Our Team
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Chelsey
Founder
Head Trainer/Behavior Specialist
Chelsey decided early on to follow her love for animals and studied dog training and canine psychology. Chelsey attended schooling and hands-on training for 2 years under the tutelage of two different top rated training programs - being exposed to a wide variety of dogs and behaviors.
She quickly recognized that some dogs need more than basic obedience and started immersing herself into behavior modification where she perfected more advanced techniques to help address behavioral issues.
For 10 years she has pushed herself to becoming an expert in many different training methods in order to be able to effectively manage more difficult cases, all while building Command Canine into what it is today. She works with her team every day, helping them continuously grow in their skills and ensure they are providing the best training and care possible.
Tony
President
Tony started his career in the medical industry; specifically focusing on neuro and spine surgery. He and his team identified challenges many hospitals faced and founded multiple companies that helped hospital systems across the US improve efficiencies within the operating room environment. By challenging the status quo of the medical industry, he was able to create new solutions, previously never attempted.
After 12 years of being in the medical field he wanted to take on a different challenge. Soon after meeting Chelsey, he saw a need to help her create a higher standard in the dog training industry. He’s passionate about focusing on the customer experience, and ensuring processes are in place that create the best possible outcome for you and your dog.
Tony is also passionate about aviation. He is a pilot and enjoys spending his free time flying around Charlotte as well traveling to see family and friends.
Rayne
Client Experience Officer
Rayne is originally from England but has lived in the US for many years. From NY to FL she has worked in different industries such as investment banking, wine sales and the music industry. For the last 17 years she has been in NC working in the dog training industry; and has worked with rescues for even longer! She learned early in her career how important it is to communicate effectively with clients when it comes to something as important as your dog.
Rayne has a natural gift that makes every new and existing client feel warm and welcome. She will be the first person you interact with at Command Canine, and she will help you through each step of our process in order to make sure you feel comfortable and well informed.
"I have been an animal lover my whole life, I have a weakness for farmed animals and rodents. When I am not in the office, you can find me listening to or making music, rescuing animals, hiking with my rescue dogs, thrifting, streaming Netflix and pigging out on lots of vegan yummies. Thank you for reading my bio and I look forward to getting to know you too!"
Sydney
Behavior and Obedience
While completing her neuroscience degree at Temple University, Sydney worked as a dog walker and pet sitter where she discovered her love for working with animals. After college, she began her career as a behavioral neuroscience researcher for 2 years before she realized that wanted to get back to working with animals.
"I knew I needed to find a way to combine my love for dogs with my education in behavioral neuroscience."
She was able to find her passion by working as a full time dog trainer in Philadelphia for 2 years with one of the region's leading dog training companies, working with dogs of all types of obedience and behavioral needs. Her love of dogs along with her understanding of neurology brings a very unique understanding of how dogs think and act.
When Sydney isn't training dogs, she is out hiking with her golden-doodle, Piper. She also loves riding horses. We are very fortunate to have Sydney on the Command Canine team.
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Maggie
Behavior and Obedience
Coming from an academic family and having a passion for dogs, Maggie aspired to be a veterinarian early in life. However she quickly realized that being a vet wasn't the right fit for her. So she found herself detouring away from her love for animals, and attending Oberlin College in Ohio, graduating with several majors, none of which were related to animals.
During college, Maggie adopted her first rescue, Ryder, which was extremely under-socialized. Working to help Ryder become a mentally healthy and happy dog reignited her desire to work with dogs for a living, which convinced her to pursue a career working with animals.
Maggie began working at the largest doggie daycare in Cleveland, and by 2013 she assumed the role of General Manager. Maggie loved every bit of her daycare experience, but also found herself wanting more - more challenges, more opportunities, more ways to positively impact dogs. In 2015, Maggie was offered the opportunity to mentor with a professional dog trainer with over 40 years of experience. This opportunity quickly fulfilled many of the things she’d been looking for, and she spent the next six years working closely with seasoned trainers and helping as many dogs and families as possible, before moving to Charlotte in 2021 for the next step in her training career.
Since then, Maggie has trained hundreds of dogs, focusing primarily on behavior modification and obedience cases. Additionally, she has experience training service dogs, therapy dogs, object retrieval and personal protection dogs.
In her free time, Maggie enjoys baking (always vegan!), board games, hiking with her pack, and spending time with family and friends, especially her adorable toddler nephews.
JaXx
Behavior and Obedience
JaXx has a Bachelors degree in Animal Science from UC Davis and has spent the last fifteen years building a solid foundation in animal training based on a combination of education, science, and hands-on experience.
She owned a very successful training and boarding business in Los Angeles, training many hundreds of dogs over career. She was also fortunate enough to train many celebrity's dogs during her time in L.A,
After wanting to get away from California, she found her new home here in Charlotte.
JaXx is a professional member of several well respected organizations such as the American Kennel Club. She also founded Pawsitive Outcomes Dog Rescue which serves South Los Angeles Community by rescuing dogs off of the street and also pulling at risk dogs from the local Animal Shelters
Her passion is to help dogs and their parents create a loving happy relationship and life together; based upon a mutual understanding and respect for one another.
Heather
Behavior and Obedience
Born and raised in Massachusetts, Heather Travis has been a professional dog trainer since 2014, bringing over a decade of expertise to her practice. Her passion for animals started at a very early age, and she has dedicated more than 20 years to working with them in various capacities.
Heather's diverse experience includes roles in veterinary hospitals, grooming salons, animal shelters, pet specialty retail, and dog walking. Her well-rounded background in the animal industry has equipped her with the knowledge and skills to address a wide range of canine behavior and training needs.
As an AKC CGC Evaluator and Professional Member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), Heather is committed to empowering dog owners on their training journey. She believes in fostering strong relationships between dogs and their owners, ensuring a harmonious and fulfilling partnership.
Outside of her professional life, Heather enjoys yoga, taking leisurely walks with her Pomeranian, Phoenix, and nurturing her orchid and houseplant collection. Her love for animals and dedication to their well-being is evident in every aspect of her life, making her a trusted and compassionate guide for those seeking to improve their relationship with their canine companions.
Justine
Obedience Specialist
Justine started her career in the dental field, working closely with children and adults. However, after seeing how dog training dramatically improved her relationship with her own dogs, she became obsessed with learning more about dog behavior and psychology. She decided to turn her passion into a career. After training and working with dog training companies, Justine eventually started her own dog training business, focusing on basic and advanced obedience. Joining Command Canine allows Justine to focus on doing what she loves most, while having a strong team to support her.
"I love to see the expression of my clients face when they see the change in their dog's behavior. It reminds me what got me into this industry in the first place. It makes me so happy to help people experience that same feeling I felt when they start a new relationship and bond with their dog."
Emma
Obedience Specialist
With a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Mount Olive, Emma brings a strong understanding of animal behavior to her work. Over the past six years, Emma has been a developed a successful pet sitting business in Waxhaw and the surrounding areas, nurturing a lifelong passion for animals. However, it wasn't until she got her dog, Easton, that she truly found their calling in dog training.
The challenge of being a student athlete while raising a puppy in college was a pivotal experience that led them to the world of dog training. For 3 years, Emma shadowed Chelsey, and learned to address behavior issues in dogs, which she also applied to Easton. She was fascinated with the parallels between training dogs and psychology. While dogs can't speak, their behaviors communicate a great deal.
Emma's mission as a dog trainer is to positively impact both dogs and their owners. To her, dogs are family members, not just pets. Outside of training, Emma often helps with foster puppies or enjoy playing frisbee with Easton. She also cherish spending time with family and friends. She is eager to work with you and your furry companions, helping to build stronger, happier relationships.
Ben
Canine Dietitian
Ben Cornwell has over 17 years of hospitality experience, his previous job managing a large fine dining establishment with over 100 staff members. Ben has always been around different animals, his late father, Greg Cornwell, was a key faculty member at the Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, SC. Greg sadly passed away in 2020 from his second battle with cancer.
Ben married his future business partner, Megan, at Webb Custom Kitchen in Gastonia, NC, where he was an operating partner. Shortly after, his mother, Anne, also passed away from ongoing health issues. While grieving his parents, Ben and Megan took great comfort in spending time with their pets. Both began their research into pet nutrition and EarthWise Pet Matthews followed shortly after.
Ben has a clear passion for pets and proper nutritional practices. Becoming a Certified Pet Dietitian urged Ben to add another fur baby to the Cornwell pack. As a gift to themselves, Ben and Megan got their handsome Golden Irish Retriever, Volstagg, before opening EarthWise.
Since Volstagg, all 3 fur babies are raw fed and thriving on their biologically-appropriate, rotational diet.
Megan
Canine Dietitian
Megan Cornwell is a Winthrop University graduate, Certified Pet Dietitian, and co-owner of EarthWise Pet in Matthews, NC. She is married to co-owner Ben Cornwell, and they have 3 fur children: Thor, Valkyrie, and Volstagg.
Megan has always had a passion for animals, especially dogs and cats, growing up around both. Her first purchase after moving out of her parent’s house was her sweet Golden Retriever, Thor. Her pet nutrition journey began with Thor’s fair amount of digestion issues as a puppy. Megan and Ben were on a mission to find a food that worked. After lots of research, they found the right foods and also found EarthWise Pet. Both looking for a career change, they jumped at the opportunity to open their own Nutrition Center and Wellness Spa.
EarthWise Pet provided Megan and Ben with the training and resources to become Certified Pet Dietitians. Both spent over a year doing extensive coursework, case studies, and readings on pet nutrition to prepare them for their store. During construction, Megan also worked for Steele Creek Animal Hospital as a receptionist and kennel assistant to gain more knowledge of the veterinary medical industry.
Megan and Ben feed their dogs a biologically-appropriate raw diet and have seen the benefits in all 3 of their fur babies. To Megan and Ben, pets are family, which is why they’re dedicated to helping pet parents find the best nutritional practices to help pets thrive!
