About Us

• Who We Are

• Our Board of Directors

• Our Leadership Team

Who We Are

Retrieving Freedom, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to training service dogs to help people. Our three primary focuses are training dogs to serve the needs of veterans, children with autism and individuals living with diabetes. We breed and train chosen dogs that exhibit specific traits necessary to perform tasks to help these individuals, and we believe in matching the dog to the recipient.

Our training program isn’t designed to train each dog to follow a certain program. Instead, dogs are trained to meet the needs of their specific recipient. The dogs go through more than two years of training to meet our strict standards for a successful placement.

RFI operates out of two locations, Waverly, Iowa, and Senatobia, Mississippi, as candidate members of Assistance Dogs International.

The service dogs we train help improve the lives of the people they are placed with. Not only do they help with specific chores and perform tasks associated with their training, but they also offer companionship and unconditional love.

The mission of Retrieving Freedom, Inc. is to train service dogs for wounded Veterans, children with Autism, and Type 1 Diabetics to allow a new degree of independence in their partner's lives.

Retrieving Freedom Board of Directors

The RFI Board is comprised of individuals who work together to make sure we are serving the needs of our recipients, along with looking for ways to raise more money so we can help match more people with the service dogs they need. The current board is comprised of:

• Clay Dahlquist,
  Board Chair
• Jimmie Neal
• Dave Rorem
• Conway Marvin

Retrieving Freedom's Leadership Team

• 
  Scott Dewey

  Director of Iowa Operations, Co-Founder

  Scott’s background is in field trial training, and as the owner of Rock River Retrievers, he trained dozens of champion dogs. Scott decided to turn his training talents toward helping to train dogs to work with disabled veterans and children with autism. Scott oversees operations at RFI’s facility in Waverly, Iowa.

• 
  Mike Lederle

  Executive Director

  Mike has an extensive background in leadership as a 27-year combat veteran of the Army National Guard and a former police sergeant in the Columbia Police Department of Columbia, Missouri. Mike served as the Assistant Dean, Military and Federal Programs and director of the Ousley Family Veterans Services Center at Columbia College, followed by the role as the director of the college’s location in Rolla, Missouri. Mike was hired as the Executive Director of Retrieving Freedom in 2018 and is looking forward to offering support through service dogs to clients, meanwhile continuing to propel the organization forward with the start of new operations in Sedalia, Missouri.

• 
  Kyle Cory-Yaeggi

  Director of Dog Training and Placement

  Kyle's passion for the service dog industry was fueled after he graduated from Iowa State University and moved out west. There, he worked for years training dogs for mobility assistance, children with mental and physical disabilities, as well as facility dogs. Kyle was hired by Retrieving Freedom in 2017 and works at both locations assisting in training as well as working with applicants and graduates on a national level.

• 
  Keegan Birkicht

  Program Director

  Keegan began her work with Retrieving Freedom as a college student involved with the Retrieving Freedom class on the campus of Wartburg College. After several years of interning with Retrieving Freedom at a volunteer level, Keegan was hired full-time in 2015 as the Program Director at the Iowa location.

• 
  Kristy Armstrong

  Program Coordinator

  Kristy began her work with Retrieving Freedom as a volunteer in 2011. After several years of volunteering with Retrieving Freedom, Kristy was hired part-time in 2016 as a kennel assistant. In 2017 Kristy began working full-time as Program Coordinator and Facility Assistant at the Mississippi location.

• 
  Chad Johnson

  Assistant Dog Trainer

  Chad began with Retrieving Freedom as a veteran recipient of a service dog, Bender. After receiving Bender, Chad attended Starmark Dog Training School in Hutto, Texas. He returned to Iowa as a Certified Canine Trainer and Behavior Specialist. While training dogs independently, Chad found a passion for volunteering with Retrieving Freedom, so he wanted to use the skills he learned to give back. He discontinued public lessons and is now a part-time Assistant Dog Trainer with Retrieving Freedom at the Iowa location.

• 
  Riley Zaunbrecher

  Assistant Dog Trainer

  Riley started working at Retrieving Freedom as a part-time employee in December 2016. He began his work as a training assistant to Charles Dwyer at the Mississippi location. Riley learned obedience training and has progressed to a higher level of training. While working part-time at Retrieving Freedom, Riley is also a full-time student at Northwest Mississippi Community College.