally is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and her training philosophy is simple but effective -- improve relationships between people and their dog based on trust and cooperation. Since moving to the Bay Area in 1990, she's put this adage to the test with great results at the Peninsula Humane Society and then with her own training business, No Bones About It! Originally from Maine, Ally now "rests her dogs" locally in Mill Valley and loves spending her time actively training (and being trained...) by three children, two dogs and one husband.
Camp Counselors
Cyril Ackerman
Camp Counselor Certified Pet Care Technician
Cyril is a Marin County native living in Fairfax. He graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo, and is continuing his education at the college level. Cyril has a dog of his own named Dreamer and he truly enjoys taking excellent care of all the campers here at Camp K-9 of Marin!
Trisha Barnes
Lead Counselor Advanced Certified Pet Care Technician
Growing up, Trisha spent countless hours in 4-H and volunteering with animals, including a 15 year stint at the Marin County Fair Agricultural tent. She’s a skilled animal handler that has grown up around, lived with and learned much from dogs, cats, rabbits and a plethora of critters since she was "knee-high to a Pug." Trisha currently lives in Marin, graduated in 2004 from Sir Francis Drake High School and loves chasing, cuddling and caring for the Campers here.
Ben Cooper
Camp Counselor
Ben was born in San Francisco and spent the first six years of his life in North Lake Tahoe. After that his family relocated to Marin. He has just recently returned from living in Maine for the past three years where he was building wooden boats. He has lived with dogs his whole life and enjoys taking care of them. Currently owned by Balthazar a Sharpei / Beagle mix.
Matt DeGoulier
Camp CounselorCamp Greeter
Hailing from Buffalo, New York, Matt has had many animal friends, from pet dogs, cats and birds to adoptive clans of squirrels and blue jays. A love for music and adventure lead Matt “out west” and is camping out with us. A strong desire to care for animals he came to Camp K-9 of Marin with little group experience but has picked up the doggie lingo quickly. The active and more playful dogs were his favorite but here at camp he has learned to love all doggies equally. Matt is also helping as a Camp Office Greeter. His is a great addition to camp.
Natalie Garcia
Lead Counselor Advanced Pet Care Technician Certified in Pet CPR and First Aid
Natalie grew up in San Jose and moved up to beautiful Marin for college. While studying for her B.A. Natalie began to indulge her passion for animals. She has worked both at a kennel and as a vet technician. Natalie currently owns a curiously cute dog named Dory, three cheery cats: Puff, Smudge, and Theo, and Tigger the rat.
Tiffany Garner
Camp Counselor Certified Pet Care Technician
Tiffany doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t surrounded by animals, and has recently added an American foxhound puppy, Bobby, to her clan. The clan also includes a white shepherd/golden mix named "The Taffinator" and a ferret called O'Blio. Tiffany is a Bay Area native with extensive travel overseas – every country but China and Thailand and every continent except Antarctica! She now calls Mill Valley her home.
Liz Gomez
Camp Counselor
Liz grew up in Novato and moved to Petaluma. She has lived there for the last 13 years with her 4 kids and 7 dogs. Like her children, she grew up around all kinds of animals, dogs, cats, birds, chickens, bunnies, even reptiles. Growing up with so many animals gave her the chances to observe and learn how they work out their social orders. This has also given Liz the knowledge to recognize signals and behaviors with has helped her to maintain her own pack, a Great Dane, Lab mix, Pit Bull, 3 Boxers and a Husky. She is looking forward to continuing her studies and get an MA in Animal Psychology.
Lindsey Nowlin
Lead Counselor
Lindsey was born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA. She grew up with many dogs and cats running around her house. Before coming to Camp K-9 of Marin she worked at a Breeder of Norwich terrier, Cardigan and Pembroke Corgis and mini Dachshunds. She learned many things about caring for dogs and realized that working with dogs makes her happy. Lindsey is owned by a 3 year old lab mix named, Bella. Lindsey says "Working at Camp K-9 of Marin is always fun and the dogs make it easy to love my job."
Melissa Philipson
Camp Counselor Certified Pet Care Technician
I grew up in West Marin surrounded by all sorts of animals. Dogs, cats, goats, pigs, horses, cows and chickens, Oh my! I have loved working with, training, playing with and taking care of animals my entire life. I have over a decade of experience working with dogs and horses and have been involved in the doggie day care world for the past few years. I am excited to be spending my days here playing with dogs of all shapes, breeds and sizes.
Alex Rodondi
Camp Counselor
Alex has lived in Marin his whole life and has always loved dogs. He has a ten-year-old Australian Sheppard named Jax. Alex had worked at a grooming shop before joining the Camp K-9 of Marin team. There he learned how to better care for his own dog. He especially loves bathing, brushing and walking her. Alex understands what it takes to make dogs happy and is excited to share the love with the doggies at Camp.
Jasper Sexton
Lead Counselor Advanced Certified Pet Care Technician
Jasper was born and raised by hippie parents in the woods of Sonoma County. Jasper has always been an animal lover. Growing up, he was always surrounded by various pets including but not limited to cats, rabbits, rats, hamsters and even a pot bellied pig named Daisy. He has been in the dog care biz since 2004 and although he has never had a dog, he finds great fulfillment in caring for all the happy campers at Camp K-9 of Marin. He is a current resident of San Francisco, a vegan and a proud parent of 3 cats. Jasper hopes to one day have a dog of his own, with which to frolic on sunny days at the beach.
Caitlin Shook
Camp Counselor
Caitlin lives in San Anselmo and is attending College of Marin. She is studying to become a Vet Technician. She has had dogs her whole life and couldn’t imagine a household without one. Caitlin and her dog, Jazzy take advantage of all the natural beauties Marin County has to offer. They love to hike, go to the beach and enjoy the sun.
Helen Tyrell
Lead Counselor Certified Advanced Pet Care Technician
A long time animal lover, Helen made a career change from market research in high-tech companies to animal care and management. Following a zookeeper apprenticeship working with lions, tigers, camels and elephants, she joined Camp K-9 of Marin. To further her education in animal behavior, Helen has completed level 1 and 2 of Marin Humane Society’s Consultant/Instructor Training Academy (CITA) and is an Advanced Pet Care Technician. She is the proud parent of a German Mittel Spitz and a Pomeranian mix and she fosters rescue dogs awaiting their forever homes.