Meet our Team
Kendra Otto, Owner and Founder
Kendra is a graduate from The Great Lakes Academy of Professional Pet Styling. She ranked in the top 10 in the country for 4 consecutive years on GroomTeam USA and ranked the Number 1 pet stylist in the state of IL for those 4 years. She has placed at every major grooming competition around the country and won multiple Best in Show/Best All Around Groomer awards; her other awards consist of: multiple Creative Styling awards, Artistic Innovation award, she was invited to participate in the Superzoo Jackpot Contest in Las Vegas where she placed 6th out of 20 in a class of 50. She was the recipient of the prestigious Liz Paul Scissoring Award, the Will Stone Memorial Award for Kindness to Animals. Kendra was also the first recipient of the Groomie Spirit Award, a nominee for 2009 Cardinal Crystal American Groomer of the Year; the 2011 and 2012 Cardinal Crystal Congeniality Award and 2013 Barkleigh Honors Award for Up and Coming Judge of the Year. She has placed in multiple Rescue Rodeos in Las Vegas and Atlanta. She also enjoys styling rare breeds and was the first competitor to bring the Hungarian Pumik into the grooming contest ring. Kendra is a retired International Pet Styling Educator for the Andis Company & Chris Christensen Systems teaching seminars world wide, blogging tips for pet stylists and assists in the development of grooming products. She is a published author in Grooming Industry Magazines and has a collection of streaming videos through the learn2groomdogs.com website and Andis home grooming tools YouTube videos. She holds certifications through the following organizations: International Judges Association; United Show Managers Alliance; PetTech CPR and First Aid; National Dog Groomers Association of America; International Professional Groomers Association, is an American Kennel Club Safety Certified Groomer and a Certified Canine Esthetician. She served as the secretary and a board member for GroomTeam USA from 2011 to 2014. Kendra has appeared several times as a guest on the radio show called “Ask the Pet Vet” for WTMJ in Milwaukee, WI. and is also a host for Barkleigh Productions’ Groomertv.com, a live Ustream of grooming competitions throughout the USA. Kendra enjoys sharing her knowledge of specialized grooming & handling techniques such as hand scissoring, hand stripping, rustic coat maintenance, extreme makeovers, creative trims and deshedding short haired shedding breeds with her staff.
Although Kendra has owned many pets to include Cats, Dogs, Reptiles, Birds, Guinea Pigs and Fish, she is currently owned by a Miniature Poodle named Sprocket. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, gardening and anything related to art.
Cassie-Bathing Assistant & Reception
Cassie-found her passion for animals when she was 9 years old when she received a kitten for her birthday. She adores cats, dogs and ferrets, but most of all Angel, her now 14 year old kitty.
Ryan-Pet Stylist
Ryan, a 2nd generation pet stylist bringing more than 25 years of grooming experience, to The UpScale Tail. From a young age, he was immersed in every part of salon life, learning to bathe, prep and handle dogs with confidence and skill. In 2001, Ryan decided it was time to take his knowledge base to the next level and asked his mother (who taught Kendra how to groom) for formal grooming education.
He has been active in the grooming industry’s educational and trade-show circuit for many years working for vendors such as Geib Scissors and EZ Groom; speaking in classrooms on topics of leadership and management, customer-qualification strategies, grooming-salon engineering and equipment planning, groomer fitness and recovery.
Ryan now a retired competitor, won First Place in the beginner division and Best First-Timer with a Poodle in 2006. He is Pet Tech 1st Aid & CPR certified and maintains a strong commitment to continuing education and professional growth.
Over the years, he’s managed, aided in the development of grooming programs and mentored stylists for a local franchise. In 2008, he and his wife purchased his family’s grooming salon & academy where he went on to train pet stylists in grooming fundamentals for over a decade. After many successful years in business with his wife, he decided to join our team to further refine his work in a high-level, award-winning grooming environment.
Ryan and his wife are owned by a Chihuahua named Audrey and a terrier mix named Charlotte. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family, working on & riding his motorcycles.
Shelley-Pet Stylist
Shelley has been grooming dogs professionally since 2001. To her, grooming always begins with attention to detail. She likes to learn about the dog’s needs, lifestyle and personality while taking into consideration the client’s requested look. She enjoys researching about problematic skin and coat and is happy to make recommendations to benefit the dog’s wellbeing in addition to a great look! If, during the grooming process there is something she’s doing that the pet doesn’t like, she looks into the possible reasons; Is he arthritic? Are his feet itchy? She takes this practiced consideration into her work.
But what truly makes her day is helping and grooming dogs with disabilities or chronic issues. For her it’s personal, as she cared for her dog, Piggy, whom became disabled and required a wheelchair, later in life. She understands in a very real way just how important our dogs are to us and just how important it is to give them the best treatment possible.
Shelley is passionate about continuing her education and strives to be the best advocate for her fuzzy clients. She holds the following certifications: AKC Safety; Canine Esthetician; ISCC general grooming/skin & coat; Pet 1st Aid/CPR and from Vetvine Arthritis: -Part 1 Physical Medicine, Exercises & What Owners Can do at home; Part 2 – Integrative Medicine & Therapies.
She is currently owned by a Schipperke Mix named Winston, enjoys movies, cooking & gardening in her free time.