“Two feet move our body. Four feet move our soul.”

JAN POLLEMA, M. ED.

Executive Director | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Jan started as a volunteer with Hearts & Horses in 1997, becoming Executive Director in 2013. She feels it is an honor to lead such an amazing organization that makes a difference in the lives of so many!

TAMARA MERRITT

Director of Program Innovation & Research | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Tamara has been working in the field of therapeutic riding since 1990 and feels privileged to play a role in helping change so many lives! The power that the horse has to transform lives continues to amaze her daily.

LAUREN MCCLAVE, PT

Program Director, Physical Therapist | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Lauren started working with Hearts & Horses in 2009 as a Physical Therapist providing therapy services. She retired in 2019 from her position as Director of Physical Therapy at The Wheatridge Regional Center, where she worked with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for nearly 30 years. She began her new career as Program Director in January 2020 and brings with her a wealth of experience both in the field of disabilities as well as horsemanship, being a lifelong equestrian. Her other hobbies include gardening, yoga, and reading.

EMMY SOYKA

Director of People & Culture

Emmy is devoted to helping volunteers and staff find the best fit with our programs and community. With a Master's in Nonprofit Management from Regis University, Emmy has worked in the nonprofit industry for more than 10 years and utilizes her organizational skills and management knowledge to constantly improve your experience. Emmy describes herself as an eternal optimist and a professional delegator!

KATHRYN YUMA

Development & Communications Director

Kathryn helps ensure Hearts & Horses’ fundraising efforts by connecting with current and potential supporters through storytelling, tours and special events. Her love for animals might only be surpassed by her desire to help others. When she’s not out making a new friend, Kathryn is exploring Colorado with her husband and two dogs or making a home cooked meal for her family.

DON GILLESPIE

Facilities Director

Don has a strong technical background and a heart for the less fortunate that he also shares with several other local nonprofit organizations in the Loveland community.

MARIA AMANN

Program Manager | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Maria comes to us from Cincinnati, Ohio. She grew up riding horses and enjoyed competing in Three Day Eventing! Over the past 10 years, Maria gained experience at a variety of horse farms, spanning from Kentucky to Montana to California. She covered some ground searching for a job that would involve caring for animals and helping people as well. Maria started her Therapeutic Riding career in Indiana and there she found her passion! As a PATH Certified Instructor, Maria utilizes her diverse equine knowledge and her heart for serving others. She loves teaching, connecting with volunteers, and seeing the massive impact that horses have on the lives of our community.

JACY LAYTON

Youth Services Coordinator | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Jacy is a Colorado native who received her first horse when she was five years old and quickly learned the emotional benefits of horses. She has taught horsemanship and riding lessons at several local barns since the age of 15. Jacy received her bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University in equine science, and most recently her masters degree in social work. She started at Hearts & Horses as an intern in 2021 and is happy to share her love of horses and their impact in promoting healing.

LINDSEY HEUSTIS

Veteran Services Coordinator | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Born and raised in Fort Collins, Lindsey has always had a passion for people and a love for horses. During her 4 years at CSU studying health and exercise science, she interned at King’s Revenue Ranch and volunteered with Cowboys for Kids. After getting married Lindsey moved to the Roaring Fork Valley and started a family. Four years later she, her husband, daughter, and son were able to move back to the Front Range. Lindsey volunteered with Hearts and Horses for two years before beginning her dream job, helping people through equine assisted learning as an instructor.

HANNAH ARMSTRONG

Office Manager

Hannah is a Loveland native and has lived on a cattle ranch for the majority of her life. She has 20 years of experience in management. She can't wait to bring that knowledge and expertise to a new format. She looks forward to creating a welcoming, inclusive and well-organized experience for anyone who walks in the door. If she isn't at work she is probably out hiking, camping, paddle boarding or simply enjoying all the wonderful things Colorado has to offer.

MELANIE NEWKIRK

Equine Trainer

Melanie grew up in Colorado. Her passion for horses started at a young age, she was fortunate enough to be able to take lessons starting at the age of 5. Melanie then began showing on the local dressage circuit with her pony and later on with her Morgan mare. Her success allowed her to qualify for the Morgan Horse World Championship where she and her horse achieved a Reserve World Championship and a World Championship in dressage as a young rider. Melanie attended college at West Texas A&M University where she began her career as an NCAA equestrian. This transitioned into multiple working student positions with prominent jumping trainers throughout Arizona, Oklahoma, and Colorado. More recently, Melanie started riding in Ranch Horse Versatility and is having a great time doing so! She’ll be the first to tell you that she is a “jack of all trades, master at none”.
Nowadays, Melanie teaches riding lessons, trains horses, and campaigns both her training and personal horses. Her personal herd consists of her childhood pony, an Arabian, a Thoroughbred, and a Quarter Horse.

KACIE NELSON

Barn Manager

A recent graduate from Iowa State University with a Bachelor's in Animal Science, Kacie has always had a passion for animals, particularly horses. She began riding at age 7 and hasn't stopped since- competing in the jumper ring before finding her favorite discipline- trick riding. She joined a trick riding drill team at age 14 and competed all over the country with her Appaloosa gelding, Wrangler. In addition to her trick riding skills, Kacie is also passionate about landscape photography and backpacking through other countries when she can! Kacie is looking forward to living in Colorado and working with the wonderful horses and people she's met so far!

Hearts & Horses Communications Manager Leila Einhorn

LEILA EINHORN

Communications Manager

Leila’s love of writing led her to a career in digital marketing and communications. She is passionate about advocacy and community service, particularly in the field of mental health, and is excited to lend her talents to the Hearts & Horse mission. Leila develops content and communications for our social media channels, website, email campaigns, fundraising appeals, and more. When not working, she enjoys playing guitar, writing poetry, and biking the breathtaking trails of Northern Colorado.

LIV TILLEY

Volunteer Trainer | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Liv is a CSU graduate with a degree in equine science and psychology. She completed not one, but two internships here at Hearts and Horses during her undergrad. Her passion is mental health and helping at risk youth. She is a PATH CTRI and soon to be equine specialist in mental health and learning. Her goals are to obtain a professional mental health license and move on to doing more equine assisted psychotherapy. Liv has her own horse, Dayton, who is her heart horse of 12 years. She loves reading, hiking with her pup Atticus, and coffee! Fun fact: liv was a barista for 5 years, need a good latte give her a call!

KIERA FOGG

Volunteer Coordinator | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Kiera was an intern at H&H in 2019 and enjoyed the experience so much she was elated to move back to CO from Upstate NY to join our team as a PATH Certified Instructor! She received her Bachelor of Technology in Therapeutic Horsemanship at SUNY Cobleskill in May of 2019 and in her time there obtained her Instructor Certification as well as her ESMHL. She enjoys being outdoors and taking hikes with her puppy Charlee. She loves horses and has been an equestrian since she was 12 when her mom got a horse.

TINA ECKER

Assistant Equine Trainer | Instructor Coach | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

As an advanced instructor Tina knows first hand the power of the special bond between people and horses, which she feels allows a sense of accomplishment and an increase of self-confidence.

LAURA BOTTOMS

Assistant Equine Trainer | Instructor Coach | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Laura has been riding and showing horses since she was four and training, coaching, and teaching professionally for over 30 years. She grew up showing hunter/jumper horses and then moved on to dressage and three-day eventing. In college, Laura interned for a trainer who competed mostly in Western events at the world show level, so she added Western events to her repertoire. She has competed and coached multiple horses and students to participate at the American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association world shows over the years.

MIKE CONKLIN

Resident Equine Caretaker

Mike is a USMC veteran who started volunteering at Hearts & Horses in December of 2019. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family. One day he hopes to have some property and horses of his own! He loves everything about Hearts & Horses and is excited to join the Equine team.

TRUDY HUNTER

Equine Assistant

Trudy is a recently retired Patrol Officer for the Boulder Police Dept. working nights and swing shifts for 30 years. She grew up with horses, helping to care for her mother's Arabians. Trudy showed in western pleasure, barrels and poles when she was younger. As an adult she has taken lessons and enjoys trail riding. She has always loved horses and wanted to learn more about equines so she joined the Hearts & Horses Barn Team in Oct of 2021. She has taken the Advancing Horsemanship classes and started the Masterson program. In her spare time she enjoys her family and friends, her Shiba Inu, Kona and traveling, golfing, mountain bike riding, card/board games, gun matches, and sporting clay shooting.

REAGAN SPENCE

Equine Assistant

Reagan is originally from Winter Park, Florida, and has been riding horses since before she could walk! She has always wanted to work with horses, and is excited to fulfill her dream here at Hearts & Horses!

ELIZABETH SMITH

Facilities Assistant

Liz loves animals, gardening, and having dinners with her children. She is looking forward to working at Hearts & Horses and making a positive difference in people’s lives and keeping the facility clean and tidy for all of our visitors.

MARNELLE LEONARD

Education Specialist

Marnelle moved to Fort Collins a couple of years ago after 30 years of teaching in CA. "I love volunteering at Hearts & Horses because the people are amazing and the horses steal the show! When I am not at H & H, I spend time hiking, gardening, and watching sports. Fun fact… I used to show Dalmatians and had a litter of champion puppies all while living on Freckles Rd."

DAYNA CROSBY

Bookkeeper

Dayna is originally from Los Angeles, California and has been working in the music industry as a bookkeeper and behind the scenes support for the last 20 years. Upon visiting Colorado she fell in love with the mountains and scenery and moved out here in 2017. Dayna has a long history of volunteerism beginning in high school with the explorer paramedic program, then in college with animal advocates rescuing all kinds of wildlife. She has been a volunteer here at Hearts & Horses since 2018, combining her love of equines and helping people. She lives in Loveland with her husband Brett and Draft Mule Lucy.

LIZ AMPE, OTR

Occupational Therapist | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Liz Ampe is an Occupational Therapist providing therapeutic services in the form of Hippotherapy. She loves being a part of the human-horse bond and seeing all global benefits this form of therapy delivers.

ROSE WALSH, OTR

Occupational Therapist | PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Rose has been working as an occupational therapist at H&H since 2003 and loves the community, volunteers and families she works with along with ALL the four legged friends!

CHRISTEN BLACK

PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Christen Black has been a PATH Certified Riding Instructor since 2015, and has been involved with horses for the past 30 years. She grew up riding hunter-jumper, spent 7 years training horses and riders working as a wrangler on dude ranches, and has been active in equine assisted therapy since 2005. She earned a Masters in Art Education from the Ohio State University, where she focused in art therapy. Christen is passionate about helping people of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels to engage and develop meaningful connections with horses and the world around them.

BECCA OGILVIE

PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Becca has taught therapeutic horseback riding lessons in Indiana and Virginia since 2008, and is excited to be joining the Hearts & Horses team in Colorado! Becca is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Art Therapist and has worked with clients of all ages in a wide variety of treatment settings. Becca enjoys spending her free time in the outdoors with her husband, two daughters, and their Australian Shepherd, Homer.

JORDAN YOUNGS

PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Jordan was raised in Loveland, Colorado and grew up at Hearts & Horses, volunteering in many capacities over the years. As an avid horse lover and equestrian, she has owned and shown horses since she was young, ultimately finding her passion competing in team penning with her horse Pepper. Professionally she has worked in the medical field for the last 9 years, most recently as a pediatric nurse. As a new mom, she is excited to step into a part-time instructor role at Hearts & Horses while taking a break from nursing to spend more time with her family.

KATYE ZWIEFKA

PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Katye is a combat veteran who turned to the field of social work upon her return. She is passionate about equine-assisted therapy and has seen the power that horses have in assisting her through her own healing process. She loves working with seniors, veterans and children.