Meet the team
Our team works together with our partner kennel at Ridgeside K9 Ashtabula to achieve success for our recipients. We would be honored to have the opportunity to show you what makes us stand out. Please feel free to reach out with any questions regarding our program or how you might be able to help.
Loki z Diehlomov is our Founder and CEO’s Service Dog and the Ambassador for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes. He is a Czech line German Shepherd adopted from the Deihl’s Police K9 Training Center. From the beginning his training was focused on his duties as a Service Dog and Ambassador to share our mission with the public. His constant companionship has proven invaluable to our Founder. His presence out in public brings education and awareness on the benefits of Service Dogs.
Fiona Glenann Von Cunningham is the Service Dog to Vice President, Meghan and Ambassador for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes Kansas City. She is a beautiful model of the Cunningham German Shepherd bloodline with an impressive pedigree. Fiona became part of the family at 8 weeks old and only 5 lbs. She quickly demonstrated all the traits needed to become a service dog and at 4 years old, trained and worked with Meghan after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Now cancer free, Fiona continues to work with Meghan but enjoys putting on her vest or “work mode,” pawing around with siblings Gretchen and James, and making a difference in the lives of everyone she meets. She embodies the Kansas City spirit and the K9 Heroes 4 Heroes mission in every way!
Driven by a lifelong respect for those who serve our country and communities, I founded K9 Heroes 4 Heroes to honor and support Veterans and First Responders through the healing power of service dogs. My deep-rooted patriotism was shaped early on by family, friends, and mentors who dedicated their lives to service—whether on the battlefield or in our neighborhoods.
My time at the Virginia Military Institute further solidified this commitment, as I witnessed classmates take the oath to defend our nation. Though I ultimately took a different path, my desire to give back never wavered. That calling found new purpose when I began training my own dog and discovered a passion for canine behavior and service work.
Partnering with Ridgeside K9 Ashtabula, I immersed myself in professional training techniques and laid the foundation for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes. To bring this mission to life, I welcomed Loki into my family—not only as my personal service dog, but as the proud ambassador of our organization.
At K9 Heroes 4 Heroes, we believe Heeling is Healing. Our mission is simple: to provide highly trained service dogs to Veterans and First Responders at no cost, empowering them to reclaim independence, confidence, and peace.
Although military or first responder service is no longer an option for me, my desire to give back never faded. While working with my own dog, I discovered a passion for canine training. Teaming up with Ridgeside K9 Ashtabula, I learned proper training techniques, and from this experience, the vision for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes was born. To bring this mission to life, I welcomed Loki into my family—not only as my service dog but also as the proud ambassador of K9 Heroes 4 Heroes.
I was born and raised, along with my older brother, in the Kansas City area. I come from a very close-knit family with many veteran ties, including my Grandfathers (Army), Dad (Navy) and Stepdad (Marines). I was always a tomboy/daddy’s girl growing up, i.e., getting dirty under the hood of a car, going on hunting or fishing trips, playing sports, or driving my Dad nuts playing with my dog. Ask anyone, I have never changed except my love and passion for my dogs growing more and more.
Fast forward to now, I have been working in the commercial real estate/property management industry since 2015 and love every minute of it. In 2019, I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. During my treatment, my German Shepherd, Fiona was trained to be my service dog. Working and training Fi kept my mind, body and spirit going despite everything. Today, I’m 4 years cancer free and have the best service dog I could ever ask for.
I met Joe Gionti with K9 Heroes 4 Heroes in 2022. Given my passion for my service dog and having a strong veteran family background, everything fell into place. I am proud to lead the K9 Heroes 4 Heroes Kansas City Chapter. I’m so proud of the incredible ambassador Fiona is for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes and the difference she makes in the lives of anyone she meets. With my family, friends and of course, my dogs, we are looking forward to truly fulfilling our mission!
I first met Joe and learned about K9 Heroes 4 Heroes years ago outside a Lowe’s. Fate brought us together again while training our Belgian Malinois at Ridgeside K9 Ashtabula, where Joe was working as a local trainer. That unexpected reconnection gave me and my wife a deeper understanding of K9 Heroes 4 Heroes, inspiring us to support this incredible organization.
I come from a proud lineage of military service. As a Marine Corps veteran, I follow in the footsteps of my father, a Navy veteran during the Vietnam era, and my grandfather, who served in the Army Air Corps during WWII. My family’s service extends across generations, with uncles and cousins representing the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard through every armed conflict from WWII to the GWOT. I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact a service dog can have on a veteran’s life and mental well-being.
Beyond my military background, I bring 30 years of experience in technology and spent over a decade mentoring young leaders as the Executive Officer of the Greater Lake County Young Marines unit. Additionally, I serve on the advisory board of the USO for Ohio and Michigan, helping shape initiatives that support those who currently serve. With my combined experiences, I am committed to advancing the mission of K9 Heroes 4 Heroes strategically—ensuring more service dogs reach the veterans and first responders who need them most.
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. At 18, I joined the United States Air Force, driven by a deep sense of pride in our country and a desire to serve in the most meaningful way possible. With a strong passion for standing up for the vulnerable and protecting those who cannot protect themselves, I was honored to be selected as a Special Agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. There, I specialized in Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism.
Over the course of my 21-year military career—which included overseas assignments and multiple deployments to the Middle East—I received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Bronze Star. However, the most meaningful part of my service will always be the memories shared with those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage and legacy will never be forgotten. After retiring from the Air Force, I transitioned to a civil service role within a government agency.
My wife often jokes that I don’t have friends, just animals—and there’s some truth to that. I’ve had a deep love for animals for as long as I can remember. My first “best friend” was my dad’s black Lab, Jake, who was like a therapy dog to me before therapy dogs were widely known. My interest in dog training was ignited when I brought home my first Belgian Malinois, Apollo, and met Travis at Ridgeside K9 Ashtabula. Since then, dog training has become a true passion, and nearly all my free time is dedicated to it—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m a teacher, a dog trainer, and forever a student of canine psychology and the science behind modern dog training. Animals of all kinds have been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and the magic of the human–animal bond shaped me from a young age.
Before becoming a professional dog trainer, I worked for the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, and later as a private government contractor in Afghanistan. It was during that time that I discovered my love for working dogs and the dream of becoming a trainer was born.
I am a Certified Master Dog Trainer and a Gold Graduate of the prestigious NePoPo® Training School. Over the years, I’ve taken on internships with the most talented sport and police K9 trainers in the world. My education also includes advanced certifications in Canine Cognition and Emotions from Duke University, as well as Animal Health and Wellness from the University of Edinburgh.
Dog training has taken me across the world, allowing me to teach people and help countless dogs overcome complex training and behavioral challenges. In my free time, I work with police agencies developing dogs for bite work and troubleshooting training issues. To test and sharpen my own abilities, I compete in Mondioring, a challenging protection dog sport.
In addition to training, I serve on the boards of two nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to veterans and first responders. Above all else, what fills my cup the most is “Serving Those That Served.”
Help support K9 Heroes 4 Heroes by purchasing a raffle ticket to win a Dan Wesson 1911 Pistol, custom engraved for K9 Heroes 4 Heroes, generously donated by D&A Armory.
