Curtis and holly henry—owners
Curtis and Holly Henry met in 2019 after Curtis, a California native, bought his dog, Lilo, a house in Winston! They quickly adopted Cowfred when the pandemic hit and they settled in to a dog-filled life in the 336. Unhappy after seven years in a corporate job, Curtis decided to pursue a role that would provide more joy and purpose in his days. Holly had gone to school with Michelle Kline (the original Founder of Venture!) and encouraged her dog-loving partner get in touch. As they say, the rest was history!
Michelle and Curtis worked together for a year as he expanded his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Over time, their friendship grew and Michelle decided to trust Curtis and Holly with the next chapter of Venture Dog Walking!
Both Holly and Curtis grew up with parents who own businesses so they’ve seen the impact that small businesses can have in their communities and in their families. Holly brings her experience in talent acquisition and business development to the table while Curtis steers day-to-day operations. Cowfred and Lilo bring with them extensive experience with belly rubs and a shared love of long walks!
Emily Patterson—Sales and Marketing Manager & Team Lead
Emily is a Winston-Salem native, earned her bachelors in Public Health from UNCG and is pursuing a certification in Child Life. Emily has an affinity for all flora and fauna and maintains a strict “catch and release” policy when she finds an unwelcome insect in her home. Emily is happiest when she’s exploring new breweries, hanging at home with her cat and chicken, or tending to her plants! She is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning she helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly. She also plans awesome events for our clients and team members, and helps onboard new clients!
Adam Plant—Hiring Coordinator & Team Lead
Adam has his M.Div. from Wake Forest School of Divinity and (when he’s not walking dogs or snuggling puppies) works with faith communities to explore the intersections of religion and gender identity. We couldn’t be happier to have Adam on our team and appreciate his genuine care and connection with every pet he meets. Adam is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning he helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly! He also is our Hiring Coordinator, which is a vital role in helping us be equipped to meet our client’s needs! In his free time, you’ll find Adam enjoying traveling with his partner and hiking with his dog, Obiwan Kenobi.
kirby hastings—Training Manager
Kirby has her degree in Interior Architecture from UNCG and is now currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Wake Forest University. Kirby is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning she helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly! Kirby also facilitates our Training Program, which makes sure our new hires know exactly what to do. In her free time, she loves to snuggle her pup, Luna, dance around the house, and tend to her houseplants.
Lindy Paul—Team lead
Lindy is a Winston-Salem native who loves her city! Her favorite part of her morning is walking with her dog, Zara. She also has a cat named Beatrix who is the queen of the house and a fiance named Adam. Lindy is also a student at UNCG (go Spartans!) working to earn her degree in Interior Architecture! She is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning she helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly!
Emma Miller—
Team Lead
Emma is also new(ish!) to the Winston Salem area - she’s originally from West Virginia and moved here earlier this year! Emma grew up on a farm, so she is very comfortable working with all of our clients - including cows, horses and chickens! She has a dog named Cleo, two cats named Axel and Izzy, and a husband named Tyler. Emma is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning she helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly!
Emma Spino—team Lead
Emma is a graduate of High Point University (Go Panthers!), and decided to stay in North Carolina with her husband, whom she recently married in September! They have a dog named Precious (who, Emma says, “is just that”). Growing up in a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, she loves to hike, and would like to visit all of the National Parks. If she’s not getting active outside, you can find Emma reading on her porch swing or watching Disney movies. She is a Team Lead for Venture, meaning she helps equip new team members in their roles and manages daily operations to keep things running smoothly!
Sarah Blanchette—Team lead
Sarah moved from Indiana in 2017 and has loved exploring more of Winston-Salem while walking dogs with Venture! She's a self proclaimed dog and cat person (you don't have to choose!) with a dog and cat of her own. In her free time, she loves drawing and painting (especially pet portraits), adventuring with her Great Pyrenees mix named Bebe! She has recently adopted a puppy named Banjo! She has loved watching Bebe and Banjo’s relationship grow and become siblings!
Mary Allison Gray—team trainer
Mary Allison was born and raised right here in Winston-Salem! She has a BA in Nonprofit Management & Community Leadership with a concentration in public policy & advocacy from Salem College! She has deep roots to places like Tanglewood and enjoys taking her two beagles, Rambo, and Cami out to get all the hound sniffs in! Mary Allison, is a immensely caring and supportive person who helped her partner, Chris, beat stage 4 melanoma and they are very excited to get back to a new normal! She is a true-crime podcast fan and has a espicaially soft spot for senior dogs!
Molly Blaeser
Molly is joining our team from the snowy plains of Minnesota, and what better way to learn a new city than dog walking? Molly brings a ton of experience working with animals to our team - she and her partner basically run a zoo at home including a turtle, a Blue Heeler and a Pomeranian, two horses, two goats, six cats, & two chameleons - and they STILL say there is room for more!
Darian Becker
Darian has made her way up and down the east coast before joining us in Winston-Salem. She was raised in South Florida and spent time living in Washington D.C. She moved to Winston during the pandemic and has loved life with her boyfriend and two dogs, Bella, and Moomoo! She also has a Sugar Glider named Cleo along with a Bearded Dragon named Carl.
ATLAS JARVIS
Atlas is a Winston-Salem local who attended Reynolds High School and Moravian college, where he studied studio art. We love that he is a fellow pet parent and uniquely named his dog Diogenes! In his free time, Atlas loves taking naps, laying in the grass, and soaking up the sun - which we think makes for a great team member and friend to our furry clientele!
Sam Newland
Originally from Washington DC, Sam moved to Winston-Salem in 2016! He and his wife Ericka cherish their pup Olive and are deliberate about cherishing all the time they can get with her. Their first child is due in October! Sam joined the Venture team in August of 2023 and his smiling face has been a great addition to our team! In his free time, he enjoys fishing, gardening, and playing with Miss Olive!
joy chen
Joy is originally from San Diego and moved to Winston Salem in late 2023. She and her husband have been huge dog lovers all their lives and can’t wait to be dog parents sometime soon! In the meantime, Joy absolutely loves spending time with all the Venture pups and learning about Winston along the way. In her free time, she enjoys backcountry hiking & road-tripping, great hazy IPAs, and spending time at our amazing local coffee shops.
sophia alvarado
Sophia is originally from California but moved to Winston Salem in June 2020 to start medical school at Wake Forest! She has loved exploring her new home and is gearing up to graduate with her MD in May and begin her OBGYN residency this upcoming summer! When she is not caring for patients, Sophia enjoys going to trivia with friends and fostering dogs through the Forsyth Humane Society.
jessica wilson
Jessica moved here from Maryland 3 years ago. She and her husband loved the spot they were living at (right on the C&O canal) but wanted more property to start a little homestead. Jessica has 3 large dogs named Glock, Remi, and Mooshoo! She loves hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, and any other outdoor activity you can think of! She loves mountains and beaches equally. She and her husband eloped in 2023 in Pisgah National Forest and it was a dream! She also enjoys plants, tattoos, reading, music, true crime, and of course all animals!