In 2002 Teri became a SAR Tech II and joined a SAR team the following year. Teri began her SAR career training two dogs in trailing and another dog in human remains detection. Teri taught various skills to other SAR resources during SAR Tech II classes and eventually became a SAR Tech II Lead Evaluator herself. Teri joined the Florida Task Force 4 in 2004 and began training a canine for disaster live find.

Teri retired from the Orlando Fire Department in 2009 where she served in the following capacities: firefighter/paramedic, Arson Investigator, EOD Technician and reserve law enforcement officer for their Special Investigative Service department. Teri also served as a state certified fire inspector, fire officer and fire instructor.

Teri is a co-founder and Executive Director of Florida Alliance of Search and Rescue K-9. Inc. (FASAR K-9) a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. FASAR K-9 is a NIMS compliant team that requires team members to obtain and maintain all certifications required to deploy as a SAR asset. Teri has trained and certified four dogs in HRD Land type III, HRD Disaster type II and HRD Water type II with NASAR and NAPWDA. Teri has trained and certified two dogs in Trailing with NASAR and NAPWDA. Teri has trained and certified three dogs in Wilderness Area Search type II and two dogs Disaster Live Find type IV with NASAR. Teri is currently working seven certified SAR K9 partners and training three pups for SAR. Teri has participated in searches throughout the state of Florida where she has been involved in several high profile cases, which include three live recoveries. Teri has traveled to searches in the following states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky to assist other organizations.

After attending numerous SAR workshops, Teri found that most of the instructors where not nationally certified with their own K9 partners and workshops seldom offered the opportunity to attempt certification with a nationally recognized organization. With that need in mind, Teri became a Lead Evaluator with NASAR for HRD Land, Still Water and Disaster, Area Search type III & II, Trailing type III & II, Disaster Live Find. Teri is a Chief Examiner for Alliance for Emergency Response Instructors and Examiners (AERIE) in Trailing, Area Search, HRD Land, Water and Disaster. Besides conducting evaluations in Florida, Teri has traveled to New York, Iowa and Ohio to assist other SAR teams with NASAR evaluations. Teri’s SAR team FASAR K-9 hosts a minimum of two workshops each year that provides quality instructors and offers evaluations with NASAR, NAPWDA and/or AERIE for anyone interested in attempting certification.

Current K9 Partners: Audie, Carney, Dagger, Elly May, Rocky, Bonnie, Reba, Rose, Ruby and Tabu.

Memberships and Affiliations:

Florida Alliance of Search and Rescue K-9, Inc. (Executive Director)

NASAR Lead Evaluator

AERIE Chief Examiner

NAPWDA Associate Member