Mara Velez, MA, CPDT-KA, is the Executive Director of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer.  Mara has been working in the shelter setting for over a decade.  Most recently, Mara was a behavior and training consultant at Contra Costa Animal Services, where she collaboratively designed, developed, and implemented behavior program structures, including a robust volunteer training program, revised behavior evaluation, canine enrichment, and playgroup guidelines.  It was these procedures that served as the basis for the Shelter Playgroup Alliance guidelines.  Mara holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree in Psychology and has completed all coursework for a doctorate in education. In addition to completing several animal behavior and training-related programs, Mara continually develops her skills and knowledge of canines by attending seminars and reading science-based canine literature.   

Ken Ramirez is the host of Live from The Ranch and the EVP and Chief Training Officer at Karen Pryor Clicker Training, where he oversees the vision and development of its training and education programs. A biologist and behaviorist with more than 50 years of experience, Ken has supervised the care and training of over 40,000 animals across a remarkable range of species and worked globally to advance animal training, welfare, and conservation—including projects protecting elephants and training animals from Komodo dragons to butterflies. His extensive canine work spans aggression, scent detection, and search-and-rescue with trainers, organizations, and government agencies. 

Juliana DeWillems is the co-host of Live from The Ranch. She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, KPA Certified Training Partner, and KPA Faculty Member in the Washington, DC, area,  where she owns and runs JW Dog Training and Behavior Consulting. When she’s not working with clients, Juliana regularly shares her training expertise on TV, radio, and online programs. She has been featured on WTOP News and Good Morning Washington and was a regular guest on The Pet Show with Dr. Katy for many years.