Meet the Trainers

Helen St. Pierre, CPDT-KSA, CDBC, CCBC, LFDM-BDWA, OSCT – Owner, Head Trainer

“Helen is a true treasure of a dog trainer”

Helen is the owner and operator of No Monkey Business Dog Training. Based in Concord New Hampshire, she is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA) and a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and a Operation Socialization Certified Trainer (OSCT) She is also a licensed and certified Family Dog Mediator. Helen has been training dogs for over 20 years. She is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, a member of the Association of Animal Behavior Professionals and is a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a member of the Pet Professional Guild. Helen is also a licensed Dogs and Storks educator, a licensed Dogs and Toddlers educator, and a certified AKC evaluator.

Helen’s skills range from basic obedience to behavior modification of serious problems including aggression as well as service dog training. Helen is always doing one on one behavior consultations, and Helen teaches classes locally in the Concord, New Hampshire area and offers workshops and seminars on a variety of subjects all around New England and internationally. Helen is constantly going to continuing education seminars to learn more about the fascinating world of dog behavior, and she has been featured on the radio, in print, and on T.V. for her work! She volunteers countless hours at the local SPCA and works with homeless dogs to help them learn skills to find a home faster. She teaches class on dog behavior and ethology at the local college too! She has worked as a trainer for the humane society rehabilitating aggressive dogs, and helping homeless dogs find the right home. She also was the volunteer 4-H dog club leader, and taught basic obedience at a prestigious training academy in Durango, Colorado. She is educated in canine behavior and has a strong foundation of knowledge on the psychological principles and applications of dog training. Helen has both the academic and hands-on skills that make for a great trainer and behavior consultant.

Helen has eleven dogs of her own, two Collies named Corduroy and Rupert, and Mallory a Papillon! Messner is a rescue papillon and Legend, a Scottish Deerhound. She adopted a rescue cattle dog, named Joker. She also has Chess, a Japanese Chin and Pixel and Persephone – rescued Chinese crested. Aslan is her Belgian shepherd that she works regularly in protection work. Helen also has a horse Noah, four cats, 2 parrots, a tortoise, a hedgehog, and two daughters Grace and Evelyn. She takes great pride in her work and treats every animal she trains as if it were her own, making your training experience motivating and enjoyable! When not training dogs she is running her senior and hospice dog rescue out of her home.

Katie Gilpatrick, CPDT-KA – Head Trainer

“Katie is so fun to have as a teacher!”

Katie Gilpatrick, CPDT-KA, TIPPP, FPPE, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, assessed Trauma-Informed Pet Professional Practitioner, and Family Paws Parent Educator with over a decade of experience working with dogs and their families.

As a caregiver to six dogs of her own—and many more who have come through her home over the years—Katie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is highly skilled at tailoring training plans to each dog’s individual personality, history, and needs. At the core of her philosophy is a belief that kindness and respect create the foundation for a balanced, healthy relationship that honors both canine and human needs.

As a Trauma-Informed Pet Professional, Katie understands the complexity of trauma, attachment, and emotional regulation in dogs, as well as the consistent, long-term work required to support meaningful change. Because every dog is different, she takes a holistic, systems-based approach that considers the past, present, and contributing factors influencing fear, anxiety, and behavioral responses.

Working closely with families, Katie helps dogs build resilience through trauma-informed strategies that encourage safe, self-regulating behaviors during stress. Her goal is to help guardians recognize maladaptive patterns and implement thoughtful, individualized plans that build a more stable and adaptable coping repertoire—ultimately improving quality of life and strengthening attachment.

Katie also recognizes that behavior is often influenced by more than environment alone. Physical health, pain, allergies, and nutritional sensitivities can all contribute to behaviors such as aggression, hyperactivity, or fear. To support a more complete picture of wellness, she earned her Dog Nutrition Certification through The Science Dog. She works collaboratively with veterinarians and refers families to appropriate medical professionals whenever physical or dietary concerns are suspected, ensuring each dog receives comprehensive care.

As a mother of two, Katie also understands the complexities of raising children alongside dogs. This experience inspired her work as a Family Paws Parent Educator, where she helps families navigate safe, practical, and compassionate relationships between children and dogs.

Katie has pursued extensive continuing education, including seminars and certifications in canine behavior, nutrition, trauma-informed care, and welfare-based training approaches, such as:

Impact of Nutrition on Canine and Feline Behavior: Current Knowledge Supported by Scientific Evidence (Dr. Giacomo Biagi)
Canine Nutrition Certification Course (The Science Dog)
Trauma-Informed Pet Professionals Course (ABK)
Scent Games for Reactivity and Confidence
Searching for the Science Behind Separation Anxiety
Happily Ever After! or Not So Much? Prognostic Factors in Behavior Cases
Emotional Freedom Techniques: Clinical Tapping for You and Your Dog
Wild Child: All About Arousal and Impulse Control
Slow Thinking is Lifesaving for Dogs™: Why It’s Important & How to Teach It
Different Breeds, Different Needs: Training the Different Breeds
Genetics of Behavior – Cat & Dog Genomics: Changing the Paradigm
Eww Don’t Eat That! How to Manage Your Dog’s Scavenging Behavior
Fear Free Animal Trainer Certification Course
Family Paws Parent Education Foundation Course

Travis Borruso – Head Trainer

Travis started his dog training journey in 2017 attending the University of New Hampshire study applied animal science. His journey with no monkey business came a year later in 2018 assisting classes, while still studying at UNH getting his degree in 2019. Afterwards he eventually started teaching and running a day training program with his own dog Desmond.

Now in 2025 he continued his education and is now working with New England K9 search and rescue team training with air scent search dogs hoping to have one of his own.

Tess Roever, CPDT-KA – Head Trainer

Tess is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). She began her dog training journey in 2018 and has worked across a variety of settings, including behavior consulting and training, shelter behavior, and daycare and boarding environments. She earned her certification in 2020 and continues to stay current with the latest science-based training methods through ongoing education and continued hands-on experience.

She also learns every day from her own three dogs—Ginger, Alea, and Sesame.

Jae McComiskey, CPDT-KA, SDC, FDM, CGC Evaluator – Head Trainer

Jae McComiskey is a certified professional service dog trainer who also provides behavior support for pet dogs and their families. As a disabled dog owner, his journey into dog training began out of personal necessity in 2017, when he started training his first service dog. What began as a personal endeavor quickly evolved into a long-term commitment to the field and a career focused on service dog development, behavior, and education.

Jae has completed advanced service dog education through Cooperative Paws and maintains his Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Evaluator certification. He has supported the development and graduation of service dog teams across a wide range of roles, including medical alert and response, hearing alert, mobility support, PTSD assistance, and autism support.

His work includes start-to-finish guidance for service dog teams, including dog selection and evaluation, foundational training, task training, public access preparation, and education surrounding service dog laws and resources. In addition to service dog work, Jae works extensively with pet dogs and their families, including cases involving reactivity, aggression, and fear-based behaviors.

Jae is known for his straightforward, honest approach and strong focus on education and clarity. He prioritizes understanding each individual dog and handler—how they learn, what they need, and how to apply practical, welfare-focused solutions in everyday life.

He shares his home with three dogs of his own: a retired “washout” service dog, a current working service dog, and a Chihuahua mix who keeps everyone in line.

Maggie Regan – Head Trainer

Maggie has always had a passion for animals and known that she wanted to work with them in some way. She has professional experience working with a variety of animals as a dairy farmhand, dog sitter, kennel technician, and veterinary technician. Maggie currently lives on a dairy farm with her partner and their three dogs Hugo, Korra, and Moby. When she’s not in class she loves drawing, music and spending time outdoors with her pups.

Her experiences working at a veterinary hospital, volunteering with shelter dogs, and working on reactivity with her own dog inspired her to learn more about behavior and training. After completing puppy kindergarten and level one with her dog Moby, Maggie just couldn’t get enough of NMBDT and knew that she wanted to be a part of this wonderful team! She hopes to learn as much as she possibly can and one day become a certified professional dog trainer. She looks forward to meeting you in classes!

Lynn Denbow – Head Trainer

Lynn fell in love with her first dog, a Chinese Shar-Pei, presented to her as a first wedding anniversary gift from her US Navy husband. He thought it would keep her company while he was away. Little did he know where the path of getting that first dog would lead. Needless to say, there were times when he would return home to find another 4-legged friend living in their home.

When Lynn started puppy kindergarten classes at No Monkey Business Dog Training with her new puppy, Walter, she knew she had found a special place. A place where positive training methods were taught by supportive instructors and where Walter could be his usual funny, goofy self while still learning and having fun. Subsequently, she took more classes with Walter, had a lot of fun, met some really great people, and the rest of the pieces just fell into place.

After earning his Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Walter and Lynn completed therapy dog training and became a Certified Therapy Dog team through Caring Animal Partners (CAP) of New London, New Hampshire. Lynn and Walter are active in therapy dog visits to a variety of places, including many local college and university campuses, the VA Medical Center, nursing homes, and are regular participants in a children’s reading program at a local library. Lynn is a member of Caring Animal Partners and Therapy Dogs of Southern NH.

Lynn conducts evaluations and consultations for clients who are interested in learning more about therapy dog work and certifications. Lynn is also certified by the AKC as a CGC Evaluator.

Lynn is grateful to be part of the NMBDT family and excited to spend time working with people and helping them foster long-lasting relationships with their dogs.

Josanna Nelson – CPDT-KA – Head Trainer

Josie Nelson is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) who is passionate about helping dogs and their people grow together. Known for her upbeat approach and sense of humor, she enjoys educating both dogs and their humans in ways that are engaging, supportive, and fun. She especially loves teaching specialty group classes and one-on-one sessions, creating positive learning environments by thinking outside the box and making training enjoyable for all involved.

Josie particularly enjoys hands-on work through Reactive Rover, where she utilizes her demo dogs—dogs who were thoughtfully raised for and genuinely enjoy the work. One of her favorite parts of training is watching progress unfold, not only in the dogs themselves but in their humans as well.

She has a special interest in helping dogs build confidence and finds great fulfillment in supporting them as they become more comfortable, capable, and successful in their everyday lives.

Outside of training, Josie enjoys spending time with her wonderful family and animals. She looks forward to seeing you in class!

Becky Woodworth, CPDT-KA – Head Trainer

Becky is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Family Dog Mediator (FDM), and certified trainer through CATCH Canine Trainers Academy (CCTA). She also leads a Day School program focused on both training and enrichment, along with a specialized puppy program designed to support dogs during their critical socialization period.

She is committed to continuing education and recently completed the Aggression in Dogs Master Course, further expanding her ability to effectively apply management strategies and behavior modification techniques in aggression cases.

Becky has also taken a deep dive into ethology—the study of animal behavior in natural environments—and its application to domestic dog training and welfare. The L.E.G.S.® Applied Ethology Family Dog Mediation Professional Course had a profound influence on her approach, shaping the way she supports both dogs and their people.

Becky has recently attended several educational seminars, including:

Sighthounds Are Special! Behavior, Training, and Welfare
The Antecedent Iceberg: Embracing the Natural Integration of Ethology & Behaviorism with Kim Brophy
A Critical Comparison of 7 Training Methods for Fear in Dogs
The Wolf in Your Living Room: Primitive Breeds
The Genetics of Aggression

She strives to help people build stronger relationships with their dogs by offering guidance, support, and a deeper understanding of the canine perspective.

Jennifer Gaudet-Esenwine – Head Trainer

With more than three decades of hands-on experience as a dedicated dog owner and advocate, Jennifer Gaudet-Esenwine has devoted her life to understanding, supporting, and strengthening the bond between dogs and their families. Over the past 20 years, she has fostered and successfully rehomed more than 30 dogs, including hospice, foster, and medically complex animals requiring specialized care, patience, attention, and love.

For the past three years, Jennifer has served as an Assistant Dog Trainer at NMBDT, where she uses positive, science-based training methods to help dogs and their owners build confidence, trust, and lasting behavioral success. Her approach is supported by a strong foundation in health and holistic wellness. Jennifer is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Master Reiki Practitioner, and Certified Clinical Aromatherapist, allowing her to integrate both medical insight and a balanced, compassionate perspective to canine care.

As a wife, mother, and lifelong animal lover, Jennifer currently shares her home with six dogs of varying breeds and personalities. Her passion for dogs began with her very first companion—a loyal Dachshund—who inspired a lifelong commitment to helping animals thrive through empathy, education, and meaningful connection.

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