Nick Langley
Owner & CEO
Nick Langley grew up a maverick with entrepreneurial DNA. Raised by a single mother, he was a latch-key kid who had a special bond with his dogs. Nick learned at an early age that dogs have the power to heal through their companionship, loyalty and unconditional love.
Nick’s passion for animals led him to serve as the Board President for Spay and Neuter Kansas City, a nonprofit dedicated to ending animal homelessness. Utilizing his financial and business savvy, he helped the nonprofit grow to a nearly $2 million organization in just three years.
Nick is a vision-driven leader dedicated to improving the lives of both pets and their owners. With more than 18 years of experience in the financial services industry, he combines his passion for animals and business expertise to continually improve the organization and meet the changing needs of clients.
He is a graduate of Avila University and the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Nick is an award-winning business leader and spent the majority of his career at Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., where he oversaw business development, strategic planning and relationship management.
Cher Oliver
Director of Pack Resources
Cher Oliver is the founder of Pooches Paradise and former director of Kansas City Retired Greyhounds as Pets (KCREGAP). The ultimate dog lover, she continues to pursue her passion for loving and fostering animals as the director of pack resources. She can’t help but smile when she sees the joyful faces of our guests.
Cher believes that dogs have an ancient sense that allows them to read human emotions and provide support, comfort or playfulness when needed, while never judging. Cher has an artist’s mind and enjoys creating jewelry and designing interiors.
Kelly Saldana
Director of Operations
Kelly Saldana is familiar with every aspect of Pooches Paradise, having worked as a pack member and resort manager before becoming the director of operations in 2016. Kelly is dedicated to creating a comfortable and safe environment for our guests. She meets regularly with staff to provide additional training and development. A naturally creative person, Kelly enjoys making dog toys out of reclaimed materials.
Mary Sellaro
Director of Training
Mary Sellaro joined Pooches Paradise as the director of training in 2012. A former dog daycare owner, she has been training dogs since 1990. Mary teaches obedience training in group and private lessons, from puppy level to advanced, and helps pet owners train dogs with behavior and aggression issues.
Mary is a certified American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen evaluator and has been the temperament test evaluator for the Children’s Mercy Hospital Pet Pal Program and Pets for Life, Inc. She also developed and implements the Kansas City Retired Greyhounds as Pets (KCREGAP) training program to rehabilitate former racing dogs in preparation for adoption.
Mary is a recurring guest and canine behavioral consultant on Talk Radio 710 KCMO and Hot Talk 1510 KCTE. She is a regular contributor to MetroPet Magazine and a published author on canine behavior and training in numerous pet-related publications.
Hannah Laitner
Kennel Manager
Hannah Laitner joined Pooches Paradise as the Kennel Manager in 2016. She has dedicated her career to the love and care of dogs. A life-long dog lover, Hannah’s first job was a kennel attendant at a local veterinary office. She went on to work many dog-related jobs in the Kansas City area, including daycare, boarding and private dog-sitting. Hannah’s goal is to become a certified dog trainer. Currently, her retriever, Onyx, is training to become a therapy dog so they can visit the elderly and volunteer in the community.
Devona Pierce
Back Office Manager
Since 2008, you have seen Devona’s smiling face when you drop your furry friend off in the morning. Love is the word Devona uses to describe why she has a dog. It is that same love that makes working at Pooches’ a joy, in fact it doesn’t feel like she is “working” at all when she is around the dogs at Pooches’. In the summer, look for Devona at BB’s Lawnside BBQ where she enjoys live jazz, blues, and Motown music. Devona’s quiet hobbies include reading any James Patterson novels, or piecing together huge jigsaw puzzles.
Amy Lopez
Senior Behavioral Trainer
Pooches Paradise has had the advantageous opportunity to have Amy Lopez in their employ since October of 2013. Amy has a long standing love for dogs as her mother was an independent dog rescuer throughout her childhood and teen years. She grew up surrounded by and handling dogs of various sizes and temperaments, including feral and aggressive rescues. Amy’s natural affinity for dogs led her to choose a career path in that direction and she has been working professionally with dogs for the last 12 years throughout the Kansas City area. Throughout the years, Amy has developed an excellent rapport with people and a proficiency for training and assessing staff members in dog body language and handling. These skills, along with her experience and background, made Amy a natural fit for a newly created position (for her) at Pooches Paradise- Senior Behavioral Trainer. In her spare time, Amy loves to hang out with friends, family and her beloved 12 year old rat terrier mix-Minnie, reading, bowling, watching movies and playing video games.