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Meet the committed team of volunteer board members behind the team at K9Conservationists.
Meet Our
Board of Directors
Since its establishment in 2020, the K9 Conservationists team has been guided by a committed group of volunteer board members, each bringing their distinct expertise to the table.
During her 35+ years of experience with numerous technology companies -- mostly startups – Tracey planned and executed a diverse set of marketing strategies and tactics. Highlights of her experience include a background in marketing management, including budgeting and agency coordination; brand design, company launch and messaging efforts, including social media and content creation; deep experience with customer reference programs, and execution of over a dozen major industry trade shows. Now semi-retired, Tracey enjoys volunteering with important causes related to our natural world, as well as traveling and ballroom dancing with her husband, mountain biking, hiking, and pretty much anything outside.
Dr. Jane Komori is an assistant professor in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Her research focuses on labor, race, and environmental change in Western Canada's primary resource industries. She is an experienced labor and community organizer, and she trains her two rescue dogs in nosework and other sports. She brings her expertise in environmental history, social justice, community organizing, and dog behavior together in her capacity as secretary of the board.
Tom Fratt is a retired wildlife and fisheries biologist enjoying life with his young Springer spaniel in northern Wisconsin. With BS and MS degrees from the University of Wisconsin Steven's Point, he is thrilled to bring 50 years of experience in natural resource conservation to the Board of K9 Conservationists. He has worked for multiple federal, state, county, and tribal government organizations, as well as an environmental consulting firm where work was conducted across Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Washington, and Wisconsin. Tom’s entire life has been devoted to discovering and appreciating the natural world, and he is excited about the seemingly limitless potential of conservation detection dogs.
Taylor Simpson grew up exploring the lush ridges and valleys of northwest Georgia where he fostered a deep appreciation for the environment. His parents instilled a strong sense of stewardship to the land. Driven by a love for nature and a desire to make a difference, Taylor traded the rolling hills of Georgia for the soaring peaks of Montana to study conservation biology and ecology at Montana State University. After graduating with honors from MSU, Taylor spent a year soul-searching (aka skiing) in Bozeman until he realized that to affect real change, he needed to bridge the gap between science and the law. This realization led Taylor to pursue a Master’s of Science in Environmental Studies and Juris Doctorate at the University of Montana. Taylor’s masters research focused on the critical intersection of administrative law and wildlife conservation. While in law school, Taylor served as the Publication Editor for the Public Lands and Resources Law Review where he worked with legal scholars in editing their work for publication. Taylor graduated from law school with honors.
Maggie Kaiser (formally Pearson) graduated from the Karen Pryor Academy and is a Certified Training Partner, has her certification as a Separation Anxiety Trainer, a Certified Controlled Unleash Instructor, a Certified Family Dog Mediator, and her Fear Free Certification. She is an Accredited Dog Trainer with IAABC, a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for AKC, and an AKC Fit Dog instructor. Maggie brings to the board not only her background in dog training but also her 10-plus years working in the human resources field. She is passionate about people and detection dogs. Maggie provides her skills to her community through her work in search and rescue work with her dogs; Ruger (retired), Rebel (passed away), Rlo, and Arson. She has been doing therapy work as well with her dog Gracie since 2015 and recently her Koolie Rlo passed his test, in May of 2023.
Dr. Charles van Rees is a conservation scientist and Assistant Professor at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia. There he serves as Director of the Ecological Restoration and Engineering With Nature program and a faculty affiliate of the River Basin Center and Center for Integrative Conservation Research. The van Rees lab at UGA studies the interplays of water resources management and biodiversity conservation, the use of Nature-based Solutions to restore ecosystems and protect vulnerable communities, and water's dynamic role in terrestrial ecosystems. Charles is also a naturalist and nature guide, contributing as a co-host and co-producer on the Nature Guys Podcast and Rewildology and running the nature FAQ and outdoor advice blog, Gulo in Nature.
Rebecca Kruger is a community organizer and communicator with years of experience fundraising and building community in the nonprofit world.