Nice to meet you, and welcome to the spa. Below, read all about our staff and get to know each of us a little bit better! We can’t wait to meet you in person!
Olivia Glynn Ackerman
Founder/Owner/Expert Stylist
she/her
Olivia has been honing her craft as a master pet stylist for over 18 years. After working in both large corporate environments and small privately-owned salons, she saw what the industry was really lacking: compassionate grooming with a holistic focus. Olivia opened Pawsitivity Pet Spa with the firm belief that all dogs deserve a safe and positive grooming experience. With an emphasis on respecting dogs’ boundaries and offering the highest quality pet styling, she set out to turn the grooming industry on its head.
The most rewarding part of Olivia’s job is transforming aggressive or overly anxious dogs through the Rehabilitation Program. She also enjoys introducing puppies to healthy and happy grooming practices through the Pawsitive Puppy Program. She believes there’s nothing more gratifying than building a trusting relationship with the dogs in her care. She loves educating her stylists and offering living wage apprenticeships to provide quality of life for her employees while expanding the vision of exceptional styling and the pawsitive grooming experience.
Outside of the spa, Olivia enjoys spending time with her family, exploring new cuisines through traditional cooking, expressing herself through painting, and enjoying the peace and quiet on her farm.
Paige Webb
Spa Manager/Pet Stylist
she/her
Paige has been grooming since 2016, including 5 years pet spa management experience. We were lucky to have her join our team in February 2022, moving to Asheville from snowy Minnesota! She excels at teddy bear cuts and has a soft spot for Australian Shepherds. Since her arrival at Pawsitivity she has quickly gained report with our clientele, and is an especially good choice for Pawsitive Puppy’s and Sensitive Seniors as one of her strengths is maintaining calm energy and compassionate patience.
Kristyn Maresca
Lead Pet Stylist
she/her
Kristyn has been in the grooming industry since 2011, including 4 years at Pawsitivity. She’s passionate about her focus on making dogs feel comfortable and safe during the grooming process. She loves when once-nervous clients return to Pawsitivity excited for their appointments! She most enjoys styling Muppet-style haircuts, and scissor finishing perfect poodle cuts! Kristyn seeks every opportunity to better herself as a groomer and is continuing her education to become a certified master stylist. Continuing her education with Olivia in rehabilitation and dog behavior is a passion, and with 4 years of Pawsitivity experience she has a talent for desensitization and remediation.
In her free time Kristyn enjoys crocheting, wild-harvesting mushrooms, and spending time with the best dog in the world, her pup Koji.
Heidi Fritz
Pet Stylist
she/her
Heidi has been a pet stylist since 2009, and prioritizes attending continuing education conferences and workshops annually. We welcomed her to our team in 2022 after a few years of mutual admiration! Her favorite breeds to groom are terriers, especially yorkies, and she is skilled at hand stripping rough coats gently, a particularly rare skill in the pet grooming industry. She enjoys desensitization and working with nervous pets to help them feel more comfortable.
On the weekends she enjoys spending time with her family including her two dogs Asta and Lucy, caring for her plants, cooking delicious vegan cuisine or seeing live music!
Naturally artistically talented, she also has a bachelors in fine arts.
August Kushner
Pet Styling Apprentice/Client Relations
he/him
August has been in the pet care and grooming industry since 2013. After having experienced grooming and managing a salon alone for years he reached out to Pawsitivity for opportunities to advance his technical skills and became a part of the Pawsitivity pack in 2022. His years of experience in a salon setting help inform his patience and love for slowly helping dogs overcome their fears and building a trusting grooming relationship. He is passionate about continuing his education and is a perfect fit for our compassionate care model. August has many request clients who need a little extra TLC, especially around deshedding treatments!
In his free time he enjoys hiking, caring for his plants, and collecting oddities.
