Liz is a graduate of the University of Iowa (BA, 1999). She worked in business, marketing, and human resources before she made a career change to the animal care and welfare industry in 2001. Since then, Liz has held a variety of titles including: animal shelter volunteer, volunteer coordinator, dog training & behavior specialist, humane educator, non-profit executive director, animal emergency response coordinator, animal care technician, adoption placement counselor, and animal services officer. ​ Most recently and before opening Best Friends Dog Academy, Liz was the Supervisor for the City of Iowa City's Animal Services division and the Director for the Iowa City Animal Care & Adoption Center, where she oversaw all aspects of animal welfare and law enforcement. During her animal sheltering career she created and managed numerous programs to enhance agency and community services including enrichment for shelter animals, advanced training programs for shelter staff/volunteers and shelter animals, community outreach and education, and collaborations with other agencies such as the prison dog program, rescue/transport program, and the Emergency Animal Response Team. ​ Liz teaches and trains with scientifically proven reward based methods, specializing in behavior modification for reactive and fearful dogs and aggression cases. Her training philosophies emphasize building an understanding of the "why" behind behaviors, establishing clear and kind communication between handler and dog, and cultivating an environment for both to succeed. ​ Liz donates her expertise regularly to local animal shelters and rescues by teaching staff and volunteers current and best practices in animal care, training, and behavior modification and also working one-on-one with special needs animals.