Our Trainers

Heather Wilkerson SMSD Program Manager

Heather Wilkerson is a co-founding member and currently serves as the Canine Program Manager for Smoky Mountain Service Dogs. Heather was instrumental in developing the standards for Smoky Mountain Service Dogs to become an Assistance Dogs International Accredited Member. She continues to maintain the ADI standards for the program and assists the Board of Directors with compliance of ADI Standards. Heather began her career as a Canine Handler during her law enforcement career in the 1990’s. Heather has a strong background in the training of detection dogs and is a former Canine Instructor for Auburn University’s Canine Detection and Research Institute. Heather has served as a Canine Search Specialist, Coordinator, Instructor, Trainer, Evaluator and mentor for various state and federal Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces. She responded to many state, national, and international man- made and natural disasters with her certified canines during her Search & Rescue career. Heather has a strong background in the development and management of Canine Programs. She provided a multitude of consulting and canine training services to various working dog programs in the Non-Profit and private industries during her career both nationally and internationally. Heather proudly supports the UT CARES program for the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She continues to contribute to the canine community by supporting and promoting higher standards for education, training and the advancement of canine health and performance.

Susan RandallSMSD Lead Trainer

Susan started her career with animals in the equine industry and transitioned to dogs later. She holds a Bachelors degree of Animal Science from Middle Tennessee State University and is a certified dog trainer through Animal Behavior College.  In January of 2020 she became a certified canine fitness trainer through the University of Tennessee. While she is not a dog owner currently, Susan trained her previous dogs in multiple sports: agility, odor detection, canine biathlons, and flyball.  Susan enjoys spending time with her family and sharing her love for horses, sports and the outdoors with her son.

Laura Porter Staff Trainer

Laura Porter grew up in North Carolina, riding horses and playing with her family’s Labradors. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a minor in Psychology. While at Tennessee, Laura started a student organization dedicated to educating the public about service animals and worked with the H.A.B.I.T Therapy Animal program. Laura became involved with SMSD as a volunteer during her sophomore year of school. She started on the community events team and eventually decided she wanted to be a dog handler. She participated in socializing, weekend respite and raised a puppy her senior year. In her free time Laura enjoys spending time outdoors, with friends and riding horses.

Melissa MartiClient Services Coordinator

Melissa initially served as a valuable volunteer.She raised several puppies, socialized puppies and kennel dogs and provided weekend respite care. She joined our team in 2023 as a part- time staff trainer before being offered a full time position as a staff trainer in 2024. Melissa has been an amazing asset to our volunteers and clients. We are proud to have her!

Maylee DemlingStaff Trainer

Maylee Demling’s journey in service dog training began long before joining Smoky Mountain Service Dogs. Thanks to her father’s long career in the United States Marine Corps, she was able to experience many different types of communities and people, starting her passion for serving veterans and people with disabilities. After moving numerous times across the United States, her family eventually settled in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Maylee graduated from Illinois State University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Studies. While at ISU, she stumbled upon one of the most amazing opportunities, a student organization called Indy-pendence Service Dogs that trains and fosters service dogs for Paws Giving Independence. Through these organizations, Maylee was able to successfully foster, train, and raise numerous service dogs, preparing them to change the lives of the most inspiring people. In her free time, Maylee enjoys traveling, baking, trying new coffee shops, and going on nature walks. 

Emily HodgesStaff Trainer

From an early age, Emily knew she was meant to work with animals. She began her career in veterinary medicine, but it didn’t take long for her to realize that her true calling was in training and building lasting partnerships with animals.

Her journey started with raising guide dog puppies and quickly expanded into the world of competitive dog sports, including agility, obedience, field trials, hunt tests, dock diving, and weight pull. Over the years, Emily’s passion led her to serve alongside first responders—working as an Animal Control Officer for the San Diego Humane Society, a 911 Dispatcher for the Oceanside Police Department, and later, a Canine Trainer for the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, where she specialized in training search and rescue dogs and mentoring first responders: developing strong, capable canine teams.

Emily’s expertise extends beyond canines—she has also trained and competed at a national level with horses and worked professionally with birds of prey. Her diverse background reflects a lifelong commitment to understanding and strengthening the bond between humans and animals.

In her free time, Emily enjoys sharing her passions with her family. She spends her days training her Australian Koolies in herding with her flock of sheep, competing in dog frisbee competitions, and riding her horses in cattle events.

Darrell WilkersonCanine Fitness Trainer/Facilities Manager