Our Team
Board of Directors
Our board of directors strongly believe in the bright future of our organization, our horses and the positive impact we have on our local community. Our board members come from a wide-range of backgrounds to enable us to access a deep knowledge base.
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Owner and FounderOfficer: President, Executive Director
Susan was born and raised in Simsbury, CT. After attending Simsbury High School went on to Regis University and the University of Hartford before starting her career journey. Susan has been the owner of a gourmet shop, a stockbroker, and a stay at home mom. After returning to school and earning her RN degree in 2001 she worked at Hartford Hospital and then at St. Francis Hospital until 2013. Susan has served on the Board of the Farmington Valley Trails Council as chair of the Fundraising and Events Committee and launched a series of very successful cycling rides and events that are still in existence today.
After a foot surgery sidelined Susan’s RN career in 2013, quite by accident Susan became aware of the dark side of the horse industry, where she uncovered the gruesome fact that the US sends roughly 100,000 healthy horses to slaughter annually. This “online education” changed everything for her and the journey to make a difference in the lives of America’s “unwanted horses” began. In 2016 Susan founded US Horse Welfare and Rescue Org., a 501(c)3 nonprofit designed to create awareness about the plight of America’s horses through advocacy, education, supportive programs for owners, and rescue. Through her State Representative’s assistance, Susan chaired a multi-week Working Group at the State Of Connecticut Legislative Office Building with several State Representatives, the President of the CT Farm Bureau, the Direct of the CT Dept of Agriculture, the CT Director of the HSUS, Lobbyists and other notables to work to develop legislation to protect CT equines from going to auction or slaughter. Although the group was unable to come to a consensus, there was a vast education imparted to many who sat on the panel. Susan is currently the Executive Director and President of the US Horse Welfare and Rescue Organization and is also a District Captain with the ASPCA.
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Officer: Vice President, Operations & Volunteers, Corporate SecretaryBonnie Bassette joined the U.S. Horse Welfare Rescue to volunteer alongside fellow horse lovers in March 2021. She brings her extensive background working with children and adults, including her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Boston College. Bonnie is known for her passion for horses and teaching others about the tender care that is provided for each and every horse at the rescue. When Bonnie isn’t volunteering, she is teaching water aerobics and swimming. She enjoys traveling, visiting other animal rescues and riding her bike. Bonnie lives with her husband Don and two very spoiled Great Danes,Titus and Cora, in West Hartford.
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Steven is the VP of Mitchell Auto Group, a 104-year-old family-run dealership located in Hartford, Windsor, Simsbury, and Canton, CT. He is an accomplished skier, cyclist, and lover of life. His dedication to the horses, the mission and the organization is commendable.
Nickname: Horse Husband
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Annie is lifelong Connecticut native, moving to Simsbury in 2010 where she is raising her two young active daughters. She loves animal rescue and large animals of all kinds, but is a multiple-time foster fail. Annie has been a web designer and developer for most of her professional career, and enjoys using her technical skills to advance the cause of animal rescue whenever she can.
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Board MemberMary originally joined USHWR as a volunteer in March of 2021after retiring from a career in health care. Mary has returned as a Board Member as of this September. Mary’s love for horses was in part influenced by both her daughter's, Julie and Kate. Our family included two wonderful horses, Roan Ranger and Fresh Prince. Katherine still has Fresh Prince and is an equine veterinarian in Rhode Island. Julie volunteers at an animal rescue in Massachusetts. So, the love for horses and all animals is in our hearts.
Mary is thrilled to be back and is looking forward to participating with other board members and volunteers to support the mission of US Horse Welfare and Rescue. Mary’s main interests are event planning, volunteer recruitment and retention. Mary lives in Bristol with her husband John and their senior rescue dog,Tom. Mary has four grown children and four grandchildren.
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SecretaryLisa Vanderhoof is an attorney, author, aromatherapist and Secretary for USHWR. She began her association with USHWR as a volunteer in June 2023 due to an unrequited love of horses that began in childhood. In exchange for the opportunity to work with and on behalf of horses, Ms. Vanderhoof offers legal counsel, assistance with the newsletter and of course, time well-spent on the farm doing chores.
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Board Member
Bette is a Connecticut native and longtime resident of Canton. She enjoyed a successful career in the insurance industry where her focus was systems development, operational analysis and process management for casualty property claims. Her interest in horses began at an early age and her love of the western and southwestern lifestyle fostered a deeper love for them.
She ‘found’ USHWR in May, 2025 and now shares her time with her golden retriever, supporting the herd, her church community and gardening.
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Ginny was raised in southern Connecticut and began her college education at the University of Rhode Island before transferring to North Carolina State University, where she attended on an ROTC scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting.
Her professional background is both diverse and extensive, beginning with three years at an international CPA firm and expanding across multiple industries throughout her career. Ginny has held roles in corporate auditing for a Fortune 500 company, food distribution, and transportation management, including operating a limousine service.
Outside of her professional life, Ginny has been an avid small-bore rifle shooter since the age of 11, reflecting a lifelong commitment to discipline, focus, and personal challenge. Her broad life experiences, strong work ethic, and varied professional background bring valuable perspective and dedication to the organization and our community she so loves & supports. Ginny has now been with USHWR for 6 years!
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Director: Event Planning & Promotion
Ed is a native of New Haven, Connecticut and a graduate of the University of Connecticut, Class of 1969. In 1965, he founded Bands Unlimited which later morphed into Miriam Cohen Productions with his wife as his business partner. The business soon became the largest independent music management/booking agency in New England: managing five bands and booking 100. Simultaneously, he was playing 2nd sax, percussion and was backup singer for “The Gravy Train”. Throughout his involvement in the East Coast music scene, he worked with: Jerry Greenberg (later President of Atlantic Records and MJJ Music for Michael Jackson at Sony); Craig McGregor (Foghat); Bobby Torello (Edgar Winter); Fred Parris and the 5 Satins (of “In the Still of the Night Fame”); and Michael Bolton (formerly known as Michael Bolotin); and many others.
Ed is currently managing world famous Italian composer/conductor/arranger/producer/multi-instrumentalist/track engineer/mix engineer/mastering engineer, Max Di Carlo who has 2 films he has recently scored going into the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, and another film recently acquired for worldwide distribution. Max is also in negotiations on an unsolicited major contract with one of the biggest film studios in the world, produced singer-songwriter-guitarist DIRT MILLER (result-artist signed to WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR and set to support JOHN MAYER world tour).
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Director of National Advocacy
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Ann is a sports psychologist with a background working with elite equestrian athletes around the country. She also serves as USHWR’s lead director for equine welfare, outreach, and government relations. Ann is responsible for USHWR maintaining a unified national voice for America’s equines— both wild and domestic.
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Lisa has called Connecticut her home since her childhood and always marvels at its beauty. She spent several decades working for private law firms and a large corporation. Ten years ago, she met the herd, immediately fell in love with all of them, and soon thereafter she began volunteering in their daily care. You can usually find her in the grain shed preparing daily rations.
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I was born and raised in Colorado but moved to Connecticut in my Twenties where I have lived since. Spending 29 years in the lovely town of Windsor Locks where I currently reside. My career was in Medical Billing and Coding for over 25+ years, when Covid contributed to the ending of that, like so many others. It was during this time that my sister-in-law Lisa Voorvaart encouraged me to get involved with the US Horse Welfare and Rescue as a volunteer. Even though I had to take some time away between then and now, this has been a dream come true as I have loved horses since I can remember. And now I get to work hands on in the care of these exceptional animals.
Advisory Board
Our dedicated advisory board sets the tone for our community and helps us gain new insights, share advice to solve problems, and explore new opportunities by stimulating robust, high-quality conversations. They are an inspiration to the entire organization.
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Bruce graduated from Middlebury College with a bachelor's degree in political science and from Trinity College with an master's in history. He is the author of many financial, investment and historical articles and a book, Manhood and Patriotic Awakening in the American Civil War. Before turning to greenways advocacy, he worked for 17 years in investment brokerage, management, and banking with international companies in Boston, Hartford, New York and Beijing. He is a lifelong bicyclist and alpine skier. Previously, he served as president of the nonprofit Farmington Valley Trails Council for 12 years. He is also a past chairman of the Connecticut Committee of the East Coast Greenway Alliance. In 2014, Bruce was appointed chairman of the Governor’s Connecticut Greenways Council, which coordinates all state stakeholders in planning, implementing, and funding the greenway system. He serves on many other boards and was recognized by the Connecticut General Assembly in a 2016 Official Citation as a regional force in bicycle and pedestrian advocacy.State Coordinator, East Cost Greenway (2017-present)
President, Farmington Valley Trails Council (2005-2017)
Chairman, Governor’s Connecticut Greenways Council
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Diana retired in 2018 after 18 years in the Connecticut General Assembly where she chaired the Committee on Children and the Appropriation Committee’s Results Based Accountability Sub-Committee.
Well known for her work linking animal cruelty to future violent behavior, Diana authored the first-of-its-kind in the nation law that allows judges to appoint lawyers pro bono and supervised law students in court to represent dogs and cats in cases of egregious abuse. Known as Desmond’s Law, she is now actively supporting efforts to pass similar legislation in other states.
During her tenure she also successfully pushed laws on dissection choice, cross-reporting of abuse and neglect between the Department of Children and Families and the Department of Agriculture in cases of child abuse or animal cruelty, and a law ending breed discrimination in Connecticut.
In response to the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary she authored the law providing for a DCF worker and a therapy animal and handler to provide comfort during times of trauma. This also led to her legislation allowing therapy dogs in court for child victims of sexual abuse. She has also passed legislation related to cracking down on puppy mills, inappropriate tethering, animals in hot cars and proper animal shelter in the case of extreme weather.
Member, State of CT House of Representatives, District 43 (2001-2019)
Committee Chair/Co-Chair Children’s Committee
Senior consultant, results Leadership Group
Adjunct Professor, Three Rivers College
Professor, University of Connecticut, Avery Point
Member, National Association of Women Business Owners
Parents Committee, Williams College
Founder, Small Business Advocacy Task Force
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Advisor: Equine-Assisted TherapyLMSW, BSW, CAMS II
Eagala (Equine Growth & Learning Association) Certified
Crisis Therapist: Community Health Resources Embedded within 4 local Police departments
Member Since 1998: American Association of Oral & Maxilofacial Surgeons: Anesthesiology Certification
United States Naval Veteran
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Owner/ Equine Veterinarian, Connecticut Veterinary Services, LLC (2005-Present)
Founder/ Executive Director, Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue, Inc. (2011-Present)
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Lobbyist, Gallo & Robinson, LLC
Joe is a former politician, who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1989 to 1993. He is most noted for being Connecticut's first state legislator ever to come out as gay. Following the end of his term in office, he took a job as legislative director with the Human Rights Campaign. He was later named executive director of the Connecticut Civil Liberties Union in 1995. He lobbied numerous city and state legislatures across the country and the US Congress and the Federal Executive branch as Legislative and Policy Director for the Human Rights Campaign Fund and was the first person officially invited to the White House as an openly gay person in the history of the country. He has also received innumerable awards for his work and dedication to Civil Rights. Joe is a beekeeper very concerned about our pollinators’ health and is an advocate for urban beekeeping. He is also a glassblower certified by one of the oldest glassblowing furnaces in Murano, Venice, Italy.
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Human Resources
Heather is one of the icons at US Horse Welfare & Rescue, having served as a barn hand volunteer, a member of the Board of Directors, and now as our Human Resource Advisor. She has worked for MicroCare for decades, starting back when it was owner by her father and continues her great work with MicroCare, now as the VP of Business Operations. We are grateful for all of Heather’s volunteer hours here at the rescue.
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Programs and Web Design
Tracy joined US Horse Welfare and Rescue in 2017 when her and youngest daughter wanted to get involved with horses. After about 9 months of volunteering, she joined the Board as one of the Volunteer Coordinators. She was responsible for recruiting, training, scheduling, and retaining volunteers for the organization. From 2020-2022 she served the Board as Vice President where she had a bigger role with the volunteers and overseeing programs. Since leaving the Board, she remains active in the day-to-day operations including communications and programming for the organization.
Tracy has been a teacher for 28 years at the elementary and middle school levels and currently is a sixth grade science teacher at Bristol Middle School in West Hartford. Tracy’s education includes an undergraduate degree from Central Connecticut State University in Environmental Education and teaching, a masters degree in Environmental Studies from University of Antioch New England, and she’s finishing up a masters in Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University.
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Social Media & Community ConnectionsKristen was born and raised in Florida and graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Photojournalism. She and her husband Jarrett moved to Connecticut when their son, Wesley, was just 6 months old. She joined US Horse Welfare & Rescue in the summer of 2021, when her daughter Mollie (a CT baby) had an interest in learning to ride. Over a year later, Mollie is still riding and enjoys being a part of the barn family. Since moving to Connecticut in 2013, Kristen has taken on many roles including working as an Adjunct Instructor for Tunxis Community College, Freelance photographer, Managing Editor for hulafrog.com and most recently a paraprofessional at an Avon school. She is very involved in the community supporting the cub scouts, athletic teams, and local small businesses. She has a passion for working with children with special needs. Kristen is looking forward to bringing her photography & marketing skills to the programs and events at US Horse Welfare & Rescue.
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Director: Fundraising & Event PlanningJulie is a resident of Avon, was raised in New Hartford, and graduated from Springfield College School of Social Work Masters Program. Julie discovered the US Horse Welfare and Rescue in the summer of 2020 when her husbands’ daughter joined the Barn Buddies program. She quickly fell in love with the horses and the mission of USHWR and soon found herself assisting in fundraising efforts and joined the Board in the fall of 2020. Julie frequently supports both her religious and local communities through volunteer efforts and donations of her time and expertise. For the last 25 years she also has volunteered at Oliver Wolcott Tech for their Thanksgiving Day dinners with community outreach and their Breakfast with Santa. In 2009 Julie got involved with Special Olympics Connecticut and has been both the Local Coordinator and the Head Coach for the Northwest CT Special Olympics Swim Team. Julie has worked in a variety of Social Service fields throughout her 15 years as a Social Worker. She currently works as a Social Worker at a local elementary school. She is looking forward to bringing the experience she has in the Social Work field to the programs available at US Horse Welfare and Rescue.
