Ashley
From a young age, Ashley always had a deep love for animals — from catching ducks and lizards to fishing and advocating for animal rights. That passion naturally led her into animal husbandry and eventually to running her own farm, where she bred show poultry and waterfowl.
A natural caregiver at heart, Ashley has always been drawn to caring for pets and any animal in need. After moving back to Jacksonville, she found her calling at Sunland Acres, where she could combine her love for animals with connecting with people and their pets. She believes in building strong, positive relationships with every client and creating a place where both people and pets feel truly welcomed.
As General Manager, Ashley’s top priority is the client experience — creating a safe, happy camp that dogs look forward to coming to. She is also passionate about making a communal impact by fostering and training adoptable dogs so they can find loving, permanent homes.
At home, Ashley is a proud mom to two young daughters and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. When she’s not working, you’ll usually find her outdoors, spending time with family, at the range, or on a four-wheeler, living each day to the fullest.
Ashley is grateful to manage such a meaningful business in the beautiful community of Old Fruit Cove.
Kristin
Kristin is a lifelong animal lover. She has a special place in her heart for seniors or any type of special needs dogs. Kristen has five amazing dogs at home; although she doesn’t have a favorite breed of dog, if “scruffy with their tongues sticking out” was a breed, that would easily be hers! When she’s not at Sunland she enjoys spending time with her kids and doing anything crafty.
In her former career, she was a hairstylist. It became obvious to her that it is more fun to style hair for dogs. She pursued her career as a dog groomer by completing Levels One and Two of the Paragon Grooming Program. Her passion is to maintain a fun and safe work environment for all teammates and furry clients. She says this is the best job ever! Kristen is originally from Columbus, Ohio but the Navy brought her and her family to Jacksonville, from Washington state.
Aki
Aki, originally from Japan, is a dedicated groomer at Sunland with a passion for working with dogs. She is a proud graduate of the Paragon School of Pet Grooming, having completed Levels 1 through 3. Aki has showcased her grooming skills by competing in a Career Start Contest, where she styled a West Highland White Terrier, and she has also completed a Pet Safety and CPR course to ensure the well-being of every pet in her care.
Aki loves using her creativity to help dogs look and feel their best. Outside of grooming, she enjoys traveling—especially exploring the beautiful Florida springs. Aki is also a proud mother of two children, a son and a daughter, and shares her home with two beloved dogs: Scarlette, a poodle, and Biscuit, a shih tzu.
Elly
Elly was a pet bather prior to Sunland Acres and has now completed Levels One and Two of the Paragon Grooming Program. She is currently pursuing her grooming career here at Sunland Acres and is loving every moment. She loves every animal and how each one has their own personality. She strives to make the grooming experience for each pet comfortable and enjoyable. Her Favorite is doing shed treatment on large dogs. We are excited to have her as part of our team at Sunland and watch her grow on her grooming journey!
At home Elly has two Pitbull’s named Max & Ruby. She went to college for marine and coastal biology. In her spare time you can find her drawing or painting, as well as enjoying the outdoors and fishing.
Rachel
Rachel was born and raised in Jacksonville, specifically in the Mandarin area. Growing up, she was deeply involved in her family’s kennel, where she honed her skills in grooming and raising puppies for guide dogs. Her passion for working with dogs stems from their playful innocence, and she takes great joy in making them happy. Rachel finds working at Sunland Acres particularly rewarding due to its warm, home-grown family atmosphere.
In addition to Rachel extensive experience with dogs, she has a background in dog showing. Outside of work, she enjoys playing guitar and touring with her band. At home, Rachel’s love for animals is evident with her four mules, one cockatoo, five cats, and two dogs. Her dedication to animal care makes her a valued member of the Sunland Acres team!
Azia
Azia grew up on a farm in Maine, where her love for animals began at an early age. In 2019, she moved to Jacksonville after meeting her husband and has since continued to pursue her passion for working with animals. In her free time, Azia enjoys fishing, hunting, and spending quality time with her family. She shares her home with a German Shepherd, a Rottweiler/Bernese Mountain Dog mix, and a Siamese cat.
Azia is currently building her career at Sunland Acres as our Enrichment Specialist and Dog Trainer. For her, the best part of working at Sunland Acres is creating meaningful connections with the animals and helping them thrive through play, training, and enrichment.
Murphy
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Murphy has had a lifelong passion for animals, growing up on a farm surrounded by everything from pigeons to horses. With over six years of experience working with dogs, she brings a deep understanding and natural connection to her training.
Now a trainer at Sunland Acres, she works within the Board and Train program and runs group training classes, continuing to expand her knowledge and skills while helping dogs and their owners build strong, lasting relationships.
Lexi
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Lexi brings a strong background in farm life and a lifelong love for animals to her role at Sunland Acres. Her favorite part of the job is getting to work closely with animals every day—especially spending time playing with the dogs and capturing special moments through photography.
After high school, Lexi plans to pursue a career in animal care and attend veterinary school to follow her passion for helping animals. At home, she looks after a lively group of pets, including 6 ducks, 3 dogs, 50 chickens, 2 cats, and 2 bunnies.
