Lift Me Up! Therapeutic Riding Program

Meet Our Staff

Katie Fallon, Co-Program Director

Katie Fallon 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. She knows all the facets of the program, beginning as a volunteer, stepping up to Volunteer Coordinator, participating as a parent of a rider in the program, and now as Program Director. Katie holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Affairs from Georgetown University and Columbia University, respectively, and worked previously as a financial analyst in the foreign bank supervision area of the Federal Reserve Board. This experience will be an asset to LMU through Katie's membership on our Board of Directors. Katie also chairs the Advisory Committee on the Fairfax-Falls Church Interagency Coordinating Council, serves on the Board of Directors of the Speech and Language Center of Northern Virginia, and edits the PTA newsletter for Kent Gardens Elementary School.

Michelle Holling, Co-Program Director

Michele Holling is a lifelong horsewoman who started riding at age six and rode competitively throughout college, as co-captain of her team. Michelle's interest in working with special populations began in junior high school where she coached Special Olympics track and basketball. While in college, she volunteered at Hoofbeats Therapeutic Riding program, and began volunteering at Lift Me Up! during the summer of 1996. Michelle received her NARHA instructor certification in May 2002, and has taught at LMU on Saturday mornings since then. Michelle's academic background includes a dual degree in American Legal Studies/Equine Management from Southern Virginia University, as well as her current pursuit of a Master's Degree in Clinical Social Work from VCU. For the past two years, Michelle has worked as a Grant Specialist/Compliance Review Specialist at the Environmental Protection Agency.

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).

Mary Jo Beckman, Instructor

Mary Jo has been working with mental, physical and emotionally disabled children and adults since 1994. She graduated from the Equest Therapeutic Riding Center Instructor Course in 1997, and was soon designated as a NARHA Advanced Instructor in the categories of physical and cognitive impairment. Mary Jo came to Lift Me Up! in the spring of 1998. Since that time she has maintained a roster of 15 students, including one student she was coaching to qualify for the Paralympics in Sydney Australia, 2000. Mary Jo currently teaches year round at Lift Me Up! however, because it is an outdoor program, classes are dependent on the weather. In addition to instructing, Mary Jo is the secretary of horse shows for riders with disabilities. Mary Jo was recently designated as a Head Evaluator to teach workshops for individuals who want to become NARHA Registered instructors.

Pam McDorman,OT, Instructor

Pam McDorman in an occupational therapist with Fairfax County Public Schools working primarily with the preschool special education program and the Mod/SD program. She also has experience with mild MR and autism. Pam has been with Fairfax County for over 10 years and has been a registered therapeutic riding instructor with Lift Me! up since 1995. In her spare time, Pam enjoys riding her two horses and occasionally competes in the areas of dressage and in combined training.

Kerry Longnecker, Instructor

Kerry is a registered therapeutic riding instructor, and has been with Lift Me Up! for over 10 years. She was instrumental in supporting the vaulting program with Carol Fuller, and has worked with many students in our Sports/Recreational riding program. Kerry is a special education teacher at Oakton High School, and has a Master's degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Along with Kerry's many activities, she rides and trains her horse Delilah.

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.

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.

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.

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

Accredited member of North
American Riding for the
Handicapped Association