Board of Directors

John Brewer

Therapy Arc Treasurer

Hello!
I have been with TARC since April of 2004 and am proud to say I am an original board member!
We look forward to getting back with the Pet Team visits.

Robin Harkins-Mahoney

Therapy Arc Director at Large

Intermountain Therapy Animals Licensed Evaluator and Instructor

Outreach and Education Coordinator Nashville Zoo

After graduating from Purdue University, I started my career at the Nashville Zoo. As the Ambassador Animal Encounters Supervisor, my responsibilities include managing Wildlife on Wheels, Nashville Zoo Stars and Backstage Pass Tours. As the Zoo’s Ambassador Animal Encounters Supervisor, I also train staff and volunteers to handle Ambassador Animals. Having been a member of Therapy ARC since 2000, I first started with Nike, my Cocker Spaniel, who excelled in the READing Paws program. With Nike now retired I started working with a Flemish Giant Rabbit by the name of Paddy O’Hara followed by Poison Ivy. Being the first rabbit to be registered this has enabled Therapy ARC and Intermountain Therapy to grow in the evaluation for rabbits and that has extended to include mini pigs and goats! I now have three rabbits, “The Villain Rabbits” Johnny Rotten, Luna Luvbunz and Shandy Hops.

Robin Harkins-Mahoney

Therapy Arc Director at Large

Intermountain Therapy Animals Licensed Evaluator and Instructor

Outreach and Education Coordinator Nashville Zoo

After graduating from Purdue University, I started my career at the Nashville Zoo. As the Ambassador Animal Encounters Supervisor, my responsibilities include managing Wildlife on Wheels, Nashville Zoo Stars and Backstage Pass Tours. As the Zoo’s Ambassador Animal Encounters Supervisor, I also train staff and volunteers to handle Ambassador Animals. Having been a member of Therapy ARC since 2000, I first started with Nike, my Cocker Spaniel, who excelled in the READing Paws program. With Nike now retired I started working with a Flemish Giant Rabbit by the name of Paddy O’Hara followed by Poison Ivy. Being the first rabbit to be registered this has enabled Therapy ARC and Intermountain Therapy to grow in the evaluation for rabbits and that has extended to include mini pigs and goats! I now have three rabbits, “The Villain Rabbits” Johnny Rotten, Luna Luvbunz and Shandy Hops.

Donna Henley

Therapy Arc Training Committee

Intermountain Therapy Animals Licensed Instructor

Steering Committee

Donna Henley has been a member of Therapy ARC with her dog Millie since 2014. Her younger dog Penny is now also part of their family Therapy ARC team! Millie and Donna enjoy visiting Centennial Children’s Hospital and Monroe Carell Children’s hospital. They also love to work other events such as visiting local schools during exams or other stressful situations and are also guest readers at elementary schools and participate at other events which involve schools. Donna is very involved in helping to spread the word about Therapy ARC and the wonderful affects pet therapy has with all different levels of life.

Nanette Musgrove

BOD Chairperson

Training Committee Co-Chair

Therapy ARC Licensed Instructor and Evaluator

Intermountain Therapy Animals Licensed Instructor and Evaluator

I joined Therapy ARC in 2011 and had the pleasure of participating in various therapy dog visits with my German Shepard, Jax for 10 years. I am now registered with a friend’s dog Jenga Lou. I also enjoy giving presentations to groups enlightening the public as to what our teams do to help our community. In 2014 I joined the Therapy ARC Board of Directors and currently hold licenses as an Instructor and Evaluator. I’ve co-chaired our practicum training classes since 2017 and thoroughly enjoy working with the new teams to prepare them for their evaluations and new roles helping bring smiles to the community.

Dorothy Thompson

Therapy ARC Event Chairperson

Dorothy and her teammate, Bella, a Lab/Boxer mix, joined Therapy ARC in November of 2016. She and Bella enjoy visiting facilities like Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Somerfield Health Care at The Heritage, and the Nashville Jail along with assisted living homes, schools, and colleges. Dorothy also works for the service dog non-profit, Retrieving Independence, and serves as their Recipient Director. With their free time Dorothy and Bella enjoy long hikes in Tennessee.

Birgit Cornelius

Facility Chairperson

Birgit and her teammate, Lily, a West Highland Terrier, joined Therapy ARC in August of 2015. Birgit was looking for a way to give back to the community while creating an activity for Lily. She and Lily have enjoyed visiting schools and colleges during exams or special events, different hospitals at Vanderbilt, and assisted living or memory care facilities. Because of her size, Lily can get comfortable on hospital beds or a patient’s lap where she shares her affection and patients enjoy the convenience of petting her.

Looking forward to being a member of the board and contributing to the continued success of Therapy ARC.

Missy Williams

Screening Coordinator

I learned about dog therapy and reading when I was working and knew it was something I would like to do when I retired. Shiloh came to me as a rescue and she really enjoys her “job”. This is our 5th year of volunteering.

Timothy Dilks

Website Coordinator & Facility Liaison

When we were looking for our first dog eight years ago we had a very close friend from church who was undergoing cancer treatment. My wife asked her if she had any good memories of chemotherapy and she spoke so highly about the therapy dogs that would visit that we decided to try and get a dog that we could volunteer with ourselves. Thus Riley and I have been volunteering for six years at Vanderbilt in the PICU, PCICU, and ICU’s of the adult hospital (Critical Care Tower). I am also in my fourth year of being on the Ronald McDonald House Charity of Nashville Corporate Board where I am the VP of Finance.

Margarita Nocera

Secretary

I adopted Bruno from a CO rescue when he was four months old. From the beginning, I knew he would be a perfect therapy dog. His temperament was/is mellow and he was eager to learn and easy to train and did I mention he’s absolutely adorable! After moving to Nashville in 2020 I had the time to finally look into becoming a therapy team. I am so thankful I found Therapy ARC. We’ve been volunteering at a memory care center. Bruno loves visiting with the residents and I love being a part of these happy moments with them.

Jessica Shavitz

Evaluation Coordinator

As someone who has always been active in their community, and a lifelong dog lover, being on a therapy dog team with my best friend was a no brainer. While Loki is not my first dog that fits the mold of a therapy dog, timing is everything and he is the first to pursue it with me. We’ve been a team now since March 2020 and he is thriving! Being the daughter of a teacher, school visits really came naturally to me, and luckily Loki loves everyone that he comes in contact with. Seeing the joy on everyone’s face makes every second worth it. We’ve just started on this journey and can’t wait to see where it leads us!

Ella Redkovitch

Events and Welfare Coordinator

I started my pet therapy career at the age of 4. I had a duck I carried to visit all the residents of my aunt’s nursing home. Of course, that career didn’t last long.
In 2009, I was talking with a friend at work. He told me about him and his dog visiting folks in nursing homes. It sounded interesting, so I tried to find a group in my area which provided some structure around doing this. I had a dog I felt would be very good. That is when I found Therapy ARC. I have been an active member since 2010 visiting Alive Hospice, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and basically anywhere there were people wanting to pet a dog. I recently retired after being in the IT world for many years. I am hoping to get my fourth therapy dog registered soon so I can continue doing what I love to do more than anything. I have been blessed to meet the most wonderful people in our group as well as in all the facilities I have visited. I just hope my dogs have provided as much love and comfort to the people we have visited as those same people have given me.

Ellen Reynolds, Ed.D.

Team Liaison

Currently serves as the Director of Counseling Services, K-8 at Ensworth School in Nashville. For the last 34 years, she has worked in private schools in Nashville as a high school teacher, director of development, and school counselor and recently completed Mindful Schools certification. Ellen joined this organization with her late rescue dog Fluff and currently volunteers with her rescue Theo. Ellen and Theo love visiting children and value the amazing work of Therapy Arc in the middle Tennessee community.