In the Spotlight: Wren San Clemente

Wren San Clemente has been a trainer at Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs for a year, but her passion for training animals has been a part of her life since she was young.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, who trained dogs and even had dogs that performed in theater productions like Annie, Wren began taking dog training more seriously by the age of 16. Not only did she train dogs, but she also worked with horses.

As a military brat whose father was a fighter pilot in the Air Force, Wren worked with special forces teams on Eglin Air Force base in Florida. She trained them to work with horses and formed a friendship with a soldier in the security forces when she was 17. By age 18, Wren got her first Belgian Malinois, Cairo, whom she began to train.

Although Cairo was not trained for service work initially, Wren allowed Cairo to accompany her friend from Eglin Air Force Base home on a trip. When she saw the connection between Cairo and her friend—who was dealing with PTSD symptoms and other stresses—she decided to allow him to adopt Cairo. The bond between them ultimately led to an improvement in his overall quality of life. Cairo passed away in 2021.

Wren could see what Cairo had done for her friend, motivating her to apply for a position with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs. “I had just been training dogs to train dogs at this point, and I realized I could help people doing it,” said Wren. Her career in training animals has always focused on the military, making the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog team a natural fit.

“Working at Guardian Angels has given me the opportunity to meet many men and women who have touched me personally in many different ways,” Wren said.

Wren San Clemente is an inspiring example of how dedication and hard work can help animals impact people’s lives—not only through companionship but also through medical assistance—and serve as great sources of comfort and healing.

To learn more about the Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs team and how you can support our life-changing mission, visit our website today!

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Mary Jo Brandt

Mary Jo has an extensive history working with the media as well as a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University. Mary Jo has worked for companies such as Gannett, News Bank Inc., E.W. Scripps Company, Lee Enterprises, Pulitzer, Inc., Arthur Andersen, and has been involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc. since 2011. Ms. Brandt has had many hours of training in leadership, coaching, and mentoring. Her teams have consistently been highly effective in support of organizational mission and goals. She has one son, Paul who is currently in the Navy, and a daughter, Amanda in college and working full-time for a law firm in Naples. Ms. Brandt began volunteering with Guardian Angels after both her father and previous employer received a Guardian Angels Service Dog in 2011. Seeing the incredible difference service dogs could make in the lives of their recipients, she became involved through volunteering her time & talent to Guardian Angels. Ms. Brandt was then asked to join the Board of Directors and has served as a Board Member since 2013. Recently, Mary Jo has been named as a 2021 Patriot Scholarship recipient from Colorado Technical University. When asked why this scholarship and completing her Master’s Degree in Business Administration was so important to her, she responded, “This scholarship represents how important education is to our military/veterans and their families. I am honored to be part of this unique community. I am already in a career that demonstrates my commitment to helping others, I expect finishing this degree will allow me to be much more effective in my pursuit of working with our Veterans. This scholarship isn’t just about me. It is about how I can help others.” Today we face an even bigger challenge that none of us saw coming during the midst of the pandemic and worldwide economic collapse beginning to unfold. Yet again, Mary Jo is stepping up to the plate to be sure that our organization continues to serve those that need us, as we triumph in the face of untold adversity of today’s world. Businesses will only survive these difficult times because of leaders like Mary Jo.

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