In 1989, National Board Member Emily Williams responded to an ad in a local newspaper to adopt a Canine Companions for Independence breeder dog. Since answering that first call, Emily has been a caretaker for 11 Canine Companions female breeder dogs and their 43 litters of puppies. She has also raised 14 puppies, making Emily a champion of rare scale in the Canine Companions breeding and puppy raising programs.
During her tenure with Canine Companions, Emily has been the co-chair of the breeder caretaker council and a program and research committee member. Her degree in Zoology from the University of California at Davis contributed to her immediate attraction to and success with Canine Companions. “I hope we always maintain the quality of the gift that we give our graduates, and never lose sight of the needs of those waiting for our dogs,” says Emily, about her work with Canine Companions.
In 1995, Emily was honored with the prestigious Community Service Award for Education from the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County. She was also recognized by Canine Companions as a Heart of History designee in 2000, and was the recipient of the Jack Warnock award in 2002 granted annually to one outstanding Canine Companions volunteer. Emily and her husband Dan live in Santa Rosa, California, and own and operate a successful auto repair business.