National Certified Master Groomer, Helen J Schaefer has been grooming for nearly 15 years, and competing for 5. Over this span of time she has done everything from Housecall and Corporate to Mobile Grooming. She is the former owner of the award winning The Groom Studio, whose slogan, "Where every dog is a work of Art" has become Helen’ s personal Mantra, and what she hopes to pass on through teaching. She is best known for her resilience; overcoming many obstacles and trials on her way to achieving her goal of obtaining a spot on GroomTeam USA. Helen documents her misadventures in and out of the contest ring on her 2019 Barkleigh Honors nominated blog: Helen Problems with a Vlog counterpart featured bi weekly in Pet Groomer Town Hall.

Erin began grooming under her mentor, Donna Skura in 2004. In 2009, she set a goal to open my own shop within 5 years and partnered up with her best friend, Wenchi Liu and opened up All About Paws Pet Spa in March 2014. From 2012-2016, she worked for E-Z groom at Groom Expo West. In February of 2016-2018 worked as brand ambassador for Aesculap (German red clipper), on the west coast. February of 2019 brought her to Groomers Pro’s booth to help them by offering my grooming expertise to their grooming clients. Early this year, joined the board of the CPPGA, and couldn’t be happier with the great group of ladies she works with, and the experience and opportunities it has offered her! She is looking forward to mher first competition next February and to making a difference in the grooming industry!

Popular speaker Melissa Jepson has owned and operated the award winning grooming salon Pupscale Pet Salon in Montclair, California since 2013. As a founding member of the Association of Holistic Pet Professionals she believes deeply in creating a soothing, well rounded environment for all aspects of the grooming salon. She also enjoys teaching easy to access webinars at Pawsitive Educational Training when she is not traveling to teach at trade shows. A life-long learner with the heart of a teacher and the soul of an artist, Melissa excels at communicating and is passionate about sharing knowledge with others.

Started as a bather and doing prep work in jr high on weekends and school breaks at her mother’[s shop and took over as owner in January of 2010. Owned it for 9 years before moving to Garland, Maine in March of 2019, when her husband was offered a professorship at the University of Maine.

Certified in canine massage therapy, first aid and CPR, and Infectious disease management, as well as received her Certified Master Stylist from the Intellectual Groomers Association.

Ashley breeds and train shelties and is an AKC breeder of merit and bred with heart breeder for Ashlaur Shelties.

And has shown horses to state championships.

Tables got turned and Mary got interviewed!

From coast to coast it’s the mobile groomer you love the most ! It’s Laura Jayne Massaro!


Nearly 2 decades of experience, from bather brusher in the 90s with high hopes of someday owning her own mobile grooming business. Since 2015 Hair Of The Dog Mobile Pet Spa’s wheels have been gracing manhattans busy streets. With a lifetime of perfecting process from front of the house to back of the house she eagerly shares the ins and outs of business hoping to make a easier path for entrepreneurs globally.

Carol Visser has been involved in the pet industry since 1982 in various capacities, including grooming in and owning a busy suburban shop, training dogs, working as a product expert for PetEdge, teaching at a grooming school, and giving seminars at grooming shows. She certified as a Master Groomer with NDGAA in 1990 and as a Certified Pet Dog Trainer in 2007 and continues to enjoy the pet industry by writing for Pet Business Magazine on both retail and grooming. Carol lives in rural Maine with her husband, a very large pig and a Brittany found on the side of the road while she was an Animal Control Officer.

Christine’s first ‘real’ job at 15 was as a carer and bather at a dog resort and day care. At 16, she met Mary, working as her bather for about a year and learning along the way. Learning from Mary and other talented and experienced groomers, Christine has groomed professionally for over 15 years in salons in Connecticut, New York, Michigan, and Australia. With a degree in business and a career in marketing, she has spent most of the last 10 years in the corporate world, grooming part time or on the weekends. Currently she works in Advertising and Marketing for one of the Big 3 auto manufacturers but continues to do what she’s passionate about while keeping her skills sharp by grooming on the weekends.

Kellie Halteman grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her youth was spent showing Quarter Horses and helping in the family business of harnessing races. I was also highly involved in FFA.

She started grooming in 2012 at Petsmart and worked there for about 4 years. From there moved on to my current place of employment where I am currently the only groomer at a daycare facilty. She is CPR Certified and AKC Safety Certified Groomer.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with my husband, riding horses, reading and cooking.

Anne has been a professional pet stylist for over 20 years, joining the team at The Village Groomer & Pet Supply in Walpole, Mass in 1995. The Village Groomer received Best Independent Retail Grooming Salon twice by the Cardinal Crystal Achievement Awards. Anne was the recipient of the Cardinal Crystal Award for Journalist Of The Year for her work on the instructional article in Grooming Business Magazine, “The Grooming Table.” She has been a member of Groom Team USA for 2014, 2015 and 2016 and finished in the top 5 the last 2 seasons. She has been recognized for her incredible scissor work, as well as the “Taxi Award” at the New England Pet Grooming Professionals for the best expression and character with a mixed breed. She is a certified master groomer thru Ndgaa. Anne is excited to share her knowledge she has gathered over the years as she transitions into being an educator in the industry that she loves.