GallopNYC Appoints Three New Board Members | Leading Horse-Therapy Center Prepares for Increased Program Demand as COVID-Restrictions Ease
Forest Hills, NY and New York, NY - March 12, 2021 - GallopNYC, New York City’s premier therapeutic riding program, announced today the appointment of three new Board of Directors members. The new appointees bring the total number of GallopNYC Board members to 15, many of whom have been with the organization since its founding in 2005.
“We welcome Amanda, Damyn, and John and the experience they bring to our Board,” stated Sol Reischer, Board Chairman. “They join a highly talented group of Board members who have helped the organization grow. We are now anticipating increased demand for our therapeutic programs and new employment initiatives as Covid restrictions rollback, so everyone’s contributions are needed to scale to our community’s demand,” he added.
Amanda Barshall Cain is a Managing Director at Societe Generale, where she leads a team of Commodity sales specialists applying her knowledge of financial risk management in the Futures and Derivatives markets. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Amanda dedicates herself to causes that she is passionate about, including mentoring young professionals and the advancement of women in their careers, especially in the highly competitive finance industry. Ms. Cain is also on the Advisory Council for CentsAbility a non-profit organization focused on educating and empowering high school students to manage their financial resources and has most recently lead the Global Angels at 100 Women In Finance.
Dr. Damyn Kelly serves as the President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of NY; a nonprofit human services organization that has an operating budget of more than $68 million and employs more than 642 human service professionals at over 39 sites in the city of New York. Dr. Kelly has a long and dedicated history of service leadership, having worked as a Bronx Assistant District Attorney and a senior staffer for a member of Congress. Presently, he serves as a member of the Board and Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee of the Coalition of Family and Child Caring Agencies and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Human Services Council and Black Agency Executives. Damyn is also a frequent speaker, presenter and lecturer on issues pertaining to diversity, equity and inclusion with a special emphasis on the lack of executives of color in the nonprofit and the commercial sectors.
John Genova is the President of NOVA Sales, Marketing and Communications, a specialized marketing consulting firm providing actionable market intelligence, brand engagement, and sales strategies to growing businesses and services firms. John has a long history of non-profit involvement, having served on the Board of Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities for more than 14 years as Treasurer and V.P. of the ACLD Foundation. Mr. Genova discovered GallopNYC as the Forest Hills location was the site of the stable where he grew up riding. John has been a volunteer with GallopNYC for more than two years as a lead and side walker and says that his experience working with riders and sharing in their joy of personal accomplishment is uniquely gratifying.
“During the worst of the COVID pandemic, our priority was keeping our barn doors open and everyone safe for the reduced number of sessions we could provide,” acknowledged James Wilson, Executive Director of GallopNYC. “Our focus now is working toward a new normal and applying what we’ve learned to maintain health and safety. We are excited about increasing the number of therapeutic riding lessons that we can offer, and fulfilling our promise to our riders, our horses, and communities we serve,” James added enthusiastically.
About GallopNYC
GallopNYC is the first and only equestrian center in New York City that is primarily focused on the needs of children and adults with disabilities, veterans, and seniors. More than 400 riders per week are guided through riding skills, hippotherapy and horsemanship programs by PATH Intl-Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors in a safe and structured environment at each of GallopNYC’s 4 locations in New York City, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. Get involved with GallopNYC and its mission to help New Yorkers with disabilities walk, talk and learn, inspiring them to live their lives as fully, independently and productively as possible. Believe in Ability here.
Contact:
James Wilson, Executive Director
James@gallopnyc.org
855.925.5661