ROCK (Ride On Center for Kids), a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides equine-assisted activities and therapies to children, adults, and veterans with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.
ROCK participants range from 2 – 91 years old and see improvement in most aspects of their life; from muscle tone, strength, flexibility, and balance to cognitive, behavioral and emotional improvements.
Serving Central Texas since 1998, ROCK’s mission is to improve independence and life skills in partnership with the horse. Our center is located on 60+ acres in beautiful Georgetown, Texas.
ROCK’s organizational vision is to be the trusted leader in equine-assisted activities through service, education and research. Serving an average of over 300 participants and their families every year, ROCK is recognized as a leader in hippotherapy and therapeutic riding research.
ROCK is a PATH Intl. premiere accredited equine-assisted activities and therapies center. Our programs include hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, ROCK On Veterans, and equine facilitated learning programs for schools, juvenile programs, residential homes, and individuals.
If you haven’t been out to visit ROCK, call 512-930-7625 to schedule a tour to see ‘Healing Thru Horses’ in person.
View ROCK’s herd of therapy horses.
View ROCK’s staff.
View ROCK’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board
Our Staff
Nancy O’Meara Krenek
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Director of Therapy & Research / Physical Therapist Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist
AHA, Inc. Member Therapist
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Dr. Nancy Krenek has been a physical therapist for over 32 years and in the past twenty years specialized in equine-assisted activities and therapy serving children, adults and veterans.
She is the CEO and Founder of ROCK (R.O.C.K., Ride On Center for Kids) in Central Texas (rockride.org) and also the Executive Director of the TAMUS Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program on campus in College Station, which has recently been sponsored by the ONE Health Initiative under the Texas A&M Biomedical Department of Vet/Med (courtneycares.org) Nancy is one of 85 board certified Hippotherapy Clinical Specialists in the nation.
Besides serving participants through connection with the horse, she has been instrumental in over 20 research projects, with three being published in peer reviewed journals. Her passions are her husband Frank and their blended family of 7 children and 5 grandchildren. She enjoys biking, kayaking and airstreaming.
Susan Finfer
Chief Financial Officer
Susan brings over 35 years of professional experience in both corporate and nonprofit environments to ROCK Ride on Center for Kids. After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, she became a CPA.
Prior to joining ROCK, Susan was Vice President of Finance at the Austin Community Foundation where her responsibilities included management of the financial, accounting, HR and IT functions. Before that, she was a plant controller at The Pillsbury Company.
Susan enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren, reading, traveling, hiking, playing card games, and volunteering.
Calli Rae Murrah
Physical Therapist Assistant / AHA, Inc. Member Therapist / PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / CHA IRD Level 3 Instructor
Calli Rae is a Physical Therapist Assistant, CHA Certified Instructor (Level 3 IRD), a PATH Intl. Registered Instructor, and an AHA, Inc. Member Therapist. She Began her association with ROCK in March 2013 as a student PTA during her clinical rotations before joining the staff upon graduation with her associate degree from Blinn College. Call Rae received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology- Applied Exercise Physiology at Texas A&M in 2011.
She has attended the AHA Level 1 Hippotherapy Treatment education course and plans to attend Level 2 in the future. Her physical therapy training focuses on pediatrics and special interest in wound care, neurologic, and orthopedic diagnoses. Call Rae loves living in Georgetown and enjoys her down time with her dog Siah, her fiance, and many friends while fishing, hunting, running, being involved in her church, baking, and reading a good book.
Kayla Johnston
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Kayla has been a passionate part of the horse community in and around Houston, TX her entire life. She started riding at the age of 5 with her first pony that she named “Rainbow” and has been in love with horses ever since. She spent most of her years showing Arabians and Half-Arabians at the Regional and National level. She has been a PATH Int’l Registered Instructor since 2010.
She moved to the Austin area and joined ROCK in September 2015. She feels fortunate to have been raised around horses and loves to pay it forward by introducing people to the world of horses and promoting therapeutic riding! When she is not teaching, she loves to spend her time riding, hanging out with her family or enjoying live music.
Jennifer Howicz
PTA, BS / Physical Therapist Assistant / Member, American Hippotherapy Association and PATH Intl.
Jen began her career at ROCK as the mother of a rider and as a volunteer side walker, joining ROCK Hippotherapy Department as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 2009. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Arkansas in 1987. She returned to school in 2004, receiving her Associate’s degree for PT Assistant from Austin Community College in 2007.
Jen has completed both Level I and Level II training from the American Hippotherapy Association. She has experience working with individuals diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Angelman Syndrome, Down Syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, agenesis of the corpus callosum, spinal muscular atrophy, spinal injury, and traumatic brain injury.
Kathy White
Communications Director
Member, PATH Intl.
Kathy began working for ROCK in the Fall of 2015. She has 30 years of experience working in graphic design, communication, and marketing – mostly for non-profits.
Born and raised in Illinois, Kathy has been in Texas for almost half her life.
She lives in Georgetown with her husband of 27 years and three (almost grown) children.
Shannon Middleton
Safety and Education Director / Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist / Hipppotherapy Clinical Specialist / AHA, Inc. Member Therapist / PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Shannon joined the staff as an SLP in 2006 after volunteering at ROCK for 2 years. She has an undergraduate degree in Education with a specialty in Speech Therapy and a Master’s degree in Communication Disorders.
She has over 20 years of experience including working with individuals with Cerebral Palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, language disorder/delay, articulation/phonological disorder, cognitive impairment, stroke and head injury.
Sheri Ruther
Business Operations Director
Sheri moved to Texas from Michigan in 2012. She worked in accounting and office manager positions over the past 20+ years. She started with ROCK in September 2013 as a contract biller and administrative assistance and became a full-time employee February 2014.
ROCK has had a very special spot in her heart for the past 16 years when her sister-in-law, Patti Colbert, became involved and her daughter, Lindsey, started volunteering and then became a PATH Certified Instructor at ROCK.
Her husband, Glenn, is also a volunteer at ROCK and they have made it a family affair and feel everyone at ROCK is family! They now live in Georgetown.
Priscilla Lightsey
PT / DPT / MA / HPCS / AHA, Inc. Member Therapist / PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Priscilla Lightsey is a Physical Therapist who worked at “classic ROCK” before moving to Beijing, China in 2007. She is the director of the equine assisted therapy program she founded in Beijing, China: HOPE (Horses Offering People Enrichment) (www.hopebeijing.org).
Her credentials include: a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Master of Arts in Special Education, Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist and PATH Intl. Certified Instructor.
Lesley Shedeck
Equine Director
Lesley has over 35 years experience riding, raising and training horses.
She has horse show experience in English riding, western pleasure, hunter pleasure, and working cow horse.
Lesley has managed her own boarding and training facility for 20 years and has been providing riding instruction since 1993.
Kristin Witcher
Program Director / Path Intl. Registered Instructor
Kristin started volunteering as a sidewalker/horse handler at ROCK in 2007.
She became a PATH Intl. Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2008.
After being away from therapeutic riding for 4 years, Kristin has returned to ROCK.
John Schmalstieg
Property & Facilities Manager
John graduated from Texas A & M University with a degree in Agricultural Economics, Farm and Ranch Management. While at A & M he was in the Corp of Cadets and Parson’s Mounted Calvary.
Since then he has ridden and shown hunter/jumper and dressage horses. Before joining the ROCK team, John served as a high school business and technology teacher.
Heidi Derning
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / ROCK On Veterans Coordinator / Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Heidi is a PATH Intl. Registered Instructor and Recreational Therapist (TX Certified) who has had the great opportunity to be with ROCK since 1999. Over the years, she has worked as the center’s volunteer coordinator and as a full-time therapeutic riding instructor. She is passionate about and coordinates the Veterans program.
Heidi wasn’t born in Texas but got here as soon as she could in the 2nd grade! (Originally from Seattle) She has been married for 29 years to her ROCK supportive husband, Brett, and three grown children (Allyson, Kevin & Julia), son-in-law Brennan, three crazy dogs and one tough cat.
Dorothy O’Neal
Volunteer Director / PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Dorothy has been associated with ROCK since 2006 as the parent of a current client. In 2009, she became a volunteer and in 2010 Dorothy became a PATH Intl. Registered Instructor. She has a degree in Special Education from the University of West Florida.
She taught children with Behavior Disabilities and Cognitive Delays while living in Florida and was a resource teacher in the Round Rock School District prior to having children. Dorothy and her husband, Ron, have lived in the Austin/Round Rock area since 1996.
Devon Felts
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / STAR Program Co-Coordinator / Assistant Program Coordinator
Devon started at ROCK in August of 2014 as a Certified PATH International Registered Instructor. In addition to teaching Devon now acts as the Co-Coordinator for the STAR program and the Program Coordinator.
Devon graduated with an associates degree in equine science from Colby Community College and a bachelors degree in animal science from Kansas State University. Devon has been riding horses for 25 years and has 3 horses of her own.
Devon grew up showing hunter/jumpers all over the United States and still tries to show when she can. When Devon is not at ROCK she spends time with her family, horses, dogs, and cats.
Rebecca joined ROCK in 2016. She brings over 20 years of accounting/bookkeeping experience from her work in several types of industries.
She also has extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office programs.
She enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
Kevin Bowers
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Kevin is a former Regional Environmental Operations Manager for Cleveland Environmental of San Francisco, California, a Division of Cleveland Wrecking, The World’s largest General Engineering Company specializing in Fortune 500 Demolition and Environmental Engineering Remediation Projects around the world.
He has studied Environmental Remediation at UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA; studied Psychology at the University Of Texas, Austin, TX; and studied Psychology at The University Of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE. Kevin had a 150 acre Ranch in Northern California where he bred and trained Domestic as well as Mustang Horses.
He also developed Kind and Wilde Ranch in Northern California, where inner city Youth from Oakland and San Francisco California could escape the dangers of the inner city and find the Peace and Tranquility afforded one by getting their feet in the dirt and working with Horses in a Beautiful and natural setting.
After moving back to Texas, he found his true calling while volunteering at ROCK Ride on Center for Kids. He went through ROCK’s STAR program, became a PATH certified instructor, and was hired to work at ROCK. He currently teaches therapeutic riding at ROCK and is the co-coordinator of the ROCK On Veterans program where veterans work with the healing powers of the horse.
Donelle Beal
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / Program Director of Texas A&M Courtney Cares Program
Donelle grew up riding, training, and competing in both 4-H Horse Club and High School Rodeo. She started as a volunteer at “Classic ROCK” in 2000. Two years later she earned her certification from PATH and began working as an instructor. Following a long break from ROCK while she followed her husband through three moves, she returned to the ROCK staff in 2012 to assist in starting the Texas A&M University System Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program, where she currently serves as Program Director. Donelle has a BS in Education from Baylor University and taught high school geometry and computer science. Donelle is also a Certified Horsemanship Association instructor in both western and English.
Olivia Prince
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor / Volunteer Coordinator Assistant / STAR Program Co-Coordinator
Olivia moved down to Texas back in July 2016 and joined the ROCK staff as a certified PATH Registered Level Instructor in August 2016. She had been working as an instructor for the last two years after graduating with a Bachelors in Psychology from Colgate University.
Olivia has been riding and working with horses for the last 15 years and is lucky enough to own her own pony named Rain. She spent some time after graduation working at a high end show barn as a groom. When Olivia is not working at ROCK, she is usually out with her horse or relaxing with family.
Britney Lee
Physical Therapist Assistant / AHA, Inc. Member Therapist
Britney joined the ROCK team as a PTA in 2017 after volunteering at ROCK for 4 years. Britney was born and raised in Austin, TX and just recently moved to the Georgetown area.
After graduating high school she attended the University of Texas at Austin where she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Dance. Upon graduation Britney moved to College Station where she pursued her passion to become a Physical Therapist Assistant.
Britney has completed Level I training from the American Hippotherapy Association and has experience with individuals diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, stroke/traumatic brain injuries, and Down Syndrome.
When she’s not at ROCK Britney enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her beloved dog Jax. During the summer she travels to Beijing, China with physical therapist Priscilla Lightsey to assist with her Non Profit HOPE, providing equine assisted therapy to children with disabilities.
Karah Powell-Ricketts
Community Development Manager
Karah has lived in Round Rock since 1996. Her three daughters are proud graduates of RRHS. Jackie is a Marketing Programs Manager for channel accounts at Dell, Rachel is an RN at Scott & White, and Samantha is a student majoring in social work at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Karah is most proud of her 5 wonderful grandchildren (Tati, Elijah, Ronnie, Jaina and Landon), who attend school in Georgetown ISD and Round Rock ISD. Karah uses her spare time to ring hand bells in the First United Methodist Church of Round Rock group, Jubilation, where she loves ringing the big base bells for over 20 years.
She has served on several committees and enjoys spending time getting to know those around her. Karah is an active member of the Round Rock Kiwanis Club and serves with them at their events. Karah also is a founding member of drops of grace, a Williamson County nonprofit dedicated to disaster recovery, rebuilding communities in the United States, and serving humanitarian needs in Africa and Nicaragua.
Karah also serves as Vice Chair of the Williamson County, TX VOAD and is the Vice Chair of the Williamson County LTRC. Karah came to Central Texas in 1983 and was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base as a Morale Welfare and Recreation Specialist.
It didn’t take much for her to stay put once her duty was over in the Air Force. Karah holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, Volunteer Management, Grant Writing, Communication and Marketing as well as Effective Fundraising from the Center for Nonprofit Studies at ACC.
Amanda Mott
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Amanda began riding horses at the age of 8, and has over 20 years of experience riding and working with horses.
She attended California State University, Fresno where she rode on their equestrian team, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Science in 2007.
Upon graduation, she began teaching riding lessons and quickly realized that it was her passion in life. In 2015 she relocated to Texas from California with her husband and son.
Amanda came to ROCK in 2016 as a volunteer and a participant in the STAR Instructor in Training Program, and received her PATH Intl instructor certification in 2017.
Callee Dorman
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Callee has a strong background in horseback riding. She began riding at a young age and has competed extensively in both English and Western events, including hunters, equitation, dressage, barrel racing, and pole bending.
Callee graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Psychology in December of 2016. Callee became a PATH Intl registered therapeutic riding instructor in November of 2016 and has been on staff at ROCK since January 2017.
Callee works closely with both ROCK and ROCK’s sister program, TAMUS Courtney Cares, in College Station. She currently resides in Georgetown, Texas with her husband, Daryl, their dog, Binx, and her horse, Roanie.
Amy Keck
PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
Amy’s life at ROCK started when she began volunteering here 2 years ago. She thoroughly enjoyed being around the clients, other volunteers, and horses so much that she decided to apply for the STAR program in 2016.
After a year of training and perseverance, Amy passed her examinations in August 2017 and happily accepted a position at ROCK in September.
Her desire as an instructor is to impart a lifelong love of riding and improved independence for her clients. She wants each individual to feel loved and accepted every time they walk into the House that is ROCK.
Shay McMinn, MA, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Shay McMinn moved to Texas from Nevada in 2016. She received her Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders from San Diego State University and has been specializing with the pediatric population since 1996.
Shay has her Multicultural Early Intervention Certification with children birth -5 years of age and is a recipient of the Award for Continuing Education award through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Her love of animals and children brought her to ROCK as a volunteer in 2016. Shay completed Level 1 Hippotherapy Treatment Principles and joined ROCK staff in September 2017.
In her free time, Shay enjoys yoga, spending time with her family and being in the outdoors.
Betsy Kahl, LCSW
PATH Intl. Certified Advanced Instructor
A native of Cleveland, OH, Betsy moved to Austin in 2016 and began spending time at ROCK as a volunteer. Betsy joined ROCK as a staff member in the summer of 2017. A PATH Intl. Certified Advanced Instructor since 2006, Betsy has taught lessons in New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas.
Betsy completed her undergraduate work at the University of Notre Dame and earned her Masters of Social Work at Cleveland State University. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Betsy has studied and practiced Animal Assisted Therapy, and has been able to partner with horses, dogs, turtles, snakes, and skunks to connect with others and facilitate change.
When not at ROCK, Betsy enjoys playing with her two dogs, Bo and Lizzie, and learning new things with her horse, Stuart.
Our Board of Directors
2017-2018 Board of Directors
Lindsey Roberts, President
Curtis Crenwelge, Vice President
Steve Shook, Treasurer
George Brightwell, Secretary
Craig Harris, Past President
Rebecca Hays Barho
Denny Boroczk
Patrick Breen, DVM
Michaela Dollar
Sunny Ernst
Abigail Griswell
Susan Hershey
Debi Higdon
Steve Laukhuf
Brian Lidiak
Gordon E. Logan
Bill Mateja
Joe McSpadden
Chris Miller
Patti O’Meara
Chris Smyth
2017-2018 Board of Advisors
Patti Colbert, Chair
Charles N. Avery III
Barbara Brightwell
Ron Coleman
Hugh Gilmore, MD
Charles W. Graham, DVM
John Gustainis
Samara Henderson
Wayne Hurst, DPM
Frank Krenek
Hon. Betsy Lambeth
Al Mowdy
Nolan Ryan
Reid Ryan
Ron Shelly
Email a board member at board@rockride.org
