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ABOUT US

Advisors

Two separate advisory committees exist to aid HHRF in decision making and planning:

The Advisory Council advises HHRF in all areas of the organization.

The Scientific Committee advises HHRF in areas specifically relevant to research.

The Scientific Review Committee (not listed for the sake of anonymity) is selected annually to evaluate and review applications for grant funding.  Members of the Scientific Committee may be part of a grant research team applying for funding from HHRF at any time, but may not serve on the Scientific Review Committee during that cycle.

Advisory Council

The Advisory Council looks at all aspects of the organization, acting as direct advisors to our governing board and staff. They will provide perspectives and recommendations related to governance, administration, finance, fundraising, research priorities and more.

Jane Fitzpatrick, PT, Punta Gorda, FL

Jane Fitzpatrick, a founding Board member of HHRF, holds a B.S. in physical therapy, a master's in psychology and is certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment. She practices physical therapy with Pegasus Therapeutic Riding and as a consultant. Jane has been published as a writer and featured as a speaker on the topics of Hippotherapy and
Therapeutic Riding in notable journals and arenas. She is a founding member of the American Hippotherapy Assoc. where she has served in many positions on the board including president. She is also a member of NARHA, the American Physical Therapy Assoc. and serves on an Advisory Committee under the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Jane has been a staunch supporter of research on the benefits and effects of therapeutic riding and hippotherapy both in the US and abroad.

"It is my hope that within a short time the public will begin to understand the beneficial effects that can occur when the horse and human interaction takes place in a safe, controlled environment."

Leeda Fletcher, Mount Kisco, NY

Leeda Fletcher has spent most of her adult life in the volunteer community with various projects. Her passion for horses and giving back to the community were joined when she began volunteering with Pegasus Therapeutic Riding of Stamford, Connecticut, where she is currently an honorary board member. Upon retirement, Leeda was able to more fully pursue her personal passion for riding: she now concentrates on dressage, often riding two horses every day, and competing in horse shows throughout the winters in Florida.

"I would love to be involved with your organization because I think we are just beginning to scratch the surface of the benefits to be gained through therapeutic riding."

Marjorie Kittredge, Boxford, MA

Marj Kittredge was inspired to work with horses in therapeutic settings after many years of involvement in Outward Bound programs. Marj founded Windrush Farm, one of the first therapeutic riding programs to be established in the United States, based on the idea that “we could do through our horses what Hurricane Island did through the land and the sea”. Marj's long history in Equine Assisted Activities includes instructing, judging, program management and past service on the NARHA board of directors. Marj has trained the trainers and led the leaders while also impacting the lives of countless students she personally taught over her many years of dedication.

Marion L. May, Woodstock, Il

Marion L. May, MS, OTR, is an Occupational Therapist with over 40 years of experience primarily with children and young adults.  She has worked in a variety of settings, including day and residential schools, psychiatry, private practice and rehabilitation.  She has been involved with therapeutic horseback riding since 1969 when she got her start at the Cheff Center in Michigan.  She has been active as a board member and president of three centers located in the Chicago Metro area, as well as a board member and president of NARHA.  Marion was active in the development and instruction of the NARHA training courses under a grant from the Kellogg Foundation and instrumental as the NARHA president in the formulation of AHA as a Special Interest Section of NARHA.  She was a member and chair of the Accreditation Committee and is currently an advisor to the committee and a site visitor.  

Nancy McGibbon, Green Valley, AZ

Nancy H. McGibbon, MS, PT, HPCS, is a licensed physical therapist with an advanced master’s degree in neurologic physical therapy. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including acute care, rehabilitation and private practice and serves as a consultant for Therapeutic Riding of Tucson. She has used hippotherapy in her practice for more than 20 years, was a founder and first president of the American Hippotherapy Association, and has taught workshops and lectured internationally. She is a published researcher and is presently involved in research in conjunction with the University of Arizona, Department of Pediatrics. In 2004, she received the ‘Therapist of the Year’ Award from the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc.

Pat Mullins, Bumpass, VA

Pat Mullins is the Director of Association Development for Markel Insurance Company, where he has designed insurance programs for a number of equine-specialized programs. Pat currently serves as President of the Certified Horsemanship Association and is Past President of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and the Virginia Horse Council. He is also Vice Chair of the American Horse Council's State Horse Council Committee and the Past Vice Chair of the Virginia Horse Center. His unique expertise in equine-related liability and insurance are an asset to the HHRF Advisory Council. Pat and his wife of 44 years, Jackie, have four children and six grandchildren.

Kitty Stalsburg, Lyme, CT

Kitty Stalsburg has been involved in therapeutic riding since 1986. A NARHA Master Instructor, she is the Executive Director of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. In her role as Executive Director, Kitty interacts daily with participants, parents, educators, health professionals, instructors and other staff. Kitty coordinates and lectures for the NARHA Approved Instructor Training Courses as well as other educational courses offered at High Hopes. Kitty has lectured on various topics relating to the field locally, nationally and internationally. A life-long equestrian, Kitty holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Cornell University. Active in NARHA since 1987, Kitty is a NARHA Evaluator, NARHA Visitor, past Chair of Accreditation and Standards Committees as a former NARHA Board member and Past President. Kitty is currently a member of the NARHA Health and Education Committee. Residing in Lyme, Connecticut with her husband Rob Hageman and daughter Kathryn, Kitty enjoys riding, biking, kayaking and skiing.

"My personal experience in this field reinforces the power of the horse human relationship daily. The work of HHRF is vital to being able to support the production of valid research to further promote this incredible work that is being done.  It is my privilege to work with other professionals in supporting the role of the Foundation." 

Harry Swimmer, South Waxhaw NC

Founder of Charlotte, North Carolina’s Swimmer Insurance Agency, Inc., Harry Swimmer also founded Misty Meadows Mitey Riders, an equine-assisted activities program on the Swimmers’ farmland estate. Harry, now retired, is involved with the Jewish Community Center and Temple Israel Synagogue and has held offices in the past with NARHA and the Charlotte Independent Insurance Agents. Under his leadership, Misty Meadows Mitey Riders has grown to serve 75+ ‘Mitey Riders’ per week.

Scientific Committee:

Horses and Humans Research Foundation's Scientific Committee is a group of leading researchers and experts from equine-assisted activities and related fields. Members respond and contribute to a variety of foundation research related needs including advising and assisting the staff and board in scientific strategic decision making, educational outreach and in areas related to grant applications and assessment. Their contributions in all areas help sustain the most relevant and highest quality research possible.

Renee Casady, PT,MS,HPCS, Belle Center, OH

Renee Casady, PT MS HPCS, served the American Hippotherapy Association as research committee chair for five years.  Renee continues as research editor of the AHA publication HIPPOTHERAPY. She obtained a BS in physical therapy from Ithaca College NY in 1983 and a MS in physical therapy from The Ohio State University in 2002. Her master thesis research project was a 30-week study on the effect of hippotherapy on children with CP. It was published in the Pediatric PT journal, fall 2004. Renee is owner of Gaitway Therapy which is a private practice centered at home on a small farm in rural Ohio. Renee is a board certified hippotherapy clinical specialist and a NARHA registered riding instructor.  Renee’s mission is to encourage others to add to the wall of evidence for equine assisted therapy and activities.

Peter C. Dedon, MD, PhD, Newton, MA

Peter C. Dedon, M.D., PhD, is Professor of Biological Engineering and Toxicology in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Following graduation with a B.A. degree in Chemistry from St. Olaf College in 1979, he obtained an M.D. and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester in 1987, performing his thesis research in the chemistry of cancer chemotherapeutics with Prof. Richard Borch.  He pursued postdoctoral studies in chromatin biology with Prof. Martin Gorovsky at the University of Rochester, and in the chemical biology of anticancer drugs with Prof. Irving Goldberg at Harvard Medical School before joining the Toxicology faculty at MIT in 1991.  Prof. Dedon has served in senior leadership positions at MIT and in three major scientific societies, on the editorial boards of several international scientific journals, and on dozens of review panels for a variety of private and government agencies, including the NIH, NSF, DOE, and DOD.

Prof. Dedon's research program addresses the fundamental chemistry of cancer and other human diseases, with a focus on the chemical mechanisms that link inflammation to disease.

"My interest in serving on the HHRF Scientific Committee arises from my son's experience with hippotherapy as part of a physical therapy program. Alex suffered a pre-natal stroke that destroyed 20-25% of his brain.  As a result, Alex has severe cognitive and physical impairments requiring a variety of therapies. My wife and I found that hippotherapy was one of the most enjoyable activities for him, so we are interested and invested in defining the scientific basis for and benefits of hippotherapy."

Paul T. Haefner, PhD, Lovettsville, VA

I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Catholic University in 1993 with a specialty in marriage and family interaction.  In my early career I worked as a clinical research consultant, as well as a clinician working with youth in both the juvenile justice and special education settings.  I have been in private clinical practice since 1994.

In the last decade my practice has focused on both sport psychology consultation with equestrians and equine assisted psychotherapy with individuals, families and groups.  I am certified through EAGALA as both a mental health and equine specialist.   I served on the Board of
Directors of the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation from 1998 – 2005.  I currently serve as EAGALA’s Research Committee Chairperson.

“The number of mental health providers (and health providers in general) that employs some form of equine assisted interventions has grown rapidly in recent years.  Despite strong and consistent anecdotal evidence, very little systematic empirical research has been done to date.  I believe strongly that the best way to ensure the future of such endeavors and for equine assisted interventions to grow, improve, and flourish as a means of healing is through supporting high quality and carefully conceived research.  HHRF is the only organization of which I am aware that seeks to do just that.”

Victoria Haehl, PhD, Chelsea, MI

Victoria Haehl, Ph.D. is a physical therapist who uses hippotherapy as a treatment tool with patients with neurologic dysfunction. As part of a Master’s Degree in Human Movement Science (The University of North Carolina), she conducted research that examined the effects of hippotherapy on children with cerebral palsy. As part of a Doctoral Degree (The University of Michigan) in Kinesiology, she conducted research that developed a mathematical model of the biomechanical relationship between the horse and human in an attempt to identify the underlying mechanisms involved. She has been involved in writing grants at the foundation level and at the national level (NIH) and has written and edited articles for professional peer-reviewed journals. She also serves the American Hippotherapy Association as a reviewer of research grant proposals.

"I sincerely believe that well designed research, as part of the scientific inquiry process, will assist in filling the void of knowledge that exists in the area of equine-assisted activities. Further, I hope that by serving on the Horses and Humans Foundation Scientific Review Committee I will support and contribute to this process."

Bradford H. Lewis, ACSW, Laytonsville, MD

Bradford H. Lewis, ACSW, is a Program Officer for Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service, an independent federal agency where he has served for over 12 years. He manages a grant portfolio in the North Central region of the United States as well as working on youth voice, community-based issues and technology initiatives. Mr. Lewis received his Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) from Columbia University in 1983 and then worked in New York City and Connecticut for the next 10 years. He also served as a Governor's appointee on the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee and more recently as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Maryland Graduate School of Social Work and Field Instructor for the Howard University Graduate School of Social Work. Mr. Lewis co-founded Great Strides, an equine-facilitated mental health program in Damascus, Maryland in 1999 and currently chairs its board of directors. He has also served on the EFMHA (Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association) Board of Directors since 2001 and has presented at the NARHA Conference as well as at Horsepower (an EFMHA conference) in Temple, New Hampshire.

Julie A. Lipovsky, PhD, Isle of Palms, SC

Julie A. Lipovsky, Ph.D., ABPP, a licensed psychologist (clinical), is Professor of Psychology at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.  A graduate of the University of Florida, Dr. Lipovsky completed a post-doctoral fellowship in sexual assault research at the Medical University of South
Carolina and was on the faculty at MUSC’s National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center from 1988 - 1993. Dr. Lipovsky directed The Citadel’s Masters program in Clinical Counseling from 1993 – 2003.  She has authored or co-authored more than 20 publications and has made over 100 presentations at state, regional, and national conferences on a variety of topics.  Dr. Lipovsky has received several teaching awards, including The Citadel’s James C. Self Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching in 1997.  She is board certified in Clinical Psychology and in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.  She is Co-founder and Clinical Director of Lowcountry Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (LEAP), a non-profit organization providing equine-assisted psychotherapy to children, youth, and families in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

“I would like to have a positive impact on the development of the empirical base that I believe is sorely needed.  I want to see the clinical work done with horses validated scientifically to raise the legitimacy of our field and to ensure that what we do really is effective.”

Laura S. Lubbers, PhD, Perkasie PA

Laura S. Lubbers, PhD, is a neuroscientist currently working on psychiatric disorders at a large pharmaceutical company. She received her Doctoral degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1996. Subsequently, while working at the University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, she was awarded grants from the USDA and served as a grant reviewer for the same funding agency. She has served on governmental advisory panels, and as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and was recently was appointed to the Editorial Board of the journal Endocrinology. Dr. Lubbers advocates at the Federal level for support of persons with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, a disorder that can cause profound physical and cognitive challenges. As a neuroscientist, she is intrigued by the ability of the brain to adapt to challenges and she marvels in the ability of those who are differently-abled to strive to
succeed, despite the struggles they may face.

"I have always loved horses and became aware of therapeutic riding through volunteering at Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center in Oldwick, NJ. There, I saw first-hand the tremendous benefits of equine-assisted therapy for all involved, from riders to caregivers and
even the volunteers! My hope is that validation of the physical, emotional and cognitive benefits of riding, through scientific study, will allow for expanded access of this form of therapy to individuals who could benefit from it."

Karyn Malinowski, PhD, Manville, NJ

Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D. is Director of the Equine Science Center at Rutgers-Cook College and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. She also serves as Dean of Outreach and Extension Programs and Director of Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension. Dr. Malinowski has been a faculty member at Cook College since 1978, and rose to the position of Extension Specialist in Horse Management before being appointed Dean. Her equine research and extension programs concentrate on improving the well-being and quality of life of the equine athlete while ensuring the vitality and viability of the equine industry, both statewide and nationally. She has received numerous awards for her work, including a leadership award from the American Youth Horse Council, as well as the American Horse Council’s most prestigious national citation, Van Ness Award, in 2001. She was named "Outstanding Equine Educator" by the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society, also in 2001. Dr. Malinowski grew up and still lives in Somerset County. She has been a “horse person” since she took her first pony ride as a toddler, and she has been involved in various horse disciplines and organizations throughout her career. She holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Tim L. Shurtleff, OTD, OTR/L, St. Louis, MO

Tim Shurtleff received an OTD from the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine (WUOT) in 2006 where he teaches OT and is part of the Human Performance Laboratory.  He was the first recipient of an HHRF research grant and also received a grant from the American Hippotherapy Association to complete the pilot study upon which the HHRF grant application was based (published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in July 2009 (www.tlshurtleff.com).

Tim’s interest in EAA/T started in 1990 when his wife, Charla, started a Therapeutic Riding center on their farm in Missouri.  At first Tim volunteered (cheap barn help), then became much more involved and became certified with NARHA as a riding and driving instructor. 

In 2001, he decided to pursue a degree in OT while focusing research efforts on evidence for hippotherapy. Prior to this, for 27 years, Tim worked as an internal and external organization effectiveness consultant doing strategic organization redesign, team building and other efforts to improve client effectiveness. This earlier work began after receiving a master’s degree in organizational behavior in 1976.  Tim and Charla have four children, five grandchildren, a few horses and other assorted critters.  

“I think the most important thing we can do to enable people with disabilities to receive the benefits of hippotherapy and other EAA/T is to further develop the scientific evidence base for activities and therapies using horses. A solid evidence base will open doors for funding and make it unethical and irresponsible for insurance companies and third party funders to not pay for professional therapy that uses horses and their movement as treatment tools.  Through its fund-raising efforts HHRF is providing seed money for this effort.  I hope to contribute to this effort by helping to focus that money toward projects that will provide a return on the investment of HHRF’s donors to best benefit those who need EAA/T services.”  

Emily Southgate, PhD, Middleburg, VA

Emily Southgate, PhD, has been a research scientist for many years, publishing her research in national and international peer-reviewed scientific journals. She is co-editor of one university press book and sole author of another. Her field is Historical Ecology, a research
field that involves designing studies that lead to valid conclusions about very diverse populations, using both scientific and historical techniques.  She has taught at many levels, including high school, college and university.  In addition, she has been riding most of her
life, and volunteered for many years with a therapeutic riding program. 

"As a life-long rider, I have learned first-hand the great value of horses for exercise, mental discipline and just plain enjoyment. As a scientist, I value the efforts of HHRF to to move beyond anecdotal evidence in testing and documenting the values of horses for people."

Paul Spiers, PhD, Danvers, MA

Paul A. Spiers, Ph.D., has been conducting research into human behavior since he was an undergraduate at McGill University in the seventies. For the past 25 years, he has focused on brain-behavior relationships. He practices as a Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist, and is an Assistant Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine.  His research has dealt with seizure disorders, and with pharmacological therapies to promote recovery of function after brain injury, to compensate for developmental disabilities, or to slow declining function in the face of aging and dementia.
He had a spinal cord injury that left him paraplegic in 1994, and it was his personal experience that equine-assisted activities provided him with better physical mobility, helped psychologically, and promoted improved attention, memory, and cognitive functioning.

His interest in serving on the HHRF Scientific Advisory Committee is to use his scientific background, in conjunction with his personal experience, to help researchers objectively document and publish the benefits of equine-assisted activities and therapies.

"I have served on Grant Committees and as a scientific journal reviewer for a number of professional publications. I enjoy this work and see it as an opportunity to shape the field and to educate new researchers so as to help them avoid methodological errors that might undermine their data collection, or theoretical assumptions that may not be justified and might invalidate their results. Research and Grant Review is a 'process', and one that I enjoy."

Jose Szapocznik, PhD, Miami, FL

Dr. José Szapocznik is Professor and Chair, Dept of Epidemiology and Public Health, Associate Dean for Community Development, and Director of the Center for Family Studies at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. 
The Center for Family Studies is the premiere training and research facility in the nation for family-based treatment and prevention with minority families.  Dr. Szapocznik pioneered the national effort to prevent and treat adolescent drug abuse and other behavior problems in minority youth using family-oriented, scientifically based approaches. 

Dr. Szapocznik has received over $100 million of NIH research grants and has over 200 scholarly publications.  He has received national honors & awards from American Psychological Association, American Family Therapy Academy, American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, and the Society for Prevention Research.

Renee Taylor, PhD, Chicago, IL

Renée Taylor is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  She is also an avid horseback rider and ranch owner.  She is an internationally-recognized scholar who studies EAA/T, client-therapist relationships in rehabilitation, and the psychobiological aspects of post-infectious fatigue.  In 1995 and 1997, Taylor received her M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology from DePaul University. She completed post-doctoral training in child and adolescent psychology 1998, with an emphasis on health and rehabilitation psychology.  Since that time, she has also been practicing as a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in adjustment to chronic illness and disability.

Taylor has received over $4,000,000.00 in federal research grants and has served on numerous federal and international grant review panels.  Currently, she is completing two large-scale NIH-funded studies of post-infectious fatigue following acute Epstein-Barr infection in adolescents and adults.  Recently, she has also initiated

a line of research on therapeutic use of self leading to the development of a new conceptual practice model for occupational therapy – The Intentional Relationship Model.  Taylor has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and five books.

"I chose to serve because I believe in the vision of HHRF to promote research and education in this important area. Horses are vital to humanity - disabled or non-disabled. I imagine horses see us all from a clean framework. To have known the generosity, judgment, and herd-contexted communication of these noble animals gives me faith in the healing power of horse-human relationships of all kinds - from remediating physical impairments to soothing mental angst."

Clare Thomas, Dover Foxroft, ME

Clare is an EFMHA board member, chair of the EFMHA research committee, and  a member of the NARHA equine advocacy task force. Clare is an Interdisciplinary PhD candidate at the University of Maine, researching eco-therapies, equine facilitated psychotherapy and the human equine bond as well as obtaining clinical licensure in counseling.

She has a strong educational and research background in animal behavior, psychology, women’s health and counseling. She has over 30 years of equine experience, practicing and encouraging mutual respect-based equine handling practices. Clare teaches research methods courses, as well as courses in Livestock and Companion Animal Behavior, and Medical Issues for Counselors at the University of Maine. She is currently developing a course in Equine Behavior and a co-taught course in Anthrozoology . She strongly encourages students to increase their awareness of how their behavior influences the behavior of the animals.