Jennifer Kolar has been surrounded by animals and active in their training and rehabilitation since she was a child. Just as she’s seen many a stray or shelter dog through fear and reactivity issues, they have seen her through hard times too.
Jennifer recognizes that working with service dog teams is at least as much about the person as about their animal. She is deeply committed to the positive, ethical treatment of both dogs and people. Over her professional training journey, she has worked with foundations raising service dogs, built a service dog for-profit business, and then in 2016 co-founded Atlas Assistance Dogs, a non-profit that breaks down barriers so that service dog training can benefit as many people as possible.
Jennifer has worked as a leader in technology firms for over 20 years and is Vice President of Engineering at her current company. She has volunteered with environmental, animal, and human rights organizations throughout her life. She is a volunteer at the Seattle Animal Shelter, where she leads their foster dog training program. She has more than 10 years of experience as a professional service dog trainer and instructor. She is always on the quest for new knowledge, skills, and perspective in the name of advancing positive and successful dog training techniques.
Jennifer has a BS in Applied Mathematics in Engineering and an MS in Astrophysical, Planetary, and Atmospheric Sciences. She is a Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner, Certified Behavioral Adjustment Training Instructor, Atlas Certified Trainer, Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Diabetic Alert Dog Certified Trainer, and a Certified Peer Supporter.