Our Team

Program Staff

Kristin Bruhl, M.Ed.
Education Director
kristin@hooveswithheart.org

Kristin received her master’s degree in education counseling with an emphasis in equine-assisted education and counseling. Early in her career she had the opportunity to work with Barbara Rector, a pioneer in the field of equine facilitated learning and psychotherapy. Kristin’s professional experience includes the management of residential group homes for dual diagnosed adults, the design and facilitation of three animal assisted learning programs, management of an 800-acre Quarter Horse Ranch in Durango, CO, and most recently assisted with the design and development of Bellevue College’s Occupational Life Skills degree, one of the nation’s only accredited AA degree program for adults with high functioning autism and significant learning disabilities.  She is passionate about teaching teens, and brings additional experience in working with at-risk, autistic and Asperger’s youth populations.

Laura Nurss
Barn Manager | Instructor
laura@hooveswithheart.org

Laura is working on her master’s degree through Prescott College. Her degree will be in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in equine-assisted mental health. Laura has previously worked for Prescott College as the herd manager, where she was responsible for the training and care of 35-80 horses. She has also designed and facilitated various equine-assisted learning and mental health programs, most notably for the Arizona Burn Foundation, Easter Seals Blake Foundation, and A Sober Way Home. She is passionate about working with horses and humans.

Jennifer Patterson, MA, LMFT, ATR
Mental Health Therapist | Art Therapist
jennifer@hooveswithheart.org

Jennifer is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and registered Art Therapist (ATR) who has worked with therapeutic foster care, juvenile justice and community mental health as well as in private practice. She has had a lifelong connection to animals and their power to teach and heal and is excited to integrate equine (and chicken!) facilitated learning into her work.

Karen Chabinsky

Office Manager

Karen has an AA degree in Computer Information Systems and has worked in Sales Administration in the computer, semi-conductor, medical, construction, and bulk weighing fields.  Karen has lifelong experience in 4-H beginning as a child and now as an adult.  Karen’s 4H interests range from raising and showing a variety of farm animals to a project and program leader, judge, fair superintendent, and state board representative.  Karen a well known weaver in the Seattle area is an instructor as well as a judge for yarn, felting and weaving.  She is currently working on her Northwest Regional Spinners Association certification for judging yarn.  Karen and her husband David currently live in Monroe with their two Great Pyrenees dogs, Jura and Poppy.

 

Barn Staff

A special thank you to our wonderful, dedicated barn staff: Megan, Jamie, Ian, Aunia, Mylissa, Britt and Dan Dean our facilities manager.