DIRECTORS

Katie Kilcommons-McGowan
Executive Director and Founder

HorseAbility is proud and unique in that our Executive Director and Founder, Katie Kilcommons-McGowan, is a certified Instructor from the PATH Intl. accredited Cheff Center for the Handicapped in Augusta, Michigan. She is also a certified PATH Intl. instructor, Special Olympics Coach, and holds a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in Elementary Education.

Jamie Kolodziejski
Director of Operations

A graduate from SUNY Cobleskill with a B.T. in Equine Studies, Jamie started working for HorseAbility in the winter of 2005 on internship. Her vast knowledge of therapeutic riding and horsemanship, along with her managerial skills helped her to find her niche and stay on with the organization; Involved in numerous aspects of the program including teaching, overseeing general programming and coordinating, customer service, special events and fundraising. Not only is a program director, she is also certified as a PATH Int. instructor at the registered level and Special Olympics Equestrian Coach.

Sue Haggerty
Ride School Director

Sue is a graduate of St. John’s University with a B.S. in Education N-9 and a M.A. from Adelphi University in Secondary Education. Giving up a full time teaching position, she because a stay at home mom for her 2 children. As they got older she had more availability, in 1999 Sue returned to her love of horses by riding and working for The Thomas School of Horsemanship ultimately introducing her to Katie McGowan and she became a volunteer at HorseAbility as the Outreach Director. Sue obtained certification as a PATH Int. instructor at the registered level.

Eileen Carroll
Director of Hippotherapy

Eileen Carroll is an Occupational Therapist who has a long history with HorseAbility, starting when she was sixteen as a volunteer. She became a NARHA certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2005, and became certified to practice Hippotherapy in 2007. Her educational background includes a B.A. from Salve Regina University in Psychology, and a M.S. in Occupational Therapy from N.Y.U. in 2007. Her focus in treatment includes NDT, SI, Motor Relearning theory and Cognitive Rehab for Traumatic Brain Injury. She also works as an Occupational Therapist in the acute care setting at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip. She has been riding horses since she was nine years old, and has a focus in hunt seat equitation and centered riding. The horses's therapeutic capacity, both physically, cognitively, and emotionally is what has drawn her to use them in treatment, and is continued to be amazed at their unique gifts.

Spirit Seabre
Volunteer Director

Spirit Seabre has been riding for over 20 years and teaching horseback riding for over twelve years. She participates in hunter jumper riding, competitive western trail riding and natural horsemanship on her horse Usi. Spirit graduated from Stony Brook University with an MSW. She has ben a volunteer at HorseAbility and has assisted in Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy Programs. She teaches lessons and currently HorseAbility's Director of Volunteers.

Antoinette DeGruccio
Director of Equine Operations

Antoinette graduated May 2009 from Post University in Connecticut with a B.S. in Equine Studies and a B.A. in Psychology. She is an experienced English and Western rider who has been around horses since “before she could walk."

Tina Rocco
LIHSSRD Director

Tina began working at HorseAbility in 1995 as a volunteer. Her time spent with the program has given her a unique understanding of HorseAbility from several perspectives including that of a volunteer, office staff member, barn manager, volunteer coordinator, riding instructor, and director. In addition to her years of hands on experience, and numerous hours spent helping with and teaching lessons, Tina also has the following qualifications:

• PATH Int. certified instructor at the registered level
• Certified Special Olympics Coach in Equestrian Sports
• B.S. and M.A. in Speech Language Pathology/Audiology
• Training in Centered Riding