Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) 2026 Virtual Forum Series

Janet Jones applies brain science to the training of horses and riders. She earned her Ph.D. from UCLA and taught the neuroscience of perception, language, memory, and thought for 23 years. Janet trained horses at a large stable early in her career, and later ran a successful horse training business of her own. She has worked with close to a thousand horses, specializes in green or difficult horses, rides many breeds and disciplines, and has competed in hunter, jumper, halter, western riding, and reining. She employs the principles of basic dressage in all horse sports. Janet travels all over the world explaining brain-based horsemanship to riders, trainers, veterinarians, farriers, breeders, and equine physiotherapists. She co-teaches large animal behavior at Colorado State University Veterinary School and consults on equine topics with companies such as Disney World and Nissan Motor Corporation. Janet still rides her own horse every day and keeps a few other horses and riders in partial training. 
Learn more at Website.

Dr. Nancy R. Gee is an internationally recognized scholar in Human–Animal Interaction (HAI) whose research has significantly shaped scientific understanding of how companion animals influence human health and wellbeing across the lifespan. She serves as Professor of Psychiatry, Bill Balaban Chair in Human-Animal Interaction, and Director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she oversees research, education, and the hospital-based Dogs on Call therapy dog program. 

With more than two decades of experience in HAI research, Dr. Gee has authored over 100 publications, including randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews examining how therapy dogs support cognition, motor performance, literacy, stress reduction, and emotional wellbeing in both children and adults. Her early work documenting significant gains in children’s motor task performance in the presence of therapy dogs helped catalyze methodological rigor in the field. She has also led major investigations into how pet ownership relates to cognitive and physical function in older adults, contributing evidence from large studies such as the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. 

Before joining VCU, Dr. Gee served as the HAI Research Manager at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, guiding global research priorities and funding strategies related to companion animals, especially as they affect children and older adults. Her leadership extends to scholarly publishing: she is the lead editor of the American Psychiatric Association’s landmark volume The Role of Companion Animals in the Treatment of Mental Disorders, and she has co-edited foundational works on animals in educational settings. 

A Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist, Dr. Gee is also an active therapy dog handler and mentor who integrates clinical practice with scientific research. Her mentorship of medical students and researchers, combined with her global collaborations, has helped establish HAI as an evidence-based, clinically relevant discipline.

Dr Linda is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Colorado and California and has worked with clients since 1986. Prior to starting AATPC, she had a successful private practice for over 20 years, in

addition to running several agencies that treated severe trauma and chemical addiction.

Dr. Chassman (Dr. Linda) is also an educator, having taught at California State University, Fullerton and CU Denver for 14 years and consulted for residential treatment programs across the United States. She and her first animal partner, Norman, provided animal-assisted therapy for over 15 years with a variety of clients, including children, adolescents, adults, and couples. Dr. Chassman opened Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado with the inspiration and help of Mazey, her former feral kitten whom she raised after Mazey and her siblings were found outside in freezing weather. Sadly, Mazey passed away at only 17 months old, but she had a profound impact on those she helped.

In addition to holding a doctorate in counselling and a master's degree in clinical/community psychology, Dr. Chassman has advanced certifications in animal-assisted psychotherapy, human and animal health: animal-assisted therapy activities and learning, child abuse treatment, and treatment of adult children of alcoholics. She and Rupert have been certified as a therapy team by Professional Therapy Dogs of Colorado since 2011. She has lectured internationally and has several professional\ publications to her credit.

Charlotte is a highly regarded animal behaviour practitioner with over 30 years of industry experience and advanced qualifications in Animal Behaviour, Welfare, Management, and Equine Science at Master’s level. She specialises in behaviour modification for companion animals—particularly dogs, cats, and horses—and has extensive experience working with assistance dogs as well as Animal-Assisted Services (AAS) and Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA). As a government-approved assistance dog assessor, Charlotte plays a key role in supporting dog handler teams through the assessment process and upholding high standards in public access and task training. She is the founder of Perth Animal Training Specialists (PATS), now recognised as one of Perth’s leading behaviour and training centres. Charlotte is dedicated to educating both the public and professionals in ethical, evidence-based training practices grounded in behavioural science and compassion. A strong advocate for humane training, she also serves as Australia’s representative for the Shock Free Coalition, promoting fear- free approaches and encouraging others to commit to welfare-focused methods.