HEALING REINS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER Board of Directors
Rob Sumner President
A long time supporter of HRTRC, Rob retired from Regence BlueCross BlueShield in late 2009. As past Director of Sales and Account Management for Central and Eastern Oregon, Rob brings a wealth of insurance provider practice and policy knowledge to the Board. Rob’s duties included managing state, local and federal government sponsored insurance programs for Regence. He has served as Committee member and Committee Chair for Portland West Younglife, is Past President and interim Treasurer for Oregon Partnership, and was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland. The HRTRC mission fits well with Rob’s desire to support entities serving children and teens, and with Regence’s interest in supporting health care related missions. Rob serves as Board Development Chair and seeks to support the organization’s growth through strategic identification and deployment of the skill sets necessary to not only sustain, but grow, the organization.
Justin Finestone Vice President
As a parent of a child with Down syndrome, Justin has experienced first hand the power of HRTRC’s mission “to heal with horses.” Justin’s son, Benjamin, has gained confidence and courage as a result of his therapeutic riding lessons, connecting with his instructor, his horse and his corps of volunteers. Justin serves as the Communications Manager for the City of Bend, spearheading the city’s public information and media relations efforts. With degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science from the University of Southern California, he enjoyed a 16 year career in television news before moving to the public sector. Justin and his family moved to Bend in 2008 and have enjoyed becoming part of the community. He is also a volunteer board member for the Central Oregon Down Syndrome Network.
Cheryl Puddy Secretary
A native Oregonian, Cheryl has lived and worked in Bend for over thirty years. She has strong ties to the community and experience working with a variety of non-profits. Cheryl previously worked with Seven Peaks, a private school she co-founded in 1996. Currently she is on the administrative staff of The Oregon Community Foundation which supports philanthropic efforts on behalf of individuals and non-profits locally and statewide. Her work with the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, supports her passion for outdoor activities and youth mentoring in Central Oregon. Cheryl’s interest in Healing Reins came from watching the amazing progress her sister gained from a similar program in Hailey, Idaho. After suffering a debilitating ski accident her sister, now a quadriplegic, discovered the benefits both physically and emotionally of being able to reconnect through horses. Cheryl looks forward to sharing the Healing Reins mission through community outreach and education.
Kathie Gedde Treasurer
Kathie Gedde grew up in Western Colorado and settled in Bend in 2006 and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has worked in the field of public accounting since 1990, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Business Administration, with double emphases in Management and Small Business. Kathie joined Greer, Mahr & Associates, LLP where she was introduced to Healing Reins through co-worker and long-time HRTRC Treasurer, Judy Van Nice. Kathie’s specialties include assisting closely-held businesses and their related individuals with analysis, planning, reporting and tax issues. She has also been involved with mentoring and supervising staff, training, and planning firm technology programs, along with assistance in private company audits and litigation support. Kathie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants. Along with her experience in accounting, Kathie brings to Healing Reins many years’ involvement with horses and kids through 4-H, both as a member and leader.
Gretchen Koth As a parent of a child with a neurological disorder, Gretchen found HRTRC through her research for the latest therapies, nutrition, education, and interventions that would provide the best quality of life for her son and family. After experiencing, first hand, the benefits of therapeutic riding and equine assisted activities, she became fully vested in the success of the organization and joined its Board. Gretchen has a diverse for profit business sales and marketing background. As the former Vice President of the Downtown Bend Business Association, Gretchen’s mission was to increase awareness, improvements, and economic development to downtown Bend through government affairs, event planning and beautification processes. An actively involved Board Member for the Tumalo Community School PTC, she also serves as the school’s Profit Partner Chairperson and an Auction Committee member. Gretchen sees Healing Reins as a unique environment where people both with and without disabilities come together to overcome obstacles, improve quality of life, and embrace one another’s similarities through the healing power of the horse. Brian Gingerich
Born in Athabasca, Alberta Canada, Brian Gingerich has lived in Bend since 1992. A father of three and a lawyer for the law firm of Schwabe Williamson and Wyatt, Brian received his undergraduate degree from Willamette University and his JD from the University of Oregon. As a business lawyer and commercial litigator, Brian brings an understanding of the need for consensus building and cooperation along with longstanding relationships with community and business leaders. Brian's association with Healing Reins reaches back many years through his association with Penny Campbell and the creation of the Bridge Creek Elementary School. An active member of the local running community, Brian serves on the board of directors for the Central Oregon Running Club which, along with St. Charles is responsible for the Heaven Can Wait event which is the largest sporting event in Central Oregon raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Sarah Fisher Foundation. He is also on the board of directors for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Oregon.
Chantal Strobel
With a career in journalism and crisis public relations, Chantal moved to Central Oregon in 1993 where she began working as the Community Relations Manager for the Deschutes Public Library. During her 16 years with the Library, Chantal has initiated several successful capital campaigns for new libraries across Deschutes County, established the Library’s tax district, managed the Deschutes Public Library Foundation, founded the A Novel Idea…Read Together program, designed cultural and author programming, and played an integral role in the Library’s strategic planning, community building, and powerful messaging. Chantal served on the Seven Peaks School board for five years and is a founding member of the Deschutes Cultural Coalition Board. Her interest in equine therapy was first established when her daughter volunteered at Healing Reins, and Chantal is eager to spread the word about the healing power of horses.
Geoff Babb
Geoff Babb has been associated with Healing Reins since 2007 when he began therapeutic riding following a stroke. Serving on the Board allows him to spread his passion to help people live to their fullest potential, regardless of their situation. After 19 years with The Nature Conservancy, Geoff became the Fire Ecologist for the Central Oregon Fire Management Service (BLM/Forest Service) in 2004 and currently serves on the Board of the Association for Fire Ecology and the City of Bend Accessibility Advisory Committee.
Debbie Amerongen
Debbie Amerongen is Executive Vice President & Chief Deposit Officer for Bank of the Cascades, headquartered in Bend and serving communities in Oregon & Idaho. In this role she is responsible for the development, and implementation of key strategies to provide funding for the bank through core deposit growth and retention. Her oversight includes delivery strategies, product development, pricing, marketing and communications. Debbie’s focus is on building enduring and value added relationships with customers and with communities. A resident of Bend for over twenty years, she has served in a number of volunteer capacities including past Vice Chair of the Saint Charles Medical Center Foundation Board. A lifelong history with horses and an understanding of the unique value HRTRC provides to our Central Oregon community fueled her interest in helping to build support for programs which are invaluable in improving the quality of life for our riders.
Pam Addington-White
Pam Addington-White is a long time resident of Bend. An avid horsewoman, she is the founder of Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center. Addington is the independent owner and operator of Splash Events. With many years in the non-profit field, Pam brings her knowledge of fundraising, strategic planning, event planning, volunteer and sponsor recognition and media relations to the Healing Reins Board. She has seen from the beginning of the Healing Reins journey what it truly means, “…to heal with horses” and wants to share it with the community.
Emeritus Board Founder Members of the Board of Directors are looking for qualified individuals to help provide strategy and long term business direction for Healing Reins. Board members must be willing to commit time and energy to support the Healing Reins mission. Applications may be sent to: r.sumner@bendbroadband.com HRTRC Board Member Application
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60575 Billadeau Road, Bend, Oregon 97702 · (541) 382-9410
