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SpiritHorse Staff Members
Ayriel Wilburn
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Ayriel has always been an animal lover. Growing up on a large ranch in south Texas provided her the great opportunity to have many pets and learn valuable lessons about livestock. She has always had a big interest in horses and at the age of 11, her dad bought her first pony. Later for her "sweet 16", a family friend gifted her, Black Jack, her pride and joy. When her grandfather suffered from a stroke, she began volunteering with her mother and their dog at his nursing home. The joy and love in everyone's faces really inspired her to pursuing a life where she could continue to bring happiness with animals to people of all ages. Ayriel moved to Denton for college with her fiance and Cocker Spaniel. She is attending the University of North Texas for a degree in Psychology. She hopes to finish with her Doctorate and in the meantime bring all the smiles, laughter and love to every child at Spirithorse.
Bailey Gramling
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Bailey was born and raised in Denton, Texas. She is going to school to pursue a degree in Elementary education (EC-6). In high school she was the president of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and participated in equine judging, livestock judging, and showed sheep and goats for 7 years. In 2007 she was awarded the Texas Lonestar Degree, which is the highest degree awarded by the Texas FFA Association. Bailey has a chocolate lab, Copper, who loves to go camping and swimming with her at the lake, and a border collie, Dollie, who would prefer chasing a basketball in the yard over going to the lake.
Brandi Redmon
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Brandi has her B.B.A. in business from the University of North Texas. She was raised in Denton. Brandi started helping her father at a horse ranch when she was in elementary school. She has worked with kids and adults who have special needs for the past four years. Brandi has a large family with five nephews and two nieces, and loves being around kids. Bringing together her love for horses and children is what inspired her to work at SpiritHorse. Seeing the kids improve daily brings great joy to Brandi. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, and being outside.
Deb Milliken
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Deborah Dustin Milliken is a native Texan, born in Houston, raised in Dallas. Her lifelong love for horses dates back to childhood when her family owned a boarding stable in north Dallas, where she was instrumental in forming Saddle & Spur 4-H Riding Club. Deb has 22 years of experience in retail business administration and real estate marketing. She “retired” to finish raising her daughter, Rachel (now 25) to pursue an Associates Degree in Occupational Therapy. As a COTA (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant), Deb has experience in Hippotherapy, as well as working with children with disabilities. Deb loves cats and enjoys hunting items for her antiques store in Denton, and searching for Indian artifacts in her own backyard and beyond.
Jennifer Atchison
Administrative Manager
Jennifer has a BS in Mathematics and a minor in Recreation from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, TX. She has grown up in Texas, but loves to go see her extended family in Indiana and Pennsylvania when she gets a chance. She worked at a church camp in the Austin area were she meet her husband, Eric, who also worked there. She has 2 wonderful nephews and 2 sweet girls, which are like her nieces, that she likes to spend time with. While Jennifer is not answering the phones and running administration at SpiritHorse, she enjoys reading, making meals for others, going to watch soccer games, and serving in her church. Jennifer enjoys seeing the smiles on the children faces after their lesson.
Jennifer Mathis
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Jennifer has her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of North Texas. Jennifer had worked with children as a nanny and in childcare for over 20 years. Jennifer was a professional urban carriage driver for sight-seeing & touring. She enjoys working with children and horses and finds working at SpiritHorse inspirational.
Katherine Crouse
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Katherine Crouse, 22, is originally from Memphis, TN. She got her first horse when she was 4, and has owned and ridden horses ever since. Katherine has a 4 year old son named Rhett. She recently graduated from Texas Women's University with a Bachelor's degree in General Studies and is currently working on a Master's of Family Sciences degree. Katherine is also pursuing a Teacher's Certification in hopes of working with Special Needs children in the future. When not at work, Katherine enjoys running, reading, and doing things with her son.
Kellye Johnson
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Kellye is a born and raised Texan. Her love for horses, children, and teaching brought her to us the summer of 2010. Kellye received a B.S. in Animal Production, with an emphasis in Equine Science, from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX. Where she was very involved with the Horseman's Association and SHOT team. After college she worked as an office manager for two years and then as a substitute teacher for just over a year before coming here to work with our wonderful children. She has two horses of her own, which she rides whenever possible, and a dog that she loves very much. In her free time, Kellye loves being with friends, family, cooking, reading and working out.
Matt Fonville
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Matt is a current student at the University of North Texas studying for a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology. He came to SpiritHorse in the spring of 2010 to volunteer and absolutely loved helping out the kids. Over the summer he trained to became part of our staff. He has a great way with the children and horses alike. Matt lived on a farm for a majority of his younger life and moved away from his hometown of Burkburnett, TX just four years ago to pursue a degree in Kinesiology so he can coach football and teach.
Megan Gault
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Megan was born and raised in Texas and just recently returned to Denton after 2 years at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. She is currently pursuing a degree in multimedia communications and 3 more years of collegiate hockey. Megan began Halter and Western Showmanship competitions at age 5, but sadly had to sell her horses when she moved to Denton. Aside from her love of children, Megan enjoys riding the Jet Ski, photography, painting, bowling, and live music.
Monica Vickery
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Monica graduated from Auburn University in 1996 with a B.A. in English. She moved back to Pensacola, Florida, her hometown, and worked at the local airport while taking flying lessons. After earning all her ratings and certificates to fly and instruct, she worked as a flight instructor, a freight pilot and an airline pilot over the next eight years. She really enjoyed teaching people to fly and especially enjoyed flying jets herself! She met and married her husband Chris while flight instructing in Pensacola. Soon after her first son was born, the company she worked for went out of business and so she became a stay at home mom. She now has two wonderful boys, Timber age 5 and Harrison age 3. She has always been passionate about horses and was very fortunate to have grown up with them. She got her first pony when she was three and has not stopped riding since! She is hoping to pass on the joy of riding to her sons, who are now learning to ride their Arabian mare Lily, and all the riders at SpiritHorse.
Morgan Whatley
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Morgan is currently working on a Bachelors of Science in Rehabilitation Studies with an emphasis in Substance Abuse and Addiction, with a second minor in Music. She got her first pony at Baptism and spent weekends at her barn, riding English around White Rock Lake in Dallas. Two of her greatest loves are horses and children, so this job was a Godsend, bringing so much joy to her life. It is as therapeutic for her as it is for the children she works with. She plans to work with the children of addicts when she graduates from the University of North Texas, and possibly go on to attain a Masters Degree in Play Therapy.
Natasha Hulsey
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Natasha Hulsey graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2008 with a masters degree in Early Childhood Education. She is currently a Pre- K teacher at a local school. She has also competed in various rodeo events and associations including barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying. She won the title of All Around Cowgirl for the Ozark Teenage Rodeo Association in 2003.
Raechel Leroy
Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Raechel found SpiritHorse Therapeutic a year ago and fell in love with the children and horses when she was a side-walker. Now she is one of our new instructors and is eager about spending time with her students and teaching all that she knows. She is a moder/ballet dancer at Texas Woman’s University and will graduate in December of 2010. She wants to teach children dance when she graduates.
Sarah Webb
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Sarah was born and raised in Texas. She has been riding horses since she was 8. She has trained several of her own horses and shown at the APHA and PtHA World Show along with numerous local shows. Sarah also owned her own breeding business to breed her mares and sell the foals. She got out of the breeding to the public after her daughter was born on July 1, 2008. Now she enjoys spending as much time with her daughter as possible and showing cutting horses in the NCHA.
Stephanie Wilhelm
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Stephanie began working with horses at the age of fourteen, mucking out stalls in return for riding lessons. Since then she has trained multiple world champion Quarter Horses in Halter & Cutting, and currently competes in Reining and Western All-Around with her horse and faithful friend of eight years, Peppy Prince Tivito. She is a senior large animal pre-vet major at Tarleton State University, where she has had the opportunity to compete with their S.H.O.T. (Stock Horse of Texas) team, as well as study equine-assisted therapy. She is very excited about the coming session and can’t wait to meet the SpiritHorse riders!
Tracy Hahnle
Senior Certified Equine-Assisted Healthcare Instructor
Tracy has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education and has taught elementary school for 16 years. She recently opened her own pet sitting service that has grown to nearly 100 clients. She grew up with horses and had lots of fun riding around in a pasture. She has a true passion for all animals. She has owned a plethora of animals including a chicken, rabbit, cats, lizard, a bird and many, many dogs. She is married to her best friend, Chris and has one son, Jacob who is currently in middle school. When she has time, she loves to read and cook. She loves to go to the lake and camp, be on the water, and hang out with her family. Tracy is very excited to be at SpiritHorse and can’t wait to witness the children accomplish their goals.
