Our Team
Nichole Brown, Ph.D., Executive Director
Dr. Nikki is the co-founder and Executive Director of Canines for Change. She has been training dogs for 25+ years including service, therapy and facility dog training, as well as all levels of obedience, protection, Schutzhund, agility, K-9, confirmation, and rally training. She holds several Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International titles. Dr. Nikki holds master’s degrees from Michigan State University in counseling and psychology and a Ph.D. in school psychology with an emphasis on behavior modification. She lives in Grand Ledge, Michigan with her son and two French bulldogs, Hermoine and Toaster.
Gery Rehmann, Dogs In Schools Field Liaison
Gery has been with Canines for Change since 2018. He has 35 years of teaching experience with early elementary children and special needs students making him uniquely qualified to be a field liaison for the Dogs In Schools Program. Gery’s dedication to the program has a priceless impact on the client’s we serve. Gery and his loyal companion, Belle, spend their free time with hospice patients and families at Stoneleigh.
Mars Woodbury, Trainer/Puppy Raiser
Mars joined the Canines for Change team in April of 2020. Mars has puppy raised and trained dogs many facility and service dogs. Her passion for dog training originated from a stubborn Siberian Husky rescue she adopted who had been passed from home to home. When she’s not training dogs, you can find Mars working as a photographer. Her favorite photo sessions are the ones that include dogs!
Marni Goodwin, Puppy Director/Board Member
Marni joined the Canines for Change team in 2020 as a volunteer puppy raiser. Her volunteer roles now include Puppy Director, Board Member and Treasurer. While Marni’s professional career has been spent in the legal field and human resources, her passion lies in the dog world. She has experience with various types of dog training including basic and advanced obedience and protection training. You can frequently see Marni and ambassador dogs Sully & Annie doing community outreach events.
Ashley Gray, Trainer
Ashley has been with Canines for Change since 2019. She started as a puppy raiser and fell in love with the process and program. Ashley’s passion for puppy raising turned into a passion for dog training. She trains and houses many of the Canines for Change facility and service dogs through their journey to certification. You will rarely see Ashley without a dog by her side!
Andrea Rombach
Andrea Rombach is a dedicated trainer and Dogs in School Liaison for Canines for Change. A lifelong dog lover, she has been with Canines for Change since 2022, gaining hands-on experience in canine training and support. Andrea has a passion for dogs and helping others. She and her fiancé, Patrick’s sweet goldendoodle, Charlotte, inspire her work in creating meaningful connections between service and facility dogs and their communities. Andrea and Charlotte make a great community outreach and training team!
Lisa Klingbiel
Lisa Klingbiel joined Canines for Change in July of 2020. Having recently retired from teaching in Grand Ledge Schools, she now had time to pursue something brand new, so she began volunteering with the hope of making a difference for students and others in need of facility dogs. In the past 18 months, she has had the pleasure of being part of training two epileptic seizure dogs as well as two facility dogs that have been placed at Grand Ledge Schools. When she is not working with her dog, Scout, and his friends, she likes to play violin, study history, and putter around the golf course with her husband, David.
In Loving Memory of Gladys Cataline
Gladys was a dedicated dog trainer for decades and co-founded Canines for Change with her best friend Dr. Nikki Brown. Gladys will be sorely missed in the dog training world. Canines for Change will always remember her boundless energy, her expertise, and her ability to make her opinion known at the most unexpected times. We know she’s been reunited with her dearest, furry friends at the Rainbow Bridge, while simultaneously controlling and creating chaos.
Gladys had over 50 years of experience working in many facets of the dog world including obedience instructor, Laekenois conformation handler, scent training, barn hunting, agility, AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, French Ring, IPO, PSA and many others. But, the most outstanding accomplishment of her life was the life-changing work she did for Canines for Change.