Meet Our Team

Cathy King

Executive Director

Cathy's involvement with CWAC began during her tenure as Executive Director at Friends of Animals, Utah. Her extensive experience in animal welfare and rescue had convinced her of the profound impact companion animals have on human well-being, particularly for those coping with trauma.

A driving goal for Cathy is to eliminate the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals and instead find them loving homes, where they can provide comfort and support to their human counterparts.

Chloe Chinchilla

Utah Program Manager and Dog Trainer

Chloe joined the CWAC team in 2018, driven by her passion for dogs, the mountains, and intuition, which led her to take a leap of faith and move to Salt Lake City, a place she had never visited before. As fate would have it, she landed her dream job with Canines With a Cause, and has been a dedicated team member ever since.

Chloe's favorite part of her role is witnessing the transformative growth, courage, and resilience of both rescue dogs and veterans. Outside of work, Chloe and her small rescue pup love exploring the beauty of the Mountain West lifestyle, making the most of every adventure that comes their way.

Harleigh Poulson, CPDT-KA®

Lead Dog Trainer, Teams Manager & Coach

Harleigh's journey in dog training began in 2013 with Guide Dogs for the Blind, where she participated in a volunteer program raising puppies to become guide dogs. She dedicated six years to this program before transitioning to professional training at a veterinary clinic, where she currently works.

Her passion lies in training service dogs, advocating for disability rights, and promoting mental health awareness. This passion stems from a personal experience: after her brother's suicide, Harleigh felt lost and sought a way to support those struggling. Training psychiatric service dogs seemed like a meaningful way to utilize her skills and experience.

When a job posting from Canines With a Cause (CWAC) crossed her path during a challenging time, Harleigh saw it as an opportunity to fulfill a promise she made to her grandfather. Before he passed away, he asked her to help him get a companion dog, knowing it wouldn't be possible. Harleigh hopes to honor this promise and her brother's memory by helping pair veterans with service dogs, providing companionship and support to those who need it.

Christina Martinez

Brand, Promotions and Support

Christina's journey with CWAC began at a pivotal moment in her life. After dedicating nine years to the Army Reserve and earning her BA in Graphic Design, she found herself at a crossroads. A stint in the corporate world, working for a large retail company, left her feeling unfulfilled and yearning for meaningful work.

The opportunity to join CWAC was a turning point, allowing Christina to reunite her passion for helping others, her love of dogs, and her commitment to supporting fellow service members. Leveraging her skills in branding and communication, Christina is now dedicated to amplifying the important work of CWAC and supporting the dedicated team behind it.

Mary Ellen

Superstar Volunteer

Mary Ellen Hunter has volunteered for CWAC since it started in 2010. She has worked on many projects over the years. She has hiked with the dogs and taken them on trains, buses and elevators for training. She has worked with veterans and their dogs in training classes which is very rewarding and does special events as needed. Mary Ellen is currently very involved with the prison program which started in 2015. She spends time weekly at the prison training with the inmates and dogs that they live with.

Rhoda Stauffer

Superstar Volunteer

Rhoda is helping CWAC on organizational development matters as well as writing grant proposals. She has 25 years of experience in working with nonprofit organizations and is passionate about animal rescue. Rhoda is very happy to support CWAC and their work to rescue dogs, by assisting veterans and inmates.
Verified by MonsterInsights