Meet The Team

  • Elizabeth Cook

    CO-OWNER

    During a freshman college class, Liz volunteered at a local animal shelter, igniting her love of training dogs! During her senior year, Liz adopted Allie Jo. Liz trained Allie Jo in obedience and tricks, and the two were inseparable. Within a few years of moving to Tuscaloosa, Liz started working for the Humane Society of West Alabama. She diversified her skills in caring for and training many different breeds, sizes, and temperaments of dogs. Her expertise and enthusiasm caught the eye of the local dog community. Liz was the perfect candidate to take over Hot Diggity Doggie Camp (HDDC) from its founder, Amy Trice. Together, new co-owners Liz and Brooke Armistead expanded HDDC's daycare, boarding, and training options. Liz and Brooke officially founded BARK University in 2021. As BARK U's director, Liz oversees a wide variety of training programs including group obedience classes, puppy kindergartens, one-on-one training sessions, six-week specialty classes, seminars, board and trains, and tutoring. Additionally, Liz is a certified Canine Colors Coach. Canine Colors is a dog and human personality compatibility program specifically designed to facilitate better relationships between and within species, for individual families and organizations.

  • Kelly Trice

    DOGGIE FOUNDER

    Meet Kelly Trice, Amy's first dog as an adult. Amy got her as a puppy in the Spring of 2000. Getting Kelly was the beginning of Amy's life as a dog lover. She was the reason Amy founded Hot Diggity Dog Camp!

  • Macy Brooke Armistead

    CO-OWNER

    Macy "Brooke" Armistead grew up in Thomasville, AL. She attended Alabama Southern Community College from 2007 to 2009 before interning at Rockford First Church in Rockford, IL from 2009 to 2011. She made the move to Tuscaloosa, AL in 2011. Brooke began working in the veterinary field in 2012 before she transitioned into the dog training field in 2015. Since 2019, Brooke is the co-owner of Hot Diggity Doggie Camp and BARK University. Her passion for animals, specifically dogs, is apparent in the path that brought her to being co-owner of this dog haven in Northport, AL.

    Brooke has worked in various jobs in the animal field. She has served as the caretaker of the Humane Society of West Alabama dog house, worked as a veterinary technician at May Veterinary, worked for the previous owner of Hot Diggity, Amy Trice, and is still a volunteer at Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Clinic.

    When not at work, Brooke enjoys digital creative design and marketing to promote awareness of local animal needs and show off the awesome diggity dogs at HDDC. Brooke is married to Kirby Baxter and they are expecting their first child in 2024. Brooke enjoys paddleboarding, and hiking at local lakes with her pups Koda Ray, 12 year old Pit Bull, Carter, 5 year old pit bull, Timber, 3 year old basset mix. She also has 2 cats Percy and Posey, and a 7 year old ferret, Tulip.

    "I cannot imagine doing anything else in life. The bond you grow with a dog when you earn their full trust is unmatched. Amy Trice built a distinct legacy at Hot Diggity and we have continued that. The way these dogs are just as comfortable, content and happy here at camp as they are at home means we are doing something right and I am really proud of that."

  • Reece Key

    GENERAL MANAGER

    Reece Key, General Manager at HDDC, has been with Hot Diggity Doggie Camp since 2016. For the past 8 years, he has served at Hot Diggity as a camp counselor, project manager, overnight attendant, behavioralist assistant, grooming assistant, and manager. Being a lifelong animal lover, hard work, patience, dependability, and a willingness to continue to learn and grow have been keystones in his journey to where he is today. "Since the age of, well, forever, I have had a dog, or two, or three, to call best friend. Growing up, we were always surrounded by all sorts of animals... dogs, cats, turtles, birds, fish, ducks, snakes... even a horse at one point. If there was an animal that needed a place to call home, it found that home with us!"

    Reece currently has three fur babies of his own: a 9 year old husky mix named Paisley, a ten year old long hair chihuahua mix named Lucky, and a four year old street cat rescue named Tokyo. He and his husband, Cody Key, weren't the original owners of any of their pets, but have always had an open heart for making room for any animal in need. They describe themselves as a family of hand-me-downs, a :"second-hand family".

    Reece loves working at Hot Diggity Doggie Camp. "There really isnt anywhere else I can see myself going, or wanting too. I love my job. I love the people I work with. I love our four legged clients. If I have it my way, there will never be a reason for me to retire. I never want to leave Hot Diggity."

  • Ashley Albritton-Speer

    HEAD OF RECEPTION

    Ashley's three favorite things are books, music, and animals. She has an extensive book and vinyl record collection. Ashley loves all animals, but dogs hold a very special place in her heart. While in high school, Ashley volunteered at her local animal shelter and worked with a rescue group. After moving to Tuscaloosa, she found the best job possible at HDDC. Her favorite part of working at HDDC is getting to welcome and love on all the dogs.

    Ashley grew up in Jasper and moved to Tuscaloosa in 2022 with her best friend, a pitbull terrier mix named Lady. Ashley adopted Lady when she was just three weeks old after Lady's mom died. Not long before the move to Tuscaloosa, adorable, sweet beagle named Cooper chose Ashley's family as his new home. Cooper joined the family with a lot of health issues, but he is doing great now. After moving to Tuscaloosa, Ashley started working at HDDC and met sweet Dixie, a terrier mix. It was love at first sight for both of them. The fourth addition to her family is a German Shepherd & Husky mix named Chloe who spends most of her days at HDDC with Ashley.

  • Lou Tidwell

    ASSISTANT MANAGER

    Meet Lou! In addition to being our oldest Jill of all trades she has been with HDDC for 3 years now but had maintained a love for animals the whole of her life. There isn't a dog she won't sing to or dance with. She is a fun loving joke cracking kind of girl but is very serious when it counts. She only thought she knew dogs before starting here and utilizes her teammates and spectacular training team to constantly better herself with understanding of the dog world. Hot Diggity is most definitely her happy place! Loves this job with a passion that is contagious. She will most definitely be here for the long haul!

  • Brittany Vincent

    ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BARK UNIVERSITY

    Brittany's passion in life has always been working with and training animals. Growing up she helped train and care for horses, and moved on to managing horse barns in her 20's. Once she moved to Alabama in 2018, her focus switched from training horses to training dogs. She adopted her first dog, Maui, from Metro Animal Shelter and later picked up another addition to the family, a corgi/aussie mix Loki, a few months after. She worked on training her 2 personal dogs on her own, then started working as a professional trainer once she acquired her third dog, Luffy (corgi/aussie) in 2021. Brittany now helps run the training department for BARK University at Hot Diggity Doggie Camp.

    Brittany is very passionate about helping pet parents and their dogs have a better relationship and communication style. Nothing's better than working with your dog and starting to understand how they're feeling and why they're choosing to do certain things! She spends her free time training agility with her dogs and hiking around trails in the Tuscaloosa area.

    Brittany Vincent is currently a Certified AKC Evaluator, AKC FIT Dog Level 1 Instructor, Professional Member of APDT (The Association of Professional Dog Trainers), and Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assesed (CPDT-KA)

  • Virginia Cain PhD

    LEAD TRAINER BARK UNIVERSITY

    Virginia Cain grew up with Great Danes and Mastiffs. She has a lifelong passion for dogs and teaching, which intertwined when she found herself in need of a little extra help. Several years ago, Virginia got Sunny, a silver standard poodle, and trained him to be her service dog. Virginia and Sunny enjoy dog sports including tricks, nosework, rally, and fastCAT, and they love taking Saturday afternoon naps together. The two can also be found at The University of Alabama, where Virginia earned her doctorate in American history, and Sunny earned his honorary doctorate in being a Very Good Boy.

    Virginia loves helping dogs and their owners live together in harmony. She enjoys training basic obedience and teaching owners how to communicate clearly with their dogs. Her goal is to create confident dog and owner partnerships built on trust and understanding. Teaching dogs and people how to be safe is paramount. Even when working through difficult issues, Virginia likes to remind clients to enjoy the process and celebrate all improvements, big and small.

    Virginia is currently a Certified AKC Evaluator and AKC Fetch Dog Evaluator.