Meet some of our team

Kaydin Downey (she/they)
Owner & Founder

 Kay grew up in the suburbs of Houston and now lives in the Heights. After receiving her Medical Alert & Response Service Dog in July of 2019 she saw a dire need for education pertaining to Service Dogs. Which lead her to found HAYS that coming November. Since, she has educated schools and businesses nationwide. In doing so she has saved many businesses from potential lawsuits and many handlers from life-threatening injuries. 

Brittany Holcombe (she/her)

Board Advisor

Bri Holcombe is a licensed attorney in both the states of Tennessee and Texas, practicing family law. Bri is a Houston native who graduated from Baylor University and Belmont University College of Law. She is currently employed at the Hunt Law Firm. Before joining her current firm, Bri served as a Law Clerk and Associate Attorney for a family law firm in Greater Houston. When Bri is not advocating for her clients, she is rooting for the Baylor Bears and Houston Astros! But what she loves most in life is her sweet “blacken-doodle” puppy, Astro!

Davy Gerichten (they/them)

Project Manager

Davy is a lifelong resident of Pennsylvania apart from some college years living in Tokyo. They graduated from West Chester University with a B.A. in Foreign Languages and International Business, focusing on French, Japanese, and Russian languages and cultures. Prior to graduating, they worked as a peer educator for the offices of international studies and LGBTQA services at their university. In their spare time, they enjoys crafting, reading, and traveling. 

Thank a Veteran

When you donate towards, Thank a Veteran, many returned veterans get the opportunity for an easier transition with our private consultation. There are so many programs and options that can be extremely overwhelming to navigate alone. We are here to offer our expertise to veterans nationwide. 

For the Love of Students

Our primary goal is education but many schools don't have the funding for outside education. We don't want that to stop us from being able to educate our youth! Through For the Love of Students, students nationwide become thoroughly educated about Service Dogs where they wouldn't be able to normally host our services. This enhances the safety of disabled handlers and promotes inclusivity when children have proper etiquette skills around working dogs.