Meet our Trustee Team
Sandra Fraser
Chair of Trustees
Sandra has been instrumental in the charity's growth over the last decade.
Both professionally and as our Chair, Sandra is passionate about how dogs learn and how they can help people with their skills. She also works with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers as a Tutor and Assessor, ensuring that dog training techniques remain modern and effective and is currently contributing to a BSI working group for training standards.
As a member of the Assistance Dogs UK Trustee Board, Sandra is also helping to shape the future of assistance dog training and standards for a wider group of stakeholders, from which all member organisations will benefit.
Isobel Michael
Margaret Russell
Margaret Russell
Deputy Chair and Income Generation
Isobel is an experienced fundraiser and consultant, focusing on philanthropy, impact measurement and capacity building. She has worked with inspiring charities in the UK and Australia, helping smaller charities to raise the funds and capacity needed to grow their reach and impact. Isobel has also helped to manage grants programmes and is a grant assessor. She works for Southside Family Project, is a fellow and trustee of the Institute of Fundraising and a trustee of First Steps (Bath).
Margaret Russell
Margaret Russell
Margaret Russell
Secretary
Margaret is a retired teacher of Economics and Business with extensive experience of working in the field of Human Rights, on both local and national levels, serving as committee secretary, treasurer and finally chair. She adds that her involvement with Dog A.I.D. gives her the opportunity to thank the organisation for the time spent helping to train her first dog and now her second, 14-month old West Highland Terrier, Barney.
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis
Acting Treasurer
With a background in Agricultural Accounts and Estate Management, Caroline was Sandra's first Assistance Dog partnership and was welcomed to the Trustee Board as Treasurer shortly after. Since then, she has supported 3 successive Treasurers as the charity has grown, latterly as a CIO. She has taken an active role in developing the long-term partnership with Natural Instinct and given peer support to a number of clients. Caroline created the first Dog A.I.D. website and social media assets and is proud of her in-depth knowledge of the organisation's history. Passionate about the future growth of Dog A.I.D., Caroline is actively involved in the development of the charity and its staff team from a client perspective.
Amanda Devlin
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis
PR and Social Media
Amanda is a national newspaper journalist with nine years' experience volunteering in the charity sector. During her time working in the media, Amanda has been inspired by tales of tragedy transforming into triumph when people are encouraged to make a difference. She hopes she can help improve the lives of people with disabilities by shouting from the rooftops about Dog A.I.D as she follows in the footsteps of her late dad, Jim, who was also a trustee.
Teresa Cort
Robert Moore
Teresa Cort
Client Representative
More details and image coming soon
Ema Davis
Robert Moore
Teresa Cort
Trainer Representative
Ema has been a professional dog trainer for over 7 years, running her own successful dog training business, Just for Paws Dog Training and Behaviour, in Cheshire. She has a degree in Zoology, and a Diploma in Training and Behaviour. She is continuing her studies with a Graduate Diploma in Canine Behaviour. With a keen passion for charity work, Ema brings skills to help Dog A.I.D. trainers and clients alike.
Robert Moore
Robert Moore
Robert Moore
Client Representative
With an initial background in Accountancy, Rob switched to his preferred career choice of IT where he has now worked for over 30 years. He has worked for Blue Chip clients in technical, project management and managerial roles. His passion for IT recognises the potential of modern technology for both service delivery and economic efficiencies. Rob joined via our Intensive Training Course with his Springer Spaniel, Buster.
Meet our Staff Team
Rachel Rodgers
Training and Service Delivery Manager
Rachel started as Head Dog Trainer/Service Delivery and Development Manager at the end of March 2020.
Before coming to Dog A.I.D, Rachel worked as a manager for both the RSPCA and most recently Dogs Trust in their Dog School. While running dog training classes for Dogs Trust, Rachel won Animal Trainer of the year at the 2018 National Animal Star Awards.
Rachel has over 10 years experience training animals in both a domestic and zoological setting, including training dolphins and sea lions in the Caribbean.
Rachel is an accredited dog trainer with the A.P.D.T (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) and A.B.T.C (Animal Behaviour Training Council) and is working towards her Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist status with the A.P.B.C (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors).
In her spare time Rachel loves to take part in pet trailing and man trailing sessions with her Portuguese rescue dog called Rico.
Charlie Evans
Finance Officer
Charlie looks after the bookkeeping. Outside of the office she enjoys spending time with her husband, 2 young children and of course her springer Spaniel, Cooper.
Samantha Highet
Senior Administration Officer
Samantha joined the charity August 2017. She is your initial contact for enquiries and is responsible for matching potential clients to trainers. Sam also organises our Workshops. She lives north of Shrewsbury and has two dogs.
Email admin@dogaid.org.uk
Ann Hill
Jennifer Smith
Julia Farrington
Julia Farrington
Fundraising Lead
With a background in fundraising for an international military welfare charity, Jenn is passionate about enabling and supporting people with disability. She has recently renovated an 18th Century barn conversion in Shrewsbury and lives with her husband, parents and doggies! A Member of the Institute of Fundraising, Jenn says her husband (a double above knee amputee) is her inspiration to help others achieve their full potential.
Email jennifer@dogaid.org.uk
Julia Farrington
Julia Farrington
Julia Farrington
Administrative Assistant
Julia has increased her role to incorporate monthly reports and assessments. Julia is a former A&E Nurse who lives close to the Welsh border in Shrewsbury, with her two children. She admits to having a cat (!) but redeems herself by being auntie to a young Collie.
Email julia@dogaid.org.uk