Betty Swenson – President
Betty Swenson, DVM has been participating in dog sports with her Border Collies since 1978. Her six dogs have together earned over 40 AKC titles, including OTCH, UDX, MX, MXJ, TDX, HXAs, and HIBs. She has been an active member of the AKC affiliated clubs Richmond Dog Obedience Club, Border Collie Society of America, and Piedmont Border Collie Association for over 20 years. Her dogs have also competed and titled in other venues, including UKC, AHBA, USBCHA, and ASCA.
In 1999 she enrolled in a CFF Freestyle class taught by Joan Tennille at Richmond Dog Obedience Club and was soon exhibiting in Canine Freestyle Federation (CFF) events. She became a CFF judge in 2001 and a Board member in 2016. Her dog Gromit was awarded the first CFF Championship title in 2003; her dog Yahtzee is the only dog to date to have earned the Championship title twice; she has retired the Founders Challenge Trophy for Highest Artistic Score three times.
Vice President – Leila Widgren
Carl Tennille – Treasurer
I have a B.S. and an M.S. in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and am a Certified Public Accountant. I served as a National Vice President of the Institute of Management Accountants, the largest professional association of management accountants in the world. I am also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. I retired in 2005 as the Comptroller of a group of Trust Funds, with assets in excess of 6 billion dollars, that provide health and retirement benefits to individuals in the bituminous coal industry. I currently do some consulting in accounting and related fields.
I have been around dogs all my life, as my father had his own small animal hospital and then taught at OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. My current breed is Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Currently I am Treasurer of the American Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Charitable Trust. I was President of the Capital Dog Training Club of Washington D.C. for a number of years.
Shari Bryant – Recording Secretary
Diana Simpson – Membership Chair
I have been training dogs since the mid 80’s. I have had success in obedience, rally, agility, tracking, lure coursing, and freestyle. All are fun to participate in and each has its own challenges.
Janet Dayton – Judging Chair
When I adopted my first dog Sailor, a rescue greyhound, my plan was to go for walks together and have him retire to the couch. Instead Sailor and I ended up competing in companion events. My adventure into dog events led me to CanineFreestyle DogWork® with Pearl. CanineFreestyle DogWork® gives me a creative outlet I can share with my dogs.
Training a dog is truly a journey. Success can be measured in both big and small ways. My dogs and I have competed and titled in obedience, rally, tracking, agility, and CanineFreestyle DogWork®. They have earned their CGC and have been TDI certified. I continue to actively train and compete in multiple disciplines with my greyhounds, Rain and Lark.
Director/Education Chair – Julia Gregory
Julia has been training dogs since the age of nine, shortly after the Earth’s crust cooled. In her youth, when she worked as a zoo keeper, she was privileged to handle elephants and train sea lions. Currently, Julia works as a Senior Educator at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Her favorite part of her job is the care, training and presentation of animal ambassadors. Her favorites are the flying squirrels.
On an extracurricular basis, Julia has enjoyed participating in theater and choral music. So in 2003, when she discovered Freestyle DogWork she felt that she had arrived at the intersection of all that was best in her life. Since then she has worked in partnership with three dogs (a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and two All-Americans) to earn titles at all levels in single dog and team classes. She served as editor of Paws to Dance for 10 years, served on the committee that introduced the In The Moment class and is a CanineFreestyle DogWork judge.
Director/Communication Chair – Donna DiGiacomo-Kesten
Donna is new to the sport of canine freestyle but not new to loving and caring for dogs. Over the years she has owned 3 Rottweilers, a Shepard, a Basset and currently an adorable Miniature Poodle named Essy. She recently attended her first CFF titling event in 2022 and fell in love with the sport, Donna is a proactive person and hopes to positively communicate the benefits of canine freestyle to others via our website and Facebook page.
