Patty Heugel
REceptionist
Patty has been around and worked with dogs her entire life. Her patience and understanding of dogs with behavioral issues led to her volunteering at suburban shelters and working with private companion animal rescues. Patty loves seeing a rescue dog come out of their shell and enjoy life. She is owned by her Shih Tzu/Jack Russell Terrier mix Sadie.
“…But if you don’t talk to the animals, they won’t talk back you, then you won’t understand, and when you don’t understand you will fear, and when you fear you will destroy the animals, and if you destroy the animals, you will destroy yourself.”
-Chief Dan George
Heather Starr
Pet Stylist
Heather has been grooming for over 10 years, she gained experience and training through PetSmart Academy and has been a great addition to the Awesome Paws team. She hopes to continue learning new techniques, such as cat grooming, and wants to learn as much as she can about dog behavior. Heather has competed in “Rescue Me Round Up” in November of 2019. Her favorite breeds to groom are schnauzers, double coats, and hand scissored poodles. Heather is owned by her 2 children, her Great Pyrenees/Lab mix-Lucy, Bruce the Basset Hound, and Louie the cat. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not”
-the Lorax
Emily Barger
Lead Pet Stylist
Emily began working with animals over a decade ago, she got her start in a in a shelter and daycare facility working to meet the needs of the overlooked animals of the world. When she began groomin in 2018 her love for animals in all conditions only grew. Emily LOVES and adores senior dogs and it’s this love for them that has fostered an empathetic and patient enviornment at her grooming table. She knows when a dog has reached their limit and needs to go home both as a result of years fostering dogs with behavioral issues and being American Kennel Club safe and CPR certified. Emily is also working on getting her Fear-Free certification and continuing to attend seminars to further her education. Emily is owned by a plethora of animals, Mila, Marley, Lady, and Annie are her dogs, along with two guinea pigs named Simon and Garfunkel, Noodle a Hognose snake, and last but not least Charlotte her tarantula.
kayla nock
Pet Stylist
Kayla has been grooming for the past four years, her combination of artistry and a love for animals made her a perfect fit for the industry. Kayla provides every dog with kindness, affection, and most importantly respect. She is keenly aware of animals boundaries and how to best work with and care for them. Going forward Kayla plans to further her experience and keep learning, she’s always growing and getting better on a daily basis. Kayla is also owned by her Bulldog/lab mix named Ace.
Anna Kresila
Pet Stylist
Anna started pet grooming out of love for dogs and an interest in the industry, she has been working with dogs for the past five years and has been grooming for two. Anna excels at work because of her patience and experience with dogs of all ages, breeds, and temperament. She also does her best work hands on so having a pair of shears in her hands is the perfect way for her to continue to learn and grow. Anna is pet CPR certified and over the years has developed a comprehensive understanding of pets body language. In the future she wants to work with more special needs dogs through gaining their trust, watching the grow, and helping them become more accustomed to the grooming process. Anna would also like to do more patterns and breed standard cuts. She is owned by her Pitbull Delilah, her Jack Russel Mix Aura, and her black cat Malcolm.
