Jane Bradley smiling down at a golden labrador pup in her arms

Jane Bradley (Chair)

Manager Puppy Development, National Programs
Vision Australia

Jane began her career in Guide Dogs UK in 1997 and worked as a GDMI for many years before moving to Australia to follow New Zealand family and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle.

Jane has worked in various leadership roles, and learned about each area of the dog guide service along the way, including many lessons from clients, volunteers and donors. She is currently National Puppy Development Manager at Vision Australia where she is collaborating with other schools to help with improved breeding selection and genetic exchange, staff education and program improvements.

Jane has a passion for behavioural data and systems thinking which led to post graduate study in human excellence behaviour based psychology. She has co-designed research partnerships with universities to help inform and improve education and training in our client and volunteer relationships and in welfare outcomes for our dogs. As B.F Skinner said “what is love but another name for positive reinforcement.”

A strong believer in giving back and paying forward, Jane currently serves as an IGDF Assessor, on the ADI Standards Committee, ADI Education Committee and volunteers as an instructor for first responders and military veterans with PTSD.  She is also a KPA Certified Training Partner and is honoured to learn from others before her and serve on this committee.

Jane was appointed to the Development Committee in 2021.

female kneeling behind 3 sitting labradors

Julijana György Matešić

Training and Services Director
Huikuang Guide Dog Foundation, Taiwan

Julijana György Matešić is a DVM and Guide Dog and Mobility Instructor. She joined the guide dog movement in 1991. She was a part of a small group of enthusiasts who were dreaming and working hard to establish the first guide dog school in Croatia. She was fortunate to be an apprentice at Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and became one of the first GDMIs in Croatia.

Besides GDMI assignments, she worked on planning and developing organizations’ “dog-related” activities and cadets’ training.

She was fortunate to learn from the best experts in the field of breeding, dog assessments, positive reinforcement training, response/alert service dog training, and facility dog training. Although knowledge is a foundation for improvement and development, she realized that “only” knowledge is not enough if you work in a small or isolated school. Her goal has become to provide better quality guide dogs for VIP Clients through developing partnerships/collaborations between the schools where she worked and IGDF member schools.

She used to work for the Croatian Guide Dog and Mobility Association, The Rehabilitation Centre Silver (Croatia), and Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association.

She participates in AGBN and is an IGDF Assessor.

Currently, Julijana is the Training and Services Director at Huikuang Guide Dog Foundation Taiwan.

Julijana was appointed to the Development Committee in 2021.

Smiling woman with black labrador

Zuhey Medina-Gonzalez

Director, Genetics, Reproduction, & Puppy Care
Southeastern Guide Dogs (USA)

Zuhey Medina-Gonzalez is the Director of Genetics, Reproduction and Puppy Care at Southeastern Guide Dogs. She has been with SEGD since September 2013 and has experience in breeding, whelping, puppy education and production management. During her tenure as director, she has created a team to elevate breeding techniques at SEGD and has helped create a high quality puppy education program.

Before she joined the assistance dog world, she worked at Nestle Purina at their Product Technology Center in Missouri. There, she worked with cats and dogs and developed a passion for nutrition and puppy development. Zuhey has a B.S. in Animal Science from New Mexico State University and has experience working in different kennel settings and veterinary clinics.

Tony Harvey

Regional Academy Manager
Guide Dogs for the Blind, UK

Before beginning his Guide Dog career in 2008 in the UK, Tony worked for SeeAbility, a charity supporting individuals with visual impairments, additional disabilities, and neurodiversity. He initially served as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI) before relocating to New Zealand. During his time there, he transitioned into a rehabilitation role and also worked with Epilepsy Support Dogs NZ.

Tony returned to the UK in 2015 as a GDMI and has since held a variety of management roles. He is now a Regional Academy Manager, responsible for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the North East of England. Tony particularly enjoys working with new starters, sharing in their excitement and motivation. Tony is passionate about positive interactions and has developed several webinars on positive management techniques and effective coaching. He is also a member of the TAGteach faculty.

Tony became an Assessor in 2022, and was appointed to the Development Committee in 2024.

A smilling Hannele holds a yellow lab puppy

Hannele Ruokonen

Puppy Program Coordinator
Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired

Hannele began her career at the Guide Dog School of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired in 2007. Over the years, Hannele has had many different tasks and responsibilities in the organisation. For the past ten years, she has worked as the Puppy Program Coordinator and developed the current program together with her team. Hannele has been a member of the school’s breeding group for many years and is the school’s representative in two international breeding collaborations. Hannele started her career as a puppy raiser in her childhood home and has also worked as an early trainer for guide dogs.

Hannele is passionate about guide dog and other assistance dog work and enjoys working together with people from other assistance and working dog organisations locally and internationally. Hannele is Finland’s representative in the international committee that works to create a European standard for assistance dogs (CEN TC 452).

Hannele was appointed to the Development Committee in 2024.

David Locklin sits on a bench next to a golden retriever

David Locklin

Chief Program Officer
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. and America’s VetDogs (USA)

David began his career at Guide Dogs UK in 2000, and over the last two decades has worked at Organizations in Ireland and the USA. As well as being a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor he has held various leadership roles, and currently oversee all the operations at the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs.

David is passionate about assistance dog work and enjoys fostering collaboration between organizations, as well as learning from and supporting them. He is actively involved with Assistance Dogs International serving on their board of directions, is the vice-chair of the North America council, chair of the membership committee as well as a member of the candidate review committee.

David was appointed to the Development Committee in 2024.

man standing by the coast

Antoine Bouissou (Board Liaison)

Director
Association des Chiens Guides Grand Sud Ouest, France

Antoine has made a successful career working with the Airbus Group from 1995 to 2016.

At the end of his professional life, he joined, as a volunteer, the Association des Chiens Guides Grand Sud Ouest in 2016. 

He started as a host family for guide dogs and was elected as a Director of the Association in 2019, representing all host families at the Board. 

Antoine was elected to the IGDF Board at the 2022 IGDF AGM.