Meet Our Bakers

The bakers at Wagster Treats received hands-on training with Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, a nonprofit program for low-income and homeless adults operated by Homeward Bound of Marin.

MEET ANALILIA

Analilia leads baking at Wagster Treats with a can-do attitude and determination. She not only moves trays in and out of the oven smoothly in a crowded kitchen, but also produces the dough and cares for the production machines.

Like all our bakers, Analilia built strong skills in a 10-week culinary training program that shares space in the Wagster Treats kitchen. Her graduation came just before the onset of COVID-19, which closed much of the restaurant world. Now that she's employed full-time with Wagster, Analilia says she has begun saving and thinking more about the future with her 3-year-old son.

"I'm very proud of what I have accomplished. You have to make things happen for yourself," she says. Along with growing her income, Wagster has helped Analilia overcome a fear of dogs that stemmed from a childhood accident. "I've met some very nice pets at Wagster," she adds.

MEET ANGEL

Angel is another member of our dog-loving team at Wagster Treats. He joined Wagster in 2019, after a bout with life-threatening illness interrupted his junior college path.

"I wasn't able to work for more than a year because I was sick. Now I have a first job and I'm getting a perspective on work life," he says. His 4-year-old dog Marley has been a good companion, even though his favorite activity is stealing socks! Fresh Starts Culinary Academy allowed Angel to earn a ServSafe Manager certification, a national benchmark for food service and hygiene knowledge. With his adaptable skills, Angel helps keep production moving smoothly by mixing dough or baking as needed.

When he's not working for Wagster, Angel likes listening to music and walking on local trails - now he's happy that he's lost 25 lbs. this year.