Ever since I was a little girl, I've had two great loves: creating art and being around animals. I followed my passion for art by studying Art Education at Northern Illinois University and spent the first seven years of my career as a K-12 art teacher.

But the pull to work with animals was too strong to ignore. So, a little over a decade ago, the opportunity arose and I swapped my crayons for a clicker and became a certified dog trainer, specializing in positive reinforcement methodology through the Karen Pryor Academy. Today, I'm the Lead Trainer and Behavior Specialist at a local animal shelter, but my love for creating has never waned. This led me to combine my two passions into Pawsitively Inspired.

With Pawsitively Inspired, I get to be a maker, drawing inspiration from the animals I adore and continue to work with every day. While many of my creations are pet-themed, I also dive into other genres, from geek culture to sports and beyond. I specialize in custom crafts made from a variety of media; including hand-painted wood, resin, slate, leather, metal, acrylic, and more. I create everything from my home in a suburb west of Chicago, IL, where I live with my husband, our two dogs, River and Scout, and a handful of funny felines.