Meet the Staff
Administrators Instructors & Therapists Board of Directors

Colleen Zanin, MS, OTR, Founder

Colleen has been involved in therapeutic riding since she founded Lift Me Up! in 1975. She is a NARA registered therapeutic riding instructor and was one of 18 occupational and physical therapist in North America to participate in the first Classic Hippotherapy training course in Wildbad, Germany in 1987. Colleen works with the Hippotherapy program at Lift Me Up!. In addition to her volunteer work with Lift Me Up!, Colleen is staff therapist with Fairfax County Public Schools. She received her pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) training at Bobath Centre in London, England, and has 20 years experience in Sensory Integration theory and treatment. Colleen has served on the Board of Directors and faculty of the American Hippotherapy Association, accreditation committee for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia (TRAV).

Georgia Corey, Advanced Instructor

Georgia Corey has been involved with Lift Me Up! since 1995. Starting as a sidewalker, Georgia became more involved, having served as volunteer coordinator, board member, one term as board secretary and two terms as board president. But Georgia missed working with the riders, volunteers and horses. Georgia attended Equest Therapeutic Riding Instructor Course in 2004 and received her certification at the Registered Instructor level. She returned in the spring of 2005 and received her Advanced Instructor certification.

Georgia has done many hours of post-graduate work in education and has spent a great deal of time teaching and working with children as a Sunday school and Vacation Church School teacher, Girl Scout leader, Cheer Mom, Team Mom, Room Mother and classroom volunteer. Now that her two children are grown, Georgia has directed her attention to Lift Me Up!

Riding since she was six, Georgia currently owns two horses. While she primarily rides Saddleseat (one of her horses is an American Saddlebred), she has also taken lessons in Hunt Seat, Dressage and Western riding.

Kristin Eddy, Instructor

With a love for the outdoors, animals, and children and backgrounds in special education, fine arts and occupational therapy, the Lift Me Up! Therapeutic riding program gives Kristin Eddy another opportunity to pursue happiness close to home. She started as a volunteer five years ago and slowly worked her way to becoming a NAHRA certified instructor. She also enjoys working as an occupational therapist for Fairfax County Public Schools, Good Beginnings Pediatric Therapy Clinic, Community Residences, and The Vision & Conceptual Development Center.

Katie Fallon, Instructor

Katie Fallon, also Program Director, has been a horse aficionado since childhood, when she happily mucked stalls at camp and shadowed family members at horse shows. Katie's love for horses followed her to Virginia, where she rode at Great Falls Horse Center for 10 years. She currently leases a horse at Southdown Farm in Great Falls. Katie has been actively involved with Lift Me Up! since 2002.

Barbara Hattwick, Instructor

Barbara Hattwick, who was born and raised in Yorkshire, England, became a therapeutic riding instructor two years ago. Previously she had been a volunteer with Lift Me Up! following in the footsteps of her son who performed his high school community service with Lift Me Up! Barbara has both adults and children for her riders and she works closely with the students who volunteer from Madeira School during the Fall and Spring Semesters. Barbara says ponies and horses have always been an important part of her life. She was involved with the Great Falls Pony Club as District Commissioner for 10 years, organizing lessons, regional competitions and designing courses for local Eventing competitions. She owns two horses and has competed at the lower levels of Eventing. Barbara enjoys sharing her interest in Dressage with her riders and plans to take some of her riders to compete in the Therapeutic Riding Association of Virginia Horse Show in Lexington, Virginia.

Margaret Hyer, Instructor

Connie Kohler, OT, Instructor

Connie Kohler has been with Lift Me Up! for 7 years, first as a volunteer, then as an instructor. She has been an instructor for 3 years and became a NARHA certified instructor in April of 2002. Connie is an occupational therapist with Fairfax County Public Schools and INOVA Fairfax Hospital. She is now also serving on the Board of Lift Me Up! Connie is an avid horsebackrider, preferring trail riding to "anything fancy," and rides with the Hunt Valley Riding Club in Oakton, VA. She is excited and proud to be a part of such an amazing organization.

Veronica Laughman , Instructor

Veronica has been with Lift Me Up! for almost 3 years, beginning as an intern and receiving her certification as a NARHA Registered Instructor in October 2005. Veronica has been working around and riding horses since she was 12 years old. She started taking hunter/jumper lessons in exchange for barn work, where she officially became a “barn rat,” hanging out at the barn all day, every day, riding, grooming, mucking, and assisting with vet and farrier visits. Veronica was first exposed to therapeutic riding at the age of 13 when she volunteered at Sebastian Riding Associates in Collegeville, PA. When she moved to Northern Virginia in 1993, where she continued her affinity for all things equestrian, dabbling in dressage and even polo. Finally, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation and certification as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, she has found time to pursue and achieve her wish to be a Therapeutic Riding Instructor. Veronica also works full time as a recreation therapist at the Northern Virginia Training Center for adults with special needs.

Pam Nolan, Instructor

Pam began volunteering for Lift Me Up! in 1997. She became a NARHA certified instructor in 2002 and since then has been teaching in our Sports/Recreational riding program. Pam has been riding and caring for horses since childhood. She has participated in Pony Club and was a member of her intercollegiate riding team. When she is not spending time with her husband and their two young boys, Pam enjoys horseback riding with friends.