A lifelong animal lover, my passion for horses led me to an early career and degree specializing in equine business. I earned a Bachelor's degree of professional studies in equine business management from Cazenovia College, minoring in equine reproduction. I pursued my interest in equine reproduction, earning certificates in collection and artificial insemination procedures as well as handling of cooled semen from Colorado State University, and certificates in stallion care and management and broodmare/foal care and management from New Bolton Center, UPenn. An early career in stable management and riding instruction, shifted to respond to my passion in equine nutrition, landing me in careers in the equine supplement and feed industries. Working with close to 100 farms in the New England area, I delighted in working to craft diets that met the health needs of horses, donkeys, mules, minis and ponies. The diets I helped to craft, reflected the needs and dreams of the equine carers/guardians with consideration for budget, lifestyle and life stage of the client.

 

My career took a turn when I entered the non profit world, working in sustainable energy and then sustainable agriculture. Most notably, I co-created and then directed Just Roots, a local food/community farm organization that I helped build into an innovative change maker, connecting local food with low income populations, integrated with healthcare. Some of my proudest accomplishments while at Just Roots include developing partnerships to connect local food with the low income patient populations of two leading hospitals, Boston Children's Hospital and Mass General Brigham, and co-authoring two papers on the scientific research we pioneered on the impact of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm share programs on health. The papers were successfully published in two leading peer reviewed medical journals, The American Journal of Public Health and the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.  Food Is Medicine (for us and our animal friends)!

 

But after sixteen years in non profit leadership, animals, namely horses, were calling me to center them in my life and career once again. I responded to this call by departing the non profit sector and graduated from Healing Animals Organisation school (HAO), located in Sussex, England, earning my diploma in Equine Healing & Communication, with "Outstanding Achievement". I feel absolutely privileged to have studied under Elizabeth Whiter, founder of HAO, a renowned healer of 20+ years, respected around the world for her healing and communication talents, reaching England, Borneo, France, Cyprus, Egypt, and others. 

I have since studied and learned from a variety of healing practitioners, enabling me to develop a depth and breadth of experience in many healing modalities (Reiki, Energy Healing, Animal Self Healing through Self Selection/Dosing and Trust Based Connection Work) that, when blended, offer a powerful approach to healing on a physical, emotional and mental level. However, it is the hundreds of animals I have had the honor to work with who have profoundly impacted the way I work, deepening my knowledge and honing the methodology I bring to each animal healing session. And it all begins with listening. At the end of the day, I am a horse listener (an animal listener). Because it is the horses (animals) that do the healing. My job is to provide the right environment for them to do so. I work with people and animals in a way that is deeply connected, rooted in a sharing of trust and absence of judgment.

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Launching Orchard Brook Farm is a dream come true. The farm is home to senior sanctuary animals (domestic and livestock) and a developing center for healing, where people can come and enjoy a scenic and serene environment with an array of programming including guided meditation, forest bathing, the Brook Immersion Experience as well as educational workshops and retreats. Stay tuned to learn about new and seasonal offerings.