Staff & Board

Duane Toews

Chief Executive Officer

Duane holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, both from Kansas State University. His career began in 1992 as the Washington County Extension Agent, after which he transitioned to the extension office in Beloit. Subsequently, Duane took on the role of Farm Director at two radio stations in Clay Center, KS, a position he has excelled in for several decades.

Duane is married to Angie, and together they have three children and eight grandchildren.

email: dtoews@ksds.org

Sandy Nutsch

Client Relations/
Office Manager

Sandy joined KSDS in September 2020, bringing with her a deep familiarity with the organization’s business and programs, having grown up in Washington. Her initial engagement with KSDS dates back to 2006, when she worked in the office as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. This experience highlighted the profound impact that service dogs can have on individuals’ lives.

Sandy holds an Associate Degree in Medical Records Technology and has nearly two decades of experience in the field, working at various hospitals and clinics. Her role as an Administrative Assistant/Secretary opened doors to other opportunities, including a position with The Rocky Mountain Conservancy in Estes Park, a place she cherishes for its beautiful mountains.

In her free time, Sandy enjoys helping people, volunteering, traveling, spending time with her family, and reading.

email: snutsch@ksds.org

Jenny Pachta

Donor Manager/
Grant Writer

Karen Chapman

Director of Marketing and Education

Annette Kohlmeyer

Lead Service Dog Trainer/Breeding Technician

Jenny is a Republic County native. She has an Associates of Applied Science Degree. She has volunteered and worked with non-profit organizations for over 25 years. She is married to Garry Pachta, with whom she has four children, three grandchildren, and many four-legged furry family members. She is very involved in the family’s hay and cattle business.

She started volunteered with non-profit organizations when her children were young, hoping to be an example to them. She served as the Treasurer of The Blair Center for the Arts Board for 8 years. After serving as Treasurer, she became the Executive Director for another 10 years. She has also served on the Board of Directors for NCK CASA and Hope’s Place CAC, Belleville Public Library, USD 109 CARES. She also volunteers at St. Edward’s Catholic Church and River Valley District 4-H as Jr. Leader Sponsor for Republic County.

email: jpachta@ksds.org

Karen, originally from Texas, recently relocated to Washington to be closer to her family. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Texas A&M University and an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology. As a licensed veterinary technician in Texas, Karen gained valuable experience working at the veterinary school at Texas A&M University.

Karen has a deep passion for animals and enjoys spending time outdoors. She especially cherishes moments with her four grandchildren. Karen is excited to connect with the community, build meaningful relationships, and promote the mission of KSDS.

email: kchapman@ksds.org

Annette is an ADI Certified Service Dog Trainer and has an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science, with a Major in Photography and a Minor in Graphic Design. Photography is a hobby that she still enjoys, along with spending long weekends at the lake, golfing, and off road trips.

She has had a love for animals from a very young age. When growing up, there weren’t too many animals she hadn’t encountered on her parent’s family farm. She always wanted to be a Veterinarian, but decided she didn’t want to attend several years of college.

She has two children, a son, Taylor, who attended Kansas State University and a daughter, McKenzie, who attends the University of Kansas. McKenzie has also puppy raised for KSDS. The family adopted a Career Change yellow lab, Kenai, who is keeper of the house, even over the two felines who rule the block they live on.

email: akohlmeyer@ksds.org

Deb Tegethoff

Lead Guide Dog Trainer

Brooke Pfizenmaier

Facility Dog Trainer

Debbie has been a dedicated member of KSDS since 1999. She finds great fulfillment in her role, enjoying the opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds and the KSDS dogs in training. Debbie is passionate about sharing the KSDS mission and frequently gives presentations to Lions Clubs and other organizations.

Outside of her work at KSDS, Debbie cherishes time with her husband, Don, their three married children, and eight grandchildren. She loves attending her grandchildren’s various sports events and school functions. The family enjoys camping together, and Debbie has a passion for cooking and reading.

email: dtegethoff@ksds.org

Growing up on a farm outside of Linn, Kansas, Brooke found a love for animals at an early age. She enjoyed having several pets around the farm and showing some in 4-H. Currently, her parents have three dogs that she loves to spend time with: Lacey, Mya, and Chief. Brooke received an Associates of Science degree at Cloud County Community College. While going to Cloud, she also started working at a mixed animal vet clinic. Brooke then went on to get a Bachelor of Science Degree in Animal Sciences & Industry from Kansas State University. At K-State, she started working at a small animal vet clinic where she enjoyed seeing the animals and learning a lot.

Brooke and her husband now enjoy living in the country outside of Clay Center with their red heeler, Mercury. In her free time, Brooke enjoys spending time with friends, attending K-State football games, going to coed softball tournaments, or doing any outdoor activity. She has loved being back around her hometown and working in the community. Growing up, she always knew of the great things KSDS did for people, and she is excited to now be a part of that.

email: bpfizenmaier@ksds.org

Eliza Benteman

Canine Housing Unit Coordinator/Breeding Tech. Apprentice

Kenneth Cook

Maintenance

Eliza grew up just outside of Waterville, Kansas. She attended the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture where she double majored in Veterinary Technology and Equine Health. She went on to become a certified veterinary technician in Kansas and Nebraska. Prior to joining the KSDS team in December of 2020, Eliza had worked as a vet tech in several mixed animal vet clinics.

Growing up on a farm, Eliza has always had a passion for animals of all shapes and sizes. She loves to combine her passion for animals with her desire to help people become more independent. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her furry friends, Junior and Roper, who are Australian Shepherds, and her cat, Princess. She also enjoys riding her horses, Lacey and Sage, kayaking, and spending time with family and friends.

email: ebenteman@ksds.org

Kenneth Cook has spent most of his life as a resident of Washington County. He graduated from North Central High School and went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree in Ag Business from Cloud County Community College.

After dedicating 37 years to working for USD 221 and USD 108, he retired in January 2024.

During his free time, Kenneth enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Kris. They bond over activities like fishing, kayaking, grilling in their yard while listening to music, and going out on weekends. Their family includes 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.

email: kcook@ksds.org

Tulene Farwell

Apprentice Guide Dog Trainer

Tulene has always been passionate about animals of all sizes. Growing up in Orlando, Florida, she gained extensive experience with small animals but also developed a love for larger animals. During middle school, she began volunteering at Freedom Ride, a local non-profit offering therapeutic horseback riding for individuals with disabilities. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences at the University of Florida, Tulene discovered Southeastern Guide Dogs and started raising puppies for them in her junior year. She has since helped raise more than seven dogs. Witnessing her second dog being placed as a guide and meeting the new handler at an on-campus celebration solidified her passion for training guide and service dogs. Tulene is dedicated to helping individuals achieve newfound confidence with an assistance dog by their side and joined the KSDS family in August 2021 to continue this mission.

In her spare time, Tulene runs an Etsy shop where she creates handmade leather and biothane dog gear. She enjoys spending rainy days reading, baking, quilting, or crafting. Additionally, Tulene trains for competitive dog sports such as Dock Diving, AKC Scent Work, and FAST-CAT with her Golden Retriever, Vera.

email: tfarwell@ksds.org

McKenzie Metz

Puppy Raiser Coordinator - Interim

Adell Aubert

Pooches and Pals Trainer/Puppy Raiser Coordinator

McKenzie serves as the Interim Puppy Raiser Coordinator while pursuing her degree in Animal Science and Industry, with a minor in Business, at Kansas State University. She thoroughly enjoys interacting with the dogs and people involved with KSDS. McKenzie has been a part of KSDS for many years, initially as a Puppy Raiser and later as a Kennel Assistant during high school. Although she is not currently raising puppies, she has previously raised two for KSDS: a yellow Labrador Retriever named Eowyn and a black Labrador Retriever named Donkey Kong (“Kong”).

email: ksdspuppyraisers@gmail.com

Adell has held various roles with KSDS since 2005, from being an apprentice trainer to housing breeders. She is now combining the joys of working with the Pooches and Pals group at the Topeka Correctional Facility with providing support to our fantastic Puppy Raisers as a Puppy Raiser Coordinator.

Previous to joining KSDS, she attended Kansas State University and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Animal Science and Industry, with an emphasis in Animal Behavior and Nutrition. When she’s not working with animals, Adell loves spending time with her husband Brian, as well as their two children, whom she homeschools.

email: adell.aubert@gmail.com