BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lydia conceived of the idea for the Freedom K9 Project when she had just gotten certified as a professional dog trainer, and realized that there currently weren't any organizations in the country that train PTSD service dogs specifically for abuse survivors. In addition to running the Freedom K9 Project, she also owns Naptown K9 in Indianapolis, a for-profit dog training business that specializes in rescued dogs. Now with 10 years of dog training experience and a background in victim advocacy and clinical psychology, she aims to blow the doors wide open for survivors seeking the service dogs they need, and use her success and knowledge to help young trainers who want to make a difference in the world.

Jessica has a long history in Philanthropy and has graced the board of both local and national organizations - and we couldn't be more excited to have her as our Fundraising Officer. She's drawn to Survivor's Companion by our unique mission, and has a way of inspiring all of those around her! In this role, Jess is responsible for maintaining our fundraising processes, contacting donors, and doing the tiresome work of keeping our financial spreadsheets updated. With nearly 100% of our organization funded by individual donors, we couldn't do what we do without Jess! 

Wriju Adhikary is a queer first-generation immigrant from Nepal, currently residing in Boston MA. Her career started with oncology research and has settled into the BioTech space. Wriju has mentored and tutored younger 1st generation students working to pursue higher education and establish roots in the US. Understanding the relationship between trauma and our ecosystems, she has a profound appreciation for those who continue to rise above adversity in the face of formidable challenges. She believes in the healing power of collective action and solidarity, recognizing that each individual effort, no matter how small, can create meaningful change

Seth never grew up with dogs, but as an adult has come to find that he has a deep connection to them. As a freelance designer and marketing consultant, Seth is our Board's Content Officer - meaning he's responsible for running our social media campaigns. Working together with Lydia, they develop almost all the content you see of ours online. In his free time, Seth loves playing pickleball, eating an acai bowl, and petting dogs. He's excited to use his expertise as a member of our Board of Directors, and is hirable if you'd like to talk to him about open positions!

C Blanck has a Liberal Studies undergraduate degree in Communication and Religious Studies. C also has a Master of Social Work and Master of Divinity with a certification in Human Animal Environment Interactions. C graduated in August 2023 and plans to specialize in complex and religious trauma. 

With their specializations in complex and religious trauma, C highly values the human-animal and environmental bonds in trauma healing and recovery. C currently has a therapy rabbit, Minnie, who’s been socialized and trained to aid clients in crisis and used to frequent different settings around Denver, CO, with C. However, Minnie has retired from all animal-assisted work due to age-related health complications. C is currently searching for a dog to do animal-assisted therapies with as they want to continue working with animal-assisted interventions. 

C has also presented publicly about trauma-informed care, given training on trauma-informed care, and has worked with the Institute for Human-Animal Connection on their trauma-informed research design project.

Shelby Jurca graduated from Texas Tech University with a BA in Advertising and a minor in Psychology in 2017. She has always had the goal to use her skills and degree to help end human trafficking and help survivors. Shelby feels her best when she is helping others and making people smile. Her creative mind brings a lot to the table for Freedom K9, but the most important thing is her heart for the mission.

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