Meet our instructors!
Monique Hansen
As a child Monique dreamed of becoming a jockey and working with special needs people. In 2014, she discovered Therapeutic Horseback Riding and decided to make it her career. She became a PATH certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor with an eye on advancing to Advanced and Master Certifications. Currently, Monique is one of the proud instructors at Ride to Fly. She has a strong horsemanship background, having learned several disciplines including Western, Hunter/Jumper and Dressage. Her approach to her students is to create a calm and assertive atmosphere where students learn riding skills they can apply outside of the arena. She can be often heard quoting the great horseman Jimmy Williams, “It is what you learn after you know everything that counts." to her students and volunteers.
Lea Anthony
Lea began riding horses at age seven. Over the years she showed her horse in Equitation and Hunter over fences classes. She went to college and majored in Speech/Language Pathology, and worked in that capacity for the Los Angeles County School District for 27 years. In 1996, Lea was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She felt that her riding days were over and sold her horse. She heard about Ride to Fly, became a student and did her final rehabilitation with us. Because she wanted to be more involved with the program Lea became a volunteer. In 2008, she went further and became a PATH International Certified Instructor for Ride to Fly.
Katie Warschefsky
Katie grew up in rural Michigan, with animals and the outdoors as a part of her daily life. After obtaining a B.A. in Psychology at The University of Michigan, she completed her Master of Science in Social Work degree with a focus on Health, Mental Health, and Disabilities at Columbia University in New York City, as well as a post-graduate fellowship in Clinical Social Work at Yale University School of Medicine. Katie worked in the field of domestic adoption for over nine years. She has been an active member of Ride To Fly since January 2016. She truly enjoys each and every student, volunteer, and horse with whom she interacts. Katie believes that animals, nature, and movement have an extraordinary way of healing, promoting growth, and empowering people to live their best lives.
Clarissa Donnelly