Meet Our Team
Kristy
Kristy is our "lead mare" and founder of HeartStrides. She is a PATH International certified therapeutic riding instructor, a level two centered riding instructor, a certified peer counselor, certified recovery coach and trainer, and lead clinician for our programs, as well as the facility and herd manager. She is a huge advocate for recovery support in our community.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a certified peer counselor and a PATH Intl certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning who has been with us at Healing Hearts Ranch since the age of 13. She began by taking lessons with Kristy and volunteering for HeartStrides, where she discovered a life long passion for working with kids with autism. While working with Kristy and the horses, she also learned the importance of boundaries, partnership, and mutual respect in interpersonal relationships. Chelsea became a certified peer after recognizing how much trauma, mental illness, and substance use had affected her life growing up. She hopes to inspire personal growth and recovery in other youth by sharing her own story.
Hanna
Hanna is our Program Director, a certified peer counselor and a PATH Intl certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. She was born and raised in Thurston County and has been with HeartStrides since 2017 after completing her MA in Sociology and Criminal Justice. Though her background is in data analysis and corrections, her goal was to find a way to incorporate her love of horses with helping her community because she knew the profound impact they have on her own life and wanted to bring those life lessons to others. As a certified peer and a veteran’s spouse she hopes to inspire healing and recovery in veterans, active duty military personnel, families and youth.
Wanda
Wanda is a PATH certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. She has extensive experience working with youth with autism and special needs and finds great joy in watching youth connect with horses. Wanda has been fortunate to have had horses be part of her life since she was a little girl and is happy to share life lessons they've taught her with her students.