OUR MISSION:
Welcome to the National Private Contract Working Dog Association (NPCWDA); a nonprofit built by handlers, for handlers. Our mission is advancing the welfare and professional development of privately contracted working dog teams nationwide by providing education, community, and resources that strengthen operational standards, enhance handler support, and improve access to critical care for the dogs that keep our communities safe.
Whether you are an experienced professional, a new handler, or someone looking to get started in the K9 industry, you’ll find resources, training opportunities, and a community dedicated to protecting and advancing our field. Together, we are shaping the future of contract working dogs with integrity, professionalism, and heart.
President & FOUNDER
Veronica Lees
Veronica Lees has dedicated her career to the working dog community, serving as an executive protection and explosive detection K9 handler since 2019. She has provided security at major events and festivals across the country and has supported high-profile clients with both handler expertise and K9 close protection. Her firsthand experience in the contract world has shown her the critical role that handlers and their dogs play; and the lack of resources, standards, and advocacy that often leave them unsupported.
Motivated by those challenges, Veronica founded the nonprofit to build a national network that empowers contract handlers, raises industry standards, and ensures the welfare of working dogs. Beyond operations, she brings a creative edge through her work in pet photography, using storytelling and imagery to honor the bond between handlers and their K9 partners.
Veronica’s mission is clear: to advocate for handlers, provide meaningful training opportunities, and establish a support system that protects both the dogs and the people who rely on them.
vice president & co-founder
SCOTT ZIMMERMAN
Scott Zimmerman has dedicated over two decades to working with K9s in both law enforcement and military capacities. He began his career in law enforcement, serving more than a decade with his agency’s K9 Unit while also operating as a member of the Special Response Team. In the later years of his law enforcement career, Scott became the agency’s K9 Trainer after completing the K9 Trainer Course and the POST General Instructor program.
In 2014, Scott transitioned to working with the Department of Defense as a K9 trainer, a role he continues to hold today. Over the past eleven years, he has helped develop new K9 capabilities, designed coursework tailored to handlers, and advanced more efficient training methods for operational success.
Having also worked closely with handlers in the private contract world, Scott has seen the lack of training opportunities, poor industry practices, and the tendency for companies to take credit while leaving handlers and their dogs under supported. These experiences fuel his commitment to shifting the focus back to the handlers themselves, advocating for their professional growth, setting higher standards, and providing the kind of training that strengthens both the teams and the dogs they rely on.
TREASURER
Janice Hoppe
Since 2015, Janice has served as a Purchasing Agent where she managed vendor relations, contract negotiations, and large-scale procurement. In 2022, she advanced to Administrative Manager, overseeing operations, budgets, and personnel with a focus on efficiency and accountability. These experiences give her a strong foundation in financial oversight and organizational management; skills she now brings to the nonprofit in her role as Treasurer.
As the mother of a K9 handler, she has witnessed firsthand the sacrifices and challenges that come with the job. She also recognizes a major gap in the contract world: the lack of reliable support for emergency medical expenses when working dogs are injured or fall ill. Too often, the burden falls entirely on the handler. Her passion is to change that narrative by building a system where resources are in place to protect both the dogs and the handlers who depend on them.
By combining her professional expertise with her personal dedication to the working dog community, Janice plays a vital role in ensuring the nonprofit is both financially strong and mission driven.
sECRETARY
RAQUEL STONE
Raquel Stone’s career working with dogs began over a decade ago after earning her degree in Animal Science with a concentration in Canine Behavior. Since then, she has worked extensively with dogs facing complex behavioral challenges and has also served as a professional hunting field guide alongside her Labrador Retrievers — who double as her working K9s.
In 2022, Raquel transitioned into the professional K9 contracting world, providing detection and security services at large festivals, rehabilitation facilities, sporting events, and private corporate functions. Through her experience in the field, Raquel recognized the widespread need for more structure, continuing education, and a stronger sense of community within the private K9 industry.
As Secretary of NPCWDA, Raquel is committed to strengthening communication, organization, and collaboration across the association. She hopes to help build a supportive network where handlers and their K9 partners can continue to grow, connect, and receive the recognition and resources they deserve for their hard work and dedication in every environment they serve.
Freddy Roethler brings more than 15 years of expertise as a Marine Corps Military Working Dog (MWD) handler, trainer, and leader. His distinguished career includes multiple combat deployments with Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) teams across Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Somalia, and beyond. Throughout his service, he earned several Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals with Valor and two Combat Action Ribbons for his actions in combat.
Rising through the ranks to Gunnery Sergeant, Freddy has served as a Kennel Master, Chief Trainer, and now Assistant Operations Chief at the Marine Corps’ Provost Marshal’s Office. In these roles, he has overseen the training, development, and welfare of working dog teams, ensuring both mission readiness and canine care.
In addition to his military service, Freddy has spent years working in the private sector at large-scale in Southern California. There, he experienced firsthand the mismanagement, unsafe practices, and lack of proper support that contract handlers and their dogs are often subjected to. Those experiences now drive his mission: to raise industry standards, advocate for handlers, and ensure that working dog teams receive the respect, training, and resources they need to succeed.
director of k9 programming
FREDERICK J ROETHLER III
DIRECTOR OF HANDLER DEVELOPMENT
Chad Davison
Chad Davison is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces, retiring in 2025 after two decades of service. Thirteen of those years were spent in the Special Forces Multi-Purpose Canine (MPC) program, where he deployed six times, three of those as a Special Forces MPC Handler.
During his later years in the kennel, Chad played a pivotal role in advancing the program by mentoring new handlers, developing future generations of MPCs, and refining how these highly capable dogs were employed “on target,” drawing on hard-earned lessons from his operational experience downrange.
Now serving as NPCWDA’s Handler Development Lead, Chad brings that same passion for mentorship to the private sector. Having recently begun his own work as a contractor, he is committed to helping guide other handlers entering the industry and advocating for higher standards in training, operational readiness, and canine welfare.
Beyond his work with working dogs, Chad has spent years training pet dogs and coaching owners, earning a reputation for his ability to explain complex canine behavior in practical, easy to understand terms. His approachable teaching style and results driven methods have built a loyal client base.
Chad’s extensive background and vision for the future of the industry align perfectly with NPCWDA’s mission: to advance the welfare, effectiveness, and professionalism of working-dog teams nationwide.
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