Over the past decade, Stephanie has garnered extensive experience within diverse realms of the real estate sector in New York as a paralegal. Her passion for animals started when she welcomed her first puppy, Paxton—an American Bully—into her family in 2021. As she researched the breed, she realized that there are numerous stigmas associated with his type. The more she delved into this subject, the clearer it became that these stigmas—rooted in various cases, stories, and incidents—trace back to human behavior. This realization sparked a commitment to becoming a responsible and caring owner through dedicated training and socialization. Stephanie was determined that Paxton would not be unjustly labeled as “a bad dog” or “aggressive” solely based on his appearance. Her drive towards challenging and transforming these societal perceptions grew further with the addition of her second dog, Paige, another American Bully.
Over the past few years, motivated to support animal welfare, Stephanie has organized fundraising events, fostering, and volunteering weekly with Petals4Paws, an animal rescue organization in Stamford, CT. As an honorary member of Petals4Paws, she continues her efforts to support shelter dogs. In April 2025, she officially rescued her first dog through Petals 4 Paws. These endeavors have solidified her commitment to one day establish a nonprofit organization as well as working in the District Attorney’s Office prosecuting in the Animal Cruelty division in NY. Enrolling in this MSL program represents an essential first move to pursuing a law degree in environmental law, particularly in animal rights, legislation, and advocacy. Stephanie is grateful to have discovered her true calling and eagerly anticipates utilizing it to make a positive impact in the world, no matter how small.
In Stephanie’s spare time, she loves DIY home projects, crafting, organizing, and doing anything dog friendly.