Jillian is a licensed Occupational Therapist. She is a 2014 graduate of Saint Vincent College (Latrobe, PA.) and received her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Shenandoah University. Over the past five years, Jillian has worked with individuals of all ages in a variety of settings such as acute inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient upper extremity therapy, skilled nursing, and outpatient pediatric therapy. She is passionate about helping her patients reach functional goals while utilizing hippotherapy (the use of equine movement) as one of many treatment tools. She has completed her Level 1 Treatment Principles coursework from the American Hippotherapy Association and looks forward to completing Level II in 2025. Jillian is a lifelong horsewoman. Her family has owned Briarfield Stables, the location of the Making Strides Foundation, for 30+ years. Jillian is a local 4H horse program volunteer and a lifelong member of the American Quarter Horse Association. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as riding and competing with her beloved Quarter Horses.

Haley is a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and holds a degree in Equine-Facilitated Therapeutics from Wilson College. She has experience working with both children and adults with a wide range of physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities. Haley is passionate about using horsemanship and equine-assisted activities to create meaningful, positive impacts in her students' lives, helping them build confidence, independence, and valuable life skills both in and out of the saddle. In addition to teaching, Haley enjoys riding dressage and sharing her love of horses with others. She lives on a small hobby farm with her husband and daughter, where they care for their three horses, two goats, chickens, and ducks.

Rachel graduated from Wilson College in 2023 with a degree in Equine Facilitated Therapeutics and Equine Studies, along with a minor in Special Education. She recently earned her certification as a therapeutic riding instructor through PATH. Rachel has been riding horses since she was 5. She also has experience working with children and adults with various disabilities. She is excited to put these two things together and make an impact on her students lives by using the horses. Outside of work, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and son. She also loves being outdoors, whether she's hiking, riding her horses or spending time with her dogs.

Sarah joined Making Strides in 2024 and currently offers Adaptive Riding Lessons. She grew up caring for and riding horses at Briarfield Stables, bringing many years of equine experience to the team. Along with working at the barn, Sarah works casual shifts at UPMC East's inpatient rehabilitation institute. She's on track to earn her degree as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, and is excited to utilize her clinical skills in our program. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two children. She lives on the farm property, so she is always close by to lend a helping hand. You may also find her leading weekend workshops and participating in group field trips to the barn.

Sidney is the newest instructor to join the Making Strides Team. She graduated from Saint Vincent College with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology as well as an Addiction Specialist Certification. Sidney is working towards becoming PATH certified so that she can gain experience as an instructor and go back to school for her masters in a few years. Sidney has been riding horses since she was 6. She has experience in both English and western pleasure riding. She is excited to begin her career and pair her love of horses with helping children and adults with various disabilities learn to ride and find their strengths. Outside of work, Sidney enjoys being outdoors horseback riding, playing tennis, and going for walks. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Kelsey is a licensed speech-language pathologist. She graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology in 2019. After graduation, she sought employment within the school setting. Kelsey also works in early intervention with children 0-3 years of age. She has experience working with various speech disorders including articulation disorders, language delays, intellectual disorders, unidentified disorders, and selective mutism. She also has experience working with autistic children and young adults. She enjoys working with children and is driven by their progress towards their speech and language goals. Outside of work, she is an animal lover who has a dog, two cats, and three ducks. She enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, biking, and kayaking.

Cassy is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist CCC-SLP. She graduated with a Masters of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2019. She has experience working with developmental disorders, speech and sound disorders, fluency, language development, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She also has experience working with the Autistic population. She currently works full time in early intervention with children ages 3-5 years old.  Helping children and their families has always and will always be a passion of hers. She grew up riding horses as a kid and is beyond excited to re-enter the equine world thanks to Jill and her amazing team at Making Strides. She looks forward to helping families by providing communication support through the use of hippotherapy. In her spare time, she enjoys being with friends and family, walking her dogs, reading, and traveling anywhere from the beach to the mountains.

"Cat" has been an occupational therapist for 23 years. She has her Master's degree from West Virginia University. Cat is dedicated and passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and their families--helping to maximize independence in day-to-day life. She has years of experience in evaluating and treating a variety of neurological and developmental diagnoses. Cat is a mother of two and a grandmother of one and enjoys time with her family and friends, being creative with her artwork, going to the beach, church, and volunteering.

Rayna has certifications in Riding Instructor Role and Responsibility, Equine Conformation and Selection for Performance, Equine Health and Disease Management, and The Business of Making Money with Horses from Aiken University of South Carolina. Along with working for Making Strides, she also teaches traditional horseback riding lessons at Briarfield Stables. Rayna has been riding horses since she was six. She participates in barrel racing and pole bending. Some of her accomplishments include International Barrel Racing Association (IBRA) National Finals Top 5, IBRA PA 2x Youth Champion, and National Pole Bending Association Top 3. Outside of Making Strides, Rayna enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her loved ones and dogs.

Amanda is an experienced marketing professional with a background in meeting planning and non-profits. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Management from Pennsylvania State University. Originally from Penn Township, Amanda recently returned to the area with her family after living for a decade in northern Virginia. Her daughter is a client at Making Strides so her family sees first-hand the benefits of hippotherapy.

Dena is one of our Equine Handlers and Caretakers. Sharing her passion for activities involving children and horses, she is eager to support the growth of our program. Her love of children began as a pediatric health care aid at The Children’s Institute. Dena later earned her master’s degree from Duquesne University and worked as a physician assistant at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. She has an American Paint Horse, Jackson, who was instrumental in the holiday horseback riding program she organized for children from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Laurel Region. She is also a Big Sister to two young horse-loving girls who enjoy riding Jack and spending time outdoors and with animals. She is also a mom to four grown children, a dog named Dash and a bunny named Pumkin.

Jenna grew up riding and showing horses, competing in English disciplines including dressage, jumping, and cross-country. After high school, she attended Cindy’s Canine Companion Grooming School. Following graduation, she founded Paws ‘N Mittens, where she provides house-call grooming services, behavioral rehabilitation, and dog training. Jenna homeschools her two sons and enjoys sharing her lifelong passion for horses with them. Horses have always been her first love, and she is grateful to be raising her boys with that same appreciation and enthusiasm for animals.

Bio coming soon!