Lena Strickling

Associate Director

Lena is the Associate Director for First Responder Therapy Dogs (FRTD). For over 8 years, Lena has worked for nonprofits. She loves working for a greater purpose in causes that she believes in. This is a major factor in what led her to FRTD. When Lena was nine years old, she was diagnosed with a chronic health condition. Frequent hospital visits introduced her to the work of therapy dogs. These special dogs were a bright spot during her treatment and inspired her to one day become a handler. As her health worsened, Lena began dealing with serious mental health issues. After years of seeking treatment options, she finally started to feel like she was in a better place. Lena became passionate about mental health and learning how the brain works. She began taking classes, listening to podcasts, attending webinars, and finding ways to help and inspire other people struggling with both mental and physical health. Her love for therapy dogs coupled with her passion for mental health and close ties with first responders made joining First Responder Therapy Dogs an easy decision. You can find Lena and her dog, Birdie, working as a First Responder Therapy Dog team nearly every day of the week!