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- Name: Fern Bonchek
- Type of Therapeutic Riding Certification: PATH Intl. Advanced Instructor
- Position: Executive Director
- Email: gro.yparehtslapnull@nref
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 2
- The person at PALS that has seen it all and been there from the beginning is Fern, the Executive Director and Founder. Before she started PALS, she obtained a B.A. degree in Psychology with a specialization in Human & Animal Interactions and worked at other therapeutic riding centers from California to New York since 1995. Fern started PALS because she wanted to bring her experience in therapeutic riding back home to Indiana. Fern served as the chair of the Higher Education Committee of Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) from 2004 – 2006, is a PATH Intl. Registered On-Site Workshop/Certification Associate Evaluator, an adjunct instructor at Indiana University School of Public Health (formally HPER) and a 2010 graduate of Leadership Bloomington-Monroe County (LBMC). Fern’s life isn’t all work, she enjoys hiking, rock climbing, camping, and of course riding her horse “Sunny”.
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- Name: Annie Cornett, MS, CTRS
- Type of Therapeutic Riding Certification: PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
- Position: Assistant Director/Instructor
- Email: gro.yparehtslapnull@einna
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 6
- Annie was first introduced to therapeutic riding when she began volunteering at PALS in 2005 as a sidewalker, horse leader, and barn manager. The passion she developed for the field only grew as she spent more and more time with the program, and in 2009 she became a PATH Intl. Registered Instructor. She is a two-time graduate of Indiana University, most recently completing her Masters of Science in Recreation, with a concentration in Therapeutic Recreation. She received her professional certification as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) from the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification in 2011. Annie was recently named one of Bloomington’s “10 Under 40″ award recipients for her work in our community. Check out her video from the award presentation here! In addition to her time at PALS, Annie enjoys showing her 4 year old OTTB Bubba, running, walking her dog, and reading.
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- Name: Jennifer Lung
- Type of Therapeutic Riding Certification: PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
- Position: Head Riding Instructor
- Email: gro.yparehtslapnull@nnej
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 3
- Pictured here with her favorite PALS horse, Bell, Jennifer has been involved with PALS since shortly after it began in 2000. Jennifer found out about PALS after bringing one of her clients to participate in therapeutic riding. Jennifer then knew that this was the place for her. With her background of showing and owning horses since she was 10, and also her long career of working with people with disabilities – this would be the perfect fit of her two loves!! Jennifer has a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation and a minor in Environmental Interpretation, and is certified to do Person Centered Planning for people with disabilities. She got involved because she loves the people, riders and volunteers. “It is the greatest reward to see the rider smiling, learning new things, and most of all, having fun!” Jennifer said. “There are several people that I work with that are very hard to find activities that they like to do. However, therapeutic riding has become their favorite thing. They look forward to seeing the horses and people, and it makes me feel great to know we are all contributing to brighten their day.”
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- Name: Taryn Lyman
- Type of Therapeutic Riding Certification: PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
- Position: Instructor/Volunteer Coordinator
- Email: gro.yparehtslapnull@nyrat
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 5
- Pictured here with her favorite PALS horse, Lola, Taryn has been involved with PALS since the spring of 2007. She found out about the PALS program from its involvement with Indiana University, where she graduated in 2010 with Exercise Science and Spanish degrees. Taryn grew up with horses, and has always loved all types of animals, so the PALS barn is one of her favorite places to be in Bloomington. Taryn is currently working towards an Associate of Science in Nursing degree in the RN program at Ivy Tech. When she’s not working she loves to read, spend time with her horse (and retired PALS horse) Patti, and hang out with her friends.
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- Name: Cindy Linsenbardt
- Type of Therapeutic Riding Certification: PATH Intl. Registered Instructor
- Position: Instructor
- Email:gro.yparehtslapnull@ydnic
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 7
- Growing up Cindy developed her love of horses through riding lessons, 4-H, and by leasing a horse. Cindy attended the University of California at Davis where she graduated in 2007 with a BA in Studio Art and Minors in Equine Science and Spanish, and completed a Foal Management Internship at the Animal Science Horse Barn. In addition Cindy holds a Certificate of Experiential Teaching as well as a Certificate of Entrepreneurship from the Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University. After volunteering at several therapeutic riding programs in Illinois, Cindy became a Certified PATH Registered Level Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor in 2012. When she and her husband moved to Bloomington, Indiana, she immediately started volunteering at PALS, and the rest is history! In her free time Cindy enjoys training her horse Zella, being outdoors, doing gymnastics, reading, writing and traveling.
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- Name: Amy Ransford
- Position: Events Coordinator
- Email:gro.yparehtslapnull@yma
- Phone: (812) 336-2798 ext. 4
- Pictured here with Cody, Amy has been involved with PALS since 2001 when she began volunteering as a side walker, lead walker, and barn manager. In addition, she has helped plan events, written and edited publications, and assisted with public relations. Amy’s professional experience includes development, donor relations, event planning, and communications work. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Hanover College and a master’s degree in journalism from the Indiana University School of Journalism. Though no longer actively riding herself, Amy has passed her love of horses and riding to her daughter, Sophie, who began riding at PALS as a recreational rider at the age of 4. When not working, Amy enjoys spending time with her family, running, and walking her two old dogs. If she had more time, she would spend countless hours reading books on European history.
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