Volunteer Coordinator & Dog Trainer

Rachael has been part of the Stealing Hearts Rescue family for nearly three years, combining her love for rescue dogs with her passion for helping people better understand their dogs. As the owner of Paws Down Dog Training and a professional balanced dog trainer, much of her work with the rescue focuses on supporting adopters as they navigate life with their new dogs. Through training, education, and ongoing guidance, she helps families work through behavioral challenges, build stronger relationships, and set their dogs up for long term success.

In addition to working with adoptive families, Rachael has fostered numerous rescue dogs and remains actively involved in supporting the dogs and volunteers at Stealing Hearts. Now serving as Volunteer Coordinator and Dog Trainer, she’s excited to help strengthen the volunteer program while continuing to support the rescue’s mission. She believes successful rescue goes beyond adoption day and that giving families the knowledge and tools to succeed is one of the most important parts of keeping dogs in loving homes.

FACILITY ATTENDANT

Barb is one of our dedicated shift workers, not an easy task.  Her love for the dogs allowed our director to talk her into working at the shelter the day after she retired from her regular job – the very next day!  She brings an incredible amount of energy to every shift, her nickname, “the energizer bunny” 😊  Along with being a extremely hard worker, Barb is also a “fit-it” woman and keeps our shelter looking great!  Her love for the dogs she cares for is obvious by how excited they are to see her day in and day out.  And what does she do on her day off??  She volunteers at our director’s house where she helps with the 30-plus puppies that always reside there.  Whew – I get tired just reading this! 

FACILITY ATTENDANT

Jeni is one of our dedicated shift workers since 2017. She is an organizing queen and keeps our shelter looking more like a home than a shelter.  With her calm energy and big heart, she handles the dogs making sure each gets what he/she needs, spending extra time with any that need just a little extra love. Her hard work and love for the dogs is evident in everything she does! Her and her husband have adopted their two dogs Cleo and Bear from SHR.

MATERNITY WARD EXTRAORDINAIRE

Meet Liz, our foster extraordinaire! Liz met our director 25 years ago and has been fostering dogs for Toni for the past 20 years. When she had their home built, they specifically built the Taj Mahal of kennels so they could comfortably house and pamper all the pregnant and nursing mama dogs that we bring in. As a volunteer, she works a full-time job and has still managed to be the mid-wife to literally hundreds of moms and their pups. Her dedication is nothing short of remarkable and the number of lives Liz has helped save is countless. SHR is so grateful to have her loyalty and dedication to the dogs and to our rescue.  

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Kerry has been with us since 2015 when she left teaching to stay at home with her children – she thought she would have “a little extra time”. 😊 Little did she know she would spend much more than a little time taking amazing pictures of our dogs and pups.  She quickly became our Media Coordinator! Kerry handles our Facebook page and SHR’s Instagram. She is a perfectionist with attention to detail. Along with her incredible eye and skill for photography, Kerry brings her quick wit and sense of humor to every post. 

GRANT WRITER

Tamara came to us in 2017 when she learned we needed a grant writer. She stepped up and jumped in with both feet! Tamara puts her endless energy, excitement, and knowledge into every aspect of grant writing…finding everything available that’s out there. She makes it all seem effortless, but juggling three small children and a husband, along with donating her time is far from that. Tamara’s time and dedication is rewarded by the dollars she continues to bring in to keep Stealing Hearts thriving.

Shelter Staff

Phil is one of our dedicated shift workers.  His love for dogs started at a young age, but truly began when he added a 7-week-old American Pit Bull Terrier to his life, while Phil was a freshman at ASU.   This resulted in a bond that words can’t describe.

Time at the shelter is highly rewarding, with limitless opportunities to brighten a dog’s day.  Being semi-retired from a long career in the mortgage finance industry couldn’t have landed him in a better spot. And caring for these dogs is more than rewarding.

Phil also enjoys sports, health/fitness activities, dog sports, and spending time with his amazing wife and son, and of course, their Staffordshire Terrier.  He’s a rescue, he’s their world, and he keeps them laughing daily.