Boston Dog Training Staff

Terri Bright, Ph.D., BCBA-D, CAAB, Director of Behavior Services

Dr. Terri Bright earned her Master’s of Science and Doctoral degrees at Simmons College in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with an animal specialty, and she is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). She teaches Behavior Analysis at Northeastern University, and lectures nationally on the subject of Applied Animal Behavior Analysis. She is the past President of the Applied Animal Behavior Special Interest Group in the Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).

Dr. Bright has been training dogs as a hobby and professionally for over 20 years and previously had a private dog-training, then behavior, practice. Historically, she competed with her former Bull Terriers in Obedience, Agility and/or conformation, with great results. Her dog Fanny was the top Agility Bull Terrier in the U.S. in 2006 and 2007. Bull Terrier Radio was a breed champion and the subject of Dr. Bright’s research on stimulus equivalence (matching-to-sample training) that garnered her a Marian Breland Bailey (MBB) Award from the Association of Applied Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Dr. Bright won another MBB Award from ABAI for her research on the use of errorless teaching to train a Shelter dog to sit at the sound of a bell (“Pavlov’s Shelter”) when she was not in the dog’s sight. Her bully mix, Ribbon (shown), is a frequent performer in teaching videos Dr. Bright creates for her clients.

Dr. Bright launched the Training (now Behavior) Department at the MSPCA-Boston location in 2007 and, with a phalanx of crackerjack training instructors, has expanded the program to include a new location in Waltham at Angell West, and by bringing the Nevins Farm location under the MSPCA-Angell Behavior umbrella. She helped to evaluate homeless dogs surrendered at the MSPCA for proper placement for more than thirteen years, and designed training and enrichment programs for dogs at the MSPCA. She formerly helped to evaluate homeless dogs surrendered at the MSPCA for proper placement for more than 13 years, and designed training and enrichment programs for dogs at the MSPCA. Dr. Bright also designed and implemented curriculum and teaching for staff and volunteers in the Safewalk™ program, which she created in 2009. Safewalk™ is currently being successfully implemented in other sheltering facilities with Dr. Bright’s consultative assistance.

Dr. Bright is also the founding editor of a new open-source animal behavior publication, called the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis in Animal Training (www.jabaat.org).

 Susan Conway, CPDT-KA, Behavior Operations Manager

Susan joined the Behavior team at MSPCA-Angell in 2013 and has since earned the Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) certification as well as completed a graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. Susan assists Dr. Bright in her behavior consults, coordinates training classes, and helps to keep the office running smoothly. She earned her Bachelors of Science from Boston University in 1993, where she studied mass communication and psychology. She spent almost a decade working in marketing at Dunkin’ Brands, and received a Masters degree from Emerson College in Integrated Marketing Communication. After switching gears and earning a certificate in Professional Photography at CDIA/BU in 2006, Susan spent several years working as a wedding and portrait photographer, and also began to volunteer at her local shelter photographing the dogs there who were awaiting new homes. This experience led Susan to further explore animal behavior, and she earned a certificate in Canine Behavior and Training from Mount Ida College in 2013. Susan and her husband currently share their home with a Boston Terrier and a Chihuahua mix.

Michalla Bishop, CPDT-KA, Training Coordinator

Michalla began her career with the MSPCA as a volunteer at the Boston Adoption Center. She mentored under Dr. Bright through the Animal Behavior College program and then joined the team full-time in 2010. Michalla coordinates our robust schedule of group training classes in Jamaica Plain and teaches a raft of classes including Puppy Play n’ Learn, Obedience, Agility, and Nosework. The real star of her classes is her beloved companion “Esme the Training Dog” who has developed a large and devoted following of students. Michalla and Esme shared a fun and thrilling Agility career. After Esme suffered a knee injury, they switched gears to the lower-impact sport of Nosework, where she earned an Excellent-level title in Performance Scent Dogs.

Instructors:

 Carol Ahearn, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, FFCP, Senior Instructor

Carol started working with dogs over thirty years ago as a breed conformation handler. She is an Animal Behavior College and Instructor Training Course graduate, with experience in a variety of environments from private lessons to large classroom settings and workshops. Carol was a behavior counselor in a shelter for over fifteen years, where she was involved in dog evaluations, behavior modification programs and special adoptions. Carol is currently working for a service dog organization helping raise and train dogs for disabled veterans. Carol is an AKC CGC Evaluator. She is owned by: Teddy, a gentle therapy dog; four cats that love to walk outside on leash and like tricks; and three Belgian Shepherds excited to participate in obedience, rally, scent detection, and most of all agility sports.

 Rebecca Cosloy, KPA-CTP, Instructor

Rebecca has been training and caring for dogs since 2002. Rebecca’s background and special interest lies in reactivity, fear and fear-based aggression in pet dogs. This perspective informs her approach to teaching all dogs and their humans with sensitivity and compassion. A proud Graduate with Distinction from the Dog Training Professional Program in January of 2015, she was awarded the coveted KPA CTP designation (Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner.) Rebecca is Fear Free certified, an approved AKC CGC Evaluator, and an Official Mentor Trainer for CATCH Canine Trainers Academy. She shares her home with an 8 year old rescue Papillon, Jacx, and 3 year old Icelandic Sheepdog, Tindra. Rebecca enjoys training and competing with her dogs in her free time. Jacx is her K9 Nosework competitor. Tindra is showing in conformation and is in training for competition obedience.

Connor Gaffney, MS, BCBA, Instructor

Connor Gaffney first became interested in dog training, and behavior in general, after meeting Dr. Bright in her Behavior Analysis class at Northeastern University. He was an intern in the Shelter for a semester, then became a valued SafeWalk volunteer. He then worked as a Behavior Assistant for our Behavior Department, assisting with professional behavior consults and teaching dog training for several years, while completing a master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Northeastern University in 2017. Connor subsequently began working with children with autism and earned his certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2021. He now works full time as a Behavior Analyst, but his passion for dog training has never left him, so he continues as a part of our team here as a Dog Trainer.

Susan Hartman, CPDT-KA, Instructor

Susan was born to Danish-German immigrants, raised in Los Angeles County and was always encouraged by her family to love & respect animals. Her passion for the welfare of all animals inspired her to volunteer with Los Angeles Animal Services where Susan maintained a leadership role for more than a decade, concentrating and coaching, primarily, on low-stress & safe handling techniques and behavior modification of sheltered dogs. Susan’s volunteer work with sheltered dogs energized her private in-home training practice throughout LA and Orange Counties where she trained her clients emphasizing the human-canine bond through force free training. Susan has earned her CPDT-KA and graduated from The Animal Behavior College. Susan also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She recently relocated to Quincy from Southern California with her family and her crazy little Cattle Dog “Ringo.”

 Clare Karos, CPDT-KA, Senior Instructor

Clare met Dr. Bright in 2008 as she searched for help with her 100-lb adolescent Newfoundland, Moby. In typical adolescent fashion, Moby was chasing anything that moved, biting the wheels of the stroller during walks, and mouthing Clare’s young children. Clare and Moby enrolled in training classes with Dr. Bright, which ignited her love and passion for the science of dog behavior. Clare joined the MSPCA as a volunteer, working with shelter dogs at the Boston Adoption Center and observing and assisting in training classes. She also started her own reactive dog-walking business, working with many reactive dogs in the city for 11 years. Clare became an employee in 2010 and has been providing both group and private instruction at the MSPCA ever since. Clare holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she studied Criminal Justice. Clare shares her home with her husband, three daughters, a Great Dane and two Pugs. Her former hound, Levi, taught her a lot about managing and training for behaviors such as barking, resource guarding and reactivity. Staying true to her roots, Clare continues to enjoy working with adolescent dogs and helping them become good family members.

 Jackie Romeo, Instructor

Jackie Romeo began her career at the MSPCA as a volunteer for the Safewalk program, providing training and enrichment activities for dogs at the Boston Adoption Center. She also guided scores of other volunteers through the Safewalk curriculum. After years of volunteering and extensive mentoring by Dr. Bright and her staff, Jackie apprenticed in puppy socialization, obedience, agility, and nosework classes. In 2018 she joined the Boston staff. Jackie currently teaches Puppy Play n’ Learn and Level 1 dog training, and Whistle Recall. Jackie has a Ph.D in Theatre History, Theory & Criticism and is Senior Affiliated Faculty at Emerson College . When not training dogs at the MSPCA Jackie’s professional skills are continually honed by her rescue dog Ramona.

Aubrey Sperry, CDBC, CPDT-KA, ANWI Instructor

Aubrey gained experience teaching people while working as an educator at the Los Angeles Zoo, and learned to work with various dog breeds as a veterinary assistant in an emergency and specialty practice in Los Angeles. More recently in Boston, Aubrey worked as a zookeeper at the Franklin Park Zoo and as a staff biologist at the New England Aquarium. Aubrey now works full time as a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant servicing the Boston area, but she spends her time outside work participating in dog sports with her personal dogs. At the MSPCA she teaches K9 Nose Work; as an instructor and a competitor of this fabulous sport she has developed a passion for introducing others to a world where dogs can be dogs and truly anyone can participate.