
Meet Our Team
Changing Lives One Dog At A Time

Evan Stewart, CPDT-KA
KPro K9 Master Trainer
evan@kprok9.com
Evan is our Master Trainer here at KPro K9 and has been working in dog training since 1997. Evan first became interested in dog training while working at the Fort Pierce Humane Society in Fort Pierce, FL. During his time there he quickly realized that a lack of training was a large contributing reason so many dogs were in the shelter system. Evan is passionate about helping people and dogs live abundantly together, and lives for the moments where real change and breakthroughs happen within those relationships. Evan serves as Master Trainer for KPro K9, and daily as a trainer for the South Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast areas.
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For more on Evan's background and training, click here.

Steph Martin, KCDT
steph@kprok9.com
As a psychology major, Steph has been involved in training various animals since 2010. She became interested in dog training in her youth, but chose to pursue training as a career after volunteering in shelters and seeing firsthand what a difference training can make in the life of a dog. Steph’s favorite part of training is helping to build confidence in the dogs and their owners, as well as in the relationship between them. Steph serves as a trainer in the Southern Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast areas.

Gino Smith, KCDT
KPro K9 Lead Trainer
gino@kprok9.com
Gino began his journey in dog training in 2014 when he developed a desire to help create healthy and balanced relationships between dogs and their owners. For Gino, dog training allows him to express himself in a variety of ways and it teaches him a new life lesson with every dog he encounters. His favorite aspect of training is having the opportunity to teach new service-oriented behaviors enabling dogs to better support their humans. Gino serves as a trainer in the Greater Jacksonville, Florida area.

Nate Hatch, CPDT-KA
KPro K9 Lead Trainer
nate@kprok9.com
Nate’s interest was ignited for dog training in 2018 while working to rehabilitate shelter dogs at Nassau Humane Society, Amelia Island, FL. Nate’s favorite part of his job is helping build trust and positive behaviors in dogs through trustworthy leadership from their owners. For Nate, nothing beats the feeling of helping someone recapture the ancient relationship between people and dogs. Nate serves as a trainer in the Nassau County and Fernandina Beach areas of Florida.
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For more on Nate's background and training, click here​.

Cassie Hatch, KCDT
cassie@kprok9.com
Cassie has been involved in dog training in various capacities since 2018. Having previously worked in animal shelters to rehabilitate dogs, Cassie now uses her training skills to give owners the support and knowledge they need to live their best lives with their dogs. Cassie is passionate about helping shelter animals get a new “leash” on life! Cassie serves as a trainer in the South Eastern Georgia area.

Guy Smith, CPDT-KA
guy@kprok9.com
Guy rescued his dog Julian from the shelter in 2020, and upon commencement of Julian’s training, Guy found his passion for training dogs. Dog training provides an opportunity for Guy to positively impact the lives of others, both human and canine. His favorite part of his job is teaching people the skills to create new behaviors that elevate the dog’s success in public and at home. Guy serves as a trainer in the Greater Jacksonville, Florida area.

Frances Hopfer, MWDT
frances@kprok9.com
Frances began training dogs in 2014 when she joined the United States Air Force to become a military working dog trainer. She loves teaching owners about their dog’s behaviors and helping humans and dogs to work as a team to achieve their training goals. Her life’s passion is helping to fill the communication gap between humans and dogs. Frances has been the training expert for “Training Tip Tuesday” at the Humane Society of El Paso! Frances serves as a trainer in the greater El Paso, Texas area.

Ryan Gilbert, KCDT
ryan@kprok9.com
Ryan began dog training when he decided to train his dog that he adopted in 2021. For Ryan, dogs are creatures that bond with humans in a meaningful manner, and being able to teach the dog and handler to see and understand that relationship is one of the best parts of training. His favorite part of training is seeing the excitement in both the dog and the human when the dog learns a new behavior. Ryan serves as a trainer in the Greater Jacksonville, Florida area.

Rayann Stokes, CPT
rayann@kprok9.com
Previously the Senior Veterinary Technician at Nassau County Animal Services and the Lead Dog Trainer at Petco in Yulee, Rayann joined Team KPro K9 driven by her desire to more deeply understand and learn from dogs. Rayann loves dog training because it gives her the ability to meet a wide variety of dogs which only continues to feed her desire to learn the specifics of each breed. Rayann finds joy in facilitating breakthroughs between humans and dogs as they grow in their relationship. Rayann serves as a trainer in Camden County.

Jen Pishnyuk, KCDT
jen@kprok9.com
Jen initially found her passion for training with marine mammals. She later became interested in training dogs specifically and is continually impressed with all they are capable of learning. She loves learning the newest techniques in canine behavior training Jen is driven by the desire helping people understand their dogs more fully and to make a positive impact on the lives of the dogs and their owners. Jen serves as a trainer in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area.

Nissa Samuels, CPT
nissa@kprok9.com
While working in the shelters of Northshore Humane Society for years, Nissa saw how dogs can thrive when given routine and training. She comes to us with a wealth of experience in working with a variety of dogs who exhibit and learn a variety of behaviors. She especially loves to see the bond that forms between a person and their dog when they can spend time engaged in fullfilling activities together such as training and sports. Nissa serves as a trainer in Southeastern Louisiana.
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Dawn Beazle, KCDT
dawn@kprok9.com
Dawn has always had a passion for caring for dogs and helping them to live fulfilling lives. Since 2005, Dawn has served as a dog trainer to help dogs learn obedience skills, and has been involved in animal rescue. She loves the moments where she helps owners better understand what a dog is trying to communicate through their behavior and body language, knowing that those moments facilitate a better relationship between dog and human. Dawn serves as a trainer in the Volusia and Flagler County areas

Aliza Lazcano, Nat K9
aliza@kprok9.com
Beginning her career with dogs in the shelter industry, Aliza saw firsthand how important it is to learn to communicate with dogs and to learn what their body language communicates to us. She became a certified trainer through National K9 Training Center and School in 2020 and has been using her been using her knowledge to improve the lives of people and pets ever since. Aliza serves as a trainer in the El Paso, Tx area.

Kristine Montellano, KCDT
kristine@kprok9.com
Kristine loves being able to share her knowledge and passion for dogs with clients and her community. She is driven by her love for dogs and desire to help all dogs find and keep their forever homes. Kristine serves as a trainer in the El Paso, Texas area.

Heather Stewart
Office Administrator
training@kprok9.com
Heather has been part of our KPro office staff since 2020 upon her retirement from the United States Navy. Heather focuses on sales and client care as well as communicating with our trainers. Her favorite part of her job is empowering and enabling others to do their best work.