Meet our dedicated staff!
Mr. William F. “Billy” Rader joins Guide Dogs of Texas, Inc. as Chief Executive Officer.
Rader brings extensive leadership and management expertise to his new position in San Antonio. His previous nonprofit CEO experience includes the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ozarks (Branson, MO), 7hills Homeless Center (Fayetteville, AR), and most recently, Retrieving Freedom (Sedalia, MO), which provides service dogs for veterans and individuals with autism.
According to Board Chairman, Gail Hathaway, “We are tremendously excited about the arrival of Billy Rader. With over 25 years of success providing senior leadership and operational management across multiple organizations, we know he’ll lead our talented team to the next level of organizational success.”
Billy, Chief Canine Officer (2017 - present) – Billy served two years in the Guide Dog Training program before being promoted to Chief Canine Officer in 2017. Billy enjoys working with guide dog puppies, and teaching dogs in training how to swim. A passionate and outgoing Labrador, Billy loves to tell people about our mission and demonstrate guide dog work. Billy is paid only in love, snuggles, and crunchy treats. Contact the office to request an appearance and help ‘pay the Bills’.
Andrea joined the GDTX team in 2018 as the Grants Manager and loves serving as a “storyteller with a purpose” as she cultivates support for our mission from foundations. Andrea is married, has three adult children and an English Springer Spaniel. When not at GDTX, she is performing with the San Antonio Symphony Mastersingers, attending opera and musical theatre performances, cheering on the Spurs or watching college football.
Jamie was promoted to Director of Training in 2018. She was inspired to become a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor through her father’s experience with vision loss and subsequently becoming a guide dog owner. She became a certified GDMI in 2010 after her four year apprenticeship. Jamie served as Early Canine Program Manager from 2016-2017 where she oversaw the Breeding Program, Puppy Program, and the PAWSitive Approach Program. She participated in two International Guide Dog Conferences, and was a presenter, along with Sandy, at the seminar in Croatia in 2016 about the PAWSitive Approach program. Jamie is married with 5 children, one ridiculously chilled out kitten, and a sweet Great Dane.
Sandy Merrill is the Director of Programs and a certified Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (cGDMI); Sandy has been with Guide Dogs of Texas since 2001. She was the Chief Executive Officer from 2014 to 2022 and was the Director of Training for eight years prior to that. She worked in the Guide Dog Mobility field since 2001, serving as a delegate for seven International Guide Dog Conferences. She held the Chair of the Council of US Dog Guide Schools from 2017 to 2022. She has a M.A. from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. from Reed College and is a graduate of the SAAF’s Andeavor Leadership Fellows Program. She’s married with a very sweet ancient Beagle-bull, a Labrador (who serves as our Chief Canine Officer and now outranks her in the organization), and Thunderbird, a Sun Conure who teaches every litter of puppies about healthy interactions with birds.
Annie joined GDTX in 2008 as the Office Manager. Besides keeping us all organized, she assists guide dog applicants with information and local resources. Before coming to GDTX she worked at a private school, and says non-profits are the right fit for her. She’s married with two adult children and three grandchildren. Her husband of 26 years is a Regional Director for a Franchise Company. Her son is at UT Austin working on his PHD and her daughter is a first grade teacher. When she’s not at GDTX, she can be found at her grandson’s football games, her granddaughter’s dance performances, and her other grandson’s ‘everything’.
Dr. Carol Ann Tonn has twenty years in non-profit work after launching her own 501©(3), International Adoption Resources, in support of adoption initiatives as two of her children are adopted from China. Prior to her career in Education, she has twenty-five years of international Marketing and Sales experience in media with top-tier brands based on Hong Kong and Shanghai (Wall Street Journal, TIME, ComputerWorld, Yahoo!, and the San Jose Sharks). Dr. Tonn is married to Henry Bourg and they have five children.
Martha has been the GDTX Early Canine Program Coordinator since December 2018. She loves working with the GDTX puppies and has gotten to be part of seeing the puppies grow as a Breeding Program Assistant with the K and the L Litter prior to becoming the Early Canine Program Coordinator. Working with dogs has always been her passion. Before GDTX, she owned her own pet sitting & dog walking business for 15 years.
When she is not at Guide Dogs, she enjoys kayaking and loves to go for walks, of course always with a four legged furry friend. But what she values the most is spending time with her family.
Reina Gonzales graduated from St. Edward’s University with the class of 2020 with a degree in Graphic Design and a degree in Global Studies. Reina joined the Guide Dogs of Texas Team in Spring of 2021 as the GDTX Marketing Manager.
Jessica has had a lifelong dream of working with animals in a unique and special way, and she found that working at Guide Dogs of Texas. Jessica comes from another nonprofit organization that raised and trained Service Dogs for children with Autism and disabled veterans. Working for Guide Dogs of Texas has given her an opportunity to combine her love for dogs and desire to help people in need- it provides hope for both humans and animals, and she loves to be a part of it . Jessica graduated with her Bachelor’s in Sports Management with minors in Business and Criminal Justice and is from Sedalia, Missouri.
Hi, I’m Brianna. I’ve been apart of Guide Dogs of Texas since September of 2021 as an instructor/program assistant. In 2017, I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Science with a concentration in Biology and Minor in Criminal Justice. My previous career experience consists of 10 years as a veterinary technician, in which, expresses my love for animals. During my free time, I enjoy spending time with family & friends, outdoor activities, and volunteering over 7 years with the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo.
Ed Harloe - heads up our technology/vehicle/program and facility support and is otherwise our jack of all trades. He became interested in Guide Dogs of Texas because one of his friends is a guide dog owner, and one of the first graduates of GDTX. That same friend also introduced him to his wife, Sandy! Ed calls himself a 'gearhead' and ran the SA Sports Car Association for many years. He's a former software engineer with UTHSCSA and Southwest Research Institute.