Advisory Council
Our Council of Advisors are eminent supporters of our therapeutic programing and consist of equestrians, medical professionals, educators, parents, and more.
Interested in joining our leadership?
| Danielle Barth | Founder. Licensed Physical Therapist. | 2005 Founder | |
| Jessica Bent | Principal in Blackstone’s fixed income investment division focused on consumer and distressed debt investments. Lifelong rider and former horse owner. | 2017 Board Member 2014-2017 | |
| Sasha Blair Goldensohn | Active in disabillity rights, especially accessability. Member Advisory Board Disability Rights Advocates, and co-founder of the Rise and Resist Elevator Action Group, a direct action advocacy group that holds rallies and protests for increased transit accessibility. Sasha is a graduate of Amherst College, University of Michigan and Columbia University. . | 2017 | |
| Georgina Bloomberg | Equestrian professional. Active member of the Board of the Equestrian Aid Foundation. Co-author of a young-adult series of novels includingThe A Circuit(2011) and My Favorite Mistake(2012). | 2012 | |
| Alan Brownfeld | Equestrian. Alan’s family originally owned the famous Rocking Horse Ranch, Highland NY. Philanthropist. | 2020 | |
| Michael John Carley | Founder and first Executive Director of GRASP (The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership). Autism/Asperger executive, author, and consultant. | 2011 | |
| Sissy DeMaria | Sissy DeMaria is the president of Kreps DeMaria Public Relations and Marketing and the founder of WorldWise PR Affiliates, a global network of PR firms. An equestrienne, she is a founder of Give Back for Special Equestrians, which encourages horse owners and riders to make a small donation – as little as a buck or as much as a hundred dollars – with their monthly boarding payment to therapeutic riding programs for children and adults with physical or mental disabilities, or for those who are economically disadvantaged. | 2019 | |
| Nicole Epps | Managing Director, Programs and Policy, World Childhood Foundation. Experienced Managing Director with a demonstrated history of working in non profit organizations that serve vulnerable, abused and child victims of exploitation. Strong community and social services professional with an MBA and pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) focused in Management and Policy- Social Policy Concentration (VAWC emphasis).GallopNYC volunteer. | 2019 | |
| John E. Franzreb III | Horse Show Ringmaster and Steward nationwide. Life-long equestrian, stable, and riding school owner. Location and animal consultant to film and media. Staten Island civic leader. | 2011 | |
| Iris Gold III | Barclays. Iris grew up in NYC and rode at Lynne’s (now GallopNYC Forest Hills). | 2017 | |
| Chris Irwin | Internationally acclaimed horse expert and author. | 2018 | |
| Hendrik Laverge | Principal Frick, Wellington & Laverge. LLM Private and Corporate Law, Leiden University. Experienced horseman. | 2018 Board Member & Treasurer 2005-2018 | |
| Sarah Maslin Nir | Sarah is an equestrian and a staff reporter for the New York Times. | 2019 | |
| Ken Paterno | Strategist in Financial Services. Passionate about helping others and person-animal connection. | 2017 | |
| Herbert H. Sambol | A passionate horseman and business person with a background in real estate development and finance, Herb is a graduate of Oberlin College, where he serves on the President’s Advisory Board. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Citizens Committee for New York, and the Advisory Board of the Abington Square Conservancy. Herb lives in the West Village. | 2014 | |
| Judy Place Sloan | Principal with Deloitte Tax LLP, withleadership roles in the firm’s Global Employer Services (GES) practice as well as the US Global Office. Country Relationship Leader (CRL) for the US firm in its work with the French Member Firm. BA, English Literature, from Georgetown University. A life-long equestrian and avid competitor in the discipline of Dressage. She has earned her Bronze and Silver Medals from the United States Dressage Federation, is a top ranked amateur in New England and nationally and also competes at the international levels of the sport. | 2015 |