Staff

 

Wendy Nelson

Our Executive Director, Wendy Nelson, brings a lifetime of experience to WAGS4KIDS.  A second
generation dog breeder and trainer, Wendy began participation in Junior Showmanship at the age of
ten. Forty years later, she has never stopped her involvement in the rearing, training and caretaking of
dogs.  She has taught in group classes and for the last ten years as a private instructor.  Her training
experiences include both pure and mixed breed dogs, wolf hybrids and behavior modification training for
problem behaviors and rescue dog socialization issues from trauma or mistreatment.  Wendy has
authored a book named "Dog's Don't Speak English", a training manual that helps the layman pick a  
puppy and teach it to be a service dog, skilled companion animal  or simply a tremendous pet.

Wendy oversees all training aspects of the WAGS4KIDS. programs including foster home selections for
puppies and ongoing training evaluations.  She is a member of the Delta Society, a Provider Member  of
the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) and was chosen by the American
Kennel Club as a registered evaluator for their Canine Good Citizen's qualification certifications.  It is
under Wendy's direction that WAGS4KIDS has taken shape with a very specific agenda.  In Ohio,for
Ohio.  The animals we train here will stay here in our own northeast Ohio community.  Wendy's daughter
Sera, a third generation to spend her life in dog handling, is attending Ohio University.

You can contact Wendy at: wendy@wags4kids.com

 

Ed Crann

Ed Crann is Director of the Placement Services of WAGS4KIDS..  Ed is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace
College('74)and holds degree in Sociology. He earned a Special Education Certification from Cleveland
State University in 1979.  Ed was a Child Care Worker, Recreation Specialist, and later the School
Monitor in his 5 year employment (1975-1980) at Children's Aid Society, a residential treatment center
for children with emotional disturbances. He moved on as a classroom teacher for 10 years in the
Special Education class at F.D. Roosevelt Jr. High, in the Glenville neighborhood in Cleveland. He also  
coached basketball and volleyball. This experience gave Ed a  unique qualification to oversee placement
decisions of our service animals.  His first hand knowledge brings a special understanding of the kinds of
life altering changes these animals can make in children's lives.  Ed heads up the team of caring
professionals involved in the application and placement process for service and skilled companion
animals.  His involvement with  WAGS4KIDS also includes skill training with the dogs and team training
with their new partners. Ed is also Co-founder of Ohio W.A.G.S., as well as Wags4Kids . When Ed left
the teaching profession in 1989 to pursue business interests,  he continued his involvement in our
northeast Ohio community as a baseball coach in the Berea Baseball Association and the Southwest
Suburban baseball league from 1995 to 2002.  He is also the retired  Head Varsity Volleyball Coach for
the Lady Braves of Berea High School, former Head Coach of Brecksville High School Boys Volleyball
and Retired Head Coach of Berea High School's new Boys Volleyball team.  He is the proud father of
Jay, United States Air Force Reserves, and a student at The Ohio State University,  and Patrick, owner
of Shout Out Loud Prints, in Columbus, Ohio.

You can contact Ed at ed@wags4kids.com