Hi, I'm Steve. I started Porchlight because I believe your dog (and mine) deserve the best.
I've spent most of my career in demanding, high-stakes environments: Doctors Without Borders, the UN Refugee Agency, KUOW. I've always been drawn to work that has a direct, tangible impact on people's lives.
Dog grooming might seem like a departure from that. It isn't.
Every dog I groom belongs to someone who loves them deeply. Every anxious dog who learns to trust my grooming process is a small, real victory. Every household that finds a groomer they can count on. That matters to me.
Why Porchlight Exists
I came to grooming after watching how stressful the standard salon experience can be - for dogs and for their people. The drop-offs, the waiting, the rotating staff, the rushed appointments. I wanted to build something different.
Porchlight is one dog at a time, in a quiet van, outside your home. I handle every appointment from start to finish myself. I use your dog's name. I remember what they liked and what made them nervous. I keep notes from every groom. I follow your dog’s pace and work around your schedule.
Trained and Certified
Grooming is a skilled profession, and I take that seriously. So is being a responsible member of this community.
I hold a Certified Professional Groom Tech credential from the Paragon School of Pet Grooming, one of the most respected grooming education programs in the country, and a Pet CPR & First Aid certification through CPR Seattle, current through 2028. I'm continuing my education through Paragon's advanced coursework and American Kennel Club certification programs.
I was also selected for and completed Seattle's Leadership Tomorrow program, a year-long civic leadership experience for people committed to strengthening the communities they call home.
Fred, Venus, and Sadie
I’ve had a pet all my life. It’s the three I parented as an adult who inspired me to start Porchlight Grooming. Fred. Venus. Sadie.
A neighbor gave me Fred, a black husky cat, when I was 21. I’m convinced Fred believed he was a dog. We played fetch hours and hours and hours. We were roommates and best friends for 23 fantastic years. Yes, 23!
Venus, the white and brindle American Pit Bull Terrier pictured here and above, came to me through Seattle Humane in 2016. Together we explored hundreds of miles of the PNW by car and foot. She was the center of our lives until her passing in 2021.
My husband, Michael, and I found Sadie about a year after Venus. She's a Pitbull mix too (the sweetest dogs). When we met she was fearful and reactive, not because of her breed, but because of what she'd been through before the shelter. She was a little too much for the shelter system, so she came home with us. She taught us as much about patience, trust, and individual care than any of the grooming courses I could ever take.
Her silhouette is the foundation of the Porchlight logo. She's part of every groom.
Who Porchlight Is For
Porchlight is for households where the standard grooming experience just hasn't worked, for whatever reason. Maybe your dog is anxious or sensitive. Maybe your schedule doesn't have room for one more errand. Maybe you've just never found a groomer you fully trusted.
Whatever brings you here, you won't have to explain yourself. You'll just be taken care of.
My promise to you and your dog.
Clear communication.
You'll know when I'm on my way, what I found during the groom, and exactly what you're paying before you pay it. No surprises, no chasing me down for updates.
Always learning.
Grooming is a skilled profession, and I treat it that way, always pursuing advanced education, because your dog deserves someone who never stops caring about doing this right.
I remember your dog.
Their name, their quirks, what made them nervous last time, and what helped. Every visit builds on the last. That's not a system. That's just how I work.
A welcoming, inclusive space. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, senior, and differently abled households, you and your dog belong here. No exceptions, no asterisks.
If this sounds like what you've been looking for, I'd love to meet you and your dog.