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Our Staff

Click the photos for staff member bios. Click their name to send them an email.

Pat Kline has been the executive director of Central Kentucky Riding for Hope for 17 years after a brief time as the development coordinator. Pat holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services specializing in child guidance. She was employed as a teacher for 17 years in New Jersey, Ohio, and Kentucky. Pat is a lifelong equine enthusiast having participated in hunter jumper shows as a child and later in the Thoroughbred racing industry. She feels blessed to have had a front-row seat in the exciting development of CKRH from a seasonal program to a year-round nonprofit business with a secure, sustainable future.

Pat Kline

Executive Director

Jeannie Brewer is CKRH’s Development Director and returned to the organization in May 2019 after a five-year hiatus. Her professional career in fundraising and project management has found her working with non-profit organizations across Central Kentucky whose industries have included microenterprise development, health care, historic preservation, and the arts. She grew up learning to ride on a family farm and spent many weekends engaged in Pony Club activities, participating in local horse shows or three-day eventing at the lower level. She holds a BA in English from Hollins University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP.)

Jeannie Brewer

Development Director

McKenna joined the CKRH team in 2018 after graduating from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Rescue and Conservation Education. A native of Chicago, Illinois, McKenna worked at the Shedd Aquarium where she spearheaded the teen work-study program for inner-city youth. McKenna also interned at the Kentucky Horse Park in volunteer and outreach management before joining us at CKRH. She currently serves as the volunteer coordinator, social media manager, event liaison, safety coordinator, and IT technician for CKRH.

Betsy Owen

Volunteer and Media Coordinator

Vacant

Equine Manager/PATH Intl. Certified Instructor

Toby joined the CKRH team full time in May of 2019.  Toby brings 20+ years of experience in therapeutic horsemanship spanning across centers in both Michigan and Kentucky to her role at CKRH.  Concurrent with her role as Therapeutic Programming Coordinator she is also a part time clinical instructor in the Occupational Therapy program at Eastern Kentucky University.  As an occupational therapist she was employed in orthopedic, industrial and pediatric rehabilitation facilities.  She brings that experience to CKRH with the intent of creating an in-house therapy program utilizing hippotherapy as a treatment modality.  Toby is currently pursuing a clinical doctorate in Occupational Therapy.  Outside of her professional role, she and her husband raise cattle, horses and working stock dogs, provide horsemanship and ranch roping clinics and compete in ranch horse and ranch roping competitions.  Prior to marrying a working cowboy, she competed in dressage and low level eventing.   

Toby Cross

MOT,OTR/L; Program Manager, PATH Intl. CTRI

Originally from Pennsylvania, Samantha has spent a lifetime with horses of various breeds and disciplines including dressage, hunter/jumpers, and competitive driving of draft horses. Samantha left Pennsylvania to attend Michigan State University where she received her B.S. in Animal Science before moving to Kentucky to pursue a career in the non-profit sector of the equine industry while completing her M.B.A. at Eastern Kentucky University.  Samantha has always had a love for teaching and her prior roles include running a YMCA Equine Program, serving as Fayette Co.’s 4-H Equine leader, and teaching a High School Equine program.  Samantha joined CKRH in September 2020 as the Equine Instructor for the STABLES program for Fayette County Public Schools and is working on her PATH Intl. Certification.  In her spare time, she re-trains her two off-the-track thoroughbreds and competes in Dressage.

Samantha Kline

Stables Instructor

Karen joined CKRH in January 2012 after a 23-year career as Executive Secretary of the United Professional Horsemen’s Association. Prior to that she served as the office manager of the American Saddlebred Horse Association. She has an extensive knowledge of the show horse industry and the organizations located at the Kentucky Horse Park. Karen breeds and owns American Saddlebreds and serves on the American Saddlebred Registry’s Board of Directors.

Karen Richardson

Administrative Assistant

Vacant

Lead Instructor/Instructor in Training Lead, PATH Intl. CTRI/Mentor

Brook Southwell

Equine Management Assistant

JJ is a Lexington-native who grew up eventing and riding the trails. She began volunteering at CKRH with her mother when she was only 12-years-old. Becoming a part of the CKRH staff during the summer of 2017 was a big achievement in her life goals. JJ is a semi-professional photographer specializing in capturing images at horse shows. In her free time, JJ enjoys spending time with her two horses; one of whom was a rescue she nursed to health.

JJ Sillman

Equine Care Assistant

Part Time Employees

Dave Schneider

Facilities Manager

Emily grew up in Ohio where she fell in love with horses showing Rocky Mountain Horses as a young child then later competed in barrel racing and speed events as a teenager. With a degree in Writing, Rhetoric, and Communications and a focus in Digital Arts and Media from Transylvania University, Emily loves to serve CKRH as the Program and Administrative Assistant creating marketing material such as brochures, flyers, and special event logos. In addition to this position, Emily is a PATH Int'l Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and loves to combine her passion for equines and academic experience in creative communication strategies to create fun and interactive lessons for participants of all ages and skill levels! Outside of CKRH, you can find Emily hanging out with her horse, Kip, who is enjoying his slow life as a retired barrel horse.

Contracted Licensed Therapists

Toby Cross

MOT, OTR/L, PATH Intl. CTRI, EKU Clinical Instructor - Occupational Science/Occupational Therapy and Horses, Humans and Health Minor

Therapist & Equine Specialist Partner in Mental Health & Learning

Charlotte Hiler Easley

LCSW, ESMHL
Click on Charlotte's name to be taken to her website.

CKRH Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Adam.Bowden

Adam Bowden

President
Peter.Morresey

Peter Morresey

1st Vice President
BVSc, MACVSc, DACT, DACVIM, Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital
Amy.Owens

Amy L. Owens

Secretary
Keeneland
Adam.Campbell

Adam Campbell

Treasurer
CPA, Denali Stud

Board Members

MichaelBanahan

Michael Banahan

Godolphin
Brad.Scroggin

Brad Scroggin

Stuart.Brown

Stuart E. Brown

DVM, Keeneland
Susan.Bunning

Susan Bunning

Equine Equity Partners, LLC
Tom.Creech

Tom.Creech

The Creech Family, Charles T. Creech, Inc.
CJ Headshot

Chris Johnson

Municipal Attorney, Kentucky League of Cities
Elizabeth.Leatherman

Elizabeth Leatherman

CPA, Dean Dorton Allen Ford, PLLC
Kristina.Lu

Kristina Lu

VMD, Dipl. ACT, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Martha.Mulholland

Martha Jane Mulholland

2nd Vice President, Mulholland Springs Farm
Vicky.Myers

Vicky Myers

Rick.Nunnelly

Richard A. Nunnelley

Stoll Keenon Ogden
Kari.Simon

Kari H. Simon

Bon Marche, LLC
Hester, Pete

Pete Hester

M.D, Lexington Clinic Orthopedics-Sports Medicine Center
Blank-Person-Image

Stanley Marcinek Jr.

Marsh and McLennan Agency
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Cindy Nelson

Martin Collins Footing
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Jason Wells, DVM

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
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Contact Information

PO BOX 13155
Lexington, KY 40583
Phone: 859.231.7066
Fax: 859.252.5016

 

 

 

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