Ashley Nester, CPDT-KA

Ashley (she/her) brings nearly a decade of expertise in handling and training dogs of all sizes, breeds, and temperaments. Her dedication to helping dogs and their families live better lives together is at the heart of her work.

Ashley has extensive experience working with underserved communities and their companion animals at one of the nation’s largest animal shelters. During her time there, she played a pivotal role in behaviorally evaluating, training, rehabilitating, and finding homes for over 3,000 dogs, addressing a wide range of behavior challenges—from basic manners to anxiety, fearfulness, reactivity, and aggression.

With more than 500 hours of hands-on experience and ongoing education in behavioral science, Ashley holds certifications from one of the world’s leading certifying organizations for dog trainers, as well as in mental health first aid and dog and cat first aid—reflecting her commitment to providing compassionate, ethical, and science-based training to people in need.

Beyond training, Ashley is committed to serving her community and regularly volunteers with the Ulster and Dutchess Counties’ Animal Response Teams, assisting families and their companion animals during local emergencies and disasters, and regularly conducting animal emergency preparedness trainings and outreach.