Meet the Crew
THE C.E.O.
Ruger was adopted by Heather. He started his career in the grooming business as a receptionist, and now, he is the C.E.O. of Rogers Bark Pet Salon, LLC.
HR MANAGER
Jager was hired on as the HR Manager for Rogers Bark in early 2020. Although he lacks a sense of personal space and frequently harasses both employees and clients, it’s clear he just loves affection. You can usually find him stealing Fluff & Tuff toys from the retail section of the shop or chewing up toilet paper during a shortage.
OWNER/PET STYLIST
Heather Wilson has been working with animals since she was a young child. She would walk dogs in the neighborhood after school and pet sit for family members on the weekends. Heather started working at her aunt Anne Marie’s shop Bark Out Loud when she was just 13-years-old. Anne Marie paved the way for Heather to be a groomer as she taught her everything she knew. Heather graduated St. Benedict High School in 2007 and went on to Pivot Point Cosmetology school. After realizing she’d rather work with dogs than with people, Heather worked as a dog groomer at several different grooming shops in the Chicagoland area. These shops led her to participate in grooming shows and eventually continue her grooming education. She is working towards completing her Certified Master Groomer through International Professional Groomers. So far, she has completed certification in terriers, poodles, and non-sporting. Heather has also completed Pet Professional First Aid/CPR certification. Her favorite breeds to work on are terriers, mixed breeds, and giant breeds. In 2017, Heather purchased Rogers Bark Pet Salon from the previous owner and is proud to work in the amazing Rogers Park community. Heather owns a german shorthaired pointer named Jager.
PET STYLIST
As a second generation groomer, Valerie grew up in grooming shops, alongside her mother. She learned to train and compete with her Standard Poodle Java in AKC Junior Handling at age 12. At age 17, she enrolled at the Great Lakes Grooming Academy to get formal training from the award-winning groomers Meggan Murphy and Jeanne Mulcahy. She graduated from the Great Lakes Grooming Academy in 2001, where she eventually became an instructor for several years. Now, Valerie is an award-winning, competitive groomer in the top level of competition, along with being a seminar speaker at grooming shows. She was nominated for the national awards “Up and Coming Groomer of the Year” in 2014 and “Up and Coming Speaker of the Year” in 2015. Valerie has shown Standard Poodles and Lakeland Terriers, and she is currently showing her own Kerry Blue Terrier. She has been mentored by AKC show handlers on Poodles, Lakeland Terriers, Wire-haired Dachshunds, and Kerry Blue Terriers. Valerie is also Canine CPR certified and published in Groomer to Groomer magazine.
She owns four dogs: Lakeland Terrier Willie, Kerry Blue Terrier Forrest Gump, Poodle Miniature Furiosa, and a hairless Chinese Crested Fezzik. She also has a son named Wyatt in junior high,
