Danielle Graczyk

Danielle started Canine Inspired Change as a way to give back to others. As a professional dog trainer, she realized the important role her dogs played in her own recovery. And she knew that same love, motivation and “dog medicine” could help others. She started making connections with legal, behavioral and educational experts—and let her dogs lead the way. She enjoys yoga, going to her cabin, and camping and canoeing with her dogs.

Katie Kramer

Katie had the great fortune of meeting Canine Inspired Change’s founder, Danielle, when she first took her dog, Rascal, to her puppy class. From there Katie was moved by the vision, work, and impact of CIC programming and worked with CIC’s founder to incorporate CIC into a nonprofit organization. Katie has volunteered with CIC and her dog for over a decade. She has a love for improving the lives and relationships between people and their dogs, and has been a lead teacher for CIC sessions and most recently has transitioned to a trainer. Her full time gig is as a director at Violence Free Minnesota - the coalition to end relationship abuse. In her spare time Katie loves traveling and being at the lake with her pup and husband. 

Kate McMullen

Kate’s passion for community involvement and belief in the healing power of animal-human connections drives her work at Canine Inspired Change. Kate got her start at CIC as a therapy dog team with her yellow lab, Millie. As Program Director, she spearheads the day-to-day operations of CIC, connecting CIC therapy teams with schools and community programs and building relationships with people interested in learning how to “do good with their dog.” In her free time, Kate loves spending time with her family and exploring new places, preferably in the great outdoors.

Taylor Iverson

Taylor came to CIC while trying to find a Therapy Dog organization that was a good match for her young Golden Retriever, Dory. Upon completion of the course and volunteering at CIC sessions, Taylor felt a deep connection with the mission of CIC. She started out her professional career in a nonprofit animal shelter. She attended the University of Minnesota and earned her BS in Companion Animal Science. Additional professional experiences include working in many doggy daycares/boarding facilities, vet clinics, dog rescue, and dog training at facilities. Taylor is Fear Free certified(FFCP), an American Kennel Club(AKC) approved evaluator for Canine Good Citizen, STAR Puppy, and Trick Dog programs, a member of the Association for Professional Dog Training International (APDT) organization, and is a certified Family Dog Mediator(FDM). Outside of the professional sector, Taylor enjoys crafts, hiking, and a good tv show.

Erin Jorich

Erin has been a yoga and movement teacher in the Twin Cities since 2009. Erin met Danielle at a yoga studio and the two instantly connected. Erin and her dog Wallace started volunteering with CIC in 2013 and have grown with the organization ever since. At CIC Erin leads dog training classes, facilitates in-school sessions, and organizes volunteer teams. Supported by her studies in yoga and sociology, Erin provides CIC teams with trauma-sensitivity training and mindful approaches to therapy dog work. Beyond CIC Erin loves running, baking, and being outdoors.

Mark Stary

Mark Stary is a musician (singer/songwriter, guitar, harmonica) in the Twin Cities, MN, metro area. He performs approx. 250 + solo/duo/band shows annually for the last 20 years and has released 9 original albums. Mark has previously signed multiple single-song contracts in Nashville, TN, auditioned at Capitol Records and has opened for numerous national acts. Mark is also the creator and host of the “Mark Stary Music Podcast” which is available weekly on iTunes and most other places podcasts are available. Through interviews with musicians and other industry people, listeners get a glimpse behind the curtain of what life is like for a working musician. Mark and his golden retriever mix, Copper, are therapy dog instructors for “Canine Inspired Change” which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving vulnerable youth the social-emotional tools they need to be active participants in their schools—and their communities. Mark is also a life long professional pencil portrait artist. Emphasizing contrast between lights and darks, Mark tries to accurately capture the likeness of the subject while still keeping it a unique artistic interpretation.

Jake Faas

Jake has been a dog enthusiast from a young age. In high school he started off volunteering and fostering dogs through different rescues, which eventually led him into training. He has been training dogs professionally for over 10yrs. In addition to training he also competes in different dog sports ranging from protection, disc, and field dog trials. He is the founder and owner of True Loyalty Dog Training servicing the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. He has a huge passion for working with people and helping them better their relationship with their dogs.

https://www.trueloyaltymn.com/

Crista Sizemore

Crista was introduced to Canine Inspired Change through Alyssa Boldischar (Board member), a friend & former high school classmate! Crista and her former dog, Zoie, started as an Emotional Support Therapy team in May 2017 and decided to join the board shortly after. With a history of working with animals as a Veterinary Technician in her early career and current day to day immersion in the Human Resources/Operations arena, Crista brings to the CIC board a wide variety of assets. In her free time, Crista enjoys hobby photography, crafting, and spending time with family & friends. She is currently working on a "foster fail" so she can find her next teammate and get back to therapy sessions!

Martha Hoeppner

Martha and her mini-Golden Doodle “Diggs" started volunteering with CIC in September 2021. Shortly after, she added another Doodle named “Moss" to her household. Martha has a degree in Occupational Therapy and a Masters in Special Education and has 10 years of experience working with children with physical disabilities in an educational setting. Martha also has a passion for health and wellness and worked in the fitness industry as a personal trainer for 16 years at the YMCA. During COVID, Martha decided to transition to something new and found CIC. She immediately felt a connection with her love of dogs and children and the mission of Canine Inspired Change. Martha was so excited to use her skills to connect with people and animals in a therapeutic setting again. It is so rewarding to witness the transformation within a human when they develop a connection with an animal. Martha wanted to be a part of this type of community and is so excited to be a lead teacher for CIC. In her free time, when she’s not chasing her 3 teenagers, Martha can be found riding her bike, hiking with her dogs, traveling, and digging in the garden.