Thank you to our wonderful team!
Our therapeutic riding staff are the heart of the program, combining skill and compassion to support every rider’s growth. Their dedication creates a safe, empowering space where confidence, independence, and connection can flourish.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is entirely volunteer based and meets once a month. The board is comprised of local community members who bring forth a wealth of knowledge from backgrounds in finance, public relations, business development, marketing and operations.
John Ross
Chair
Building on an animal science degree from the University of Guelph, John has been privileged to work with Canada’s livestock, poultry and equine sectors for almost 50 years. He has provided strategic planning, program delivery, governance and financial management guidance to a wide range of government and non-governmental organizations. This included participation on the Canadian Poultry Research Council and 4-H Canada boards of directors. He has been actively engaged as a volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa Carleton (TROtt) since 2023.
Marie Charron
Treasurer
Maria joined TROtt’s Board of Directors in January 2025 as Treasurer. She currently works as Director, Finance at Harris Computer. Maria has 8 years of experience in financial accounting, with 6 years of experience in auditing at EY. She grew up riding horses and values relationships with all animals, especially horses. She is excited to use her financial knowledge to assist with an organization as meaningful as TROtt.
Cilla Perry
Director
Cilla joined the TROtt Board of Directors in March 2017, having started with the program as a volunteer in the summer of 2016. It didn’t take long for her to realize that this is the perfect place to combine her life-long passion for horses with her desire to give back to the community. She enjoys every minute!
Fabian Schwarz, MD, MPH
Director
Dr. Fabian Schwarz is a family physician with global medical experience, a background in public health, and teaching experience at the University of Ottawa. He mentors medical students and internationally trained physicians, supporting initiatives to enhance primary care and community health. With expertise in primary care research, Fabian brings strategic insight to help TROtt strengthen its impact on community well-being.
Pauline Herzberg
Director
Pauline joined TROtt in April 2025 bringing extensive administrative experience gained from roles in government, private and public sectors. Since joining, she has resumed riding and developed a strong appreciation for the riders and horses in the equine assisted programs, as a side walker and horse handler. As a Director, Pauline is committed to supporting TROtt’s initiatives and looks forward to contributing to the fundraising team to help advance the organization’s mission and support its amazing riders, staff and volunteers.
Alison Shaker
Director
Alison is a former librarian with the Federal Government. She transitioned to family responsibilities with child and elder care and has volunteered throughout this time in a variety of organizations and roles. After serving as Secretary to the TROtt Board, Alison has recently joined the Fundraising arm and looks forward to connecting with the generous members of the local business community.
Staff
Andrea Stuhec-Leonard
Executive Director
exec_dir@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
Andrea brings extensive firsthand knowledge of TROtt to the Executive Director role. She is a long‑time TROtt volunteer and riding instructor and previously served as Chair of the TROtt Inc. Board of Directors. Through these roles, she has developed a deep understanding of the organization’s functions, governance, and community impact. In addition to her leadership experience, she is an experienced equestrian. Her background in therapeutic riding and horsemanship positions her well to support TROtt’s programs and to work closely with staff, volunteers, participants, and families as the organization continues to evolve.
Joanne Stanley
Bookkeeper
bookkeeper@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
Joanne Stanley first got involved with TROtt when she donated her wonderful horse Zip to the organization’s therapeutic riding program. She took on the part-time role of bookkeeper in 2021, after retiring from a 30-year career with the City of Ottawa. For 18 years, Joanne and her husband owned and operated D&J’s Pine Ridge Ranch where they bred Appaloosas and boarded horses.
Ron Kok
Volunteer Co-ordinator
volcoord@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
is our Volunteer Coordinator. Ron joined TROtt in 2025 as a certified EAL Coach. He has extensive experience in the developmental services with Christian Horizons (now Karis), LiveWorkPlay and with Sprit horses at Madahoki.
Stacey McCready
Director of Fundraising
stacey@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
Stacey is our Director of Fundraising. Stacey joined TROtt in 2025 as a volunteer. She brings with her a wealth of business experience and dedication to health and wellness.
Alanna McLelland
Program Manager/EAL Coordinator
operations@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
eal@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
Alanna is our Programs Director. Alanna joined TROtt in 2025 as the Volunteer Coordinator and is also an EAL and Horse-Powered Reading (TM) facilitator. TROtt allows Alanna to combine her love of nature, animals and people. We appreciate her hard work and dedication to our programs.
Riding Instructors – Therapeutic and Adaptive Riding
Shawna Carlton
Instructor and Volunteer Training Facilitator. Equestrian Canada Competition Coach, CanTRA Senior Instructor
shawna@ottawatherapeuticriding.ca
Shawna began riding at the age of 5 and has worked with horses for 25 years. She has competed in many English riding disciplines, most recently dressage. She is an Equine Canada Competition Coach, EC Rider Level Examiner and Rookie Rider Instructor. Shawna has been involved in therapeutic riding since the age of 16, when she volunteered and subsequently taught with the Lanark County Therapeutic Riding Program. She has been teaching at TROtt since 2021 and in 2024, she obtained her certification as a CanTRA senior instructor.
Nicole Meyer
Instructor (Instructor and Volunteer Training Facilitator, CanTRA Intermediate Instructor, Horse Powered Reading® Facilitator)
Currently on maternity leave.
Nicole has been riding since the age of 6, both English jumper and dressage. She volunteered with TROtt for several years before becoming a CanTRA instructor, obtaining her intermediate certification in the fall of 2013. Getting to work with and know so many great people from the volunteers to the riders and their families is a highlight of the job for Nicole. During the week, she is a Communication Disorders Assistant (Speech and Language) in Ottawa schools, where she works with students with speech and language delays and disorders as well as non-verbal students who use communication devices.
Anna Ribberink
Instructor (CanTRA Instructor)
Anna joined TROtt as a volunteer in 2015 and quickly re-discovered her love of horses and riding. In 2020, she tood on the role of volunteer coordinator. Building on her experience as a teacher and childcare provider, Anna became a certified CanTRA instructor in 2021. Later that same year she complete her training sa an EAL facilitator. In her words, “Working at TROtt is amazing. I love being part of the highlight of our riders’ week.”
Robbyn Seller
Instructor (CanTRA Instructor)
Robbyn is a CanTRA certified instructor and is certified as an EAL Instructor through PATH International. She joined TROtt in 2025, stepping right in to teach riding, and lead individual and group EAL and ground-based activities. She is an instructor at John Abbott College in her life outside TROtt.
Andrea Stuhec-Leonard
Instructor (PATH International Certified Instructor)
While being Executive Director is Andrea’s main role at TROtt, as a certified PATH Intl CTRI she continues to make time to teach some of our lessons
Amanda Gaudet
Instructor (CanTRA Intermediate Instructor) Amanda has been part of the TROtt organization for almost 15 years. She began as a volunteer and then worked through her CanTRA certification to become an instructor in the riding program. She enjoys the opportunity to combine her two passions: teaching and horses. Amanda is a full-time kindergarten teacher and works with TROtt in the evenings and on weekends. She spends her spare time learning from and training with her own hunter jumper horse, Tinkerbel. Amanda looks forward to having fun and building confidence in the riders she teaches here at TROtt.
France Laliberté
Instructor (CanTRA Instructor)
After 16 years as a paediatric nuclear medicine technologist, France wanted to join her passion for horses with her desire to help children and adults with disabilities. She started volunteering at TROtt in 2007. She became a CanTRA (AI) instructor in April 2009 and then a CanTRA intermediate instructor the following year. She started with the rider coordinator position in November 2021. France is also a TROtt Riding Instructor.
Facilitators – Equine Assisted Learning
Leanna Haythorne
EAL facilitator
A life-long horse lover, Leanna was born and raised in Alberta, where she attended agriculture college and spent time working as a ranch hand, horse trainer and riding instructor. She moved to Ottawa in 2000 and, after the busy years of working and raising a family, found her way back to horses and began volunteering at TROtt in 2017. Amazed by the ability of these beautiful, heart-centred creatures to fill us with a sense of peace and awareness, she pursued certification with the Equine Growth and Learning Association (EGALA) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Canada.
Leanna works for the federal government in the field of conflict resolution. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta, is a trained mediator, a certified life coach and yoga instructor.
Ron Kok
EAL facilitator
Ron joined TROtt in the Spring of 2025. He came to his love of horses later in life due to volunteering at Madahoki Farm and exposure to the rare and endangered Ojibwe Spirit Horses. Ron became a certified EAL Coach with EAL Canada in 2024. He has more than 15 years experience in the developmental services field in Ottawa, first with Christian Horizons (now Karis) and then with LiveWorkPlay.
Amanda Pratt
EAL Facilitator
Amanda brings her lifelong passion for both horses and healthcare to her work with TROtt. In 1997, she obtained a degree in Equine Business Management. In 2001, she transitioned into nursing and worked in medical-surgery, public health, developmental services and mental health. Amanda owns three horses and is a former hunter-jumper competitor, now focused mainly on dressage. In 2022, she obtained her Equine Assisted Learning certification. Amanda joined TROtt in 2024, where she facilitates ground-based programs to serve and support others in their journey.
Robbyn Seller
EAL Facilitator
Coming soon…
Anna Ribberink
EAL Facilitator
Coming soon…
Karen
EAL Facilitator
Coming soon…
Dawn
EAL Facilitator
Coming soon…
Stable Staff
Rhonda Roberts
Barn and Equine Co-ordinator
Rhonda joined TROtt in 2018. She first became involved with horses through her daughter, who had a love for horses from the time she was able to walk. In 2012, her husband bought a horse, Roper, as a surprise for their daughter and the rest was history. Within a few months, Rhonda had own horse, Melody, and set about learning all she could about horse care from vets, farriers, other horse people, seminars and on her own. Since then, there have been several more horses added to the mix, so the adventure into the horse world continues!
Barn Staff
Brent Botti, Casual Barn Staff
Eilish Connors, Casual Barn Staff
Ikram Khan, Casual Barn Staff
Kirsten Larkin, Night Check and Barn Support