Meet Our Staff!

• Program Director
• Volunteer Coordinator
• PATH-Certified Instructor (CTRI)

Jackie’s love of horses began as a small child and her formal lessons began at the age of 10 on a Welsh Mountain pony named Candy. Riding for most of her life, Jackie eventually bought the horse of her dreams – Wisteria. Jackie and Wisteria trained with a well-respected 

• Program Director
• Volunteer Coordinator
• PATH-Certified Instructor (CTRI)

Jackie’s love of horses began as a small child and her formal lessons began at the age of 10 on a Welsh Mountain pony named Candy. Riding for most of her life, Jackie eventually bought the horse of her dreams – Wisteria. Jackie and Wisteria trained with a well-respected FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) dressage rider in Maryland. Although Wisteria had the potential to become a competitive dressage horse, Jackie preferred to use dressage as a tool to foster and build a partnership with her beautiful mare.

Jackie began volunteering with LiftMeUp! in 2015 and became a PATH-certified instructor in 2016. Her dressage background and additional training as a yoga instructor allow Jackie to teach with a holistic approach, providing her students with physical riding instruction, mindfulness, and relationship building skills.

Jackie was tapped to be Volunteer Coordinator in 2017 and added the role of Program Director since 2019.   

Jackie.Collins@liftmeup.org

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Velvie has always had a love of horses and helping people. In 2016, Velvie found LiftMeUp! Therapeutic

Riding and started volunteering. Being at LiftMeUp! has enabled her to fulfill her desire to help people

and work closely with horses.

In 2022, she completed the Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor certifi

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Velvie has always had a love of horses and helping people. In 2016, Velvie found LiftMeUp! Therapeutic

Riding and started volunteering. Being at LiftMeUp! has enabled her to fulfill her desire to help people

and work closely with horses.

In 2022, she completed the Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor certification process through PATH

International. She felt getting this certification to be able to teach therapeutic riding was the next

logical step in improving her ability to provide support/assistance to people.

Velvie.Cunningham@liftmeup.org

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Patti started riding at the early age of 6 in Warwick, NY, where she participated in various Hunter jumper shows and worked as a stable hand.

After college, she worked at a local horse farm and found her "April," a Morab cross who later became a therapeutic horse for Winslow Therapeutic Center in Warwick, NY.

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Patti started riding at the early age of 6 in Warwick, NY, where she participated in various Hunter jumper shows and worked as a stable hand.

After college, she worked at a local horse farm and found her "April," a Morab cross who later became a therapeutic horse for Winslow Therapeutic Center in Warwick, NY. 

In 2003 she decided to pursue the therapeutic riding instructor certification through PATH International. In 2004 she worked for Gallop NYC in the Bronx, helping Veterans and school children with disabilities.

In 2016 she moved to Virginia and joined the LiftMeUp! family where her love for horses and helping people became fulfilled.

Patti.Dreyer@liftmeup.org

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Atalanta started volunteering at LiftMeUp! Therapeutic Riding in 2012. She attained her certification as a PATH Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2017 and since then she continues to teach therapeutic riding regularly.

Atalanta enjoys working with children, teenagers, and adults. The therapeutic riding field

PATH-Certified Instructor, CTRI

Atalanta started volunteering at LiftMeUp! Therapeutic Riding in 2012. She attained her certification as a PATH Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2017 and since then she continues to teach therapeutic riding regularly.

Atalanta enjoys working with children, teenagers, and adults. The therapeutic riding field was a huge discovery for Atalanta as she could combine her teaching interests with her love of horses and riding.

Atalanta began riding as a child and rode consistently until her parents moved when she was ten. After that she rode horses whenever the opportunity came along.

Atalanta worked as a preservation librarian at several academic libraries and research institutions in the Washington Metropolitan Area until her retirement from the library field in August 2018.

Atalanta.GrantSuttie@liftmeup.org

Financial Manager

 Rita stepped into the Finance role at LMU in April of 2022. A CPA with over 35 years of experience in corporate and non-profit organizations, she has worked in a variety of industries, including as Vice President of Finance for Capitol Records and EMI Music in Hollywood. Rita studied accounting at Ole Miss and earned an 

Financial Manager

 Rita stepped into the Finance role at LMU in April of 2022. A CPA with over 35 years of experience in corporate and non-profit organizations, she has worked in a variety of industries, including as Vice President of Finance for Capitol Records and EMI Music in Hollywood. Rita studied accounting at Ole Miss and earned an MBA at the University of California Irvine. In her role at LMU, Rita handles accounting, financial reporting, financial planning, cash flow analysis, fixed assets, accounts payable and grant management. 

Senior Equine and

Mental Health Specialist

Georgia began volunteering with Lift Me Up! in 1995 and then held the jobs of Volunteer Coordinator, Board President, Program Director, and Executive Director.  Although she retired as Executive Director in 2021, her love for instructing with horses made her stay as a Senior Equine and Mental Healt

Senior Equine and

Mental Health Specialist

Georgia began volunteering with Lift Me Up! in 1995 and then held the jobs of Volunteer Coordinator, Board President, Program Director, and Executive Director.  Although she retired as Executive Director in 2021, her love for instructing with horses made her stay as a Senior Equine and Mental Health Specialist. In 2004, Georgia became a PATH-certified instructor and received her Advanced Instructor certification in 2005. Having done post-graduate work in education, Georgia enjoys combining a love of horses with teaching therapeutic riding.

Georgia has owned saddlebred horses for over 30 years. Growing up riding western, Georgia now focuses on eventing and trail riding. She loves to share the horse show experience with Lift Me Up! riders so they too can win ribbons.

Georgia.Bay@liftmeup.org

Pest-Control Engineers

When you say their names together quickly, it sounds like "LMU." These two sisters take their job very seriously and though at times it seems they do nothing but lie around the barn and ask for attention all day, they are quite accomplished at their jobs as the barn's pest-control engineers. Many mornings we will com

Pest-Control Engineers

When you say their names together quickly, it sounds like "LMU." These two sisters take their job very seriously and though at times it seems they do nothing but lie around the barn and ask for attention all day, they are quite accomplished at their jobs as the barn's pest-control engineers. Many mornings we will come in to find little "gifts" at the door - telling signs that they were on the job!

Mew is the domestic short-hair tabby, and Elle is the domestic long-hair tabby.