Meet the Team
Kelly Thyssen
Kelly founded Humane Educators of Texas in 2014 and now co-owns the company with Tabitha. Kelly is also the cofounder of Humane H.E.L.P., a nonprofit organization for peer support and mental health resources for Animal Welfare Professionals.
She is a trained Peer through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) and a Nationally Certified Animal Cruelty Investigator (CODE3 & Colorado State University).
Kelly has experience in giving lectures for multiple organizations including Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Zoonosis program, Williamson County Probation Office, the Georgetown Police Department, National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA), Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Texas Animal Control Association (TACA), Southeastern Animal Control Association, Animal Control Association of New Hampshire, Texas Unites for Animals, Texas Environmental Health Association (TEHA) and the Intertel Region VIII Southwest Conference.
Kelly has worked as an Animal Control Officer for multiple Central Texas agencies, Veterinary Technician for a small animal hospital, Kennel Manager for a large no-kill animal shelter, and as a Public Health and Prevention Specialist for Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Program.
She is a former member of Pflugerville Police Association and Georgetown Police Association, Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA), and Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT), and Pflugerville Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). She is a current member of NACA, TACA, and board president for Humane H.E.L.P.
Currently Kelly lives in Round Rock, TX with her husband, daughter and several pets.
Tabitha Blewett
Tabitha Blewett has over 20 years of experience in the field of animal care and animal services. While residing in California she worked as the education director for a non-profit wildlife rescue organization with special focus on large cats. She also worked for private animal boarding and training facilities in the San Diego area, as well as for the North County Humane Society.
After relocating to Texas, she worked for the Williamson County Humane Society as the kennel manager, and also served as a member of the advisory board for the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.
In September 2018, she retired from the Williamson County Sheriff's Office after 10 years of service. She was the Local Rabies Control Authority for Williamson County as well as the Animal Control Field Supervisor for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, where she oversaw a team of five Animal Control Officers.
During her time at the Sheriff's Office, she excelled in promoting educational outreach for the community, including giving frequent public education presentations for children. She developed the fractious animal training program for employees of the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department, as well as educational seminars on urban wildlife which she has presented at various events around Williamson County.
In addition to full time training at the academy and around the state, Tabitha is a frequent speaker at conferences for both State and National organizations. She has presented at: HSUS Animal Care Expo, National Animal Care & Control Association Conference, Texas Animal Control Association Conference, Texas Unites for Animals Conference, Southeastern Animal Control Conference, New England Animal Control Academy Conference, & Texas Department of State Health Services, Zoonosis Control Division Continuing Education Seminars and Basic ACO Training.
Tabitha holds trainings & certifications in Basic, Advanced ACO, & Administrative ACO, Collapsible Baton, OC Spray, X26 Taser, Rifle Qualification, Zoonotic Diseases, Verbal Judo, Herpetology Handling, Blood Sports Investigations, TLAER Awareness Level, Officer Safety & Survival, Compassion Fatigue, Pet First Aid & CPR, Animal Services Disaster Response, and Rabies Investigations.
Tabitha is also Nationally Certified as an Animal Cruelty Investigator (Code 3 Associates & Colorado State University), Internationally Certified as a Rabies Educator (Global Alliance for Rabies Control), ICISF Certified Peer, a TCOLE SME on Rabies & Dangerous Dog Investigations, and a RACE approved Instructor (AAVSB).
Emma Morrow
Emma joined the Humane Educators of Texas team in 2024 as the Administrative Assistant and quickly earned the nickname "Master of Disaster" for her ability to keep the organized chaos of Kelly and Tabitha running smoothly. As the friendly voice behind many phone calls and emails, Emma helps coordinate classes, support instructors and students, and ensure day-to-day operations stay on track.
In addition to keeping the office running efficiently, Emma manages much of the organization's social media presence, creating engaging content and occasionally convincing the team to participate in fun (and sometimes hilarious) challenges. Whether she's organizing registrations, answering questions, posting online, or making sure the snack stash is fully stocked, Emma is always ready to help.
Outside of Humane Educators of Texas, Emma is actively involved in her church, where she volunteers with children's and youth ministries. She enjoys spending her free time playing board games with friends, card games with her family, and exploring the outdoors.
Emma's enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication make her an invaluable part of the Humane Educators of Texas team and help ensure every student has a positive experience.
The Animal Crew
O.C.
Skunk
Winston
Behind every great training team is an even greater animal crew! Meet the official Humane Educators of Texas ambassadors, who keep us smiling and remind us why we do what we do.
🐱 Skunk – Adopted in 2020 - Don't let the name fool you! Skunk is one of our resident feline supervisors. Equal parts curious and independent, Skunk is always nearby to inspect new projects, oversee office activities, and remind us that every animal has a unique personality worth understanding.
🐱 O.C. – Adopted in 2018 - O.C. is our laid-back office cat who believes every meeting should include a comfortable nap. When not "helping" with paperwork or claiming someone's chair, O.C. serves as a daily reminder of the importance of feline behavior, enrichment, and compassionate care.
🐶 Winston – Adopted in 2022 - Our friendly Yellow Labrador Retriever is the official greeter and morale officer.
Winston never meets a stranger and is always ready with a wagging tail, a stuffie, or a smile. Whether he's welcoming visitors or keeping the team company between classes, Winston embodies the loyalty, kindness, and positive attitude we strive to bring to every training.Together, Skunk, O.C., and Winston are more than office pets—they're valued members of the Humane Educators of Texas family. They remind us every day that education, compassion, and a little bit of fun can make a lasting difference for both animals and the people who care for them.
Specialty Instructors
Shyah Johnson
Shyah Johnson has been in the animal welfare field since 2016 and currently is a Senior Animal Health Tech at a local regional shelter. She joined our team of instructors in 2023 and teaches all 3 levels of Basic Kennel Technician. She has experience working in both non-profit and municipal animal shelters as well as retail pet boarding facilities.
Shyah has a great love for all animals, but especially reptiles and dogs. She excels in the handling and rehabilitating of dogs who are fearful and unsafe to rehome without intervention. She lives in Taylor with her 6 snakes and 5 dogs and dreams of one day owning an alligator!
Jared Thyssen
Jared Thyssen is a former police commander with more than 17 years of law enforcement experience. He joined the Humane Educators team in January 2019. Throughout his career, he served in a variety of leadership and investigative roles, including Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Commander. He holds a Master Peace Officer License, is a certified TCOLE instructor, and has extensive experience leading support services, criminal investigations, professional standards, communications, and community engagement programs.
During his law enforcement career, Jared investigated a wide range of criminal cases, including thefts, burglaries, impaired driving offenses, sex crimes, child abuse, assaults, and death investigations. He has participated in and supervised numerous crime scene investigations involving the identification, documentation, collection, and preservation of evidence.
An experienced instructor, Jared has taught law enforcement and public safety professionals in a variety of subject areas, including Crime Scene Investigation, Arrest, Search and Seizure, Missing and Exploited Children, Human Trafficking, Officer Safety, Crowd Management, Taser (X26, X2, and Taser 7 platforms), Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) Spray, and Legislative Updates. He currently serves as an instructor for Humane Educators of Texas, where he teaches Crime Scene Management for Animal Control and Building and Leading an Effective Team, bringing practical leadership and investigative experience to animal control and animal welfare professionals across Texas.
Kati Krouse
Kati is the Executive Director and co-founder of BEARS Etc., a nonprofit bear and exotic animal rescue and sanctuary dedicated to providing lifelong care for rescued wildlife while inspiring conservation through education. Kati joined the Humane Educators team in 2026 to provide one of a kind training on exotic animal handling. A lifelong animal advocate, she attended Purdue University, where she studied Veterinary Technology with a focus on Wildlife Management and Natural Resources.
With more than 25 years of experience spanning corporate veterinary medicine, private practice, nonprofit animal care, and small business ownership, Kati brings a wealth of practical knowledge to every class she teaches. Her background includes veterinary technology, exotic animal care, pet grooming, training, boarding, and rescue operations. As a fifth-generation farmer and certified Master Gardener, she is also passionate about sustainable agriculture and creating environments where both animals and people can thrive.
Kati is a nationally recognized speaker who has educated thousands of first responders, animal control officers, veterinarians, wildlife professionals, and community organizations on the safe handling, care, and management of exotic animals and wildlife. She is a frequent instructor at animal control conferences across Texas and presents educational programs throughout the United States.
Through Humane Educators of Texas, Kati shares her extensive field experience to help animal welfare and public safety professionals confidently respond to exotic animal situations while promoting responsible ownership, conservation, and animal welfare.
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Cathy Bustos
Cathy joined our team in 2019 to spear head our mental health classes. Since then she has become a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate in Texas and is on the board of Humane H.E.L.P. She is a graduate of American Military University with a bachelor's degree in psychology along with a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, with a specialty in trauma and crisis from Walden University. Currently, she is providing counseling services for veterans and first responders at Angels On The Horizon Therapeutic Center in Copperas Cove, Texas.
Cathy served for 25 years as a Texas police officer with the cities of Copperas Cove and Cedar Park. She is a graduate of The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute Leadership Command College at Sam Houston State University. She retired at the rank of Lieutenant in 2019.
Cathy is an International Critical Incident Stress Foundation approved instructor and certified Group Crisis and Assisting Individuals in Crisis Instructor. She's also a certified trainer on the topic of Law Enforcement Suicide. She's a member of the instructor cadre with Warrior’s Rest Foundation.
Every year, Cathy returns as support services for National Police Week in Washington DC. She also travels the nation as support services for the Concerns of Police Survivors Traumas of Law Enforcement Trainings. She provides Wellness Services for Survivors of Blue Suicide and for the Texas Fraternal Order of Police.
She can be reached by emails:
cathyandjavi@gmail.com or
cbustos@warriorsrestfoundation.org
Her website: www.cathyandjavi.com
Kasey Schwartzer
Kasey Schwartzer Joined our team in 2025 to help teach Compassion Fatigue as well as share her unique shelter insights in our leadership and shelter courses. She has been in Animal Control/sheltering for 16 years. She began her career path as a Veterinary Technician and after many years of doing that she felt a need for a change and transitioned to 911 telecommunicator, then corrections, before landing in Animal Control as County ACO. After 1.5 years as an ACO, the opportunity to start a new shelter from scratch came along and she became the Shelter Supervisor of the Lampasas Animal Shelter.
Her overarching goal in this career is to make it better for those that follow, both human and animal. Her shelter is small, but the challenges were huge and it has come such a long way and she believes that all the mistakes made and lessons learned along the way could be helpful for someone else.
Kasey is also an ICISF trained peer and vice president of the nonprofit Humane H.E.L.P. where she is helping build a network of trained peers to help the animal welfare professionals in Texas and beyond!
Lana Toporek
Lana Toporek joined our team in 2019 as the Officer Safety & Bite Stick instructor. She has been a Texas Peace Officer for over 15 years. She is currently a Sergeant in Central Texas and has served as a field training officer, a defensive tactics instructor, and member of a dynamic entry team during her career. She also has over 30 years of martial arts experience, and currently trains under head coach Robby Rabadi and Rabadi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.
Lana holds certifications in: Master Peace Officer, TCOLE Basic Instructor License, Certified Gracie Survival Tactics Instructor (Level 1), Certified Defensive Tactics Instructor (Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy).
Additional achievements include: Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Advanced Muay Thai practitioner, 5th Degree black belt in Kajuunkenbo, Black sash in Hung-Gar Kung Fu, Former NASM certified personal trainer, several time gold and silver medal winner at the Texas Police Games, gold medal winner IBBJF (Blue belt women's division), several time gold and silver medal winner at NAGA.
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