Andrew (Andy) Gladstein, born in Washington, DC, graduated from Indiana University with a BS degree in Education. His successful career in the furniture industry began in 1979 with Monterey Manufacturing accelerating from Regional Sales Manager to National Sales Manager to Vice President of Sales. In 1985, he became owner and CEO of Industrus Baja Pacifica…

April joined the Dogs for our Brave team as the Executive Director, in early 2022. While this had not been on her radar, she believes, the most rewarding challenges are presented to remind you that you’re not done learning or serving. She diligently seeks out ways to grow as an individual which has presented her…

Carol joined the Dogs for Our Brave (DFOB) team as the first Director of Communications on March 1, 2024. Carol is a seasoned public relations and marketing professional with a proven track record of leading marketing and branding initiatives with companies in a variety of industries including banking, commercial and residential construction, education, food &…

In 2019, Bridgette began her career with Dogs for our Brave as a volunteer. After a few short months, Director of Training, Paul, decided to take her under his wing as an apprentice trainer. From there, she was promoted to a Full-Time trainer. Her background includes a B.S. in Animal Science with a Minor in…

Jim Schuette has over 20 years in the restaurant / hospitality industry. Since 2009 he has served as the Chief Operations Officer for Syberg’s Restaurant Group, St. Louis, MO. Overseeing all day-to-day operations as well as real estate development, construction, general contracting, and administrating the fundraising and charities for the group. From 1998-2003 he served…

We are excited to announce that we have a new member of the DFOB Team! Please join us in welcoming SGT Bryan W. Pieschel, USA, Retired. Bryan has joined the DFOB Team as the first Director of Veteran Services. Bryan served as an active-duty US Army medic from 2004-2009. During his time in service, Bryan…

Marylynn Keene Gladstein, born in Mississippi, has a broad range of talents. From a military family, she lived a number of places growing up, graduating from high school in St. Petersburg, Florida and attending UCLA in Interior Design. Her career began in Washington, DC as an administrative assistant with the Department of Justice – Office…

The owner operator of 27 McDonald’s Restaurants during the past 28 years, Dick has received numerous awards for his exceptional store operations. He received a Bachelor of Science, Finance & Real Estate from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, and received a graduate degree from the American Graduate School of International Management, Glendale,…

Shannon is a St. Louis native who graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in English and a minor in Sociology. While working at a nonprofit after college, she had the opportunity to work closely with veterans and see how much of a difference service dogs made in their lives. This led Shannon…

Audrey is a St. Louis native who graduated in 2012 from Lindenwood University with her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. In her 10 years working in the education field there was a therapy dog that assisted students with emotional regulation. Once she saw the positive impact the relationship between the dog and…

  Sara is a 2001 graduate of Indiana University with a degree in Sports Marketing and Management with a minor in Business Administration. For the last 20 years, Sara has held multiple roles as an animal health professional and leader. Since 2020, Sara has worked in Business Development, Procurement, and Strategic Partnerships with St. Louis-based…

Becky started her career with animals at a local animal shelter in her hometown of Farmington, New Mexico. After moving to the St Louis area in 2018, she continued her work with rescues at St Charles County Pet Adoption Center. After seeing so many dogs get surrendered to the shelter due to behavior problems, Becky…

Lieutenant General David P. Fridovich was the Deputy Commander of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USSOCOM ensures the readiness of joint special operations forces and, as directed, conducts operations worldwide. Fridovich graduated from Knox College in 1974 and was commissioned an Infantry Second Lieutenant. After serving as a…

As the newest addition to the team, Carrie started at Dogs for our Brave in August of 2022. Not only was Carrie already acquiring her credentials for dog training though the Animal Behavior College, she had also been working with local veterans at the American Legion for over two years. Dogs for our Brave is…

Curt Simic is widely recognized as a national leader in fundraising for higher education, management of foundations, and foundation-institution relationships. He has more than 40 years’ experience in all areas of development and alumni and external relations, at both public and private institutions of higher education. As president of Indiana University Foundation from 1988 to…

I was born in St Louis and began my nursing career in Colorado at Denver Children’s Hospital. I like to tease that I “invented” Pet Therapy because I saw right away how much the children and families and even the staff benefited when I brought my dog, Sunny, in to visit. The nursing supervisors would…

Richard Acheson is both an attorney and CPA licensed in California. He had the privilege of being raised as an army brat and developed a real appreciation for the sacrifices, hard work and patriotism of our men and women in uniform.After majoring in accounting at Arizona State University he became an IRS Revenue Agent, them…

Back in 2020, Rose had to say goodbye to her pup Tank due to behavioral issues. Frustrated with herself for not knowing how to help him understand this world, she deep dived into the online community of dog training. Two years later, she walked out of Humane Society of Missouri with 8 month old Ryder,…

Tricia was born and raised in Oklahoma where her entrance to the business world began in oil and gas. She then moved to Dallas and worked for a large law firm as well as marketing memberships at an exclusive country club. She eventually relocated to Palm Desert where she met and fell in love with…

John is a Director of Hirtle Callaghan, a $20 billion investment management firm focusing on philanthropic organizations, colleges and universities, healthcare organizations, family offices and private family foundations. With over 30 years of experience in investment management, John has developed a great passion for serving as a trusted advisor and a partner to a range…

Coming from a family of veterans, Nicole felt the call to serve in the Army Reserves as a CBRN Specialist from 2014-2022. While deployed in 2019-2020, she decided to take the opportunity to pursue her passion for dog training. When she came home in 2020, she moved to St. Louis and completed the Specialized Dog…

Super Agent, Maverick, Reformer, Iconoclast, Deal Maker, Author, Businessman, and Dentist. At the National Football League Negotiating Table and within the pages of football history, “Doc” (as he is called by all of his players) has earned many titles. He walked on and played quarterback at the University of Texas, became a sports agent, owned…

My journey as both an animal lover and ethical treatment advocate has been one of lifelong passion, commitment, & growth. Even as a child I can remember cultivating my strong connection to animals by gravitating towards household pets & providing aid to stray dogs in my neighborhood. Additionally, my mother as well as many of…

Dale Burghardt has over 40 years of experience the real estate industry, starting in 1973 as a real estate appraiser and branch manager for a savings and loan in Salem, Oregon. In 1974, Burghardt gained his real estate broker’s license and taught real estate appraisal classes at the local community college. In 1976, Burghardt started…