Since joining the board in January 2023, I’m proud to say that this organization has gone
through some impactful and positive changes that will ensure its longevity and secure its
position as a leader in the space.
During my tenure, our organization has undergone a rebrand and reenvisioning of its purpose,
brought on talented team members to help execute the mission, and recruited truly dedicated
leadership.
In 2024, after a productive strategic planning session in Virginia, the Association of Professional
Dog Trainers acknowledged that dogs are greatly impacted by all people in their lives – not just
trainers. This led to the next evolution of our identity to open our doors to all dog lovers
interested in how dogs behave and learn. We rebranded into The Association for Professional
Dog Training – International and opened up new levels of engagement for our organization that
dog parents and dog professionals could join while also acknowledging our international
presence across all continents around the world.
In early 2026, the board of directors began our search for a new Executive Director and
welcomed Kevin Dayo. While Kevin is not a dog trainer, we have plenty of trainers serving
alongside us. Instead, we were looking for someone with enterprise business acumen, proven
leadership experience and results, and a drive to lead this pillar organization into the future. His
background as an Executive Director of IT is already helping us modernize our infrastructure to
prioritize accessibility, ensuring our members can get the most out of their membership and
making our platform easy to use for future generations to join, learn, and collaborate. He is
dedicated and passionate about helping our organization succeed and has already identified
several exciting cost-saving initiatives.
We’re ushering in a new era for the APDT-I, and I couldn’t leave you in better hands than our
current leadership team. I am deeply thankful for my time here, the friendships that were
created, and the initiatives we helped drive forward. I’m optimistic—now more than ever—that
the APDT-I will thrive for generations to come.
A special thank you goes out to Erica Marshall for being a key piece in helping the organization
navigate a few critical transitions these last couple of years. Her commitment to this
organization and the future of dog training is unmatched. While serving on the board is a
volunteer, unpaid role, she has dedicated thousands of hours to ensuring the continued success
of this group. I’m endlessly appreciative of her support.
Other notes of appreciation also go out to Sarah Bond for her commitment to education and
driving forward our upcoming updated certification prep-course. Countless hours go into
organizing and recruiting contributors across the industry to create a course that will educate
new and established professionals for years to come. Kim Sauer has taken on a substantial
workload to support the APDT-I as Secretary & Treasurer this year. She stepped up right when
we needed her, and we truly value her contributions. Our newest board members, Melissa
Ritter, Sara Hughley, and Lee Weinberger are remarkably dedicated to their craft and the
improvement of the industry as a whole. They have each brought useful skills to our work, and I
cannot wait to see the powerful impact they’ll have in the coming years. They are energizing
and driven to make the APDT-I better than ever—stay tuned!
Lastly, I’m thrilled to welcome three new board members joining us in January 2027. Each one
brings industry experience, professional success, and an eagerness to help the APDT-I
continue to deliver on its mission and vision.
To conclude my time on the board of directors, I’ll be contributing to the new prep-course, co-
hosting a APDT-I annual member meeting in December, and providing guidance on the new
website’s development.
I will always cherish the opportunity to support the APDT-I through key organization-shaping
decisions and the meaningful connections built along the way.
Ines McNeil, B.S. Biology, CPDT-KA
Immediate Past Chair, APDT-I