DreamPower staff manage the daily operations of the barn, which includes leading all DreamPower programs, supervising horse care, organizing DreamPower events and coordinating volunteers.

Martha McNiel
Martha is the Founder and Director of DreamPower Horsemanship. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California license #MFC 34795), a NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor and a Certified Equine Interaction Professional in Mental Health (CEIP-MH). Martha served on the Board of Directors of the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) from 2006-2010. She is a Professional Member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). An accomplished rider, she has had articles published by Equestrian Network Magazine, the Bay Area Equestrian Network, Horse-Guide.com, USPC News, NARHA Strides, EFMHA News and Paso Fino Horse World, and serves as Director of the Ohlone Riders unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California. Martha's latest foster horse project can be followed at http://dreampowerhorsemanship.blogspot.com/.

 

Garry Stauber
Garry is a NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor. Specializing in helping adult riders build horsemanship skills and confidence, he has co-taught the Confident Rider Clinics since their inception in 2004. In 2008, Garry instituted the Equine Journey Wilderness Program at DreamPower, so that he can share his love of the outdoors, backcountry riding, packing and camping with disabled and at risk youth. An accomplished horse trainer and long rider, Garry rode the length of California on horseback in 2003. He  continues to pack and ride as a volunteer and Wilderness Rider with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Parks Service. He served as General Manager of Equestrian Network Magazine (www.equestmagazine.com), for which he wrote a monthly column. He has had articles about  horsemanship, trail riding and horse camping published in more than 20 equestrian publications including Ride! Magazine, Paint Horse Journal and Trail Blazer

Magazine. Garry served two terms as First Vice President of the Backcountry

Horsemen of California.


Aleksandra Szymanska
A psychologist and Advanced Therapeutic Riding instructor from Poland, Alex has worked at DreamPower since 2004. An expert rider as well as a sensitive and skilled therapist, Alex specializes in working with children and physically disabled clients.  Alex brings a wonderful international flavor and experience to DreamPower.  In Poland, Alex was on the committee that tested and certified new therapeutic riding instructors for the Polish Therapeutic Riding Association. Alex is also a talented artist and enjoys working on her art projects.

 


 

David Haley

David joined the DreamPower staff as a psychotherapist in 2008. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California license #MFC47807) and has experience working with veterans, adults, couples and adolescents. David is a Navy veteran with 5,000 hours flight time, has twenty years industry experience in aerospace engineering and has a U.S. Congressional Award for conflict resolution. David is a Military Family Life Consultant, has a son on active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard and a son who is a US Marine Corps OIF/OEF veteran. David's favorite horse in the DreamPower barn is "A.C."

 


NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructors

Melissa Abbey

Martha McNiel

Lori Oleson

Garry Stauber

Alex Szymanska

Amy Wagner

 

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists

David Haley, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA License #47807)

Martha McNiel, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA License #34795)

Lisa Renae Nelson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA License #43285)

 

Marriage and Family Therapy Interns

Melissa Abbey, Marriage and Family Therapy Intern

Dyan Adinamis, Marriage and Family Therapy Intern

Priscilla Franklin, Marriage and Family Therapy Intern

Rebecca Olmsted, Marriage and Family Therapy Intern

Kathie Taylor, Marriage and Family Therapy Intern  (Intern #55929)

 

Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist

Renee Hollenbech, SLP