Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
About Us
Our Founder And President
Sonia served in the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman before pursuing a career as a Registered Nurse. While working for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Sonia realized just how vital and scarce services are for Veterans who are still fighting their battles at home.
As Sonia continued her nursing career, she spent more and more time with her horses, and began to focus on the parallels between horse herd dynamics and human teams. This also led her down a path of studying the effects of interactions with horses on mental health. After many years of training and mentorship on the horse-human connection, and how this relationship can assist us in how we communicate, respond, and support our human relationships; Sonia began to take steps towards building a program to support Veterans.
Through her research into what programs were currently available, she realized that there was a large deficit in these types of programs for First Responders. Although First Responders and Veterans have different exposures to traumatic situations, there are many similarities in the tools needed to build resiliency around exposure to real and perceived threats, which caused Sonia to include First Responders in her programs. Sonia was able to finally bring her dream of a trauma-informed equine-based program to life by launching Hooves & Heroes in 2021.
Treasurer
Melissa owns multiple businesses with her husband and brings her accounting and management skills to our Board of Directors in the role of our Treasurer.
Throughout her career, she has been on and held a variety of positions on non-profit boards. Those boards centered around activities that her children were involved in. Hooves and Heroes gives Melissa an opportunity to follow her need to help others and to serve on a board that aligns with her principles and goals. Her background in non-profits and business is a great asset to the organization.
Although Melissa herself is not a Veteran or 1st Responder, she is the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran who had suffered from Agent Orange-related illnesses and trauma, as well as a sister of two EMT/Firefighters in Oregon. Over the years, she has had her own traumas that resulted in traditional counseling sessions. Although they were what was offered and they provided help, it wasn’t what was fully needed for her to feel whole. Once she visited the home of Hooves and Heroes her world changed. Finding a different way of working through her trauma has led her to a new perspective and ultimately led her to become a
member of the Hooves and Heroes Board of Directors.
Secretary
Greetings, my name is Diane and I am the current Secretary for Hooves & Heroes. I have been involved with Hooves & Heroes since it was founded, although mostly on the fringes until recently. My qualifications for this position include a completed seven-month course at The Business Computer Training Institute, a year and a half of various community college courses, and multiple positions in offices over the years.
Throughout my extended family, I can count at least one person serving in each branch and many friends in the various First Responder fields. As the wife of an Army veteran and the daughter of an Air Force veteran, I have a deep respect and appreciation for all the members of the military, and the first responders, that make it possible for us to enjoy our freedoms in this country. I also have a life-long love of horses and helping people. I hope to give a little something back to these
heroes through my contributions to this amazing program.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so.
Volunteer Coordinator
Kaitlyn has been a fixture of the Hooves & Heroes facility for many years. She started coming out to the property to spend time with the horses in the early stages of development, and has been instrumental in the ongoing care and wellbeing of the herd. Through this work, she decided to contribute even more to the organization's mission and joined the board of directors as their volunteer coordinator so she can support new volunteers in developing the same bonds and deep relationships with the herd that she has
experienced.
Kaitlyn is a graduate of Cornish College of the Arts with a focus in dance motivated by a deep interest in body mechanics. She is currently enrolled in her masters program with a focus in clinical psychology. Her combination of interests in the body and mind as a complete - not separate- unit is very valuable to the Hooves & Heroes program.
Our Herd
The members of our herd are the stars of the show and work very hard to provide support to those who need it most. We have 5 horses in our herd presently with a goal to continue our expansion as we add services for Veterans and First Responders. From building a relationship with horses, to developing riding skills and navigating trail obstacle courses, the list of ways we can partner with our equine friends is almost endless!
Our Volunteers
What is an organization of service without its volunteers?! These individuals do so much for the organization! From feeding and caring for the herd, to ordering, stocking and providing supplies, to helping with set up and tear down at events, to getting the word out and sharing the mission of the organization and so much more! They are the true foundation on which this organization is built. When you see an H&H volunteer please stop and thank them. They are in service of those who serve out of the kindness of their hearts because they believe in our participants, our mission and our goals.