Who we are
The year 2009 brought together a working group of people with outstanding talent and experience in Animal Assisted Services and dog training (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA). The brainstorming about purpose, mission and standards went on until February 7th 2013 when AASI became an official European non-profit organization.
AASI is a coalition of individuals and organizations who are administrators, educators, practitioners, dog trainers, program developers, and volunteer visitors. Our members share strong core values (beliefs that guide attitudes and actions) and ethics (concerned with human actions and the choices made by underlying values). We collaborate for lifelong learning to improve interactions between AAS facilitators, the animals that work with us, and the beneficiaries at all stages in the AAS continuum.
Animal Assisted Services International offers comprehensive Standards of Practice, corresponding Competencies, and a peer reviewed Accreditation process for Full Members. AASI embraces sharing of quality information amongst our members and with other AAS related organizations to establish world-wide discussions and collaborations. We offer monthly webinars, yearly conferences, and international collaboration for practice, training and research.
The AASI board of directors includes executives, practitioners, educators, dog trainers, researchers and pioneers that represent several membership categories. Scroll down to meet our board members.
We work together with organizations that support and promote our mission
Our commitment to set up a worldwide umbrella
Animal Assisted Services International (AASI) grew out of many discussions within Assistance Dogs International (especially the European chapter) about how best to support the growing number of organizations working in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy, Education and Activities (together called Animal Assisted Services, AAS).
These organizations, many of them also involved in training assistance dogs, lacked an international focus for creating standards, developing professionalism and offering networking opportunities.
An Excellent Board to Cover All Disciplines
A Permanent Board was elected by the members at the first Annual General Meeting (AGM). This meeting took place on November 5 and November 6 2013 at Spa, Belgium. The composition of the Board will be as described in the Statutes, Article 7.
According to the AASI Internal Regulation 4, Assistance Dogs International (ADI) and Assistance Dogs Europe (ADEu) will appoint a non-voting member of the Board. The appointed persons are Danny Vancoppernolle for ADI and Peter Gorbing for ADEu.
Selina Gibsone
Chair of the AASI Board and Development Manager at Dogs for Good, UK.
Selina has worked with dogs and people for over 20 years. She currently works at Dogs for Good, who aim to bring trained dogs and people together to overcome specific challenges and improve the lives of both. Selina is the Development Manager at Dogs for Good, actively working in the development of new initiatives and projects in the areas of assistance dogs and animal assisted intervention (AAI). She has played an active role in working groups to create standards of practice for Animal Assisted Services International (AASI). Previous to this, Selina worked in several roles at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, and has also provided training and behavior support to pet dog owners.
Selina has spoken at many conferences as well as providing teaching to organisations over the world on the subjects of assistance dogs and AAI. She has a BSc (Hons) in Animal Biology from the University of St Andrews, an MSc in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling from the University of Southampton, and an MSc in Psychology from Oxford Brookes University.
Dogs for Good
United Kingdom
Melissa Winkle
Vice-Chair of the AASI Board and Occupational Therapist at Dogwood Therapy Services, USA. Co-Founder AASI.
Melissa Y. Winkle OTR/L, FAOTA, CPDT-KA is an occupational therapist and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. She is President of Dogwood Therapy Services, an occupational therapy private practice and dog training facility in New Mexico, USA.
Melissa is a founding member and current President of the European-based organization, Animal Assisted Services International. She develops and teaches animal-assisted intervention and dog behavior coursework for Oakland University, Center for Human-Animal Interventions, and is a guest lecturer at several other universities.
Melissa is a practitioner, a researcher, a writer, and speaks internationally on disability, integrated & community-based program development, animal-assisted interventions, and service dogs. She has published a series of books titled Professional Applications of Animal Assisted Interventions, available on Amazon.
Dogwood Therapy Services Inc New Mexico, USA
Danny Vancoppernolle
Member of the AASI Board and Secretaris General of Dyadis, Belgium. Co-Founder AASI.
Danny has been involved in the assistance dog world since 2004. He is Secretaris General of the Assistance Dog School Dyadis, Brussels, Belgium, and he is a Board member of the Guide Dog School, Scale Dogs, Belgium.
Danny is a Board member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the body responsible for setting standards and accrediting the international assistance dog industry. He is passionate about sharing best practices and helping to improve understanding of the role assistance dogs play in people’s lives. Danny has been President of Assistance Dogs Europe since 2007 (Secretary from 2004 – 2007) and Board member of the Belgian Assistance Dog Federation.
Danny is a founding director of Animal Assisted Services International (AASI), the international umbrella organization for practitioners in the field of the AAI world, and has been involved since 2009.
Danny is an outstanding organizor and has earned his tracks since 2010, organizing the yearly ADEu and AASI meetings. He is also an excellent, modest speaker and has given lectures and presentations on all aspects of the charity’s work in Belgium, in Europe, and the rest of the world.
Dyadis Brussels, Belgium
Jennifer Rogers
Member of the AASI Board and Founding Director of PAALS, USA. Co-Founder AASI.
Jen has over thirty years of combined professional experience with marine mammal, zoo, equine, assistance dog training, and therapeutic programs. She is the Founding Director of PAALS, the only Assistance Dog International (ADI) and Animal Assisted Services International (AASI) accredited based program (founding board member of AASI) in the state of South Carolina.
She has a BS in Biology from Rutgers University, a Med: Neuroscience and Trauma Response from Tabor College, and is a graduate of the National Education of Assistance Dog programs and AZA Management of Enrichment and Training programs. Jen was certified in Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, EAGALA, as an equine specialist and currently practices the principles of Natural Lifemanship, using the neuroscience of relationships with horses to help humans heal.
She has created and implemented animal-assisted intervention programs for children in summer camps, afterschool programs, at-risk youth, soldiers, and first responders with PTSD, and incarcerated individuals, and has presented internationally on standards for these programs. Jen has also served on the ADI North American board of directors, leading and/or working on the international committees regarding education, training, diversity/equity/inclusion/accessibility, conference planning committee, and ADI liaison to the International Guide Dog Special Interest Group.
As part of AASI, Jen has participated in the development of standards, education forums, competencies, and accreditation processes. Her dog, Harley, is a certified team member with Jen to serve in crisis response to natural and manmade disasters, as well as to serve in resiliency support to the military and first responders. She is also a member of the SC marine mammal stranding network.
PAALS
Columbia, SC 29224
South Carolina, USA
Peter Gorbing
Member of the AASI Board and former Chief Executive of Dogs for Good, UK. Co-Founder AASI.
Peter has worked for Dogs for Good for over 25 years before retiring in late 2022.
Peter has been a board member and a past President of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the body responsible for setting standards and accrediting the international assistance dog industry. He is passionate about sharing best practise and helping to improve understanding of the role assistance dogs play in people’s lives. He has played a significant role in campaigning for better access rights for assistance dogs in the UK and internationally. Peter has also been a Board member of Assistance Dogs Europe (President from 2001 – 2007) and Assistance Dogs (UK).
Peter is a founding director of Animal Assisted Services International (AASI) and has focused on supporting the development of standards and an accreditation process. Peter has given lectures and presentations on all aspects of AAS in the UK and abroad.
Peter has an BA(Hons) in Government, an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) from Cranfield School of Management.
Treasurer
Vacancy
Member AAE
Vacancy
Member AAA
Vacancy
Member ASPP
Vacancy
Interested in serving on AASI’s Board of Directors? Reach out to Selina Gibsone at selina.gibsone@aas-int.org for more details.
Meet the Team
AASI boasts a team of dedicated staff members who are committed to serving our members and shaping the future of Animal-Assisted Services.
Phoebe Yam
Accreditation Coordinator
Phoebe Yam, OTD, OTR/L, CPDT-KA, C-HAIS is the Accreditation Coordinator for AASI. She supports member organizations through the Accreditation, Portfolio Accreditation, as well as the Full Accreditation. She is an occupational therapist from Arcadia, California, who graduated from the University of Southern California.
Upon completion of her education, she began a year-long internship at Dogwood Therapy Services to pursue competency in animal-assisted occupational therapy and training dogs for animal assisted services. She received her Certificate for Human Animal Interaction Specialist from the University of North Florida, and she is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge Assessed. She currently works in an outpatient pediatric setting in Southern California, providing AAOT on the weekend.
Phoebe presents at local, state, and national conferences about topics including the human-animal bond, animal advocacy, animal assisted services, standards of practice, and competencies to strengthen skills of healthcare & human service providers and dog trainers.
Chris Leaney
Membership & Administration Coordinator
Chris started with AASI in November 2024, he has always been an admirer of animal-assisted therapy dogs and the services they and their handlers provide. He is incredibly happy to be supporting the brilliant people of AASI and all its members.
Stephanie Peebles
Education Coordinator
Stephanie joined the AASI team in April 2026 as the Education Coordinator. As a dedicated lifelong learner, Stephanie's enthusiasm for education led her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Studies at Wilson College and a Certificate in Canine & Feline Nutrition at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. She is continuing her graduate studies in Animal Welfare and Behavior at the University of Pennsylvania.
Merging her passion for education with over 20 years of dog training experience, Stephanie currently works as an Education & Support Specialist at an Assistance Dogs International (ADI) accredited service dog organization. In this capacity, she has developed online courses for new clients, continuing education opportunities for current clients, and created informative newsletters and resources. Additionally, she serves on several ADI committees and presents at various dog sport workshops, international conferences, and more.
Stephanie remains committed to her own education by attending conferences, workshops, classes, and training in dog sports with her canine companions.
Former Board Members
Sven-G Hultman, 2009 – 2014
Hälsans Natur and Vårdhundskolan, Sweden
Cecilia Marre, 2014 – 2015
Bocalan Confiar, Chile
Lucia Katalenic, 2011 – 2016
Croatian Guide Dog and Mobility Association, Croatia
Teo Mariscal, 2009 – 2018
Fundación Bocalan
Elma Burg, 2009 – 2018
University of Wageningen, Netherlands
Maria Daniela Balduzzi, 2021
Big Team, Argentina
Petra van Benten, 2016 – 2026
Hulphond Nederland, Netherlands
In memoriam
Graham Ford, Tieren helfen Menschen e.V., Germany 1938-2015.
Graham was a founder board member of AASI. He sadly died in 2015.
We are all grateful for Graham’s outstanding contribution to AASI and lifetime of dedication to animal assisted activity.