Meet The Canine Journal Team
Our team has a combined 290+ years of experience when it comes to our canine friends, both personally and professionally. Each of our writers and editors is committed to providing the most in-depth and unbiased information via research, reviews, and personal stories to ensure you have all the guidance you need for every aspect of caring for your beloved pup.
Expertise You Can Trust
There’s a lot of fake news on social media or the internet, especially regarding caring for animals. There is also conflicting information or opinions about specific topics like toy safety, whether dogs eat certain things or special diets. Our goal is to demystify the misinformation, get to the bottom of the truth, and give our readers the most scientific-based, human-verified content.
Several of our writers are licensed veterinarians (DVM) who have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of pets and their owners. They review health content for medical accuracy from start to finish. They wouldn’t put their name on something they didn’t believe would be 100% true. We also have a licensed insurance professional who checks insurance content for compliance and accuracy.
Meet Our Team
Get to know the people (and pups) behind our company who come together to bring you the best content for canines. We are all certified-animal lovers who care deeply for dogs, cats, and other pets in our lives.
You’re also welcome to get in touch with your feedback, concerns, suggestions or questions. Thanks for reading and stopping by to get to know us. Here’s to keeping dogs smiling and their tails a-waggin’.
Alex Schenker
Co-Founder/CEO
Alex holds degrees in Management Science from the University of California at San Diego and Computer Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is co-parent to two rescue dogs, Barley (Mountain Feist) and Lily (Carolina Brown Dog). Alex’s first dog was a Dalmatian and has nearly two decades of experience with several rescue dogs. He’s been versed in everything from basic dog training techniques, canine diet and health, and pet insurance, and he donates regularly to the local animal shelter Forsyth Human Society.
Michelle Schenker
Co-Founder/Licensed Insurance Professional
Michelle is a licensed insurance professional (license #19494757) with an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Since 2007, Michelle has specialized in dogs, focusing on pet insurance. She has run over 2,000 pet insurance quotes, reviewed hundreds of policies, and canvassed the industry for all the latest news, trends, and updates. This focus allows her to provide pet owners with the most comprehensive and valuable advice. Michelle regularly provides expert advice and opinions to media outlets, including Newsweek, The New York Times’ Wirecutter, Forbes, People, Reader’s Digest, and more. Michelle has always lived in a home full of dogs, including today as a co-parent to two rescue pups, Barley and Lily. Michelle is also an accomplished artist and her watercolor dog art can be found in our store.
Lily
Chief Dog Officer
Lily is a Heinz 57, mixed-breed dog who loves snuggling more than any mutt we’ve ever met. She draws on a decade and a half of experience; Lily has seen a lot in her canine world that we can all learn from. She is a true resource to our team.
Barley
Chief Dog Officer
Barley is the definition of energetic. He always has a ball in his mouth and a wag in his tail, ready for any adventure. His love of toys and treats makes him a true expert and one we rely on for much of our product testing.
Kimberly Alt
Writer & Pet Insurance Expert
Kimberly is a writer and content strategist for Canine Journal, specializing in pet insurance consulting. She has written and edited professionally since 2010. In 2014, Kimberly began researching dogs and discovered her passion for pet insurance. She strongly advocates for insuring pets and knows insurance is a complex subject for most. Kimberly has read hundreds of pet insurance policies (including the fine print), ran more than 3,000 pet insurance quotes, engages in frequent discussions with pet insurer representatives, and conducts mystery shopping to gain an unbiased perspective and explain how companies differ and their strengths. Her passion is teaching others about the pet insurance industry and helping them make informed decisions for their pet insurance needs. Kimberly has a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism from Simpson College. She is a Dog Writers Association of America member, and her work has appeared in many brands, including The New York Times’ Wirecutter, Reader’s Digest, Forbes, People, Woman’s World, and Huffington Post. Kimberly is the parent of a rescue Coonhound mix, Sally.
Jeff Butler
Partnerships & Analytics
Since joining the Canine Journal in 2012, Jeff has been involved in shaping future content topics and partnerships. His involvement revolves around behind-the-scenes work, including maintaining and enhancing key pet partnerships, analyzing traffic data, and ensuring the site remains a trusted and informative hub for all things dog. He is currently a pet parent to a Goldendoodle dog, Gary.
Sally Jones
Writer & Editor
Sally has over 25 years of professional research, writing, and editing experience. Since joining Canine Journal (CJ) in 2015, she has researched and tested hundreds of dog accessories, services, and dog foods. In addition, she brings decades of experience in health sciences writing and communications and is the CJ resident expert on canine health issues. Sally holds a BA in English from James Madison University and an MA from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Journalism & Mass Communications. Her work has appeared in several notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, and Huffington Post. Sally is currently a pet parent to a rescue dog, Tiny, and three rescue cats.
Danielle DeGroot
Writer
Danielle graduated from Colorado State University Global with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a specialization in Marketing. Her work has supported multiple small businesses, brands, and larger organizations, including the University of Denver. She is a lifelong supporter of rescue pets and has adopted almost every animal she has ever met that needed a home. Danielle is an expert in product reviews, pet food, dog names, pet behavior, and breeds. Her rescue dogs, Falkor, a Poodle Beagle mix, and Daisy, a Pitbull Lab mix, serve as Canine Journal’s in-house dog food testers and have tested over 50 kinds of dog food. She also has three rescue cats.
Emma Braby
Writer
For the last 5 years, Emma has specialized in writing canine content on Canine Journal, sharing her expertise with dog lovers around the world. Her dog knowledge comes from being a dog owner, professional dog walker, time spent traveling around Europe as a dog sitter, and volunteering in her local rescue centers for the last 15 years. Emma currently has two rescue dogs and hopes to adopt as many dogs as her backyard will allow.
Tara Maurer
Writer
Tara is a writer and content creator for Canine Journal, specializing in health and nutrition. She has 8+ years of experience in the wellness industry, where she has worked with countless dog parents on holistic approaches to healing and aging. Tara holds a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism from Simpson College and is also an AFPA-certified holistic nutritionist. She currently lives with a very good boy named Rio, a Golden Retriever, and “the girls” Luna and Lucy, his feline siblings.
Julie Fritz
Writer & Dental Hygienist
Julie is a writer and researcher for Canine Journal and the team’s dental expert. With over 15 years in the dental field and her love of human’s best friend, she has found a unique passion for learning all there is to know about dogs’ dental health and brings that knowledge to our readers. Her professional writing career began in 2012 and she also enjoys writing in-depth breed-specific articles and researching products and information to help pet parents care for their pups. Growing up, she enjoyed living in a house that always had a Brittany Spaniel and is very happy now when she gets to spoil the dogs in her life with love and snuggles.
Katherine Baldwin
Veterinarian
Katherine qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 2010. She started her professional life in mixed practice, working across small animal, farm, and equine sectors. She spent seven years working in a busy, 24-hour small animal hospital in Cambridgeshire, providing routine and emergency care. Her professional interests are in medical workups, oncology, and ultrasonography. She is passionate about client education and empowering pet owners with the knowledge to improve patient welfare and access to veterinary services.
Dr. Alison Foucault, DVM
Veterinarian
After graduating in 2006 from the University of Montreal, Dr. Alison Foucault, DVM, MRCVS, moved to San Diego to complete an internship specializing in small animal emergency and critical care. She has been practicing in this specific field ever since. She has been using her experience more recently to help design new animal hospitals and get them off the ground. Dr. Foucault also helps train recent graduates in Emergency and Critical Care. Additionally, she has worked in the TV and film production world as a Vet On Set for the last three years.
Dr. Elizabeth Racine, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Elizabeth Racine is a small animal veterinarian with a passion for improving the lives of pets. She has worked in the veterinary field in various roles for more than a decade, with professional interests in behavior, nutrition, and palliative care. As a writer, her work has been featured by several world-renowned pet health and wellness brands. Dr. Racine shares her home with her dog Dasher – a beagle with his own storied career training new veterinary students – and her two mischievous young cats, Wasabi and Sake.
Dr. JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
Veterinarian
JoAnna earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Choosing to use her veterinary training in a different way, she decided to become a medical writer. Since beginning her freelance medical writing business in 2016, JoAnna has written hundreds of articles on pet care and pet health. She is passionate about using her writing to close the gap between what the veterinarian says and what the pet parent understands. JoAnna grew up with two dog, Dudley and Petrov.
Dr. Miriam Collister, DVM
Veterinarian
Miriam graduated with a distinction in Veterinary Science in 2013. She works full-time in a companion animal clinic doing consultations, surgery, and working nights and weekends providing emergency care out-of-hours. Miriam’s main veterinary interest is in diagnostic imaging, which includes radiography and ultrasound. This has led her to complete a post-graduate certificate in diagnostic imaging within the last year.
Dr. Joanna Woodnutt, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Joanna Woodnutt MRCVS is a qualified vet working in the UK. She has a passion for educating owners to help them understand their pets: she believes that knowing why something happens, how drugs work, and even when to worry helps owners to feel more confident in caring for their dogs. Jo is one of our featured vets here at Love Your Dog.
Dr. Hannah Godfrey, MRCVS
Veterinarian
After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 2011, Dr. Hannah Godfrey BVetMed MRCVS went on to work in a busy practice dealing with animals of all shapes and sizes. She’s since found a love of smaller animals and now works in a small companion animal practice in Wales, where she combines her love of animals with her love of writing.
Dr. Sarah-Jane Molier
Veterinarian
Sarah-Jane currently works part-time in Veterinary Management and spends the rest of her time writing. In the past, she has worked in a charity clinic, as a locum, and for both independent and corporate veterinary practices, doing clinical and managerial roles.
Dr. Rebecca MacMillan, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Rebecca MacMillan VetMed MRCVS is a companion animal veterinarian and surgeon who has always had a passion for writing and client communication. Since her graduation from England’s Royal Veterinary college in 2009, she has gained a wealth of experience in first opinion small animal practice, in both clinical and managerial roles. Rebecca currently works in the South West of England and deals with a variety of routine and emergency appointments, but particularly enjoys medicine cases. Outside of work and writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, including her bouncy flat-coated retriever George!
Dr. Holly Anne Hills
Veterinarian
Holly graduated from Nottingham in 2018. After some time as a farm animal vet, Holly travelled to India and volunteered with dogs and other small animals there. She is passionate about the health of the planet’s non-human creatures and providing veterinary care to those most in need, she also spent some time in India where she volunteered as a small animal vet. Holly now combines writing with working as a small animal vet, as well as volunteering with VetSustain’s communications and social media team. Holly loves anything to do with pet owner education and preventative healthcare. When not working or volunteering, she can be found outdoors bird watching, swimming, running, and spending time with her pets!
Dr. Ellen Marcinkiewicz
Veterinarian
Ellen Marcinkiewicz BVSc. MRCVS, graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2012. She’s since worked as a small animal veterinarian in her home country of Australia, as well as at the Massey University Teaching Hospital in New Zealand. Her most memorable experience as a teaching vet was running a charity spay/neuter program for final year vet students in Samoa. Her love of traveling the world has now led her to the UK, where she currently works as a veterinarian and freelance veterinary writer based in Somerset. Ellen is passionate about education and all things pet health including surgery, medicine, behavior, and nutrition. In her free time, Ellen enjoys hiking, travel, yoga, and modern calligraphy.
Dr. Emma Rogers-Smith, DVM
Veterinarian
Before qualifying as a Veterinary Surgeon from Cambridge University, Emma worked part-time at a small animal veterinary clinic. After graduation, that role evolved into her first job as a veterinary surgeon. After 18-months, she decided to advance her veterinary training, undertaking rotating internships followed by 2.5 years of residency training as an Internal Medicine Clinician at a large multidisciplinary referral hospital in the UK. She has always had a passion for solving puzzles, and the really tricky Internal Medicine cases are her favorite. Emma has published several first-author research papers and is actively involved in ongoing Internal Medicine and Antibiotic Stewardship research projects.
Dr. Amber LaRock, DVM
Veterinarian
Amber is a Licensed Veterinary Technician that took her career online to spread knowledge on animal welfare, as far and often as she can! She grew up with a deep passion for helping animals. After gaining my degree in veterinary technology along with my license, I began work in an emergency animal hospital.
Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM
Veterinarian
Sara is a practicing veterinarian in a small animal hospital in East Texas. Dr. Sara earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from St. George University and has over 7 years of experience working as a veterinarian for Whitehouse Veterinary Hospital in Whitehouse, TX. Prior to vet school, she attended Louisiana Tech for her undergraduate degree and also went back to LSU for clinical rounds after completing veterinary school. With years of experience in the field, she is a treasure trove of knowledge on all things animal related.
Nicole Stebbins
Writer
Nicole is a freelance writer and a hobby historian who has always had dogs in her life. For the last 12 years, she’s been the proud mom to 2 rescue pups: Angie and Dana. Her days wouldn’t be complete without their love, companionship and daily walks together
MJ Shaffer
Writer
MJ Shaffer graduated from Duke University and North Carolina State. She teaches High School English and runs a working Kiko goat farm with her three children. With her goats, MJ keeps Sam, an Anatolian Shepherd, and Sadie, an Anatolian/Kangal mix to guard against coyotes and other predators.
Yani Perez
Writer
Yani is a freelance writer, dog lover, educator, and theater fan. She was raised in a home with a variety of pets, including fancy pigeons, dogs, bunnies, and cats. Growing up, she and her family rescued animals, which is a practice she continues today. She is an avid animal advocate and enjoys helping others learn about and appreciate animals. She has worked in veterinarian clinics, a doggy daycare, a zoo, and the ASPCA. Her four dogs, two pugs, and two Shih Tzu mixes passed away, but she carries them close to her heart.
Shannon Maguire
Writer
Shannon is a seasoned traveler, reader, animal lover, rescue advocate, and dog mom. Her zest for life and its adventures has always contributed to a deep passion for storytelling. This love of storytelling became intertwined with her love of dogs during the slow summer walks of her childhood with her beloved Golden Retriever named Guinness. As an adult, the special bond she shared with Guinness shines through in all facets of her writing and her life.
Gemma Johnstone
Writer
Gemma is a freelance writer and official dog nut. Gemma has worked for the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ran her own specialist dog shop for ten years, has volunteered for her local rescue shelter, and is studying towards completing an Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour.
Kristin Hitchcock
Writer
Kristin has loved pets since she was a child. She grew up in Tennessee and lives there with her husband and young daughter. She currently has several pets, including four dogs, three cats, two fish, and three lizards. She is passionate about helping pet parents make educated decisions and increasing awareness of little-known pet topics. She loves helping owners stay up-to-date on current scientific information and giving practical advice on all things pets.
Janet Wall
Dog Trainer
Janet has spent many years training her collies. She has a passion for dogs and originally started this site for children. Jan most recently was responsible for the orientation of new therapy dogs and their handlers at Alvarado Hospital. Currently, she enjoys her hobbies: dog agility, gardening, and photography. She was the founder of Love Your Dog, which was acquired by Canine Journal in 2024. She is no longer affiliated with the site.
Amanda
Writer
Amanda won’t settle for second best. With an incredibly playful pup, dog toys don’t last long in her home. She is determined to find the safest and most durable dog toys for your dog.
Chelsie
Writer
When it comes to reviewing, Chelsie takes it seriously. From walking in rain for hours to test LED collars to cleaning dozens of houses for free to test fur removers, she is determined to find the best dog products on the market!