Our Team
Staff
Stephanie Llacuna is first and foremost a mom of two teenage daughters, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and a beautiful 28-year old thoroughbred mare named Velvet. In addition to being an equestrian, Stephanie is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) who has spent the past seven years building relationships and raising philanthropic support for Dayton Children's Hospital. Since joining Dayton Children’s Hospital Foundation, she has raised over $7M to ensure optimal health for kids in the Dayton region and beyond. Prior to joining the team at Dayton Children’s, Stephanie was the Development Manager at Clothes That Work and the Development Director at Discover Classical.
Stephanie currently serves as President of the Dayton United Communicators Toastmasters International Club, Immediate Past-President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Dayton Region Chapter, and serves on the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Man & Woman of the Year Executive Committee.
Outside of her role as a non-profit executive, Stephanie is a professional harpist and harp teacher and a passionate toxin-free beauty and lifestyle advocate. As an advocate she educates women and men on how to minimize toxins in their lives in order to make safer choices and reduce chronic illness.
Stephanie is ecstatic to compile her lifelong love of horses, her passion for health and wellness, and her experience as a non-profit leader in her role as the Executive Director of TRI. “I am excited to help TRI grow to its full potential and broaden the reach of people who benefit from equine-assisted services.”
Stephanie Llacuna
Executive Director
Sam Ingersoll
Sam started on the TRI team in the spring of 2016. As an avid horse lover growing up, she took riding lessons and volunteered in therapeutic riding programs in Cincinnati.
After graduating in 2015 from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor's in Equine Science and Management, she moved back to Cincinnati and worked to obtain her PATH Intl. CTRI certification. Soon after she moved up to Dayton to begin working for TRI as our Equine and Volunteer Manager. In 2016 she worked towards obtaining her PATH Intl. ESMHL certification to help TRI expand into Equine Assisted Mental Health services.
In 2022, she moved into the Program Director role at TRI and looks forward to helping expand programming and bringing more individuals out to enjoy new experiences at our beautiful new farm.
Jessamyn Rice
Jess started on the TRI team in summer of 2020. She grew up riding horses at a young age and never stopped! Her love for Therapeutic Horsemanship started when volunteering at a therapeutic riding center in middle school and she was determined to make it her lifelong career.
Jess graduated from Ohio University in 2014 with her Associates in Equine Science, along with her PATH Certification and CHA certification. Since then, she has continued working full time in the Equine Industry and teaching both therapeutic horsemanship lessons and traditional riding lessons. Jess has also worked as an Equine Nutritionist, worked in a breeding and foaling operation, and directed an equine vocational program. Outside of work, Jess enjoys traveling and taking trail ride adventures around the country!
Since joining TRI, Jess has evaluated many horses for our program and chosen the best ones to be our equine partners in order to expand programming. The training process for these horses is very thorough so we can be sure to give our riders the best, and safest experience!
Makayla Barton
Stephanie Slepicka
Lora Melin
CTRI & ESMHL Certified Instructor
Debbie Francis
CTRI Certified Instructor
Raegan Eltzroth
CTRI Certified Instructor
Raegan Eltzroth came on as our Volunteer Coordinator and a Certified Instructor Spring of 2022.
She grew up on a farm in Wilmington, OH and after the last several years of moving around the state is happy to be moving back closer to home!
Through her love for horses and passion for helping others her interest in tying the two together was born. In early 2019 she began her journey as an Instructor in Training and obtained her Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor Certification in June of 2021.
Christine Pirot
CTRI Certified Instructor
Gretchen Brocwell, LPCC
WISH & Taking the Reins Program Facilitator
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Tim Spradlin
SMS/1stSgt (Ret) USAF
EAGALA certified, WISH Program Faciliator