Chris was born and raised in Texas and holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. When he joined the organization, he had more than 20 years of experience in Sales Management in the Pet Industry. He had received multiple awards during his career for Animal Nutrition Education and Sales at both regional and national levels.
Chris has trained dogs alongside of Carol together for 32 years, which included training and titling their personal dogs, as well as obedience classes, working with rescues and behavior rehabilitation. When Carol took it to the next level by starting Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, he continued to assist in every capacity necessary in the startup and growth of the organization. Today, he oversees all property maintenance and construction projects for our campuses in support of our continued growth.
Mary resides in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan where she has assisted Guardian Angels with many successful fund raisers as well as spreading the good word of our work. Mary is a member of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial Board of Directors, Vice President of DC3S which is dedicated to providing event/meeting space as well as leased space to various defense related companies and is also Vice President of Family Programs for the Association of United States Army. Mary comes to us with great success in her leadership and business savvy as well as her undying commitment to our Veterans.
If you ask Mary Jo Brandt about Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs and its’ success in the service dog industry, she will tell you, “it’s all about the why.” Finding people’s ‘why’ and strategically placing them in roles that drive the organizational mission and vision is what she does… and she does it very well. Industry Era has recently recognized Mary Jo’s strengths as a COO in their Top Ten COOs of 2022 magazine.
As Chief Operating Officer of one of the largest medical service dog organizations in the country, she is the constant force behind the operational functions of the business and leads the implementation of company strategies that are created by the Executive Team, Founder/CEO, and Board of Directors. She leads with a combination of experience, education, and life skills that she has honed over the past two decades.
“Having worked in the fast-paced, constantly changing industry of newspaper advertising and graphic design has been foundational in my extensive career experience,” Brandt stated. She recognizes the importance of strategy and leads the team with the company goals and mission in mind.
Being responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization and ensuring that all of the systems, resources, and people are in place to achieve the goals is her primary function. If that isn’t enough, let’s talk about growth…Mary Jo also holds a crucial position in the future of the organization as Guardian Angels is expanding to 2 new campuses breaking ground in the next 18 – 24 months, with the potential of 3 more coming in the next 5 – 7 years. The oversight of the construction of those 20 million-dollar campuses will fall within her realm of responsibility. She is up to the challenge and embraces growth as part of her role.
Her foundational experience is enhanced by her education. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Northern Illinois University, and her Master of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University. She is also a recipient of the 2023 Patriot Scholarship from Colorado Technical University, enabling her to pursue a doctorate in Change Management. It was her passion for the cause that brought her to the organization in the first place as a volunteer. She grew from that role to eventually become a voting member of the Board of Directors and now sits as the COO.
With the expansion of the Guardian Angels brand to include the Borden Institute of Higher Learning and the Borden Veterinary Hospital, she has her work cut out for her. If there is one thing you can be sure of, Mary Jo will welcome the challenges and drive the mission to success.
After 32 years of active duty service to his country in which he received 2 awards for valor, 5 Bronze Star medals, 2 Purple Hearts, led ten deployments, and survived both a bomb blast, numerous fire fights, and a helicopter crash, General Donald C. Bolduc, former Commander, Special Operations Command Africa, is hanging up his fatigues to take on perhaps his most important and challenging mission of advocating for the treatment and shedding the stigma of PTSD and mental health problems, both from within the US military as well as the general public. The general started his career as Private Bolduc on June 29, 1981, exactly 36 years before his final change of command. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, then-Major Bolduc led one of the first groups into Afghanistan, riding on horseback to take control of the southern Afghanistan region from Taliban rule. One of the few survivors of a 2,000-pound bomb that was inadvertently targeted on their own position by friendly fire in December 2001, Bolduc refused to leave the battlefield and continued to take on his next objective. He was later awarded his first of several combat valor awards and a Purple Heart for his injuries. From 2011 through 2012 as Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force commander, he was credited with the creation of the “Village Stability Operations” concept, a bottom-up stability effort in rural areas and villages in Afghanistan which undermined insurgent influence and control by the Taliban and ensured the stabilization of large areas of the war-torn country through Afghan Local Police. In his role as Brigadier General, Bolduc was responsible for the full spectrum of Special Operations activities across the African continent and the more than 1,500 U.S. military, interagency and international military personnel operating in 28 countries throughout Africa and Europe. SOCAFRICA is designated as U.S. Africa Command’s lead counter-Violent Extremist Organizations (VEO) operations component. Prior to this, he served on the Joint Staff in the Office of Secretary of Defense and as the Aide to the Secretary of the Army at the Pentagon. His other awards and decorations include the Defense Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, numerous foreign awards, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Special Forces Tab, and Ranger Tab. Beyond his various positions and awards, nothing brings more meaning to Bolduc’s service than his latest mission to combat the stigmas around post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As one of the few military officers, and, at the time, the only active duty general officer on record, to openly discuss his own struggles with PTS, Bolduc has used his leadership position to change the conversation to one of understanding and acceptance through his own experiences. Dubbed “Captain America” and “Everyone’s General” by his fellow officers and soldiers, Bolduc always put country first, and now looks to continue his service off the battlefield sharing his leadership mantra of “Mission, People, Family” and his personal experiences with mental health to educate others. He has been married to Sharon M. Bolduc for 29 years and they have three sons Joshua, Zachary, and Matthew, as well as, three grandchildren Little “J “, Hadley and Hannah.
Josh is a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Government and served as an Active Duty Coast Guard Officer for six years before transitioning to the Coast Guard Reserve in 2013. While on Active Duty, he was a Deck Watch Officer and Administrative Department Head on the CGC DILIGENCE in Wilmington, NC, the Executive Officer of CGC MAUI in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Commanding Officer of CGC KINGFISHER in Jacksonville, FL. He also served as a Command Duty Officer at Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, Virginia. He received his Juris Doctor from Liberty University School of Law in 2016 and currently serves as a Trust Advisor for Truist Wealth and a Reserve JAG Officer for the Coast Guard Legal Service Command in Norfolk, VA. Josh and his wife Lindsay live in Naples, FL, with their three children and enjoy time at the beach, family movie nights, and traveling.
Highly organized, tireless, and reliable professional with several years of administrative experience in different capacities Analytical worker who demonstrates a high level of accuracy and attention to detail while using strong prioritization and time management skills to meet strict deadlines. Track record of working independently and collaborating as a team-player in high-pressure, fast-paced academia settings to provide a high-quality service. Proven ability to communicate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and personalities. Loyalty, Honesty (Integrity), Problem-Solving, Communication (verbal, written), Technical competency, Flexibility
Karen worked over 30 years in the corporate world as an Event Planner traveling throughout the US. She also contracted with the Department of Commerce, working with them at four Paris Air Shows. After retiring from Aeronautical Radio, Inc., and moving with her husband to Florida, she read an article about Guardian Angels supplying the VA with medical service dogs for a study of veteran’s with PTSD. She contacted Carol Borden and the VA and helped her husband with the application process. Shortly after he was paired with his service dog she became a volunteer at Guardian Angels, wanting to give back and also to help other veterans learn about these wonderful dogs. Today she is the President of the Board of Directors and even though she lives in the Panhandle she can frequently be found at Guardian Angels helping in any way she can.
I have always worked in finance; finance company in high school, Associates Manufactured Housing Finance for 13 years, and then a credit union for 5 1/2 years, however this is not what I really wanted to do. My dream was to become a nurse so at the age of 49, I started back to college. In 2011, I graduated as an RN, and I have to say I was the oldest in my class but graduated with the highest grade point average. During this time, my husband, Julian, was very supportive. He is a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War and has PTSD. At some point he heard about the VA’s program for service dogs and we learned of Guardian Angel Medical Service Dogs. This is how I was introduced to Guardian Angels. My husband was able to get his dog trained by Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, and through his transformation, I realized what a difference this organization makes in a Veteran’s life, and I knew I had to be a part of this wonderful organization so I began volunteering and doing whatever I could to help. I was fortunate enough to be asked to be a Board of Directors Member, and gladly accepted. In my spare time, I like to read a good book the old fashion way, with a book in my hands. I enjoy going to the beach to enjoy the sunshine and to look for shells.
Born in Upstate NY, Ann Larkins has enjoyed a lifelong love of animals. She had a 40-year career with IBM Corp. The company enabled her to live and work in places like San Francisco, CA; Tacoma, WA; Anchorage, AK; Syracuse, NY; Atlanta, GA; and for the past decade, Williston, FL. She has worked on many different assignments and received recognition for achieving a high degree of proficiency in her chosen field of administration. In 2002, Ann, able to work from home with IBM and live anywhere, moved to Florida, where she was blessed to more closely pursue her passion of appreciating and caring for animals. In 2013, Ann became a Guardian Angels foster parent, opening her home to many incredibly-talented, sweet German Shepherds, one at a time. It’s difficult to say ‘good-bye’ to each one, but when she sees the smiles on the faces of the recipients and hears what a difference their service dogs have made in their lives, it makes giving them up a little easier. Plus, Carol Borden was always there, handing her the leash of another one of these gifted creatures to train and introduce to home life. Ann joined the Guardian Angels Board of Directors in 2014 and became more involved in helping get dogs so urgently needed into the hands of worthy recipients. Ann is also a member of the Williston Women’s Club, the First United Methodist Church in Williston, and the Williston Chamber of Commerce. Upon retiring from IBM in 2014, Ann became a real estate agent, helping people during some of the most stressful times in their lives. Ann hopes to continue her work on the Board of Directors in hopes of getting involved in other areas to help the organization grow and succeed.
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Paul R Bertram, Jr. is a Fellow, a Distinguished Member, and former National President of the Construction Specifications Institute. His career focused on buildings envelope first energy efficiency strategies with pathways to zero energy for a low carbon world. His work includes advocacy for resilient High Performance building energy efficiency.
He served on the Board of Directors for the Business Council of Sustainable Energy for two years and was part of their delegation at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. In January 2016, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and served as liaison for the Building Enclosure Technology and Environment Council. He also participated in the Off-Site Construction Council. After 7 years on the NIBS Board of Directors, he rotated off in 2022.
Paul is a disabled Vietnam US Navy Veteran, serving 12 months in the combat zone. In 2019, Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs awarded “Walker” to Paul as his personal medical service dog.
Today, Paul functions as a BOD member for Guardian Angels and is actively involved with decisions made regarding campus expansions. He is also proud to be an ambassador by networking our mission of these amazing service dogs in the Greater Orlando area to assist veterans with disabilities. He devotes his time to aiding and assisting veterans in need.
His networking extends to veterans through the American Legion Old Glory Post 183 as an Adjutant and Assistant Service Officer. He is the Adjutant and Life member of VFW Post 5405. He participates in both the Orange County Mayor’s and Orlando Mayor’s Veteran Advisory Councils. He is the Vice Chair of the Seminole County Committee on Aging voted in as the veteran representative by the Seminole County Commissioners.
Chris was born and raised in Texas and holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. When he joined the organization, he had more than 20 years of experience in Sales Management in the Pet Industry. He had received multiple awards during his career for Animal Nutrition Education and Sales at both regional and national levels.
Chris has trained dogs alongside of Carol together for 32 years, which included training and titling their personal dogs, as well as obedience classes, working with rescues and behavior rehabilitation. When Carol took it to the next level by starting Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, he continued to assist in every capacity necessary in the startup and growth of the organization. Today, he oversees all property maintenance and construction projects for our campuses in support of our continued growth.