Meet The Expert Team

• Cory Wayne

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  Cory, our General Manager, has been with Bark U since March of 2021. CPDT-KA, and CPACO certified, he keeps our facility running smoothly and leads our staff development! Cory uses his vast experience and expertise to make sure that our customers are always receiving the best care, while providing a welcoming and stimulating work environment for all our staff members, across all departments, and spearheading staff training initiatives and certification processes. Cory is here to put out any fires, provide support, maintain open communication with our customers and staff, and to make sure all our canine guests are always happy and healthy!

  

  Cory Wayne

  General Manager

• Colleen Brown

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  Colleen, our Office Director, is a Bloomsburg graduate with a degree in Interpersonal Communication Studies. She adores working with and conversing with others with a strong passion in caretaking (both humans and animals!) Previously, a Special Events Technical Coordinator, her passion for caregiving and love of animals led her to BARK U. Growing up surrounded by various family pets of all kinds, dogs held a special place in her heart. Dog sitting for friends and family over the past 10 years was more of a getaway than a “job.” Her ideal career path always involved working with or caring for animals and was thrilled to start making this a reality when she began her role at B.U. Photography is her hobby, and she dreams of merging her love of capturing a perfect moment; especially her upcoming passion project of photographing shelter dogs and cats in hopes to aid in their adoption. Colleen is currently working towards obtaining accreditation’s including The Certification Counsel for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) and Certified Behavior Consultant for Canines (CBCC.) She also loves learning everything there is to know about grooming! Colleen’s favorite dog breeds are Bluetick Coonhound, Boston Terrier, and Bernese Mountain Dog.

  

  Colleen Brown

  Office Director

• Dan Egbert

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  Dan has been helping with Bark U on and off since we first started, but finally settled into a permanent position as our Behavior Supervisor in September of 2022. Dan brings his expertise as a former restaurateur to Bark U and keeps our kennel running as neatly and as efficiently as a professional kitchen! Dan loves our canine guests and as our Kennels Supervisor makes sure that all our guests and our staff are happy and very well taken care of! He keeps our systems organized and efficient, which when surrounded by so many messy dogs, is quite a job!

  

  Dan Egbert

  Facilities Supervisor

• Lucy Cyr

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  Lucy is Bark U’s Transportation Supervisor and has been with us since June of 2021. If you use our bus service, Lucy is likely a very familiar face for you! Lucy makes sure that our fleet of buses is maintained and running efficiently and safely. She maps out our routes, organize the drivers, and makes sure that each dog is picked up, transported, and dropped off, not only efficiently, but also with gentle and stress-free handling techniques. Lucy is also one of our most experienced caregivers and spends the middle part of her day making sure all our canine guests are happy and healthy throughout their time with us!

  

  Lucy Cyr

  Transportation Supervisor

• Alex Cost

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  Alex has been working with Bark U as our Behavior Supervisor since May of 2022 and is both CPDT-KA and CPACM certified. Having grown up on a working farm, surrounded by all sorts of animals, Alex applies his practical knowledge towards making sure your pet has the best care when staying with us! As our Behavior Supervisor, Alex knows our canine guests inside and out. He also, has quite a lot of experience handling special-needs dogs and managing large group play settings. He accommodates any additional needs that may arrive during our guests’ stay, mental or physical, along with granting any extra-special requests from their owners. You may not know his face as well, but your dog certainly does!

  

  Alex Cost

  Lodging Director

• Emily Smallwood

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  Emily Smallwood, our Lodging Director is a passionate dog trainer with a deep-rooted love for animals. Growing up in a rural mountain farming town surrounded by animals, her connection to them began early. Her journey led her to Philadelphia in 2018, where after years of working with children, she transitioned to training. Starting at Petco, Emily swiftly rose to become the senior dog trainer and mentor for the district. In 2022, she achieved her CPDTKA certification. With two beloved dogs of her own, Shiva and a Pomeranian, Emily’s childhood dream of working with animals has bloomed into a fulfilling career. Her ultimate goal is to stay at the forefront of the industry, embracing the constant evolution and learning opportunities it presents.

  

  Emily Smallwood

  Lodging Director

• Mary Steveline

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  Meet Mary, our dedicated Wellness Coordinator at BARK U. With a lifelong love for animals, Mary’s passion for ensuring every dog has a tail-wagging time is unmatched. Growing up surrounded by Golden Retrievers and cats, she found joy in interacting with furry friends from a young age. During her siblings’ sports events, Mary would seek out dogs to walk and play with, showcasing her natural affinity for canine companions.

  Mary brings over 15 years of professional experience in the pet care industry. Prior to joining our team, she successfully managed a dog boarding and daycare facility since 2009. Her expertise and commitment to animal welfare make her a valuable asset to BARK U. At home, Mary shares her life with two Newfoundland dogs named Ellee and Griff, along with a Pomeranian mix named Flo.

  With Mary’s wealth of experience and genuine love for dogs, she ensures that every pup at BARK U has an enriching and joyful experience. She is oury go-to companion for all things wellness and happiness for our furry friends.

  

  Mary Steveline

  Wellness Coordinator

• Alicia Gautille

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  Alicia, our Director of Training, has been with Bark U since February of 2020. She has a Bachelors’ degree in Animal Science from Penn State and is a CPDT-KA. She has trained all sorts of dogs for all sorts of jobs, including, but not limited to, service dogs, bedbug detection, puppy socialization and diabetic alert dogs. Alicia’s vast training experience greatly elevates the caliber of care that we can provide as a facility. If you come to Bark U for our puppy program, you’ll know her very well, as she spends most her days here socializing and training all our youngest guests to be the best adult dogs they can be!

  

  Alicia Gautille

  Director of Training

• Jake Debnam

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  Jake has been with Bark U since June of 2022 and previously has studied wildlife management, natural history, and interpretive biology. Jake has been working with dogs since 2020 and recently earned his CPDT-KA. He always applies his wide range of knowledge towards providing the best care for your pet. He brings a calm and confident energy to every interaction he has with dogs and has an incredibly diverse, yet well developed, skillset, and will often be found running the play yard, driving our buses, or even working in our puppy school! If you’ve brought your pup to Bark U you’ve almost definitely met Jake and encountered his infectious laugh and enthusiastic love for your pup!

  

  Jake Debnam

  Behavior Specialist / Trainer

• Laura Campbell

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  Laura, our Senior Stylist, has been working with Bark U since 2020! After a lifetime of horse and small animal care, she started as an apprentice with us. Soon after she headed off to master her trade at Posh Paws before coming back to us to run our grooming department! Laura is AKC S.A.F.E certified, K9 CPR and first aid certified, and is a certified groomer! She practices safe and gentle handling techniques with our pups, and her experience with horses has conditioned her to stay calm and cool, even when the animal she’s working with is not! Laura provides excellent care for every guest and makes sure that they all go home looking fresh and feeling their best!

  

  Laura Campbell

  Salon Director

What it takes to be a Bark U team member

Position/Certification	CPR / First Aid	Dog Handler Academy	Hero’s for Healthy Pets	AKC S.A.F.E	Practical Exam from a CPDT	CPACM and/or CPDT	CPACO
Booking Specialist	pets	pets	pets
Handler	pets	pets	pets
Jr/Sr Stylist	pets	pets	pets	pets
Senior Handler	pets	pets	pets		pets
Trainer	pets	pets	pets		pets	pets
Supervisor	pets	pets	pets		pets	pets
Manager	pets	pets	pets	pets	pets	pets	pets