Our People
Nicole Meadowcroft
Executive Director / Board Member
While in high school, Nicole began to lose her eyesight to retinitis pigmentosa. This degenerative eye disease gave her time to reflect over all the things she would miss when the pinhole she currently sees through finally dissolves. In 2004, Nicole was introduced to a working guide dog team and although she had considerable experience raising, training and showing German Shepherds, she had not yet realized the independence and assistance a guide dog could provide to her personally.
A brief demonstration was all it took for her to realize that she wanted to both travel with a canine partner herself, and help other visually impaired individuals gain access to the gift of independence and confidence a companion dog brings. Custom Canines was born out of this dream.
Heidi Brehmer
Board Member
Heidi Brehmer began her career working with dog training in early 2001, when she founded Watertown Canine University. It was shortly thereafter, when she met Nicole Meadowcroft, that she helped develop and implement a Madison, WI, based guide dog training organization and held the Vice-President position for three years. Heidi also owned and operated AFP Pets Inc. in Watertown, which was a full line pet store. Through her business, she assisted with volunteering, training, educating the public, and fund raising for Custom Canines. After selling AFP Pets, Inc. in 2009, Heidi took her skills of business operation and retail and began working as the Business Director for Candy Concepts Inc. In 2014, she founded her own retail consulting business, Candy Biz Coaching.
Crystal Saxe Carter
Board Member
Crystal Saxe has 10 years worth of experience as a service dog trainer and working with people with disabilities. Through personal training and first-hand knowledge, she has extensive experience with dogs and training them to be at the service of people in need. Crystal was diagnosed with MS in 1997 and is uniquely qualified to work with people that have special needs, and their daily challenges. Her passion for dog training came closely after she was diagnosed when she went to see a service dog demonstration. The abilities of the dogs and the dedicated trainers convinced Crystal that she needed to be involved with the training and placement of these special service dogs. Crystal is a member of the APDT, well known and respected in the service dog community. Crystal has a special ability to train service dogs that can help support people to live a full life. She brings her unique talents and special abilities to work with CCSDA as an advisor, trainer, and board member.
Custom Canines
West Coast Operations
Bob Wendler
Director of Canine Operations / Board Member
West Coast Operations
Bob Wendler began the career that would change the direction of his life while serving in Vietnam in the US Navy, Canine Handler, 1969-1970. After returning from Vietnam, he continued to develop and expand his training skills by working with guard and police dogs until 1976, when he was California State Licensed and started training guide dogs.
In 1991, Bob became the co-director of training at Guide Dogs of the Desert, a position he held for two years. In 1993, following a restructuring of staff at Guide Dogs of the Desert, Bob went to work for Guide Dogs of America where he was a senior instructor for 11 years.
Roccie Hill
Corporate and Foundation Relations / Board Member
West Coast Operations
Roccie Hill is a career non-profit executive with many years of community-based
experience.
She began her non-profit career at a local California NPR production company,
Educational Media Associates. She worked in the farming community of the San
Joaquin Valley in the late 70s, representing farmworker members of the UFW and
community businesses in collaborative efforts.
In 1980, she moved to Paris where she worked as the Marketing Officer for the
Official French Committee for the Celebration of the Centennial of the Statue of
Liberty.
Alan Franks
Board Member
West Coast Operations
I was born and raised in Southern California, spending most of my free time on the beaches, body surfing, snorkeling, a skateboarding. My family always had a dog and I grew up working with and training these pets.
I come from a military family and have always had a passion to serve Veterans. My Father served in Korea as a fighter pilot flying the F86 Sabre. My adopted Father served as an Army Officer in WWII seeing combat in the Philippine islands.
My oldest Brother served in the Navy on an LST and is a Vietnam Veteran. I’m retired and use my time serving with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary as a flotilla staff officer. I also volunteer on several Honor Guard teams including the American Legion, VFW, and the Riverside National Cemetary, I also ride with the Patriot Guard Riders.
Richard Mosley
West Coast Instructor
West Coast Operations
Bio coming soon..