Your 2024 - 2025 Board Of Directors
SUDS strives to have 7 Board Members at all times and Elections happen every August. Board Members serve a 2 year term, with their position on the board to have the ability to change each year (ex: One can serve on the board for 2 years, but only be President for 1 year).
We strive to keep our Board ever changing, but we don’t want new board members to be completely in the dark upon the start of their term. To solve this issue, our members terms are on alternating years. On even numbered years, 4 terms will be up for elections (4 new board members) and on odd years the other 3 terms will be up for elections. This means we have new people joining our team each year, but some members also stay on the team to help make the transition of duties and introduction to policies/procedures as fluid as possible.
Officer Descriptions/Duties
President: Preside over all meetings/activities, including making agendas, and shall exercise general supervision over the clubs affairs.
Vice President: Assumes the duties of the President in their absence.
Equipment Manager- Keeps track of equipment at field and maintains as necessary.
Secretary: Records all meeting notes and sends to board for approval
Treasurer/Membership: Records all financial transactions and receives all club funds and distribute accordingly. Keeps track of members and dues.
Training Coordinator- Coordinates classes with instructors.
Board Member at large: Serves as member on board and helps with duties in absences of other members.
President: Kim Darger
Kim and her best friend (her husband) found their way home to Ivins from northern Utah almost 5 years ago. A lifelong dog lover, she has worked with many animals including horses for 30 years and a wide variety of animals while working as a zookeeper and trainer at Hogle Zoo. She graduated from Weber State with a degree in Zoology and minors in Chemistry and Anthropology. Currently working as a homemaker and teacher for her 2 young boys, she has 2 dogs and a lifelong love of learning. She is new to dog sports and is having a blast and enjoying all the new friends.
Vice-President/Equipment Manager: Terry Cochran
I have always had at least one dog, ALWAYS! They are my love and my life. I lived in Oregon for over 20 years and while there was heavily involved with the local County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. We were a small county and did not have a search dog so I decided to train my GSD Max. He wasn’t overly enthusiastic about spending nights out in the cold and rain so when I adopted a lab mix puppy, Jake, I decided to train him in wilderness air search in which he excelled. Different counties were offering to buy him. Of course that didn’t happen and just as well, when he turned about 7 he developed cancer in his rear leg which had to be amputated. So, he retired with honors. Max has been retrained as a cadaver dog. Both boys ended up being excellent at their jobs. My current partner Cooper is a mixed breed, male that I have started to train in agility. Coop goes everywhere with me; Biking, hiking, kayaking…
Secretary: Micki Handte
Micki and her husband, Jack, moved to St. George in 2020 from Pittsburgh, PA. She has had Aussies since 1988 and also owned two Collies. Currently she has one 11 month old Aussie named Arnie who will be starting to train in agility and nosework. While in PA, she trained and competed in agility, obedience, Rally and herding. She has titled dogs at the excellent level of AKC agility and has also competed and titled dogs in ASCA and CPE agility. The titles earned in herding are her proudest accomplishments. Micki has taken in person and online courses in various dog training venues from Susan Garrett, Steffi Trott, Cappy Pruett and others.
Treasurer/Membership: Marilyn Jamison
I am a retired nurse who worked in healthcare for 48 years. I am a volunteer for Five Counties Area Agency on Aging. I've had dogs and cats for a good part of my life. I was an active member of junior horsemen in high school. It wasn't until 1993 that I became more interested in dog training and classes. Since then, I have continued learning by attending classes and taking online classes. I have assisted with puppy, basic obedience and CGC training. We have two (2) dogs, Jake and Taz. Taz has earned his rally novice title. Although I have limited experience training or showing dogs, I would like the opportunity to support our club and members by assisting in positive, fun training classes and events.
Trainng Coordinator: Nancy Hansen
Nancy Hansen has been working with dogs all her life, attending dog training classes and shows with her older sisters. At 15, she was able to have her very own dog, an Irish Setter. Together they earned a CD(Companion Dog) and a CDX(Companion Dog Excellent) degree. In 1975 She started teaching Obedience classes for the City of Montebello, Ca. She continued teaching classes for the city while attending the University of Southern California. After graduation, Nancy became a trainer at a personal protection/guard dog kennel while she did substitute teaching for Los Angeles County. In 1982 she moved to West Seattle and started her own business, The Puppy Perfectors Dog Training School. Over the years she did in home training, taught large group classes through the YMCA, Community Centers, as well as small group classes in a local park and school gymnasium. She would board and train dogs in her own home as well. In 2009, Nancy opened a training facility in White Center, Wa. After a couple of years she expanded her facility to a much larger facility, The Puppy Perfectors Dog Training and Agility Center LLC. In 2017, she sold the business but continued to teach and mentor for a couple more years. She fully retired and moved to Saint George, Ut 2020. Nancy has personally owned many different breeds from the working group, sporting group, hound group, terrier group, toy group, and herding group. She currently shares her home with two Cattle Dogs. She trains and shows them on a regular basis in Obedience, Rally O, Agility, Herding, and Conformation.
Member at Large: Pam Downie
I have always loved dogs; in fact you could say they’ve been my passion. They captured my heart and imagination at an early age. I enjoy being with, learning about, observing, practicing, and training dogs and their people. It is who I am. Over the years I have owned and loved dogs in 6 of the 7 groups, working mostly with poodles in Conformation. I mostly utilized Handlers at ringside due to my school, work and family responsibilities.
Training Dogs, both my own and others' is like breathing to me. I trained my first dog when I was 12, and have been training ever since. I've got 30+ years of training dogs of all breeds both individually and in small groups (max=10) since owning my ranch in1994. My focus was primarily on training basic obedience manners with the goal of the dog/s becoming good family members. My basic rule is to help with what people need.
I have always been interested in dogs in performance, but only recently had the time and opportunity to become involved with competition when I was introduced to Rally in 2020. I loved it, and am competing this year at RCKC. I'm also a Psychologist, so I'm a people person. But dogs own my heart.
Member at Large: Stanley Eastman
Stan is originally from Sandy Utah. He moved to Saint George about three years ago from the Chicago metro area. Now retired, he worked as a human resources director. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Stan lives with his partner, Tom, and two wild and crazy dogs: Jeffrey, a 2- year -old border collie mix, and Riley, a 3- year- old Kelpie mix. Stan volunteered at PAWS for about 2.5 years. He has taken his dogs through obedience, agility, and scent classes at SUDS.
Member at Large: Kay Davis
l have two Boykin Spaniel's which I train and trial in Obedience, Rally and Nose Work. They also get to hike and go camping. I've had dogs all my life but have only been trialing for the last 7 years. Before that I had horses that I competed with. I moved to this area 1 1/2 years ago from Arizona. I feel very fortunate to have found this group of people that share the enjoyment of their dogs both in training and everyday life.