Michael Shikashio, CDBC

Michael Shikashio, CDBC, is the founder of AggressiveDog.com and focuses on teaching other professionals from around the world on how to successfully work aggression cases. He is a five-term president of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and is a full member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). Michael is sought after for his expert opinion by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, New York Post, Fox News, The List TV, Baltimore Sun, WebMD, Women’s Health Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, SiriusXM Radio, The Chronicle of the Dog, and Steve Dale’s Pet World. He also hosts the popular podcast show “The Bitey End of the Dog” where he chats with the foremost experts on dog aggression. He is a featured keynote speaker at conferences, universities, and seminars around the world, and offers a variety of educational opportunities on the topic of canine aggression, including the Aggression in Dogs Master Course and the annual Aggression in Dogs Conference. You can connect with Mike on his website here, or on facebook, instagram, or tiktok.

Kelly C. Ballantyne, DVM, DACVB (she/her)

Dr. Ballantyne is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and the Medical Director of Insight Animal Behavior Services. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2001. In 2005 she earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After 4 years in general practice, she started a non-traditional residency with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) under the mentorship of Dr. John Ciribassi. Dr. Ballantyne earned her board certification through ACVB in 2015. Additionally, she worked at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for 10 years, establishing the College’s first behavior service. Dr. Ballantyne has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, including “The Feline Dream Home” in ACVB’s Decoding Your Cat. She speaks nationally and internationally on companion animal behavioral issues and human-animal interactions. During her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband Robert, reading, hiking, birding, digital illustration and wildlife photography. She and Rob share their home with their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Bludger (pictured). Dr. Ballantyne is a member of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, American Veterinary Medical Association, Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, Chicago Ornithological Society, Chicago Audubon Society, and the Feminist Bird Club.

Trish McMillan, MSc, CPDT, CDBC

Trish has been the director of the animal behavior department of one of the largest shelters in the country, the ASPCA of New York. She has helped assess and rehabilitate animals from cruelty, hoarding, and dogfighting cases, as well as pets rescued from natural disasters. She is a writer and presenter for several ASPCA’s programs. Trish has extensive behavior background with dogs, cats, and horses. dog daycares, volunteered in animal shelters, taught obedience classes, and worked with board-and-train dogs in her home. She has also trained and shown horses in various disciplines, and has been incorporating clicker training in her equine work for many years now. Trish has also worked with cats with behavior problems, and enjoys helping our feline friends have more enriched lives through clicker training as well. (Yes, cats can be trained!) She presents nationally and internationally on canine, feline and equine behavior as well as on sheltering topics.

Laura Monaco Torelli, KPA CTP, CPDT-KA

Laura Monaco Torelli is the founder of Animal Behavior Training Concepts in Chicago, Illinois. She began her career in 1991 at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, where she trained with beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, river otters, and penguins. After nearly a decade at the Shedd, she moved on to the San Diego Zoo and then Brookfield Zoo as a lead supervisory trainer. During her time in the zoo community, Laura worked with a wide variety of animals, including primates, large cats, birds of prey, horses, parrots, tree kangaroos, giraffes, red pandas, foxes, and dogs. She is currently part of an exotic animal rescue and rehabilitation training team for the Wildlife Discovery Center in Lake Forest, Illinois.  Laura is a faculty member and instructor of Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior (KPA), and serves as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Susan G. Friedman’s Living & Learning with Animals online course. Laura has presented at numerous professional conferences and taught seminars across the United States, Italy, Sweden, the UK, Singapore, Japan, and the Caribbean. She was an invited speaker for the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention, Midwest Veterinary Conference, Penn Vet Working Dog Conference, ClickerExpo, the Association of Professional Dog Trainers Conference , and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Conference. Laura has appeared on various broadcast media, including FOX 32, WGN, NBC 5 news, WGN Radio, and WCIU’s You & Me This Morning. She also contributed her training videos for the Fear Free Professional Trainer Certification and Karen Pryor Academy Better Vet Visits online courses. Learn more about Laura on her website, on Facebook, on Twitter, on LinkedIn or on Instagram