Region 9 Conference
Hosted by:
Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
Ellensburg, WA
PATH Intl. Region 9 welcomes you to an educational and fun weekend with your
friends and colleagues in Washington. Your registration fee includes appetizers Friday
night, continental breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and continental breakfast
on Sunday.
CONFERENCE LOCATIONS
Friday & Sunday
Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
1051 Sorenson Road
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Saturday
Kittitas Valley Event Center
901 E. 7
th
Ave.
Ellensburg, WA 98926
LODGING OPTIONS
Best Western Plus (15 min from Spirit TRC)
211 Umptanum Rd, Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 925-4244
Hotel Windrow (located downtown Ellensburg, 17 min from Spirit TRC)
502 N Main St, Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 962-8000
Hampton Inn (30 minutes from Spirit TRC)
2705 Triple L Loop, Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 933-1600
TownePlace Suites by Marriott (15 min from Spirit TRC)
1709 South Opportunity Street, Ellensburg, WA 98926
(509) 933-5000
PATH INTL. REGION 9 CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Online registration will be available April 8, 2024 through May 31, 2024. After May 31, 2024, registration
will need to be completed on-site.
IF YOU ARE A PRESENTER OR CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBER, DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER WITH YOUR CODE!
Registration April 8, 2024 through May 31, 2024:
Full Conference $140 members $190 non-members
Registration on-site after May 31, 2024:
Full Conference $170 members $220 non-members
PATH Intl. Standards Course* $45 members $60 non-members
*Register by May 17, 2024. If less than 15 are registered by this date, this course will be cancelled, and
refunds issued. Registration on-site is not available.
Refund Policy:
No refunds due to weather unless the conference is canceled.
Written cancellation request is required for refund. Email m[email protected]
Deadline for Full Refund – Request received in PATH Intl. office by May 31, 2024.
Deadline for 50% Refund – Request received in PATH Intl. office by June 16, 2024.
Individuals who do not submit a written request to PATH Intl. by June 16, 2024, will not receive a
refund.
*Deadline for Standards Course Refund – Request received in PATH Intl. office by May 17, 2024. No
refunds after this date.
Education:
This conference satisfies up to 10 hours of continuing education requirements. The Standards Course
satisfies up to an additional 6 hours.
AGENDA
All times are Pacific
Friday, June 14, 2024
Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
9 – 10 a.m. Registration & Welcome
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. PATH Intl. Standards Course CE
Bring your own lunch or money to order lunch with the group.
4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Registration & Welcome
5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Meet & Greet with appetizers, Facilitated Networking and Opening Ceremony
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Kittitas Valley Event Center
7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration & Welcome, Continental Breakfast, Silent Auction Opens!
COVID-19 Information:
Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center and Kittitas Valley Event Center follow all CDC and State
of Washington guidelines regarding COVID-19 virus protocols. If you are ill or have been
exposed to the virus at the time of the conference, we ask that you not attend. Please
see the refund policy.
Session A
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
A1, For the Board, By the Board – Nonprofit Boards in the 21st Century CE
A high functioning board is essential to sustaining a quality, mission driven center. This presentation will focus on
the highest standards for new boards, mature boards and transitioning boards. What is an executive director’s
role in board duties? How do we ensure best practices in governance? How do we address board challenges?
How can we positively engage board participation in our organizations’ biggest challenges? What can we
learn from how the PATH Intl. Board operates? Establishing policy and procedures around board duties and
expectations is the surest way to help your board function well. Staff leadership and your entire organization will
ascend to higher heights when your board is focused on good governance. Join us as we share specific steps
and practices to guide remarkable governance and positive board - staff relationships.
Robin Krueger has been a board member of PATH Intl. since 2018. She brought to this work a passion for the role
of horses in therapy and education and previously served over ten years as a board member of the Little Bit
Therapeutic Riding Center. She also brought a career of experience in executive financial leadership,
accounting and information technology. Robin holds a certification in corporate governance from the
National Association of Corporate Directors, a master’s certificate in accounting from Seattle University and an
MBA degree in international business from The George Washington University. She currently spends her time
maintaining a 50-acre farm in Eatonville, Washington.
Kathy Alm began her service as chief executive officer of PATH Intl. in August 2014. For the previous 16 years she
served as executive director of Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Woodinville, WA. She grew the previously
grassroots organization from a $280,000 annual operating budget to a professional $2.1 million organization.
Kathy served as the PATH Intl. board president in the 2010-2012 term, first joining the board of trustees in 2005.
She has facilitated numerous workshops and presentations on board, staff, fundraising and strategic planning
and enjoys the opportunity to share her experience, as well as learn from others. Her dedication to the field of
equine-assisted services spans over 19 years with a passion that was ignited the moment she walked through
the door at her first therapeutic riding center.
A2, Supporting Positive Identity Development with EAS DE
This presentation will look at the trauma individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities may
experience and how it may impact their sense of self and challenge their ability to connect, communicate and
engage in cooperative relationships. We will use Dr. Karyn Harvey's concept of positive identity development as
a framework for creating safe, inclusive and empowering experiences for EAS participants. Learning objectives:
explain what identity is and how does it develop, understand how identity impacts behavior, understand how
identity can change through supportive interactions, identify why positive identity development is relevant to
EAS, and identify ways to support positive identity development through EAS.
Betsy Kahl is a PATH Intl. Advanced Instructor and CTRI. She has taught adaptive riding in New Hampshire, Ohio,
and Texas and now works at Healing Reins in Bend, Oregon. As a social worker, Betsy has focused her work on
supporting children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral needs in school, camp and outpatient
settings. Betsy has partnered with a variety of animals to facilitate growth in clients including dogs, cats, turtles,
skunks, opossums and, of course, horses.
9:30 – 9:45 a.m. BREAK
Session B
9:45 – 11:45 a.m.
B1, Equine Activity Liability Acts -- Are you blindly galloping along? CE
This presentation will provide a summary of the origins and protections of Equine Activity Liability Acts (EALA)
and what it means in the states of Region 9. Participants will focus on the nuts and bolts of the EALA in each
state and will be able to follow how the EALA was developed and its purpose; compare how the laws differ
from state to state; locate and read the current EALA in each state; recognize the connection between the
PATH Intl. standards and defending a legal action using the EALA; and identify how to invoke the benefits
conferred by the EALA.
Deborah Manasco is a life-long equine enthusiast who has competed, coached, judged and taught
horsemanship in various settings for over 40 years. After retirement from practicing law fulltime, she taught part
time at a PATH Intl. member center for several years and served as a mentor. She is a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
and an
accreditation site visitor.
B2, PATH Intl. Precautions and Contraindications DE
This presentation will guide attendees through the PATH Intl. Precautions and Contraindications to help create a
better understanding of some the conditions we should be aware of in EAS.
Sandy Jones first became connected with EAS in I990, volunteering in the adaptive riding program at WSU. She
returned to the Seattle area and began volunteering at Little Bit where she primarily worked with physical
therapy clients. In 1998 she completed her PT assistant degree and began treating clients at Little Bit. In 2002,
she became a PATH Intl. registered instructor. Sandy moved to Spokane and founded Free Rein Therapeutic
Riding in 2008. This program offers adaptive riding and also has a military horsemanship program. Sandy moved
back across the state and returned to Little Bit in 2020. She is currently treating clients in their therapy
department but also teaches a few adaptive riding classes.
12 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch with the PATH Intl. Region 9 Meeting & Field Test Standards Update
Session C
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
C1, Financial Fitness: Tools for Success CE
The amount of financial information out there is overwhelming. Bring your own financials to this interactive
session or use ours to help you discover ways to interpret financials, how to find and choose analysis tools, and
strategies for reporting financial information effectively for your intended audiences.
Patricia McCowan has been involved with the EAS industry for more than 30 years in roles that include program
volunteer, volunteer coordinator, certified instructor, executive director and board member. She has
volunteered for PATH Intl. as a program consultant, region representative, accreditation sub-committee
member, PICC member, accreditation lead visitor, and as faculty for the standards course and associate visitor
training. She owns a consulting practice for not-for-profit management and governance and holds certificates
of Nonprofit Board Consulting from BoardSource, Certified Diversity Professional from the National Diversity
Council, and Third Sector Company‘s Interim Executives Academy and Board Chairs Academy. Pat is also a
PATH Intl. advanced instructor, CTRI
and lead accreditation site visitor.
Paula Del Giudice has been the executive director or regional director for four nonprofits in her 20-year history
of running nonprofits. Three of the four nonprofits were experiencing difficult transitions for different reasons,
including some financial challenges and she helped lead them on their way to sustainability. In addition to her
work staffing nonprofits, in the last 40 years she has served on a number of nonprofit boards for organizations in
arts, environment, religion and service. She has a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Education degree, and
completed the Rockwood Leadership Program, “The Art of Collaborative Leadership.” Paula is the current
executive director of Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center.
C2, Position Corrections through Body Dysmorphic Pedagogy DE
This session provides an overview of body dysmorphic considerations in EAS, the populations often effected,
and how they might impact the language PATH Intl. professionals may choose to use in educational settings.
Devon Stone is the current adaptive services director at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center. Devon has been
part of the EAS industry since 2017 when they certified as a TRI. Now a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
and ESMHL, they provide
support to one of the largest centers in North America with programming ranging from therapies (PT, OT,
Speech, EFP) and recreational EAS.
2:45 – 3 p.m. BREAK
Session D
3 – 4:30 p.m.
D1, Recruiting, Retaining and Developing Your Human Resources CE
Staffing continues to be a challenge throughout the country. Most industries are struggling to find people to fill
a variety of roles. It can be particularly challenging in this climate, where unemployment remains low (3.8% as
of January 2023) and competition for employees remains high. In addition, many of the roles at your center are
specialized, with even fewer qualified people available. This session shares best practices for recruiting,
retaining, and developing your human resources. Topics will include defining your organization’s culture that
attracts and retains staff, where and how to recruit, how to build your team and get the right people on the
bus, prioritizing competitive wages and staff development opportunities, and employment law considerations.
Leave this workshop with next steps for recruiting, retaining and developing your human resources.
Kathy Alm see bio in A1.
D2, A Glimpse into the World of Traumatic Brain Injury DE
This presentation will discuss Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and how it has shaped my life personally and as a PATH
Intl. professional.
Shannon Tabbal is a PATH Intl. ESMHL and CTRI. She loves being able to incorporate her love of horses with
serving others. As a TBI survivor, Shannon is especially passionate about spreading awareness and helping
individuals also recovering from a TBI.
4:30 – 4:45 p.m. BREAK, Silent Auction Closes – pick up items after Session E ends
Session E
4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
E1, Holistic Herd Management CR All
Does your center struggle with horse burnout and turnover? EAS relies on the emotional, physical and social
health of our equine partners. This presentation will go over our methodology and tools for looking at the whole
horse: its herd, relationships, facilities, environment and ways to reduce burnout. Learning objectives include:
learn how to adjust or prioritize a program horse’s schedule, how to utilize volunteer help to increase the overall
health of your horses, and how to use, adjust, or build facilities to provide the best available environment.
Mackenzie Johnson has been involved with Forward Stride since 2004, both in riding lessons and volunteering.
Now the equine manager and riding program coordinator and a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
, working at Forward Stride
combines her passion for horses and dedication to her community's overall well-being.
Amber Varner is founder of Forward Stride and has been a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
(or registered instructor) since 1998.
Her experience and success have been gleaned from years as head instructor, program director, and
associate executive director. As the ED, she works towards executing the board's vision of a vibrant, innovative
and sustainable future. Her three favorite things include her family, traveling and her pets. As a parent of
children with learning differences, she also understands the importance of EAS from a personal perspective.
Amanda Garrison started with Forward Stride as a volunteer in 2008. She is currently the program director and a
PATH Intl. CTRI
®
. She is a lifelong horse person and has a bachelors in public health. She has passion for nonprofit
work, equality for all and the healing power of horses.
E2, Undiagnosed Anxiety: The Thief Behind the Curtain DE
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the US, but only about 35% of sufferers receive
treatment. Many with undiagnosed anxiety have other health issues which can confuse or cover the severity of
anxiety’s impact on their lives. By training ourselves to notice and mitigate the presence of anxiety symptoms in
our participants, not only can we improve our lesson outcomes, but also their quality of life and health.
We will discuss theories as to why anxiety is so prevalent, identify symptoms including unusual ones, and offer
strategies for helping our participants, including what is appropriate for a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
to address and when
to recommend a psychotherapist.
Sally Conrad is a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
. She has been a PATH Intl. certified instructor since 2017 working full time as
lead instructor at Two Bear Therapeutic Riding Center in Whitefish, MT. She has acted as an equine specialist for
a therapist doing work with domestic violence victims. A lifelong horsewoman and a student of natural
horsemanship, she managed a large breeding farm where she observed domestic herds and their behaviors,
gentled and started young horses and worked with all aspects of horse care. She enjoys the outdoors,
gardening, reading and music, and has also taught dance and guitar for many years.
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Dinner with the PATH Intl. Update & Region 9 Awards Ceremony
at Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
7:30 – 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
Session F
8:30 – 10 a.m.
F1, Think Like a Horse: Guidelines for Improving Equine Well-Being in Your Program CR All
Current work on international guidelines for equine well-being by the Horses and Humans Research Foundation,
as well as other sources, offer a powerful lens to take home fresh guidelines for assessment of the well-being of
your equines in your EAS programming. It offers new directions for your care and management practices, as
well as programming. Specific principles will be detailed along with possible practices for creating beneficial
changes that maximize well-being. Included is a hands-on demonstration of liberty-work with horses, how it
provides powerful benefits for equine well-being and new programmatic possibilities for EAS facilities.
Trish Broersma is a PATH Intl. CTRI
®
, ESMHL, Mentor, past president of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health
Association, and current founder and director of Riding Beyond, an equine-assisted learning program in human
development in Ashland, OR, incorporating body-based approaches for restoring well-being in breast cancer
survivors and thrivers. She is a member of the equine well-being committee for the Horses and Humans
Research Foundation, and a certified coach for mBit: Multiple Brain Integration Techniques. Her book, “Riding
Into Your Mythic Life: Transformational Adventures with the Horse” was published by New World Library in 2007.
F2, Resiliency and Center Sustainability CE
This session will explore how to navigate the ongoing sustainability of your center through the external changes
and internal demands. Learn how to utilize emotional intelligence to address the difficult circumstances and
challenging times. Understand what you need to build resilience while sustaining your center and your people.
Determine where you need to focus your energy for the best sustainable outcome for your center. Connect
with other center leaders for future ongoing support. Take away ideas and tools to build resiliency and center
sustainability.
Kathy Alm see bio in A1.
10 – 10:15 p.m. BREAK
Session G
10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
G1, Logical Laterals CR All
Learn how to introduce lateral work to your equine partners on the ground and transition this to ridden work.
Lateral work is essential for equine partners’ soundness as it helps them achieve straightness and improves their
balance and strength. Every instructor, every equine partner, and every rider is capable of doing this work
when it is broken down into clear, logical, and progressive steps. You will learn: what are laterals - leg yield,
shoulder in, renvers, travers, and half pass; why is lateral work necessary to strengthen and condition equine
partners; how do you teach laterals to equine partners in a way that doesn't stress them out and how do you
teach laterals to participants in a way that doesn't stress them out.
Betsy Kahl see bio in A2.
G2, Basic Equine Health Care CR All
The goal of this presentation is to provide practical information on procedures and techniques, useful to all
horseman, regarding basic evaluation and care for common health concerns of horses. The presentation will
have four areas of focus, including: how to perform a basic physical examination of the horse; including vital
signs; how to administer medications, including oral medications, injectable medications, and eye
medications; how to apply bandages for wounds or other injuries; and tips on when to call your veterinarian.
There will be a one-hour lecture. Following the lecture, we will divide into three groups, for hands-on and
demonstrations with live horses.
David Sauter, DVM has been an equine veterinarian for the past 37 years, and has recently retired. He has
spent the past 30 years practicing at Kulshan Veterinary Hospital in Lynden, WA.
12:30 p.m. Closing Ceremony
We look forward to seeing you soon in Washington!
