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Adventure Trails Dog Camp is operated by a team of dedicated and experienced pet professionals.  We combine knowledgeable, experience, passion, and our love for animals to ensure that every pet has the best experience at camp!


Our camp counselors understand each dog is different and every day is not routine. We ensure all dogs are having a great time at camp while either playing or soaking up the sun.
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(Scroll down to meet our staff!)

Meet The Adventure Trails Dog Camp Team:

Kristy Mathenia
Camp Owner & Certified Dog Trainer

​Kristy has been a life long dog owner and is fully dedicated with a very large heart to love all the dogs who come to check out camp.
 
She is an educated, positive and compassionate trainer, a honors graduate of Animal Behavior College where she earned certification as an ABC Certified Dog Trainer. Animal Behavior College (ABC) is approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education and is an internationally recognized school. This program provided Kristy with a formal education in canine obedience training and an understanding animal behavior and motives. Certification, continual education and experience has given her the skills required to effectively and humanely train.   She is a member of the Pet Professional Guild and is a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She believes that your relationship with your dog is key.  She continues to study dog behavior through reading, professional subscriptions and seminars. 
 
Kristy is well-versed in the most current techniques that will enable you and your dog to form and perfect a cooperative relationship that will deepen your bond.   Her philosophy is that training is a means to communicate, which promotes trust and builds a good relationship.  Kristy is dedicated to improving the lives of dogs and is an advocate for them.

She is a graduate of Calif State University of Chico with a BA in Anthropology and a minor in International Relations.  Her studies in behavior, cultural perspectives and linguistics have
  helped her with working with dogs and people in particular in helping them understand how to see the canine worldview.   


Her work in the Peace Corps in Uruguay was a big influence on Kristy too.  She worked with a cooperative of women, a rural school and a dairy farm as well.  

Sabreena Stone
General Manager
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Sabreena has spent most of her adult life owning and training her dogs. She has a passion for bulldogs and can spend all day talking about them. Sabreena has owned small, medium, and large breeds in her lifetime. Although she did not have pets while she was growing up, she spent much of her time at her aunt’s, who was a professional dog trainer and groomer. Through the time spent with her aunt, Sabreena grew to appreciate the way training strengthens the bond between a canine and it’s human. Sabreena has experience in marketing and management in other industries and is now excited to be a part of the Adventure Trails Dog Camp team. When not at work, Sabreena enjoys baking, photography, and spending time with her family, including English Bulldogs, Copper & Dozer.

Kiana Ronne
Yard Supervisor

Kiana is a freshly graduated biology student out of Skagit Valley, aspiring to learn everything there is to know about canine behavior and communication. After adopting her first dog at 5 years old (who she still has now!), she’s always been intrigued by the unmatched bond between us and our beloved dogs. As most people in this field, she began dog walking and dog sitting at a young age and has always dreamed of working with dogs professionally. She spends her free time teaching her three dogs new tricks and behaviors, as well as taking them on new adventures across the PNW. After transferring to Washington State University under their Pre-Veterinary program, she quickly realized that her heart desires to pursue a career exclusively training guide dogs for the blind and/or assistance dogs for veterans in need. Now back on Whidbey Island, Kiana enjoys spending her days at Adventure Trails where she can interact with all different breeds, shapes, and personalities.

Larry Tjoelker
Camp Counselor

As a boy growing up on a dairy farm, Larry had no shortage of animals in his life. Of all these animals, it was the dogs that won his heart. They were his best buddies, his confidants, his companions in adventure and, sometimes, his comic relief. Dogs have remained all these things for him throughout his adult life as he and his wife raised a family together and then discovered that there was no such thing as an empty nest when dogs are in the family. Thus, after retiring from a long, fulfilling career in biomedical research, Larry was thrilled with the opportunity to return to his canine roots and join the Adventure Trails Dog Camp team. He finds the dynamics of dog society fascinating, and marvels at how much the dogs can teach us. Best of all, he finds it hard to have a bad day in a yard filled with dogs playing, exploring, snoozing, sometimes squabbling, and always offering affection without limit.

Brianna Bingisser
Camp Counselor

​Brianna has been around a variety of animals since the day she was born. Dogs have always held a special place in her heart which is why she has chosen to dedicate her life to the health and wellbeing of these special animals. In 2013 Brianna became a certified veterinary assistant, however, she decided that it wasn’t the career for her. This led to her working in animal shelters where she developed a passion for helping and healing shelter dogs in a different way. Some of which became family. During her time working in the animal shelter she found a new opportunity: dog training! Brianna is currently enrolled in the University of Washington and will become certified in animal behavior June, 2024. She will continue furthering her education and seeking additional certifications regarding dog training and wellness.

Amanda Grove
Camp Counselor

After 11+ years of customer service, Amanda stepped away from humans and went for her passion in life - animals. She started working at Kings SPCA in Lemoore, CA in 2021 with just the personal experience of growing up with dogs and cats. While working there, she learned more about training, grooming, vaccinations, and animal care. Amanda loves fostering bottle babies and rescuing lost or abandoned dogs and cats.

Colleen Eason
Camp Counselor

 Colleen has lived on the island for 9 years and loves it! She lives with her husband of 20 years and their 2
children. Colleen started her animal career by attending Pima medical school, where she graduated in
2014 with an Associates in Veterinary Technology Sciences. Colleen worked briefly as a veterinary
technician in Colorado before moving to Washington state. Once she moved to the island, she
decided to take her career in a different direction. Colleen became a certified dog trainer with Petco and
did this for one and a half years. She received an opportunity to be trained as a groomer.
Unfortunately this was not satisfying for her and she again chose to change it up a bit. Colleen then
became a Lead Kennel Technician for a boarding/daycare facility. After a while she decided that she
wanted to participate in a daycare environment and found her way to Adventure Trails. Colleen loves
being able to make the dogs happy and tired!

Howard Nickles
Camp Counselor

Howard was raised in a family of passionate animal lovers. He cared for hamsters, fish, and snakes but was finally given the opportunity to be a first time dog owner at the age of 14. This was his dream come true. Howard continued this passion by volunteering with a rescue group throughout his adult life. This has allowed him to become familiar with small, medium, and large dogs. He is well versed in caring for and training abandoned, abused, and high risk pups. He has personally overseen and been responsible for the adoption of 28 pups. Howard is excited to be able to continue his passion for dogs as part of the Adventure Trails team.

Gabriella Dillon
Camp Counselor

Gabriella has grown up around dogs since she was born.  She has a passion for animals, especially large dogs.  As a teen, Gabriella operated her own dog-sitting and walking business, which quickly evolved into training as well when the pets’ owners realized that Gabriella was working with their babies to correct and modify behaviors during their time together.  Gabriella worked at several doggy daycare facilities in Colorado and Hawaii, developing her skills for working with dogs while embracing multiple training philosophies and techniques that she learned at the daycare facilities. She believes that dogs, like people are all different and a training method that works for one dog may not work for another. Gabriella is currently enrolled in Animal Behavior College.