Most people know me as the person with Roo, the French Bulldog in the stroller, or the person with the fat bulldog named Mister. But my history with pet therapy really began in April 2004, when I joined Delta Society (now Pet Partners) with my girl, Babs, a boxer mix I found tied to a post. I later became involved in the startup of our local organization, TPGC, and was elected to serve for several years on the board. After retiring from Procter & Gamble in 2008, I became a Pet Partner Evaluator and Instructor, studied to be a Master Gardener, and to become a team member in the Southwest Ohio Critical Incident Stress Management (SWOCISM) with my dog, Maggie. This team was established to provide a form of crisis intervention, specifically designed to help emergency workers and healthcare professionals cope with the psychological stresses inherent in their professions and to prevent PTSD. In 2012, while living part-time in Youngstown, OH, I volunteered at Trumbull Memorial Hospital to start their pet therapy program while volunteering at many local facilities. In my 16 years of volunteering, I have volunteered at retirement facilities, rehab facilities, hospitals, schools, businesses, and speaking engagements. I have had wonderful experiences of sharing my pet partners with so many people. Sometimes, as you may have also experienced in your visits, we are in the right place at the right time with the right dog to really make a difference in a person's life. My dogs have given me this wonderful opportunity to provide some comfort and joy to others.
My name is Heather Hauser. I have been with Pet Partners of Greater Cincinnati since 2018 and have made pet therapy my mission since then. I have had four registered guinea pigs (Rapunzel, Belle, Olaf, and Jasmine) and I am currently registered with my giant rabbit, George. As Trustee, I have taken on the role of mentor coordinator and most recently, visit coordinator. I feel like I can provide a unique perspective on the board as a non-dog team. I have been an evaluation assistant for 2 years and I am currently in the middle of training to be an evaluator. I am eager to learn all there is to know about pet therapy! I currently visit all of the St. Elizabeth locations, the Family Nurturing Center, a few nursing homes. and a lot of the visit requests that I send out. I live in Edgewood, KY with my husband Brad and our two daughters, Rose (9) and Anna (7). We have 5 guinea pigs, two rabbits, and two dogs (and if we had more space I would have more animals, I just love them all!). My 9-year-old has proven to be quite the Pet Partners recruiter. We were at a dog park, and she took some brochures from the car and was petting and assessing the dogs and giving brochures to the good ones. She can't wait to be a junior handler when she is old enough. I was a special education teacher for 8 years and now I am a stay-at-home mom. I have an eBay business now which allows me to have very flexible work hours.
My name is Louise Nathanson. I am a wife, mother of 3 daughters, grandmother of 4, and dog mom to 2 golden retrievers. I have lived in Anderson Township since 1987 but, in my heart, will always be a Kentuckian. In 2021, I attended an information session and chose to join Pet Partners as a volunteer without a partner. While waiting for my 6th golden retriever to age in and mature, I have been helping with evaluations and workshops. Working with current evaluators has given me the opportunity to learn not only a lot about Pet Partners, but about animal training as well. Having worked in accounting and tax for over 30 years, I believe there is a need for pet therapy, not only in medical facilities and schools, but in the corporate world as well. As staff returns to in person positions, I am proud to be involved in reducing their stress.
My name is Debbie Bauer and I joined PPGC as a volunteer in 2022. Having recently retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement, I wanted to find a volunteer opportunity which incorporated two subjects near and dear to my heart - animals and senior citizens. I have always been an animal lover and advocate, whether they have fur, fin, or scales! Animals bring such joy, love, and comfort with just their presence and calming nature. I previously spent six years volunteering at an assisted living facility, which was an extremely rewarding and enlightening experience. One thing that left a lasting impression was how the residents' and employees' faces lit up whenever an animal was brought in to visit. For many, it was the highlight of their day, week, or even month. When I learned of Pet Partners, their mission, and the service they provide, I knew it could be a perfect volunteer opportunity for me. At the time, I did not have a pet qualified to be a therapy animal, but hoped PPGC could use my administrative skills and experience to help further the mission. I help out at Evaluations, work closely with the Pet Therapy Support Team for 1st Responders, and assist with other tasks. Last year I became a dog mom to Piper, a miniature Bernedoodle puppy, who keeps me on my toes! I also recently rescued Coco, a 3 year-old Cockapoo. Hopefully in a year or so, one (or both!) of them will be ready to be evaluated as a therapy animal, and we can make a positive difference in people's lives.
My name is Deb Newstrand and my husband and I are transplants from Oregon. I work for Kroger and I have been with them for 39 years working in the Workers' Compensation field. I retired in March 2017 and with my extra time I wanted to become more involved with TPGC. I have been with TPGC since 2013 and this year I took over the task of keeping track of the facilities visited and the hours spent at each location for everyone. It's been quite an undertaking!!! My dog Tinkerbelle and I visit St. E's in Florence and Crestview, Villa Springs Retirement Facility and North Key in Covington every week. We also represent TPGC at special events such as speaking to scout troops, exam relief and "Taking Your Child to Work Day" etc. There have also been many times Tink came to work with me at the Corporate Kroger Building downtown. When I was 4 years old I had eye surgery and was in the hospital for quite some time with both eyes bandaged. I vividly remember a dog coming to visit and he would sit with me and my Mom so I could pet and hug him for the longest time. I waited for his visits and I loved him! I later found out he was a black and white bulldog. The older I got the more I wanted my memory to become a reality for other children which is the reason behind my passion for TPGC.
I started volunteering with Pet Partners of Greater Cincinnati in 2016 with my Bernese mountain dog, Carry Ann, until she retired in 2021. I now volunteer with my Great Dane mix, Mobius (Mobi), and Great Dane, Hank. We go to all of the St. Elizabeth's, mainly Ft. Thomas, and Ohio Living Hospice in Llanfair. I help with the membership team while working full time at St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas in the lab.
Hello, I'm Trish Smith but most know me as Rosie's Mom! We have been members of PPGC since 2022 and Rosie and I visit Bethesda North Hospital and Hospice of Cincinnati weekly. We've also been fortunate to take advantage of the varied visit requests including schools, special ed classes, corporations, and first responder opportunities. Professionally, I'm retired after working in the insurance industry for 44 years, most recently as a Program Director with Liberty Mutual Insurance. I've also been involved with other organizations including the Parkinson's Foundation, Arthritis Foundation, and Indiana Donor Network. Personally, I am from Indiana, moving to Montgomery in 2021 where I reside with my husband Dan and our other dog Knute. We have a blended family of 6 adult children and 9 grandkids and too many fur babies to count. I'm excited to be part of such an active and caring group. I've seen firsthand not only the impact our awesome teams make, but the respect of our organization with our partners and in our communities.
My name is Susan Steinhardt and my pet partner is Bailey, a 7 year old Golden Retriever. We have been members of TPGC since 2014. Bailey and I visit Our Lady of Visitation School weekly for a reading program. We currently have 10 children reading to us. We also visit Kings High School special needs classes on Fridays on a rotating schedule as well as various special events (book fairs, health fairs, exam week stress relief, etc). Prior to belonging to TPGC, I was a member of Pets Helping People for several years, visiting Kenwood Terrace Nursing Home on a weekly basis with my 2 golden retrievers (now deceased) and I also visited Children's Hospital (main campus) with one of my dogs. My professional background includes 24 years at P&G (most recently as Director of Business Intelligence Services) and 14 years as an Executive Coach working with individuals and corporations. I see several opportunities for TPGC to strengthen engagement with our members and better connect with those organizations seeking Pet Partner visits.