Michael Jaurigue

Founder, Manager & Chief Pet Officer

Michael launched Sparky Steps back in 2016, all thanks to a life-changing spark of joy from his first family dog, Sparky. Today, he’s the captain of the ship, managing operations and ensuring that every single pet in Chicago gets the same VIP treatment Sparky did.

• Pack Style: The Alpha Caregiver.
• Favorite Activity: Personally checking in on routes and remembering every client's pet by name.
• Superpower: Understanding dog language better than English.

Norma Garcia

Professional Pet Sitter & Care Specialist

Norma treats pet care as an extension of family. Known for her incredibly warm and patient demeanor, she excels at making animals feel completely safe and secure from the moment she steps through the door.

• Pack Style: Patient, nurturing, and deeply intuitive.
• Favorite Walk Activity: Finding quiet nature trails and giving premium belly rubs.
• Superpower: Earning the instant trust of the absolute shyest pups in Chicago.

Elisabeth Puca

Professional Pet Sitter & Baker

Elisabeth brings a vibrant, joyful energy to the pavement. She believes that a great walk is a perfect cocktail of structured exercise, mental stimulation, and total fun.

• Pack Style: Energetic, fun-loving, and highly alert.
• Favorite Walk Activity: Hunting down the best chocolate chip cookies in Chicago while exploring city parks.
• Superpower: Matching the chaotic energy of hyperactive puppies.

Payton Antczak

Pet Sitter

Payton has a genuine passion for animal caretaking. They treat outdoor time like a great team sport, where safety comes first, and a happy, tired pup is the ultimate win. When they're not out on route keeping their pack active, healthy, and safe, Payton is likely catching a baseball game or relaxing outdoors with friends.

• Pack Style: Safe, structured, and athletic.
• Favorite Walk Activity: Brisk, fitness-focused walks and practicing good leash manners.
• Superpower: Exceptional focus on route safety and maintaining consistent walking routines.

Patrick Nagle

Professional Pet Sitter & Experienced Handler

Patrick is a seasoned animal handler who treats every pet care routine like an elite world-class expedition. When he isn't managing his own formidable pack of four rescue cats at home or rocking out to the Dropkick Murphys, he uses his extensive behavioral experience to keep your pets completely safe, calm, and happy.

• Pack Style: Confident, adventurous, and highly intuitive.
• Favorite Walk Activity: Conquering rugged nature trails and long neighborhood tracks.
• Superpower: Speaking fluent feline and handling complex pack dynamics with absolute ease.

Amir Ball

Professional Pet Sitter & Hype Man

Amir brings an infectious wave of enthusiasm to every single home visit. A specialist in positive reinforcement, Amir turns basic training reinforcement into a game that dogs absolutely love playing.

• Pack Style: Enthusiastic, rewarding, and high-tempo.
• Favorite Walk Activity: Giving out celebratory high-fives and treats for good behavior.
• Superpower: Unleashing instant, happy tail-wags the second he walks in.

Maaya Yamauchi

Visionary Support & Culture Keeper

Every great mission needs a guiding light behind the scenes, and that’s Maaya. She is the strategic sounding board and constant source of inspiration keeping the core values of Sparky Steps focused squarely on compassion.

• Squad Style: The Strategic North Star.
• Fueled By: Big ideas and animal welfare advocacy.
• Superpower: Keeping the team grounded and inspired all at once.

Laurie Adams

Co-Founder & Legacy Builder

As the original co-founder who helped plant the seeds in 2016, Laurie’s vision for compassionate, family-style pet care remains the foundation of everything the network builds today.

• Squad Style: The Original Visionary.
• Fueled By: Pure love for the Chicago pet community.
• Superpower: Crafting a company culture centered entirely around the heart.

Rachel Gordon-Acavia

In-House Storyteller & Blog Writer

Rachel is the voice behind the Sparky Steps blog. She takes the real-world adventures of our walkers and turns them into engaging, educational stories, resource guides, and updates for our local community.

• Creative Style: Witty, informative, and narrative-driven.
• Fueled By: Hot coffee and hilarious animal antics.
• Superpower: Knowing exactly what a cat is thinking and putting it into words.

Saleha Khatun

Social Media Assistant

If you see a gorgeous pup strutting on our feeds, Saleha is the genius behind it. She curates the aesthetic, captures the behind-the-scenes magic of our daily routes, and keeps the Sparky Steps digital community smiling.

• Creative Style: Trendy, visually sharp, and uplifting.
• Fueled By: Golden hour lighting and puppy content.
• Superpower: Getting an easily distracted dog to look directly at the camera lens.

Dr. Muqeet

Resident Vet Expert & In-House Writer

Dr. Muqeet is a well-known licensed veterinarian, online pet consultant, writer, editor, animal genetic scientist, and pet expert. Dr. Muqeet Mushtaq has spent more than 9 years following his passion for animals. He is a regular contributor to numerous pet and veterinary industry books, magazines, and websites.

• Expertise Style: Clinical, educational, and deeply knowledgeable.
• Fueled By: Over 9 years of passion for animal science and genetics.
• Superpower: Translating complex veterinary science into easy-to-read pet care advice.

Supriyo Ghosh

Website Assistant

Supriyo keeps our digital home running beautifully. From ensuring the booking links work flawlessly on Shopify to updating local neighborhood pages, he ensures the client's online experience is as smooth as a walk in the park.

• Tech Style: Clean code and user-first layouts.
• Fueled By: Sleek design and bug-free interfaces.
• Superpower: Fixing a broken website link faster than a greyhound out of the gate.

Ailyn Villarin

Assistant Manager & Operations Backbone

Ailyn is the logistical wizard who keeps Sparky Steps moving. She handles the schedules, coordinates client requests, and pieces together the daily calendar puzzle so that every walk is seamless and every pet is accounted for.

• Desk Style: Precision Tetris Master.
• Fueled By: Making chaotic schedules look effortless.
• Superpower: Being in three places at once digitally.

Sarah Das

Newsletter & Blog Contributor

Sarah uses her decade of marketing experience to craft engaging newsletters and blog posts that help Sparky Steps connect with our community. Beyond her writing, her heart truly belongs to animals—whether she's walking dogs, caring for cats, or earning the trust of every furry friend she meets.

• Creative Style: Curious, strategic, and values-driven.
• Fueled By: A genuine love for what she does and a passion for animals.
• Superpower: Sharing our values of reliable, loving, and personal pet care through every story she tells.

Therese

Financial Assistant Manager

Therese is the guardian of the treasury. By keeping the business side of Sparky Steps healthy, stable, and perfectly balanced, she ensures the field team can focus 100% of their energy on belly rubs and long walks.

• Desk Style: Spreadsheet Samurai.
• Fueled By: Clean math and organized data.
• Superpower: Making budgets balance faster than a treat disappears.

Join the Team

Chicago • Flexible • Pet-Loving

We're growing our pack! We are actively looking for awesome pet sitters, creative writers, and exciting new partnerships. Email info@sparkysteps.com to apply or collaborate!