Aqualla Dawn Stephen has over 15 years of experience in animal care and control, including positions as an animal control officer, dangerous dog investigator, and animal compliance official. She has excellent communication, customer service, and problem solving skills, as demonstrated by her experience preparing reports, making presentations, successfully resolving citizen complaints, and collaborating with law enforcement. She is highly organized and experienced in managing daily operations and supervising staff.

1. AQualla Dawn Stephen
2925 Belfort Rd.  Jacksonville, FL. 32216  (904)235-7743  aquallastephen@gmail.com
Profile ________________________________________________________________________
Motivated self starter practiced in completing the job under little to no supervision. Excellent at juggling multiple
tasks and working under pressure. Broad industry experience includes Healthcare, Investigations, and Legal
aspects of animal care and control. With more than 15 years of extensive experience and knowledge of domestic
animals, exotics, wildlife, and livestock needs and standards of care. Excellent documentation and note taking skills
with exceptional report writing ability. Accomplished in public speaking and education, as well as courtroom
presentation. Professional demeanor and superior rapport building skills. Flexible and versatile – able to maintain
a sense of humorunder pressure. Poised and competent with demonstrated ability to easily transcend cultural
differences. Thrive in deadline-driven environments. Excellent team-building skills. Solid background in customer
service.
Professional Experience __________________________________________________________
COMMUNICATION: REPORTS/PRESENTATIONS
 Prepare complex reports for management, complainants, victims, attorneys, and County Commissioners on a
daily basis as well as an as needed or requested basis.
 Author professional correspondence to complainants, victims, and attorneys, other state and local agencies, and
Commissioners.
 Communicate local ordinance, state statute, and federal guideline requirements to citizens using laymen’s terms
and presenting information in an easy to understand manner.
 Rapidly learn and master numerous and varied changes, or additions to local ordinances, state statutes, and
federal guidelines relating to the animal industry.
CUSTOMER SERVICE/ PROBLEM SOLVING
 Successfully build rapport with clients in highly charged emotional states:
 Assist with development and implementation of local ordinance as well as job skill sets, standards, policies and
procedure:
o Became first the Compliance Official employed by Marion County to conduct both dangerous dog
investigations as well as animal cruelty investigations.
o Helped establish and maintain Marion County’s credibility in the court system regarding animal
cruelty cases.
o Assisted in creating new forms and documentation templates as they relate to the position.
 Won over a highly skeptical law enforcement and legal community :
o Successfully won over 30 civil custody cases.
o Successfully collaborated with law enforcement to make numerous arrests and
convictions for both animal neglect and cruelty cases as well as criminal violations of
dangerous dog laws.
o Lead or primary investigator on numerous high profile cases.
DETAIL MASTERY & ORGANIZATION
 Manage all aspects of day-to-day case load and responsibility maintaining compliance with job performance
standards as well as applicable policies.:
o Facility and vehicle maintenance and upkeep to include cleaning and disinfecting.
o Finances: collect monies when and where necessary for daily operations, responsibly handle company
credit cards.
o Supervision of all Animal Control Officers and other staff or personnel at an incident scene.
o Compliance with all veterinary, statutory, federal, and local requirements when handling numerous
species of animal.
o Organized and efficient dispatch of up to 13 officers for priority calls of varying degrees of
importance.
o Staff scheduling, supervision & payroll approval for subordinates.
o Invoicing, expense tracking, mileage charts, inventory

2. Aqualla Dawn Stephen
2925 Belfort Rd.  Jacksonville, FL. 32216  (904)235-7743  aquallastephen@gmail.com
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Education _____________________________________________________________________
LAST CHANCE FOR ANIMALS
Animal Cruelty Investigator-
October 2014- August 2015
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE ANIMAL
CARE & PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Animal Control Officer- December 2013-
July, 2014
Veterinary Technician- February 2013-
December 2013
MARION COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES
Animal Compliance Official – March, 2008
to February, 2013
Dangerous Dog Investigator- July, 2007 to
April, 2008.
Animal Control Officer- February, 2006 to
July, 2007.
Animal Care Technician II/ Surgery
Tech/ Mobile Surgery Unit Driver/
Animal Care Technician III- June, 2003 to
February, 2006.
DR. SUZANNE T. BILLIAR, DVM
Exotic Animal Keeper- September, 2001 to June, 2003
SILVER SPRINGS THEMEPARK
WildlifeKeeper - December, 1999 to December, 2001
UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU
Enumerator- August, 1999 to April, 2000
BEACH ST. JOHNS ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Kennel/Vet Technician - February, 1998 to October,
1998
B.E.A.K.S.
Sanctuary Supervisor - July, 1997 to February, 1998
UNITED STATES ARMY, MP CORPS
95 C/ Corrections Specialist - July, 1994 to
September, 1995
ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL
High School Diploma, 1993
MP SCHOOL – Ft. McClellan, AL
Diploma, 1994
FLORIDA ANIMAL CONTROL ASSOCIATION
Chemical Capture and Immobilization Certification,
2004
SOUTHEASTERN PUBLIC SAFETY INSTITUTE
Animal Control Officer Certification, 2006
FLORIDA PUBLIC NOTARY
Certification, 2007
FLORIDA ANIMALL CONTROL ASSOCIATION
Euthanasia Certification, 2007
JOHN SCOTT DAILY INSTITUTE OF
GOVERNMENT
Code Enforcement Officer Level I Certification, 2007
JOHN SCOTT DAILY INSTITUTE OF
GOVERNMENT
Code Enforcement Officer Level II Certification,
2008
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY
Animal Cruelty Investigator Level II Certification,
2008
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY
Animal Cruelty Investigator Level I Certification,
2009
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ACADEMY
Animal Cruelty Investigator Level III Certification,
2010
RASMUSSEN COLLEGE
Criminal Justice, B.S., 2014
DUVAL COUNTY SPECIAL PROCESS SERVER
2016