Drawing upon 25 years of expertise in executive leadership, Kristine M. Smith excels in a myriad of roles related to search and rescue initiatives and canine training. Since 1998, she has served as the president and training officer at AZ Star, having also lent her considerable knowledge as a mentor and dog trainer for Dog Trainer US, LLC since 2005. Furthermore, since then, she has thrived as the owner of the Sundance Trainer Academy. Leveraging her experience as a certified veterinary technician, Ms. Smith has always harbored a love for animals and has sought to turn this passion into a career.
Adjacent to her primary appointments, Ms. Smith has served as the director of the Veterinary Healthcare Team of Arizona through the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association since 2002, having previously served the team as its president. Prior, she was the head trainer for K9 Games Dog Training through Dog Trainer US, LLC from 2005 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2020. Likewise, she served as the owner of The Original Who’s the Boss?, Inc. from 2007 to 2009, having commenced her career as an office staff member for James Record, MD, between 1985 and 1989.
Ms. Smith holds numerous certifications in her field, drawing upon prior coursework at the University of Houston-Victoria. To this end, she has attained several credentials through the International Association of Canine Professionals, including as a certified dog trainer, certified dog trainer advanced and certified service dog trainer. She is also a certified canine athlete specialist and a professional dog trainer instructor. Notably, Ms. Smith is also well-versed in scuba diving, having become certified as a professional scuba diver and a dive master. She also holds 13 certifications in scuba diving and eight certifications in search and rescue.
As a testament to her success, Ms. Smith possesses several accolades, having been honored extensively for her leadership prowess and aptitude in dog training. The Victoria Dog Obedience Club bestowed upon her its Community Service Award in Search and Rescue and its Most Distinguished Award. In addition, the Veterinary Healthcare Team of Arizona honored Ms. Smith with its President Award, among many other accolades. She also received an award through AZ Star and from the International Association of Canine Professionals for her involvement in promoting organizational excellence.
Attributing her success to her perseverance and desire to do her best in all facets of her life, Ms. Smith intends to continue growing her business in the coming years. Likewise, she aims to hire additional individuals to inherit her search and rescue group so her legacy can continue following her departure from the field.