Kara has worked in the animal field since 1992, starting as a volunteer at the local zoo and then progressing to vet offices, including an exotics vet office, until 2004. In May 2004, she decided to become a professional groomer and apprenticed at a shop in Chantilly, VA. She started her business, The Purrfect Paws, on October 31, 2016. It began as a house call business and expanded to include a stationary location in 2018. In 2023, she decided to limit house calls to cats and select toy-breed dogs while keeping most breed dogs in the salon setting.

After completing her Fear Free Certification, Kara started her canine behavior path in 2020. In August 2022, Kara graduated from the WPGA as a Master Groomer Behavior Specialist. This set her on the path of learning beyond and helped her gain knowledge in other niches of the grooming industry, such as holistic grooming. Additionally, she aims to continue her education in feline behavior; she believes it is an often overlooked field, and pet owners may not have complete knowledge of their feline friends' needs.

As an apprentice groomer, learning hands-on in a busy salon environment without the benefit of a structured classroom education, Kara feels that missing out on a more formal education held her back, and she is making up for that with a drive to continue learning and advancing her skills to offset that imbalance. Nowadays, there are limitless topics to learn about in the grooming industry that hadn't even been thought of twenty years ago! Her hope and dream is to inspire other stylists to keep learning and understand that education is a never-ending journey. At WPGA, Kara's passion for education inspires her students daily.

Kristi brings a distinguished 24-year career in the United States Air Force to her role as our School Certifying Official (SCO) for Veterans Affairs. Throughout her service, Kristi distinguished herself academically, being selected twice for the United States Air Force Academy's faculty preparation program. This initiative enabled her to pursue advanced education while serving her country.

Her academic journey began with a Master's in History from the University of Nebraska. Building on this foundation, she later earned a Ph.D. in History from Kansas State University, which marked her as an expert in her field. Kristi's commitment to education extended into her military service in Nashua, New Hampshire, where she leveraged the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to initiate an online MBA program with the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs. Upon reassignment to Colorado Springs, she completed this degree in a traditional classroom setting, demonstrating her adaptability and dedication to continuous learning.

After retiring from active service, Kristi continued to expand her knowledge and skills. Utilizing the remainder of her VA education benefits, she pursued Portuguese and Art History courses, showcasing her broad academic interests and commitment to lifelong learning.

Today, Kristi contributes her extensive experience and insights to the academic world by teaching history and advising graduate students online through Air University and Norwich University. Despite describing herself as a "slow but diligent" Portuguese student, her journey reflects a passionate and unending pursuit of knowledge.

Kristi is an exceptional person who works as the WPGA's SCO. She is highly committed to providing excellent service to veterans pursuing their education. With her extensive experience and dedication, she is always ready to help and guide them in every possible way to ensure their success.