Staff

Founders

Ann and Larry Kulchin

Larry and Ann with granddaughter Tessa in 1996.

 

Memoirs from a daughter: Ann and Larry Kulchin

Lawrence Kulchin caught the eye of Ann Elise Richter in 1957. Larry a handsome, New York born lad was attending University of Berkley after a stint in the Air Force as a surveyor, when he happened upon Ann, a red headed beauty from Little Rock Arkansas, who was working in the office at UC Berkeley. Hitting it off immediately, they "eloped" to Las Vegas with the family for their wedding. I was born in 1958 in Walnut Creek, California and Dede was born in 1959 in San Jose. Dad only worked a few years for someone else, then went into business for himself. Kulchin & Associates evolved into one of the biggest engineering firms in the United States. Mom held the fort down at home raising us and going with our every whim. Mom and Dad bought us a pony, Mighty Mouse, who was the beginning of the horsey adventure, that I am still on!

My sister, Dede, while at Cal Poly pursuing her Child Development degree, chose to do her Sr. Project on The Animal Human Bond. This was a natural course, because we spent our childhood raising everything from baby quail in the bathtub to our horses!

Mom and Dad were such gamers! When a conference by the Delta Society was in Texas on therapeutic horseback riding, this "new" field of study, off we went! We were hooked and things just rolled after that. My sister and I attended a two week training in Orange County with Fran Joswick and completed our PATH training! My parents bought a piece of property in San Luis Obispo where Dede ran BOK south for several years, until it was no longer feasible. Purchasing, two Fjords, PJ and Zeke, I started giving lessons at my parents house, in Redwood City. I even went to pick up my first student at her house! The idea of Therapeutic Horseback riding, was just starting....

And here we are today!

Program Director

Tish Dipman

Tish Dipman is a seventh generation Oakland native who was raised in Pleasant Hill. The oldest of three girls, Tish started showing interest in horses at age four and by age nine she was taking formal lessons and began showing in local shows throughout Northern California. Throughout her life she has ridden, leased, and owned many horses. By age seventeen, Tish was showing and training event horses professionally.

Her life was changed forever when, at the age of eighteen, Tish started taking care of a little girl with Autism whose mother had passed away from cancer. Within that year her focus changed from horses to working exclusively with the special needs community. Tish has worked as a 1:1 with many special needs children in both their school and home environments. She spent seven years working at the Recreation Center for the Handicapped, now known as the Janey Pomeroy Center, before moving on to the Bridge School and B.O.K. Ranch. Tish is a PATH certified instructor and a CHA certified riding instructor who owned and operated her own therapeutic riding center in the East Bay for several years before making the move to the Peninsula.

Tish married her long time boyfriend Scott in Vegas on 08-08-08. Baby makes three, Scott and Tish were very excited to welcome their Baby Benjamin into the world 10 months later, and then baby Beau three years after that!

Tish can be reached at tishcallos@yahoo.com.

Tish's Sense of Humor

 

Office Manager

 

Sharon Doubek

Sharon Doubek grew up in farm country surrounded by horses in Western New York State. She fantasized about having a horse of her own, but it wasn’t until her daughter, Ivana, showed an interest in horses did Sharon’s dream come true. Ivana had been taking riding lessons for a few years and participated in Hunter/Jumper shows when a teacher recommended that it was a good time for Ivana to have a horse of her own.

The horse Sharon and Ivana found was an Arab gelding, Cody that had been rescued from an abusive training situation. When Sharon first saw Cody running around the round pen with his neck arched and his nostrils flaring, she was reminded of the Godolphin Arab in the book, King of the Wind. Cody was smart, willing to please but because of his sensitivity and lack of training, he was not ready to become the hunter/jumper Ivana wanted. Ivana went on to lease other horses and compete in A Circuit Jumping and Equitation shows.

Meanwhile, Sharon fell in love with Cody and discovered Parelli Natural Horsemanship. It was a perfect training method for both Sharon and Cody because it requires patience, understanding the way horses think, and concentration on becoming safe and confident on the ground before attempting to ride. It has been a slow process but now Cody is a more confident, well-behaved gentleman.

Sharon’s love for horses continues to grow because of her personal experience with their gentle, healing nature. Sharon is eager to bring her project/business management skills, her commitment to children with special needs and her love of horses to B.O.K. Ranch as the Equine Administration Assistant.

 

Administration/Webmaster

 

Jamie Morris

Jamie began riding at the age of four, and started volunteering with BOK in 1992.  Over the years she became more and more involved with the program, and before moving to Colorado in 2001, she was working as BOK's office manager and volunteer coordinator.

After the move she continued maintaining the BOK website, and she adopted PJ when he retired in 2006 (pictured is PJ with Jamie in the volunteer class at a 1998 horse show).

After nine years in Colorado, Jamie happily moved back to the Bay Area, and is currently living in the coast range with her two horses (one of them a Fjord), dog, and cats.

She enjoys work as a web designer and 3D artist, and is excited to get more involved with BOK again.

 

PATH Instructor

 

Shannon Hill

Shannon is a Bay Area native and life-long horse lover. She grew up vaulting in Woodside with Sundance Vaulters and competed nationally and internationally. In 2008, after 24 years of birthday and Christmas wishes, Shannon finally adopted a horse of her own. Flash, a gorgeous tri-color paint Tennessee Walker gelding, has been all her dreams come true and more! Shannon also served two years as the Volunteer and Adoption Coordinator, overseeing the care of horses awaiting families of their own, at the coastal ranch where she adopted Flash.

In May 2010, Shannon received her Masters in Social Work from San José State University. Soon after, she began volunteering at BOK Ranch and has loved every moment with the wonderful horses, students, volunteers, and staff! The experience has inspired Shannon to pursue a career as a PATH Therapeutic Riding Instructor - combining her experience working with kids with special needs and her love of horses! Shannon is so thankful to have found BOK Ranch!

 

PATH Instructor

 

Marida Berlin

Marida Berlin grew up in Los Angeles, California.  Ever since she can remember she loved horses. It started with begging her parents to take her to the pony rides at Griffith Park where she would stand up in the stirrups and pretend she was a jockey crossing the finish-line.  She drew horses on every piece of paper she could get her hands on, pranced around the playground jumping over benches and read every book in the library about horses.

Marida took her first formal riding lessons through a P.E. class at CSU, Northridge where she eventually got a degree in Psychology.  She returned to school, and attended Otis Art Institute where she studied graphic design.  Marida worked as a graphic designer and art director in advertising and publishing.

After having 2 daughters Marida and husband, Robert moved to Portola Valley.  Marida took up riding again and got her first horse, Sadie.  Marida and Sadie started out competing in dressage and then moved on to 3-day eventing where she no longer had to just pretend she was crossing the finish-line.  The Berlins own 2 other horses; Letrista, an Azteca mare and Michaeleen, an Irish Sport Horse gelding.  Marida served as Joint District Commissioner for Portola Valley Pony Club where she implemented their instructional program and organized riding clinics.  Marida trains with Anja Pflanz for dressage and Gabrielle Goni of Excalibur Training for jumping.  She is an active member of California Dressage Society, United States Eventing Association and United States Equestrian Federation.

 

 

PATH Instructor

 

Hannah McDonald

Hannah grew up in San Carlos, CA and has been riding horses on the peninsula since she was 9. From a young age, she had a fascination of horses for their sensitivity and movement. She has worked as a stablehand and lesson helper for many years on the peninsula for work exchange, taking formal lessons and leasing horses. Her training has been in English riding, and focused on jumping. Hannah started volunteering at BOK Ranch in 2009 for therapeutic riding lessons, and became intrigued by how horses can help all of us with the struggles we face in life. She also spent two years working as a lead liner for Hippotherapy students, as well as volunteering with physical therapists at BOK Ranch. Hannah got certified as a PATH therapeutic riding instructor in 2011. She also leads the Parent Trail rides. When not working, Hannah is attending San Jose State University, studying Behavioral Science. She also leases a horse named Lilly. After riding at many different barns over the years, she has said she is grateful to have found BOK ranch and definitely feels at home here.

 

PATH Instructor

 

Bethany Layport

Bethany grew up in the Los Angeles area and spent her summers in the southwest corner of Colorado, where she first began riding horses at age seven. As her love of horses grew, Bethany began volunteering at a local boarding stable, where she rode and exercised over twenty-five horses throughout her teenage years. This love carried into her college studies, where she worked with and learned about a variety of agricultural animals. In June 2009, Bethany received her Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she did research in reproductive physiology with horses and cattle. Bethany spent two of her years at Cal Poly working at the Horse Unit, where she helped manage, feed, and foal out the broodmares, and helped imprint the foals.

At the beginning of 2011, Bethany began volunteering at BOK where she fell in love with Animal Assisted Therapy, and especially enjoyed working with the BOK students, horses, volunteers, and staff. Bethany was deeply honored to witness the magic that can happen between a horse and a rider in need. Her experiences with BOK inspired her to become a PATH-certified Riding Instructor, and she is grateful every day to work with the BOK students and horses. When Bethany isn't at BOK, she works with dogs, and can often be found walking her own dog, Bailey, on the cross-country course after lessons are over.

 

 

PATH Instructor

 

Francoise Vincent

Francoise Vincent describes her experience on a horse as one of spiritual oneness with life and nature. Growing up on a farm in the French Alps, her budding passion for horses was shared with her cherished grandfather. A horse lover himself and avid rider, he transmitted his equestrian knowledge to Francoise early on, and mentored her through her formal horseback riding lessons which she started at eight years old. As an adult she continued to ride and eventually rescued a spirited Arabian horse with which she developed a deep connection and a great friendship. The two enjoyed many endurance and pleasure rides through the rolling hills of Northern California.

As a young adult, Francoise had discovered her second life-long passion, and had become a yoga practitioner and soon after, a yoga instructor. Through the practice of yoga she developed a deep intuition and was astonished to discover how it enhanced her communication with the horse and consequently improved the equestrian experience for both. She knew that yoga helps develop a strong physical core, which is also essential to riding. As a result, Francoise now combines these two practices, yoga and horsemanship, and helps riders commune with their four-legged friend.

When she started volunteering at BOK Ranch several years ago, Francoise was greatly moved when she witnessed that students with special needs developed a rapport with the horse and began to thrive in ways often inaccessible to them otherwise. This realization inspired her to become a PATH- certified therapeutic riding instructor and to transmit her passions for the art of riding and the art of yoga to students of all ages and capabilities. Francoise appreciates every opportunity to work with students, horses, and with the dedicated volunteers and staff at BOK ranch.
 

 

Stable Assistant

 

Megan Dinsmore

Megan is a native of the Bay Area.  Her love of riding and horses began at the age of 7 when her family would take their annual trip down to a guest ranch near Santa Barbara.  For the past several years she has worked with the wranglers at a ranch in Bridgeport on the other side of the Yosemite range with their annual Spring cattle work. She follows the PBR (Professional Bull Riding) and rodeo circuits along with attending the concerts of her favorite country performers.  She enjoys both volunteering and working at the BOK.  It fulfills her dream of doing what she loves the most which is to be with and care for horses.

 

Other Instructors and Therapists that facilitate people

with special needs at the Horse Park at Woodside:

 

 

Dr. Angela Sherman

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy

Angela Sherman, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist (PSY23689), with a long standing interest in human-animal interactions. She has extensive experience working with individuals with behavioral and emotional difficulties as well as learning and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Sherman is committed to helping people increase self-awareness and come to healthier ways of interacting with the world around them and believes that horses are a good match for helping with this goal. For this work, Dr. Sherman is certified through the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). She is also a previous BOK Ranch PATH certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.  For more information on Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning, contact Dr. Sherman at (650) 248-4072 or changeyourlead@gmail.com.

 

Julie Freschi

Physical Therapist

Hippotherapy has always been Moraga-native Julie Freschi’s dream occupation. To this end she combines her passion for and knowledge of horses with her career as a physical therapist. Julie gained her foundational horse knowledge in Pony Club. She competed in Eventing during high school. As a University of Oregon undergrad, Julie founded the nationally-competitive Intercollegiate Equestrian Team. She later attended Boston University, earning a Masters of Science in Physical Therapy. Her initial decision to move East was heavily influenced by her desire to ride there. During her time East Julie strengthened her interest in dressage through her assignment as a working student. She continues to enjoy dressage with her leased mare Fabbi. Julie’s interest in working with children with special needs stems from her service in her church’s Children’s Ministry Class, specially designed for children with special needs. She has since helped establish similar programs in Kenya, also serving as a mentor. She currently works as a full-time physical therapist at the Hope Technology School in Palo Alto, California.

 

Horse Sensing

Sally Broder

Dr. Broder began her professional equine career at the age of 15. She went to work for a horse trainer in Rancho Sante Fe, California and spent the next several years working with beautiful show horses. Even back then, she felt the healing power in horses and was developing ideas about how to pass this to others. 15 years later she embarked on her career in the fields of, first, substance abuse treatment then more broadly clinical psychology. She has focused her career on treating individuals who have experienced trauma and felt the effects of that in their life paths. With Horse Sensing, she brings together her clinical expertise and equine expertise to facilitate the healing process in her clients.

 

 
 

Program Location: 3674 Sand Hill Road, Woodside, CA 94062
Mailing Address: 1815 Cordilleras Road, Redwood City, CA 94062 • (650) 366-2265