Meet the staff

An older woman with short gray hair sitting on a chair outdoors with a black service dog wearing a red harness, in front of a building with trees and windows.

Peggy Law

Founder/ Executive Director

Peggy founded SDV in 2000. She is responsible for the direction and growth of the organization as well as day to day operations. Beginning with physical assistance dogs, SDV has grown from one program to five, first adding autism service dogs, followed by diabetic alert dogs, PTSD and facility dogs. As a trainer, Peggy is continually seeking to build trainers skills; as a leader, Peggy is always trying to grow and enrich the organization as a whole in order to provide ongoing support to staff as well as existing clients. Peggy is currently working on plans for SDV’s permanent facility on our recently purchased property.

A woman with short gray hair sitting cross-legged on a concrete patio, smiling while cuddling a large black Labrador retriever puppy wearing a red vest. The background shows trees, a wooden fence, outdoor chairs, and stairs leading to a building.

Linda Farina

Lead Trainer

Linda is a pleasure to work with because she is perennially cheerful and trains with her whole heart. It’s one of the reasons all the dogs adore her and work so hard for her. She is kind and thoughtful to dog and person alike. Long ago, Linda raised a puppy for SDV and now is a full time trainer. She wears other hats at SDV: ordering supplies, following up with clients, and helping with puppy classes.

A smiling middle-aged woman with short brown hair, wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt, standing in a well-lit room with a blurred background.

Tina Floyd

Director of Development

Tina brings over 25 years of organizational management, development and marketing experience within the nonprofit sector. In director, manager and consulting roles, she has contributed to the financial health and program growth of multiple human service, healthcare and educational organizations.

Smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a light gray sweater, outdoors background.

Caroline Ross

Office Manager/ Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Caroline joined SDV in 2019, initially working as Office Administrator and soon after taking on the role of Client Liaison. She now also leads marketing and communications initiatives, including social media, donation campaigns, and email newsletters, while continuing to support clients even after they receive their dogs. Caroline brings a strong background that includes a Masters in Library and Information Science, along with experience across diverse businesses and non-profit organizations. Organized, steady, and capable, she thrives in a mission-driven environment and delights in being part of a team that shares her passion. Her sharp wit shines through her humor, and her Christmas-themed year-in-review poems have become legendary.

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Mary

Program Director

Mary joins SDV as the new Program Director, bringing her background as a veteran puppy raiser along with over 25 years of experience in software engineering and business process automation. She is excited to step into this role where she can blend her technical expertise with her passion for service dog work. As Program Director, Mary will oversee training, client services, and volunteer engagement, ensuring that SDV’s programs and people thrive.

Virginia Dare

Prison Puppy Coordinator

Virginia is a certified positive reinforcement trainer and behavior counselor with over 30 years’ experience. She also provides some writing services to the ASPCA and was a contributing curriculum writer for two nationally recognized trainers’ academies. Her favorite work by far has been in her role as a lead trainer for a pet/prison program, working for eight years in various prisons. Now Virginia is really looking forward to joining Service Dogs of Virginia as they expand their program into a local prison.

Learn more about Virginia and her work at www.northstarcanines.com

Jessica Pascadlo

Puppy Program Coordinator/Breeding Colony Manger

Jessica Pascadlo joined the SDV team as a part-time trainer and Puppy Program Coordinator after years of dedicated volunteer service. In the coming years, she will also take on the role of Breeding Colony Manager as SDV transitions into its permanent facility.

Jessica holds a PhD in particle physics from the University of Virginia, and she is thrilled to bring her love of math and science into her work as Breeding Colony Manager — where science and service dogs converge.