Ely (they/them) grew up in Houston, Texas, and moved to Oakland in their early twenties, where they’ve lived the past ten years. They received a BA from Mills College, as well as taking classes from Laney College. For the last few years, they’ve worked at the Oakland Museum of California. Ely’s dog Rocco had a tough previous life before Ely rescued her and gave her a better life, which included lots of walks around Mills College. These walks and exercise, along with lots of love and trust, helped transformed Rocco's life. Ely also had a couple of friends who were professional dog walkers, and after spending many outings with them, got to see firsthand the impact they had in the dogs' lives. Now Ely is super excited to have the opportunity to pursue this passion full time and make a positive difference in other dogs' lives. Other hobbies of Ely’s include gardening, ceramics, art, and cooking.