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JAMES JEFFRIES James is no stranger to what it takes to run
a farm. He would need at least ten more hands to count how many animals he has at his own farm--specifically chickens, goats,
pigs, sheep and rabbits. And with over three years under his belt at Clearwind Farm, James is now adding horses to his field
of expertise! We all certainly enjoy the beauty that we see as we come onto the property, and all of us here at NCTRC
know how lucky we are to have James as our farm and facility manager to keep it looking that way. James describes working
outdoors and with the therapy horses as "hog heaven."
Jackie began as a volunteer in 1987 with NCTRC and soon realized that her
real “calling” was to teach therapeutic riding. Twenty-two years later she is still with NCTRC spending most of
her time teaching our beginning and younger riders. Jackie loves watching her students build confidence,
develop a love for horses and horseback riding and most of all have fun. Working with the wonderful staff,
volunteers, students and horses is what keeps her coming back year after year! Jackie lives in Mebane with
her husband Steve, her son Parker, and her many animals which include horses, dogs and ostriches.
AUDREY GANITOPOULOS Audrey's two years with NCTRC have seen her in the roles of volunteer and then riding instructor, and now program director. She has worked in many capacities within this industry for several years and with horses since she was a child. Audrey is also the North Carolina State Chair for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). As program director, this position is a dream come true for her.  LISSA LUTZ Lissa started volunteering with NCTRC in 1986 and eventually become certified as a NARHA Advanced Instructor in 1995. She later completed the requirements to become an evaluator for instructor workshops and certification. Her educational background is in medicine and public health. She lives in Orange County with her husband, David, and three school-age children and numerous pets. Her interests include gardening, cooking, walking and tennis. As a child she rode horses and today tried to ride on a weekly basis. Currently, she teachers classes at NCTRC and works closely with some of the most independent participants. |
Margie first began volunteering with a therapeutic riding program in Maryland in 1983,
and became a certified riding instructor when living in Michigan in the late 80's. After many years working
as a pediatric physical therapist, she now concentrates her time and energy on NCTRC, both in the ring and behind the scenes.
Having grown up with horses, Margie feels that therapeutic riding, and specifically hippotherapy, is the perfect blend
of her physical therapy and horse experience. Fortunately, Margie's husband Joe and her 3 boys have supported
her passion for this field. LARA KATZ Interim Executive Director Lara has been with Velocity Express for
seven years, currently as part of a group involved in managing field financial operations. Lara holds a BA in Communication
Studies from UNCG-Greensboro and an MBA from Elon University. She has ridden horses for 30 years, and has competed in
hunters, jumpers, dressage, intercollegiate, and for one scary day, eventing. Lara has two horses, and is passionate about
sharing the "horse experience" with those less fortunate. She has been involved with NCTRC for 18 years, as an
instructor, horse show manager, sidewalker, leader, board member, etc. She is also a past NARHA state and region
representative.
DIANE STRANAHAN Diane has been with NCTRC in a volunteer capacity as
the volunteer coordinator since February of 2009. She was recently hired on a part-time basis to serve in this position. Her
primary responsibilities will be to support our volunteers, more than 100, who in turn support our participants. Diane has
been a lesson volunteer since 2004. She has been riding since she was 5 years old and passed on her love for horses to her
daughters. They volunteer with Diane at NCTRC, making it a family affair.
Mary Beth Osborne lives in Durham with her husband,
Matt, two daughters, Isabel and Eloise, and their dog, Lacy. She has been with NCTRC since 1988 when she
was in college. Mary Beth is a NARHA-registered physical therapist and a certified therapeutic riding
instructor. She conducts hippotherapy at NCTRC. She is a member of both the North American Riding for the Handicapped
Association (NARHA) and the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA)., and serves as the N.C. liaison for AHA. She
recently earned her doctorate in physical therapy from UNC Chapel Hill and developed an educational module on hippotherapy
for therapists as part of her program. When not at NCTRC she works as a physical therapist at Learning
Services—a residential center for people with brain injuries. She enjoys
running and the outdoors. |
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