Board of Directors
Who We Are
Don Purchase
President
I began my agility journey in 1995 with my first dog, Sassy, a leggy Border Collie who jumped 30″. Five dogs later, I now run agility with my current Border Collie, Chaos—aptly named for her unpredictable energy on the course, keeping me humble at every turn. We also enjoy other activities like disc and dock diving.
​
Now retired, I find I have more time than ever to stay active in the sport. I originally joined MAC in 1994, and the club’s welcoming atmosphere and fantastic members have only grown stronger over the years. Rejoining a few years ago and now serving on the leadership team is a true privilege.
Gillian Sonnenberg
Vice President
Gillian’s journey into the world of agility started in 2016 when she adopted her first dog, Rush, into her life. Though agility wasn’t quite for Rush, Gillian quickly grew a passion for the sport. She adopted Rally from Barks and Meow’s rescue and started training at Dreamweavers with Blanche in 2019. They had their first trial in 2021 and first Q at a MAC trial in the summer.
Gillian quickly fell in love with the sport of agility and become a MAC member at the end of 2021. On New Year’s Day 2023 Gillian welcomed another Barks and Meow’s rescue pup into her pack with Riddle, a young spot dog mix. Riddle is already showing lots of enthusiasm for the sport and Gillian is excited to start trialing this summer!
Rachel Hawkins
Treasurer
Rachel started agility with her Border Collie, Isla, after basic obedience and trick training left her wanting more. What began as “just for fun” quickly turned into a passion, and by 2021 Isla had earned her Starter Games title and was working toward more. Rachel also runs Fynn, who joined the pack in 2017 and especially loves the treats at the end of each run! More recently, she has started competing with Kepler, her young Border Collie, adding new energy and excitement to the team.
​
Rachel joined MAC in 2018 after attending trials and meeting members through classes. Now a board member and Trial Secretary, she’s committed to helping MAC remain a supportive, welcoming place for dog lovers to connect, compete, and have fun.
Dana Johnson
Secretary
I’m excited to join the MAC Board and work with such a passionate community that values both agility and friendship. I compete with my amazing blue merle Australian Shepherd, Reis—my first agility dog and an incredible partner. We started our agility journey when Reis turned one, and since joining MAC in December 2021, we’ve enjoyed incredible experiences, including appearing on The Amazing Race Canada just a week after our first trial!
​
The support from this community is second to none, and in just two years Reis and I have earned multiple titles, including the ATChC in June 2024. I look forward to helping the club grow and creating more opportunities for members and their agility partners.
Danielle Spratt
Director at Large
Danielle began her agility journey with her rescue dog, Reggie, just a few years ago. Looking for something new and exciting, she enrolled in an agility-for-fun class and quickly discovered that Reggie had a natural talent for jumps, tunnels, and even weaves—though the weaves are still a work in progress! As their skills grew, Danielle sought out more focused training and soon found both a fantastic instructor and the Middlesex Agility Club. Since joining the club a year ago, she has been grateful for the incredible support from its members. With retirement on the horizon this summer, Danielle decided to join the board as a way to “pay it forward” and give back to the community that has meant so much to her.
Chris Rickey
Director at Large
After losing her beloved companion and farm dog, Sadie, (an Australian Shepherd/Blue Tick Heeler) in Jan 2020, Chris made the decision to buy her sweet blue merle Australian Shepherd pup, Zoe. Knowing the breed would mean a serious commitment to finding an outlet for her smarts and high energy (now that she no longer had the farm), Chris was up for it. COVID posed a real challenge to socialize Zoe in the beginning but by the fall of 2020, Chris managed to have her complete a couple of levels of obedience and was looking for more.
It was a neighbour that connected Chris to a friend of hers who also had an Australian Shepherd and was a MAC member. She has been hooked since her first class and with
the support and encouragement of such great club members, Chris & Zoe are finally becoming a team. Sure, there are days where Chris would rather chill on the couch and
rest her old bones but there’s nothing like a happy dog that knows what “class” means, to keep her motivated and moving!
