With the Cat Pawsitive Pro Spring 2020 semester about to kick off, let’s meet the Trainer-Mentors who will be guiding staff and volunteers at shelters around the country throughout the clicker-training program.
Miranda K. Workman, MS, CABC, CCBC-KA
Profession: Instructor, Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation & Anthrozoology, Canisius College
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Lead Trainer-Mentor|
How many semesters have you worked with CPP?
I have been with CPP from the very first semester. I have stopped counting. LOL!
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
I am looking forward to our largest semester yet! Each semester we have grown the number of cats and humans that will benefit from this life-changing (and life-improving!) program.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats?
I love reading and sports. I have been working on turning my black thumb into a green one over the last few years and I’m getting better each year!
What pets do you have at home?
Toothpick (13 yr old FS Miniature Poodle), Athena (9 yr old FS Dutch Shepherd), Sherlock (13 yr old MN Jack Russell mix), Amelia (3.5 yr old FS Shih Tzu), Aleph (16 yr old FS Oriental Shorthair mix), RoRo (13 yr FS old brown tabby), Finn (4 yr old MN Brown Marble Tabby), Maizee (5 yr old FS Oriental Longhair), Atropos & Lachesis & Clotho (1 yr old F domestic rats).
Anything else you’d like to add?
A friend once said, “How many times do you get to save a life?” With this program, we have the opportunity to save and change lives each and every day. That is how amazing this program is for humans and cats alike.
Samantha Bell
Profession: After working as Cat Behavior & Enrichment Lead for Best Friends Animal Society for almost 6 years, Samantha has recently become the Celebrity & Entertainment Relations Coordinator for Best Friends Animal Society. She also manages her private business ‘Princess of Purr’, where she does cat behavior consulting, appears on TV as a cat expert, and speaks at conventions around the country about cat behavior.
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Michelson Found Animals Adopt & Shop
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This is my 5th semester!!!
What are you most looking forward to this semester? I’m really excited to be working with Michelson Found Animals this semester! Not only am I familiar with their amazing work, but this is the first time I’ve worked with a rescue that is in the same city as me! So, I’m looking forward to getting to meet them and their cats in person.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? My favorite thing about CPP is getting to know my team and watching their cats transform. It’s truly magical!
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? Outside of working with cats, I work with celebrities (they’re kind of similar, to be honest, haha!). I research to find celebrities who have adopted pets, and then find creative ways to get them to promote animal rescue on social media and in interviews. Because of this, my hobbies and interests must include movies, TV, and pop culture! I also learned to cross stitch last year and am working on creating a minimalist home (minus the excess cat toys and enrichment, of course).
What pets do you have at home? I have 3 hilarious and entertaining cats: Yohan (orange & white tabby, 7 yrs old), Desmond (orange tabby, 7 yrs old), & Packard (grey & white tabby, 5 yrs old – he’s deaf!). Yohan is a cat behavior expert’s dream and is a momma’s boy weirdo. Desmond is a perfect, loving angel. And Packard is a very special cat that loves to raise foster kittens, and help shy cats learn to trust humans. He does a lot of my work for me!
Molly DeVoss, CFTBS (Certified Feline Behavior and Training Specialist), FFCP (Fear Free Certified Professional), RM (Reiki Master)
Profession: Cat Behavior Specialist
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Animal Welfare Department (Albuquerque) and Mountain Humane
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This is my 2nd Semester as a Trainer-Mentor – I shadowed Samantha [Bell] in 2018.
What are you most looking forward to this semester? I’m looking forward to working with a municipal shelter in the Southwest – an area that often doesn’t get the resources we provide – as well as a mature private shelter in the Midwest that has recently expanded into a new facility.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? I cherish the relationships that are built during CPP; it’s heartwarming to see the teams and cats flourish and grow. Witnessing the extension of CPP into the daily norm of cat enrichment in their shelters are warm fuzzy feelings that long outlast the program.
What have you learned personally by being a Trainer-Mentor with CPP? I learned there really are men who are dedicated volunteers working with cats in shelters!
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? I’m an artist/painter/graphic artist and I like to hike the mountains of New Mexico.
What pets do you have at home? Tabasco, cat (of course!), 15 years of age.
Anything else you’d like to add? I’m honored to be a part of CPP, working alongside deeply committed, like-minded individuals who want to make a pawsitive difference in the lives of cats.Tabitha Kucera, RVT, CCBC, KPA-CTP, Fear Free and Low Stress Handling Certified
Profession: I am the owner of Chirrups and Chatter Cat and Dog Behavior Consulting and Training in Cleveland, Ohio. I help cats, dogs, and their people with behavior issues and help people understand and relate to their animal companions which leads to a stronger bond and a more gratifying relationship between animal and human. I also educate others through writing, behavior consulting, workshops, and lecturing on cats and dog behavior and care, including force free training, working with fearful animals, fear free handling, and more.
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Nashville Humane Association and Rescue Village
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This will be my 2nd semester. Last year, I joined and shadowed Cary [Munschauer].
What are you most looking forward to this semester? I am looking forward to getting to know the shelter staff, volunteers, and cats of the shelters I am working with and working together to help improve the lives of the cats in their care.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? My favorite part of Cat Pawsitive Pro is seeing the positive changes in the cats we work with and giving the shelter tools that can be used to benefit all of the cats they work with.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? Listening to music and going to shows.
What pets do you have at home? Chocolate Chip, feline, 10; Malt, feline, 8; Jellybean, feline, 8;
Norman Squeakers, feline, 9; Cupcake, feline, 10; Ness, canine, 8.
Cary Munschauer, CCBC
Profession: I help with cat behavior and rescue at the SPCA Serving Erie County, NY.
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Humane Animal Rescue and Homeward Pet Adoption Center
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This is my 4th semester as a Trainer-Mentor.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? I really love seeing the professional growth in the teams each semester. Everyone knows how to work with the cats in their shelters to provide a nurturing environment, but positive reinforcement training is a new concept for most of the teams. Seeing their initial uncertainty turn to confidence and all kinds of great training ideas is my favorite part of being a Trainer-Mentor.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? I love to cook and bake – I have a catering business and love to help people have fun entertaining.
What pets do you have at home? I don’t currently have a pet at home. I lost 2 wonderful cats this year and I’m waiting for my next best friend to find me!
Sara Russell, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA, Fear Free™ Certified Professional
Profession: Owner of Train Play Love, training, behaviour consulting and dog walking
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Liberty Humane Society, Monmouth County SPCA, and Heartland Animal Shelter
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This will be my fifth semester.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? My favourite part about CPP is seeing the transformations with both the cats and the people working with them. Shy cats coming out of their shells, frustrated cats getting an outlet for their energy, and the people working with them having breakthroughs.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? Outside of working with cats, I’m a huge Pokémon Go nerd. I still play just about every day.
Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, CBCC-KA
Profession: Behavior Consultant
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for East Bay SPCA and Oshkosh Area Humane Society
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This is my 3rd semester.
What are you most looking forward to this semester? I am looking forward to working with new team members and cats and being able to introduce new people to the world of clicker training cats!
What have you learned personally by being a Trainer-Mentor with CPP? The humans benefit just as much as the cats do from this program. It’s always amazing to see the transformations from the cats, but it’s just as fun to see how the volunteers and even adopters are affected by it too.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? Traveling!
What pets do you have at home? Fiona, long haired calico, 14 years and Bianca, Cornish Rex, 5 yearsLisa Stemcosky, CCBC, CPDT-KA, SBA
Profession: Feline Behavior Manager at Humane Rescue Alliance. I also do in home cat behavior consultations through my business, PawLitically Correct.
Role with Cat Pawsitive Pro (CPP): Trainer-Mentor for Brandywine Valley SPCA and Maryland SPCA
How many semesters have you worked with CPP? This will be my 5th semester.
What are you most looking forward to this semester? Both of my assigned shelters are relatively close to me. So, that means that I get to visit them in person! I love being able to meet the trainers and cats face to face. Plus, I get to work with a former co-worker of mine who’s now at Brandywine Valley SPCA.
What is your favorite part about Cat Pawsitive Pro? Educating a new group of trainers on positive reinforcement training for cats. These skills they learn by participating in CPP can help countless cats, now and in the future.
What have you learned personally by being a Trainer-Mentor with CPP? I’ve learned to be a better trainer myself. My skills at teaching new trainers has greatly improved.
What hobbies/interests do you have outside of working with cats? I love to garden. I have a plot in a community garden where I grow all kinds of produce. I also can a lot of that produce to enjoy later.
What pets do you have at home? I have three cats. Whitlow is 15 and she is the queen bee. Nonami is 2 and is a foster fail. After years of fostering kittens, including neonates, she somehow wormed her way into our hearts. Davey, he’s also 2. He is my foster kitten mentor. He loves his foster kittens, he grooms them, looks after them and teaches them how to be cats.