Join us to discuss the ADA and Penn State policies relevant to service dogs and other animals on campus. This chat will share experiences from service dog handlers, challenging situations, etiquette, and how to interact respectfully with a handler and their service dog.

This LionSide Chat will be presented by:

Michelle Peasley

Student Disability Resources Coordinator Penn State Berks

K. Lynn Pierce   

Doctoral Candidate, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Penn State University

Lynn Pierce, M.S., NCC, is a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education and Supervision at the Pennsylvania State University and a 2021-2021 Association‌ ‌for‌ ‌Counselor‌ ‌Education‌ ‌and‌ ‌Supervision‌ Emerging Leader. Pierce has work experience with trauma, sexual and affectional minorities and individuals with disabilities, and much of her interest is in how intersecting identities may impact marginalized and minority individuals. Her research focus centers on improving access to care for under-served demographics, providing empirically supported interventions, and improving client outcomes.

A strong focus for Pierce from the start of her education in counseling has been research and education around service animals. Pierce is a service dog handler of 6 years and she has built a consultation and education presence to assist mental health professionals and related professions understand the laws applicable to service dog teams and how to interact with service dog handlers in positive ways to increase handler wellness and outcomes. Her dissertation will focus on standards of care for handlers and the better meeting the needs of service dog teams.