Hailey is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. She joins our team with years of experience working in Higher Education. Hailey has earned a Bachelors in Hospitality Management, and a Masters in College Student Personnel Services. She also has many years of experience in administration, customer service, learning and development and events.
Hailey’s fiancé is a U.S Marine Corps Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient who suffers from TBI. She is thrilled to be working for an organization that not only gives dogs a genuine purpose but also gives deserving people a new found sense of hope and quality of life.
Hailey enjoys visiting Myrtle Beach, SC, working part- time at AR Workshop, trying new restaurants and traveling. She has an overwhelming love for animals and adores her rescue dog, Kaia.
“You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it.”
Jack Wagner has a long and distinguished political career in Pennsylvania state and local government. In 1983, Jack was elected to Pittsburgh City Council where he served for ten years, the last four as Council President. In 1994 Jack was elected State Senator representing Allegheny County. Over his 10-year tenure as a Senator, he chaired the Senate Banking and Insurance Commission and served on five other committees, one of which was Veterans Affairs, and served on the Pennsylvania Veterans Memorial Commission. In 2005 Jack became Pennsylvania’s 50th elected Auditor General, the independent fiscal watchdog of a 30-billion-dollar budget. For two terms (8-years) with his leadership and excellent staff saved Pennsylvania taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Looking back on all his remarkable achievements, however, Jack reflects that the experience he is most proud of was his service as a U.S. Marine and the Marines he served with. Jack is a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recipient of the Purple Heart and other military commendations for infantry service in the Vietnam War. In the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam, Jack was injured when his squad was caught in an ambush. Jack was extremely fortunate to have survived – seven men died. After the war, Jack attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on the GI bill and graduated with a degree in Safety Management. While a student at IUP, he worked as a paramedic with Citizens Ambulance Service and taught evening emergency responder courses. Jack received IUP’s Distinguished Alumni Award for service to the community and the University in 1994. Dedicated to a life of service, Jack never stops giving back. Five years ago, Jack started a small non-profit, Pittsburgh Hires Veterans, an organization that provides free support and assistance to U.S. Military Veterans and current service members (and spouses) in search of education, training and employment opportunities. So far, Pittsburgh Hires Veterans has helped more than 400 individuals find employment. Jack is also involved with Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc., (GAMSD) an organization that rescues, raises and trains medical service dogs. With a focus on veterans, dogs are trained for those in need including those suffering with balance/mobility issues, Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and seizure disorders. There is never a cost to the recipients of these dogs. Since 2010, GAMSD has paired more than 360 medical service dogs with deserving veterans. Part of Jack’s responsibility is to help build the first GAMSD campus outside of Florida – in Western Pennsylvania, to double GAMSD’s capacity of providing service dogs. Recognition for Jack’s continuing efforts to assist veterans has included the Veteran to the Year Award from the Veteran Community Initiatives, the Veteran of the Year Award from the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program, the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Pennsylvania War Veterans Council. He is actively involved in a variety of other veteran organizations, including Vietnam Veterans, Inc., The Military Affairs council of Western PA, University of Pittsburgh, Center for Military Medical Research, Sharing and Caring Inc., American Legion, disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Chris has over 10+ years of Donor/customer relations experience. His passion for helping those with disabilities comes from his own battle and personal experience dealing with one. In 2016 at the age of 34 Chris suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in a high-speed motor vehicle accident that left him needing to rebuild his life from the ground up. Through many struggles and with many miracles Chris has been able to recover month after month and year over year. He knows just how hard the fight can be and that is why he is so passionate to help others achieve their New Normal by getting them a Guardian Angels Medical Service Dog by their side. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his wife, working out and walking his dog (Not a Medical Service Dog but a life saver nonetheless). Chris feels there is no greater gift than to give those who need it another shot at a life well lived.
