Meet the Team

A girl in a bright pink jacket is riding away on a cream coloured horse with a white tail.

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.

Andrea has long light brown hair, a big smile and glasses.

Andrea Stuhec Leonard

Chair

Andrea joined TROtt’s Board of Directors in May 2022. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and works in private practice. Andrea is an active volunteer in the community with previous experience in pediatric palliative care and legal aid clinics. She is excited to have joined TROtt and looks forward to contributing to TROtt’s goals.

Jill Anneis has reddish blond short hair, glasses, and is wearing a white blouse with a red jacket.

Jill Anne Joseph

Past-Chair

Jill Anne Joseph had a varied career working abroad, working at local embassies in Ottawa, as Registrar for NAFTA dispute settlement, as a proceduralist at the Table of the Senate of Canada, and as a senior director at the Senate and later the House of Commons. Jill Anne held certifications as a translator (Spanish), as an internal auditor (CIA), and as a government audit professional (CGAP). She taught part-time at uOttawa’s School of Translation and Interpretation for 12 years. She is now retired and devotes her time to TROtt as a horse handler and to its Board as Chair.

Cilla is smiling, has short grey hair, tanned, and is wearing a red patterned shirt.

Cilla Perry

Director, Program Support

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!

Jacquie has long light brown hair, is smiling, wearing a black jacket, and looks professional.

Jacquie Slavin

Board Secretary

Jacquie joined TROtt’s Board of Directors in September 2023. With a background in marketing and communications, Jacquie is currently working for a large real estate brokerage in the Ottawa and Eastern Ontario area. She has had a lifelong passion for horses and competed in show jumping for many years. TROtt felt like the perfect place to blend her professional background with the sport that has given so much to her! Jacquie is excited about TROtt’s future and to contribute to its mission.

Lori-Lee has long bright grey hair and is wearing a light pink blouse with a black jacket.

Lori-Lee Flanagan

Treasurer

Lori-Lee Flanagan is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of working with government and not for profit organizations, about half of which were in an executive capacity. As a professional accountant, her areas of expertise are in the areas of accounting, auditing and corporate policy development. Her experience in working in the not-for-profit sector focused on education and fundraising.  As a long time horse lover and former dressage rider, Lori-Lee is thrilled to join TROtt as its Treasurer and to contribute to its mission.

Hilary is smiling happily, has beige blond hair, and is wearing a white long sleeve shirt.

Hilary Mellor

Horse Committee Chair

Hilary Mellor devoted her career to veterinary medicine as a small animal clinician, as medical director and as a practice owner. She has served in volunteer leadership with the American Animal Hospital Association and as a veterinarian with Community Veterinary Outreach. Hilary’s love of horses started at a young age and continues to this day. She is thrilled to be joining TROtt as Horse Committee Chair. Recently retired, Hilary can be found at the stable or hiking with her very energetic spaniel.

Pennie is smiling, has ashy dark blond hair, and is wearing a white patterned blouse.

Pennie Richard-Chin

Director of Fundraising

Pennie joined TROtt’s Board as Fundraising Director in February 2022.  Pennie is recently retired from the Ontario Provincial Government after 33 years of service in community development and program management.  She has worked for a number of provincial ministries providing strategic direction and advice on funding, programs and services in the not for profit sector.  While also with the Provincial government she has been an active member on a variety of provincial and community boards and committees.  She’s excited to be a part of TROtt in her new capacity.

Lee is standing in the barn, has long blond hair, and is wearing a brown cardigan over a black top.

Lee McPhail

Director of Communications

Coming soon…

Alison has a big smile is wearing a necklace and white and green patterned blouse.

Alison Shaker

Director, Corporate Liaison

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 an 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.

Nancy has a short white hair and is wearing a TROtt branded t-shirt.

Nancy Reid

Director at Large

Nancy has been actively involved since TROtt came to Equidae Stables in 1982. Nancy is our longest serving Board Member.   Of her many roles over the years, Nancy’s passion is fundraising.  Nancy is the driving force behind the successful TROtt BBQ Open House and before that, the Ride-a-Thon, Toonies for TROtt and Trivia Nights.  Nancy strongly believes in TROtt and enjoys seeing the impact our therapy horses have on our riders:  “I love seeing the excitement riders have for their time here at TROtt and all the progress they make because of their lessons”.  

Annie is wearing a hat and glasses and is next to brown horse with a red halter.

Annie Grenon

Chair Emeritus

Annie Grenon is a seasoned accounting and finance executive with over 27 years’ experience in financial management, comptrollership, planning and budget, working with major charitable organizations in the Ottawa area. Annie’s passion for horses started at a young age. She excelled in dressage, competing internationally for over 10 years and applied its technicalities to training polo horses. Annie is thrilled to join TROtt as its Chair (May 2018) as she firmly believes in its mission and the incredible benefits contact with horses can bring.

Staff

Photo coming soon

Dianne Urquhart

Executive Director

Dianne joined TROtt in 2023, bringing her experience from a long career in the charity sector and as a horse owner.

Coming Soon

Fiona Kearney

Operations Manager, (CanTRA Senior Instructor, Equine Canada Instructor)

Fiona joined TROtt in 1999 as a volunteer. She has had many roles over the years with TROtt and is currently our Operations Manager. Fiona has more than 20 years experience as a therapeutic riding instructor in the UK and Canada. She was even a certified trail ride leader in Scotland, taking vacationing people out for trail rides in the Scottish Hills. Fiona is also actively involved with the Ottawa Dressage Festival as the Director of Operations at the show.

Coming Soon

Diana Garrett

Volunteer Coordinator since 2023

Diana moved from being a TROtt volunteer to volunteer co-ordinator.

Coming Soon

France Laliberte

Rider Intake Co-ordinator and Instructor (CanTRA Intermediate 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.

Instructors – Therapeutic and Adaptive Riding

Coming Soon

Shawna Carlton

Team Lead – Mounted Pograms, Instructor and Volunteer Training Facilitator. Equestrian Canada Competition Coach, CanTRA Intermediate
Instructor  

Coming Soon

Amanda Gaudet

Instructor (CanTRA Intermediate Instructor)

Coming Soon

Nicole Meyer

Instructor and Volunteer Training Facilitator (CanTRAIntermediate Instructor, Horse Powered Reading® Facilitator

Coming Soon

Anna Ribberink

Instructor (CanTRA Instructor)

Facilitators – Equine Assisted Learning

Coming Soon

Tracey Bender

Team Lead – Unmounted Programs, EAL Facilitator and Instructor (CanTRA Intermediate)  

Coming Soon

Amanda Pratt

EAL Facilitator

Coming Soon

Leanna Haythorne

EAL Facilitator

Coming Soon

Chrissy Warden

EAL Facilitator

Stable Staff

Coming Soon

Rhonda Roberts

Barn and Equine Co-ordinator

Coming Soon

Barn Staff

Brent Botti, Casual Barn Staff

Eilish Connors, Casual Barn Staff
Ikram Khan, Casual Barn Staff
Jessica Oakman, Casual Barn Staff 

Michele Sterling, Casual Barn Staff

Emily Veinot, Night Check and Barn Support

Administrative

Coming Soon

Joanne Stanley

Bookkeeper