Grazia Adriani
Grazia "Grace" Adriani is a Nationally Certified Master Groomer with NDGAA, and a certified groomer with IPG. She graduated from Merryfield School of Pet Grooming in 2015 where she was a teacher up until recently. She apprenticed under Irina Pinkusevich and Michael Lamb. Wanting to learn more, she worked with Teraz Kennels polishing her skills and expertise on hand-stripping, specifically Lakeland Terriers. Once she experienced dog shows, she was hooked. She has shown several dogs, including her very own champions CH Teraz Bringing Sexy Back (Justin) and CH Teraz Gotta Have It (Velociraptor). She currently breeds Kerry Blue Terriers and Lakeland Terriers.
Allison Alexander
A student-become-master of purebred dogs, Allison Alexander has honed her skills through hands-on experience with breeders, handlers, and groomers all over the world. She has become the go-to resource for both beginner and advanced Poodle owners, handling everything from basic grooming techniques to planning and executing the most difficult show trims. Allison is known around the world for her unique teaching ability that connects with students on every level. Allison has presented seminars on grooming Poodles, Shetland Sheepdogs, Australian Shepherds, Spaniels, Setters, Afghans, Affenpinschers, Kerry Blue Terriers, and many others all over this planet. She is also the Creative Educational Advisor and Specialist for Chris Christensen Systems. In 2017, she launched Leading Edge Dog Show Academy, the world's first online dog show training and grooming school. LEDSA has won the award for Best Online Education each year since its inception. Her mission is to help mentor a new generation of dog enthusiasts through innovative video-based grooming lessons.
Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins
Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins is the Owner/Master Groomer at Love Fur Dogs in Glencoe, Illinois. Named "Best Groomer in Chicagoland" by the Chicago Tribune, she has been grooming, breeding, and showing several breeds of dogs and cats for over four decades. A retired career teacher now living in Virginia, Jennifer is an International Certified Master Groomer with an expertise in the science and history of dogs and the unique needs of the wide variety of pet coat types. She was featured on Season Three of the Hulu Television Series "Small Business Revolution" as a Grooming Expert. Jennifer also writes magazine articles and has won an award for her blog. She has been active in legislation that affects pet groomers, building state grooming associations, groomer education, and credentialing. She has published a poster and is working on a book of the same title, "A Groomers Guide to the Fifteen Coat Types," based on her ground-breaking seminar.
Nadia Bongelli
Nadia Bongelli has been grooming pets since 2009 and competing since 2012. Her accolades include Barkleigh Honors Up and Coming Groomer of the Year in 2016, Best All Around International Groomer at Intergroom 2017, five Rising Star Gold Medals, Rising Star of the Year award at Intergroom 2016, two Canadian BIS awards and had numerous Open Level placements in Canada and several in the United States. Nadia's proudest moment was being awarded Canadian Groomer of the Year at the very first Canadian Grooming Industry Awards. She is a Nationally Certified Master Groomer with the National Dog Groomers Assoc. of America, Inc. and a certifier with the Intellectual Groomers Association. Her ultimate goal is to represent her country on Groom Team Canada with her peers.
Elli Bultemeier
Elli found her passion for grooming over a decade ago when she started as a bather at PetSmart. Not long after training to be a groomer there, she moved to the private sector. She is an award-winning competition groomer, certified pet aesthetician, NCMG, and co-owner of Retro Stylist wear. In 2017, Elli started at Smoochie Pooch and currently wears many hats as she is currently a marketing development and regional manager, helping run a company with more than 7 locations and about 40 employees. She is passionate about helping the business grow and creating an employee first, compassionate work environment for her team.
Dave Campanella
Dave Campanella is an informative and entertaining seminar speaker, contributing trade columnist and genuine grooming enthusiast. He has over 30 years of pet industry knowledge, and has been Best Shot Pet Products sales, marketing, and product director for 15 years. He and his wife Tracy have co-owned a full service pet salon and self-wash in Ohio prior to relocating with Best Shot to Kentucky. Together they enjoy exhibiting at grooming shows, being industry ambassadors and showing their Kerry Blue Terriers, Lowland Polish Sheep Dog, and Samoyed.
Donna Carey
Donna Carey of Sarasota, Florida, is an accomplished pet stylist with 25 years in the grooming industry. She is a National Certified Master Groomer and a former GroomTeam competitor and board member. Donna has won several prestigious awards: multiple golds at Intergroom and wins in creative competitions, Clipper Vac Competitons, and AKC obedience and conformation titles. Her career has included owning and operating a small fleet of mobile salons. She has been a National Sales Manager for an international health company. Donna is a Reiki Master and a certified pet massage practitioner. Her current business is Heart and Harmony Pet, where she teaches grooming, pet massage, and business skills.
Jonathan David
Jonathan David has been the recipient of multiple scissoring awards, multiple Best All Around Groomer awards and Best in Show earning him a position on GroomTeam USA in 2008 and 2009. Jonathan was also a contestant on Animal Planet's "Groomer Has It" and has been featured as a grooming expert on multiple television shows. Currently, Jonathan owns and operates his salon, Lap of Luxury Dog Spa in Delray Beach, Florida and is a board member of multiple dog clubs.
Teri DiMarino
An industry veteran, Teri has owned and operated successful salons and mobiles in Florida and California. A winning grooming contest competitor, Teri was a member of three GroomTeam USA Gold Medal teams. A multiple Barkleigh Honors and Cardinal Crystal Award winner, Teri was a regular columnist for Groomer to Groomer Magazine as well as a popular speaker and judge at seminars and trade shows across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Mindy Dinwiddie
Mindy Dinwiddie owns Classy Canine in Litchfield, Michigan. She began grooming in 2007, having her own shop by 2008. She started in a back bedroom of her house, growing her business to a storefront. Her experiences include daycare, boarding and training. All while consistently furthering her education by attending expos, seminars and private lessons from top stylists in the industry, Mindy has been competing for three years. With a passion for learning and teaching, she began speaking in 2017 after having one of her grooms published in Doodle Modern Styles Special Edition. Mindy is also a Brand Ambassador for Evolution Shears.
Dr. Cliff Faver
Dr. Cliff Faver, a 1987 graduate of CSU, is the founder/owner of Animal Health Services in Cave Creek, Arizona. He is the US distributor for Iv San Bernard products. He uses the two businesses as a means of merging the grooming and veterinary professions to pursue his life's passion of healing and helping pets. Dr. Faver is an international speaker and teaches the ISB Pet Aesthetician Certification program. He is a member of AVMA, AAHA, AZVMA, a sponsor for the CPPGA, a Board member for the Burbank Kennel Club, and previously served on the Novartis Lead Committee, Hill's International Global Veterinary Board, and is still active in a Veterinary Management Group.
Elizabeth Gibbs
Elizabeth Gibbs is an award-winning National Certified Master Groomer who has been in the grooming industry for over ten years. She spent nine years of her career in corporate and worked her way from a bather up to a grooming trainer. In 2018 she was nominated for Barkleigh Honors "Up and Coming Groomer of the Year". She has been featured on the educational video page "groomsource" and you can now catch her in the grooming ring competing in open level or showing her Bichon and English Cocker in the AKC ring.
Blake Hernandez
Blake Hernandez is a NCMG and three-time Barkleigh Honors recipient. He is best known for his online persona and caterwauling lyrics that speak to our industry. Blake has brought innovation and current outside trends to the grooming industry from Personality Marketing to the FoxEye, a phone holding device for the everyday groomer or aspiring influencer. Blake runs Foxy Roxy's Pet Salon in San Diego, CA, in addition to competing in grooming contests and dog shows all over the country. He is the co-creator and founder of GroomSource, an app made for groomers' continued education, as well as creator and producer of many products with Foxy Roxy's Supply Co. Blake was also a feature groomer in Netflix's "DOGS" documentary and a contestant on ABC's Pooch Perfect Season 1.
Judy Hudson
International Grooming Industry Speaker and Judge, Judy Hudson, holds an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology and is a National Certified Master Groomer and certifier for the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Judy owns and operates Groomingtails Mobile Pet Grooming in Nashville, Tennessee. Judy has multiple Best in Shows and Best All Around Groomer awards to her credit and stayed in Groomteam's top 10 groomers for 4 years. Having retired from the contest ring, Judy enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with new groomers! She is also a level V Rodan and Fields skin care consultant.
Suzanne Marchetti
Suzanne has groomed for 35 years and has owned her own business for 24 years. Her most recent business was Uptown Paw in Huntington Beach, California. She ran a 6,000 square foot cage free daycare, boarding, and grooming facility. She is a charter member for both the SCPGA (past president) and CPPGA. She holds a Certified Pet Aesthetician from IV San Bernard, a CAH certification from WWPSA, working on her IPG licensing and is an award winning competitive groomer. She is owner, breeder and an AKC licensed professional handler. She is also a board member for the Burbank Kennel Club.
Mackensie Murphy
Mackensie Murphy is a second-generation pet stylist, following in her mother's footsteps and becoming the very first second generation GroomTeam USA. In 2005, Mackensie started her own grooming career at the young age of 18. Mackensie began her competition career in early 2011 and has been awarded multiple Best in Show awards, Best All Around Groomer awards and is a five-time winner of the prestigious Liz Paul Memorial Best Scissored Poodle Award. Mackensie consistently stayed among the top three competitors and earned herself a position on GroomTeam USA in 2012 which she has sustained up to this current year.
Chrissy Neumyer Smith
Chrissy Neumyer Smith CPG, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA started Happy Critters in 2000 providing house call grooming and private dog training. As a groomer, behavior consultant, and trainer she understands the unique needs of the grooming setting. She started the Creating Great Grooming Dogs podcast in October of 2018 to help groomers, trainers, Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, owners, and all other dog pros to teach dogs be good for grooming, vet visits, and other types of husbandry.
Ashley Pacini
Ashley LaVonne Pacini, owner of Ashley's Barks n' Bubbles in Port St Lucie, FL, has been in the grooming industry since the age of 14 as both a bather and a groomer. She graduated from Merryfield School of Pet Grooming, and became the youngest Nationally Certified Master Groomer with the NDGAA only 3 months later. Ashley is the winner of numerous grooming competition awards, including a Best in Show, winning 1st Place with a Kerry Blue Terrier at Hyponic IGC in South Korea, moving from Entry to Open Division's Top 15 in 2019, placed in the GroomTeam USA Top 10 in 2020 and was nominated for Barkleigh Honors "Up and Coming Groomer of the Year" award in 2018. She is currently on the World Team for Hyponic Americas.
Jess Rona
Jess Rona is a dog groomer in Los Angeles and is known for her Instagram, @JessRonaGrooming that has over 100k followers and features her signature slo-mo videos. She directed the Tegan and Sara music video for "100x", had a dog featured in Beck's "WOW" video, and directed a commercial for the Standard hotel featuring her grooming clients. She's been featured in O magazine, Marie Claire, Glamour, Elle, and Paper among many others, has been featured on several news programs including the Today Show and Good Morning America, and has had several write ups online. Some of her celebrity clients include: Katy Perry, Andy Garcia, Maria Menudos, and Marnie the Dog.
Jay Scruggs
Jay and his wife, Michelle, own Here Comes the Groom, a highly successful mobile grooming salon in Germantown, Tennessee. Jay has won multiple Best in Show and Best All-Around Groomer awards and helped Groomteam USA win the Gold medal in Calgary, Canada, in 2001. Jay was named American Groomer of the Year in 2001, Groomer of the Year Award at Westminster Dog Show in 2002, and Grooming Judge of the Year in 2004. In 2003 Jay won an International Gold and Bronze medal in Barcelona, Spain, helping groomteam USA win the silver team medal. He and Sue Zecco offer seminars nationally. Jay won a Barkleigh Honors Award at the event that he emceed.
Kelsey Ann Sexton
Kelsey Ann Sexton is an award winning Nationally Certified Groomer with almost two decades of Professional Pet Grooming experience. She owns an award winning salon outside of Nashville, TN that focuses on customer relationships for routine grooming services. She's also a member of Foxy Roxy Supply Company's Pro Team. Kelsey was nominated for Barkleigh Honors Speaker of the Year in 2022 and has a passion for continued education in the Pet Grooming Industry.
Nick Sklar
Nick Sklar is a seasoned professional with a deep-rooted passion for grooming tools and the art of sharpening. Raised amidst the whirling sharpening wheel, he has acquired over two decades of hands-on experience in the realm of grooming equipment and its dedicated users. Nick's expertise lies in meticulous equipment selection and the art of nurturing their longevity. As the General Manager of Sales and Operations at Whitman's Sharpening for just about a decade, Nick engaged in comprehensive research collaborations with renowned scissor companies, cementing his reputation as a go-to expert in the field. Notably, he has played a pivotal role in product design for esteemed brands like Chris Christensen and Whitman's products, contributing to their success through his invaluable insights and assistance.
Corina Stammworthy
Corina stumbled into the dog grooming industry by chance, but has brought fresh eyes and new ideas. She opened The Laundromutt, a self-service dog wash and grooming salon, on the concept that washing your own dog should be easy and fun. She believes that your dog should always be in the most educated hands, and in the cleanest and calmest environment possible. Corina is a college biology instructor and is currently in graduate school for Biotechnology.
Joey Villani
In 1998, Joey purchased the Nash Academy in New Jersey which he owned and operated until 2008. Now a well-known pet industry speaker and judge, Joey has been nominated 14 times for the Cardinal Crystal and Barkleigh Honors awards. He has been enthusiastically involved with Intergroom International for 33 years and has been instrumental in expanding the organization's reach into Belgium, Italy, and France. Joey is one of the original members of the International Judges Association and has made many television appearances. Today, Joey continues to innovate and explore new dimensions in the pet care and grooming industry. In early 2009, Joey became part of the Animal Radio on-air staff where he is known as "The Dogfather".
Olga Zabelinskaya
Olga is a Certified Master Groomer and owns two grooming salons, Elite Pet Spa & Boutique in Madison, NJ and Grooming Gallery in Morris Plains, NJ. She has multiple BIS and Best All-Around Groomer wins as well as two prestigious Winners Circle Champion titles. Olga is 2009 and 2010 American Groomer of the Year by Cardinal Pet, and was awarded the Lynne Carver Memorial Award as Best All Around Stylist 2009. Olga was born in Russia where she had a Master Degree in Engineering and finished law school. Olga was a GroomTeam USA member 2008-2012 and won the Silver medal in Belgium, 2011 as a part of the traveling team. Olga co-hosts many pet fundraising events.
Sue Zecco
Sue is a 2011 Barkleigh Honors Award winner. She is a Certified Master Groomer with both the National Dog Groomers Association (NDGAA) and the International Professional Groomers (IPG). She has been grooming for over 30 years. She has won multiple grooming awards, including her biggest show accomplishments: 1998 International Groomer of the Year and 1999 Oster Invitational Tournaments Grand Champion. Sue has been a member of GroomTeam USA since 1997 and broke all records in 1999, earning 113 points. She is also a Wahl Clipper Corporation spokesperson. With Jay Scruggs, she conducts a series of full-day seminars called Super Styling Sessions. Sue breeds Standard Poodles under the "Dreamcatcher" prefix.