Turning training into transformation — for both ends of the leash.
“Working with our service dogs is pure magic — for me, for the trainers, volunteers, and puppy raisers who watch the light bulbs turn on in a puppy’s mind as they learn to open a door, turn on a light, or go get help for their partner. There’s magic, too, in seeing a service dog in training ‘choose’ its person — and witnessing the life-changing difference that bond makes.”
~ Linda Ball
For Linda, every experience is an opportunity to learn, to serve, and to empower others to discover the same.
Linda Ball brings more than 20 years of experience in the assistance dog field, along with a lifelong passion for service, education, and global development. She holds an A.S. in Assistance Dog Education from Bergin University of Canine Studies, a B.A. in Speech Communications from the University of Minnesota, an M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and a Mini MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.
Her background spans social services, education, and leadership. She developed and lectured at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls ADEPT (Service Dog training program) and continues to maintain active connections across the assistance dog community.
Linda’s commitment to service extends far beyond PawPADs. She served as Country Director for GOAL Ireland, an international aid organization, leading humanitarian projects in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Honduras. She also helped rebuild schools, homes, and community centers in post-war Bosnia and Kosovo, and directed emergency disaster planning and child welfare programs in Honduras and El Salvador. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia, she helped develop and produce the nation’s first Mongolian Sign Language Dictionary. — continuing her lifelong mission of fostering growth, dignity, and opportunity wherever she serves.
