The Team at CHAPS
The staff and board of directors at CHAPS are comprised of individuals from many personal and professional backgrounds. While we vary in our day-to-day careers and interests, we’re all connected through a love and appreciation for the effect, power, and immeasurable value that horses have when it comes to improving our quality of life.
Many of us are lifelong horse owners and/or equine professionals and have witnessed firsthand the benefits of Equine-Assisted Learning or Services when it comes to emotional, mental, and physical conditions. The incredible work that is achieved through CHAPS Equine Assisted Services is difficult to accurately describe without witnessing it firsthand, but we have countless testimonials from clients, family and community members, and volunteers that will all attest to the humble, unassuming effect of a horse on a person in need.
If you would like to get involved with CHAPS as a board member or part of our staff, please contact our Executive Director, Kristen Marcus at info@chapswyo.org or 307.673.6161.
Staff Members
-
Kristen Marcus
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PATH International ESMHL & HERD Institute EFLOur Executive Director is a Wyoming native from Ten Sleep. Kristen has an A.S. in Equine Science, a B.S. in Animal Science (Equine nutrition and management), a Masters of Agriculture in Equine Breeding and a M.S. in Agricultural Communications.
Kristen grew up on the back of a horse and spent her childhood on the family ranch working cattle, horses and pigs. She is certified through the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) in Western & English Riding as well as Stable Management. Kristen is also a PATH International certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning and recently received her EFL Level 1 from the HERD Institute.
She has been in Sheridan since 2009 and is grateful to be living at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains again. Kristen and her husband, Jeremy, have two children, Briannon & Cian (pronounced key-in). Her hobbies include horseback riding, 4-wheeling, scrapbooking, photography and reading.
-
Fleur Ahern
PATH International CTRI
Fleur Ahern came to Wyoming in 2008 with her husband of 20 years and 14 year old son. She is from Co. Willow Ireland and received her I.C.E.S. and B.H.S.A.I. training in Co. Kilkenny Ireland. While attending college, she was given the opportunity to teach and assist with The Riding for Disabled program which was very fulfilling and rewarding. She went on to work in England and America with polo and other areas of the horse industry.
Fleur is kind, easy-going and always has a smile on her face. She brings years of experience and a passion for horses and people with her to CHAPS. Her clients love her and each one has progressed his/her skills under Fleur's skilled tutelage.
Fleur is the 2022 Region 10 Credentialed Professional of the Year for PATH International. Congratulations Fleur!
-
Tracy Shaw
PATH International CTRI & Certified Driving Instructor
Tracy has driven horses for over 30 years, with experience in all breeds in all combinations including single, team, tandem, random, unicorn, 4-up, and 6-up. She is PATH International dual-certified for riding and driving.
Tracy has taught riding and driving horses for over 20 years and worked for Coors with the 40-horse hitch. She has many years experience competing and working the in the draft horse industry.
Tracy is the 2021 Region 10 Credentialed Professional of the Year for PATH International. Congratulations Tracy!
-
Fran Rowland
PATH International CTRI & ESMHL
Fran lives in Milford, Ohio with her 20-year-old son and 2 dogs. She has two adult sons and twin grandsons. Fran began her journey into the horse world in 2013 when she began volunteering in adaptive recreational riding classes at a local PATH center. She quickly found that teaching is her passion and became a therapeutic riding instructor. For the past 4 years, Fran has been the head coach for a team of riders to the Special Olympics State Equestrian Competition. In her free time, she loves trail riding with her horse named Mickey and traveling.
Fran teaches at CHAPS May-September and returns to Ohio for the fall/winter.
-
Matson Tew
CHA Certified Instructor for Riders with Disabilities (IRD)
Matson moved to the area, in 2021, to pursue a seasonal job as a range rider in the Bighorns, managing 300 pairs based out of the French Creek cow camp above Buffalo. The experience of living off the grid, solo, for 4 months with sole responsibilities of ensuring the health and rotational grazing schedule for the cows/calves greatly expanded his horsemanship abilities and his appreciation of complete partnership with the teams of horses with which he worked Prior to that position, Matson worked as a lead trainer on a mustang sanctuary in the Wind River reservation in Ethete, Wyoming. The Mustang and their plight has always been a passion of Matson’s. He has rescued and started many and is currently training his own mustang colt rescued from a very remote part of the Bighorn basin known as the FifteenMile HMA. One of his favorite therapy outlets/ experiences is when trauma survivors and the mustang come together for healing.
Matson has spent most of his adult life in the west living in Utah, California, Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. He is an avid horseman with expertise and interests in training, packing, guiding, therapy and teaching. The horse became central in his own life when he and his family survived a massive wildfire in Colorado in 2010. While their evacuation was harrowing, the fire raged for two long weeks destroying their house, all their belongs and burning everything in sight for 6,000 square acres. Extensive therapy for PTSD, as well as riding, working/growing with horses everyday enabled Matson to emerge from this tragedy with a new outlook on life for himself and his family. In the last decade, Matson has founded and lead a backcountry guiding company, his own horsemanship consulting and training business and worked in addiction and recovery at 3 different ranch rehabilitation programs. He is a huge advocate for the horse and how they can impact those in need.
Prior to 2010, Matson worked in Healthcare, specializing in Neuroscience device business development. He has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and interests include photography, music, hiking with his dogs and returning to Colorado to spend time with his children ages 11-24.
-
Gina Marchese
BARN MANAGER
Gina's first ride was at the age of nine at Camp Tanasi, a Girl Scout camp in east Tennessee. Since then, horses have been a constant in her life. From working for lessons in Virginia, to schooling therapy horses in Colorado, and exercise riding rodeo horses in southern Wyoming, she has always found a way to work with and be around horses.
Gina is pleased to be able to work for CHAPS as the barn manager and feels it a privilege to care for the horses that are so important to all the riders and volunteers.
Gina is a certified Stable Manager through the American Riding Instructor Association (ARIA). She is also a certified Equine Masseuse and trained equine Chiropractor.
Gina is the 2023 PATH International Region 10 Equine Caretaker of the Year! Congratulations Gina!
- See AlsoEquestrian Equipment HS Code: Simplifying International Trade Regulations - Horsemasterypro.comHigh school investigating alleged bestial*ty references in presentation to girls6 Best Equestrian High Schools (Book & Saddle Smart) - Horse RookieLetters to Sports: Bidding farewell to Caitlin Clark, NCAA tournaments
Teresa Garrett-Martin
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR & PATH International ESMHL
Teresa is an avid horse lover who spends a good deal of her time trailing horses and capturing them through photography.
For the past five years she has worked as an event photographer for an equine-based sports association and for many local rodeos. Traveling mostly on weekends during the summer, Teresa works over a five-state region capturing horses and their owners doing what they love.
Since 2016, Teresa has been volunteering her photography talents to CHAPS. Knowing first-hand the benefits horses can bring to a person struggling with their mental health, Teresa is very excited to be a part of CHAPS. The mission to help make a difference in the many lives of those who are struggling is near and dear to her.
-
Paige Dvorak
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
Hello! My name is Paige and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Wyoming and Colorado. I grew up in Wyoming before moving to Denver to attend undergraduate and graduate school at the University of Denver.
While in Colorado, I earned my MA in International Disaster Psychology, focusing on trauma and culturally-informed, quality counseling practices.
I currently provide client-centered therapy for adults and children in Wyoming and work to create a safe space for my clients to explore their sense of self and self-worth, life’s stressors, transitions, relationships, anxiety, depression, and trauma. When not at work, I love playing tennis, seeing live music, and playing with my very energetic puppy Maya.
-
Kevin Vance
MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST
Kevin Vance is a marriage & family therapist in Sheridan, WY. For more than 20 years, he has helped others discover who they want to be and how to live more meaningful and purposeful lives while learning to be more flexible in responding to the world within and around them. With holistic practice, based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Family Systems Theory and mindfulness, Kevin walks alongside clients in their journey to a more complete and fulfilling life.
-
L Martin
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
L is the newest addition to our staff and is our Office Administration Assistant. They may be new to the position but they are a very familiar face at CHAPS. L has been a volunteer here at CHAPS since 2021, and has earned three sequential Presidential Volunteer Service Awards for their time here at the barn.
L is a Sheridan High School graduate who enjoys reading and writing and has an interest in self- publishing a book of their own in the future.
They have had a love of horses from a very young age and when the opportunity to ride at CHAPS was available they jumped at it. From there they continued to help out where they could. L is eager to learn as much as they can about horses and lends a hand whenever they are needed. They are often spotted helping at volunteer trainings, feeding the horses and helping at events like our Tournament of Knights.
L loves all the CHAPS horses, but Tili, Cab and Dennis have a very special place in their heart.
-
Beth Lenz
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
Beth grew up on a ranch in rural Nebraska and has been a “Wyoming-ite” for the past twenty years. While Wyoming is now her home, she continues to spend time in Nebraska on the family ranch. She completed both her undergraduate and graduate work in Nebraska.
Beth has worked as a teacher, counselor and social worker in a variety of settings. After 22 years of teaching and completing her M.Ed. degree, she worked with Sheridan Memorial Hospital as a Social Worker and moved into working as a Parent Liaison for Compass-Center for families. Beth also has a private practice in Sheridan where she works with all ages, individual and family. Her focus continues to be in the areas of anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autism, trauma, challenging behavior and family issues.
Beth holds a Wyoming license as a Licensed Professional Counselor. In addition to her counseling license, she also maintains her teaching certificate in K-6 Elementary Education, endorsed in K-12 Special Education and K-12 School Counseling.
Beth brings to CHAPS a love of outdoors and helping others through challenges in life. It is an amazing experience to see what horses can give to those in need.
In her “free-time” Beth enjoys baking, time with her family, her dogs and hiking in the beautiful Big Horn Mountains.
Interested in volunteering with CHAPS?
Help make our programs possible!
We have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities—from equine care and painting fences to assisting with sessions and office work.
learn more about volunteering
Board of Directors
Kristen Masters | Past President
Kristen Masters was born and raised in Sheridan County, attending Tongue River High School before graduating from the University of Wyoming with degrees in Art (Graphic Design) and English. She currently resides in Dayton with her husband and son, working full-time as a freelance graphic designer and running a creative studio that serves equine individuals and organizations nationwide.
Kristen is the epitome of ‘the horse girl’, falling in love with all things horse from a young age. She competed in 4-H through high school with both miniature and standard horses, and has participated in numerous equestrian events across the community. Kristen and her original 4-H mount (now 20 years old) have since transitioned from the show ring into roles on the family ranch as converted cow-hands. Kristen is grateful for the opportunity to be involved at a deeper level with the people and programs at CHAPS.
Andy Earp | President
2023 PATH International Equine Services 4 Heroes Equestrian of the Year!
Andy was born in England and raised in Long Beach, CA. At the age of 18, Andy enlisted in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. After bootcamp and A School, he was stationed at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton and later stationed again at Camp Pendleton with 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
After two Combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, in 2001 and 2003 respectively, Andy left the Navy to pursue emergency medicine and continue his service to his community.
After working atmultiple hospitals, Andy pursued a career in law enforcement and worked for the Garden Grove Police
department.
After leaving the department in 2020 due to injury, Andy, his wife Anna, and son Adam,moved to Sheridan and quickly became part of the CHAPS family and the surrounding community.
Andy continues his service to the community by volunteering at CHAPS and serving on the board of directors. Andy loves the outdoors and is an avid fishermen and hunter, with a primary focus on bow hunting. Andy is deeply involved in the veteran community at large and works with veteran concerns
that include housing, job placement and camaraderie.
Piper Stevie | Secretary
Piper is a Sheridan, Wyoming native with a passion for helping both animals and humans. Piper received her bachelor’s degree in Biology and managed a veterinary clinic in Portland, Oregon before returning home to work at the hospital and pursue her nursing degree.
Growing up, Piper was very active in 4-H, the Sheridan Silverados, and taught riding lessons with Ride for Him Ministries. She is very excited to be able to work with CHAPS as an organization and to give back to both horses and humans. Recently diagnosed with epilepsy herself, she knows the incredible healing powers that lie within a horse. When she’s not working at the hospital or studying, she can be found riding, crafting, or reading.
Devin Worman | Treasurer
Devin was raised on a cattle ranch in Ucross, WY. He joined the Army after high school and is a Veteran of the Iraq War. After six years of active duty in the Army, he joined the Wyoming Army National Guard, reaching the rank of First Sergeant.
Devin graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was the Project Manager for a heavy oil upgrading project in Laramie, WY, before moving back home to Sheridan, WY in 2019. He earned his MBA from the University of Wyoming in 2020.
Devin retired from the United States Army with 24 years of service in 2020.
Devin has three children, Drew, Brooke, and Rhagen. He lives in Sheridan, WY. with his wife, Katy. Together they own four horses, one dog, and two cats.
Devin shoes horses in Sheridan and the surrounding community. His hobbies include roping, fishing, hunting and riding trails with his wife. He is an avid advocate for Veterans and enjoys mentoring and working with Veterans.
Lou Seidel
Lou grew up around the horse industry from traveling with her family to cow sorting competitions to showing horses in 4H. Being a Wyoming girl at heart, her whole life consists of living the cowgirl way.
She is a mama to a 3 year old daughter and a 9 month old son. She is constantly battling Lupus, anxiety, and depression but being part of CHAPS makes her feel connected to where her passions lie, with horses.
She is always ready to jump into help and be there for CHAPS horses and clients. And she hopes to keep being there to help others see the soul and life a horse can bring into a person’s life.
Bliss Ragsdale
Bliss was born in Anna, Illinois, but spent his 2nd birthday stranded in a blizzard with his family on South Pass in western WY. After graduation and several attempts at college, Bliss got married and joined the Navy where he, eventually, went to Vietnam.
After discharge in 1970, Bliss made one more attempt at college in Laramie. He moved back to Green River and took a job installing and operating/maintaining the first computer systems for Sweetwater Memorial Hospital.
Bliss and his wife, adopted their first child in 1973 and followed with two of their own. All of them are grown now.
He continued working the hospital operating systems until it became a 24/7 job then went on to install and operate the first computer system for a mining operation. He worked there for 9 years then moved to another mining operation to install and operate their computer system. He also worked to extend the computer setup in the mining operations and manufacturing plants. He was there for 38 years before retiring in 2013.
Bliss and his wife became guardians of their autistic granddaughter, Fallyn in 1995. They researched services for her in MT, WY and ID before settling in Sheridan. Because they were part of an equestrian program in Green River, and the instructor was from Sheridan, they looked into the CHAPS program so Fallyn could continue her equine programs.
His horse experience began after his wife passed away in 2015. He applied to be a volunteer, in 2014, for the riding program. Today, Bliss volunteers in every program we offer. “I hope I bring a different perspective to the CHAPS Board of Directors. I have been involved with serving people my entire career. I am constantly learning all the wonderful and fascinating things our horses provide to the clients.” Bliss also grows hay for the CHAPS program and started participating in the driving program as a client.
Jamie Henneman
Jamie Henneman is a writer and personal development coach based in Billings, Montana with a passion for partnering with horses to help people improve their lives.
Jamie grew up with horses on a farm in Eastern WA before moving to Montana in 2022. Her equine-focused coaching business, Unbridled LLC, offers riding and experiential classes for women. She is the creator of Hoga, a horseback yoga program that fosters increased connection and relationship building between equestrians and their horse.
She is a certified Yoga Instructor, a certified Equine Experiential Learning Facilitator and a certified Western Riding Instructor through CHA. In addition, she holds an Equine Specialist certification with Eagala.
As a volunteer, Jamie works with a number of horse programs in the southern Montana and northern Wyoming regions including working with troubled youth, adaptive riders and a horse rescue dedicated to caring for older horses.
Bev Hall | Vice-President
I grew up in New England, riding hunter/jumpers from a young age, working Morgan horses and Standardbred pacers, which were raced at Saratoga, NY. I earned a BS in Animal Sciences at the University of Vermont, and during college summers, worked hunters and foxhounds in Lynnville, TN, was a vet tech for an equine vet in Lexington, KY and taught hunt seat riding, among other sports, at a summer camp in Maine. After teaching science for 8 years in CT, I earned a full scholarship to graduate school in Molecular Biology at the University of Wyoming, teaching Biology and Anatomy and Physiology.
My husband, Mike Daley, and I have 5 grown daughters, 3 grandchildren, and own small herds of cattle and horses, several dogs and cats. I am happy to be a part of CHAPS and excited to continue to grow and learn.
View application
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community through horses and people?
Email Kristen Marcus at info@chapswyo.org if you are interested in becoming a board member.
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community through horses and people?
Email Kristen Marcus at info@chapswyo.org if you are interested in becoming a board member.
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community through horses and people?
Email Kristen Marcus at info@chapswyo.org if you are interested in becoming a board member.
