Margaret Mary McClaren
Executive Director
From a young age, Margaret Mary learned the value of giving. Raised by a U.S. army veteran and a special education aide, she saw her parents devote their lives to causes much greater than themselves. As a result, Margaret Mary pursued a career in education after earning a BS & BA from Marquette University as an Evans Scholar. Over the years, she worked for both private & public schools, teaching students in rural areas while also tutoring young women from inner cities.
Throughout her experience in and out of the classroom, Margaret Mary was introduced to individuals and families who benefited from equine-assisted activities and therapeutic riding, and because of their positive testimonials, she began volunteering at a nearby PATH Member Center. Margaret Mary immediately fell in love with the program, its horses, and their efforts—so much so that she decided to make a life change and professionally commit to the nonprofit sector.
She says, “It’s amazing how one experience can change the trajectory of your life. Volunteering at a therapeutic riding facility absolutely changed mine.” As an active member of PATH International, she received her Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Fund Development from the University of Notre Dame, while earning her MBA in Leadership & Management from Aurora University. In 2016 she co-founded the nonprofit, organization Heaven’s Gait Ranch, Inc. and had it registered as a PATH Intl. Member Center. As the Executive Director of Heaven’s Gait Ranch, she is not only a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), but she is also an approved provider under Ozaukee County’s Department of Human Services for Comprehensive Community Services (CCS).
Maggie Robertson, PATH Intl. CTRI, DHS CCS Provider
Program & Volunteer Coordinator
Maggie Robertson grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada on a Canadian Sport Horse breeding farm. After high school, she attended the University of Guelph pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, and today, she fondly recalls memories of working with and learning from her grandparents on their family farm. Shortly after immigrating to Wisconsin in November 2017, she began volunteering at Heaven’s Gait Ranch as a side walker and lead walker. She says, “I began volunteering at HGR because I wanted to give back to the community and meet new people.”
By fall of 2018, Maggie officially joined our staff, and for the last seven years, she’s worked in multiple capacities within the nonprofit. Today, she not only serves as HGR’s Program & Volunteer Coordinator, but she is also one of our PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, credentialed to provide Ozaukee County’s Comprehensive Community Services.
Aside from working with the humans and horses at HGR, Maggie enjoys gardening and canning, working with any animals, and baking. She states, “I am so excited to work with a great group of volunteers and staff, making a difference in the lives of many veterans and individuals with disabilities.”
Monica Schaefer, PATH Intl. CTRI & Mentor
Therapeutic Riding Instructor & Mentor
Monica graduated from Rocky Mountain College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Equestrian Studies; she majored in therapeutic riding and pursued a minor in psychology. In 2010 she became a PATH Intl. Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor and has been a Registered PATH Intl. Mentor since 2015.
She taught a variety of participants for years at Free Spirit Riders, Inc., formerly located in Fond du Lac, WI. During her time at FSR, she was not only their head instructor and veterans’ program coordinator, but she was also their lead contact for obtaining premiere accreditation, as well as running PATH Intl. onsite workshops and certification events. When she learned that FSR would sadly be closing, Monica knew that her love of instructing therapeutic riding and her drive in the nonprofit industry would not end there.
Today we are blessed to have her as part of our staff at Heaven’s Gait Ranch, and we are grateful she has chosen to support our mission in Cedar Grove. As a seasoned Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), Monica is our go-to PATH Instructor at HGR for participants looking to advance their technical horsemanship skills. Whether instructing groundwork or mounted activities, Monica sees the potential in each participant and takes them to the next level.
Amy Sheffield, PATH Intl. CTRI & Support Specialist, DHS CCS Provider
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Amy Sheffield spent her early childhood in remote West Africa, watching her parents pour love into the village and seeing them accept her family as their own in return. She learned early on how impactful it is to serve others in kindness and how lives can be radically changed when communities come together.
Amy began volunteering at a PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center in Florida while earning her BS in Psychology at Stetson University. She immediately fell in love with equine-assisted therapy and joined a mentorship program to become a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. After working as a social worker and teaching classes part-time, Amy accepted the position of Program Director at Marion Therapeutic Riding Association in early 2023. Despite her directorial position, she felt most fulfilled when instructing therapeutic classes, conditioning the program’s horses, and coaching Equestrian Special Olympics.
The opportunity to move to Wisconsin and join the program at HGR in 2024 was a delightful adjustment, and Amy is thrilled to participate in the priceless mission that HGR is bringing to life.
Eager to deepen our center’s impact, Amy became credentialed to provide Sheboygan County’s Comprehensive Community Services, a program that works to stabilize and address mental health and substance use concerns. In addition, Amy enjoys working with children with autism, disabilities, and emotional/behavioral disorders. She believes that few things are more rewarding than watching a child overcome their challenges with the help of a steady horse and a loving hand. Her passion for psychology, fondness of children, and obsession with horses help her thrive in this role. She is also pursuing an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to become a Licensed Mental Health Therapist and hopes to practice equine-assisted psychotherapy someday.
Anika Gooding
Program Assistant
When Anika was six years old, she knew she wanted to work with horses. She didn’t have a particular path in mind, just that horses were her passion and a career path she needed to pursue. As she got older, she helped at several horse farms in the area. She took lessons, assisted with training, and cleaned a lot of stalls. In 2019 Anika learned of a volunteer opportunity at Heaven’s Gait Ranch from one of her English teachers at CGBSD and spent her summer assisting as a side walker. Now, a few years later, Anika is very happy to be back at HGR working as a program assistant. She is currently studying to become a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor through PATH International.
Taylor
Program Assistant
Ever since Taylor was young, she’s had a strong interest in horses and everything animal-related. She says, “From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to work with animals and become a veterinarian.” Although she’s still in high school, Taylor has big goals of attending Texas A&M for college, specializing in equine nutrition. Today, she is not only furthering her education to accomplish those goals, but she’s also gaining practical experience by working at Heaven’s Gait Ranch.
Taylor says, “On my first day of work here, I was welcomed greatly and put to work right away. I had no complaints. I remember going home that night telling my mom how much I am going to love working here. Everyone is here for the same reason. My favorite part about being at HGR is seeing the kids’ faces light up every time they see the horses. It brings me back to the time I got my first horse, and that brings me so much joy. I hope to continue to make others feel that same way as I continue to work with everyone here!”
Taylor has owned her horse, Lola, for nearly six years, and she is forever grateful for all that she has taught her.
Jeremy Ebert
Manager, Property & Grounds
Jeremy Ebert is the proud owner and talented operator of EZ Signs and Lawn Service, LLC. He has been a resident of Sheboygan County nearly all his life. He grew up in Sheboygan Falls and currently lives in Sheboygan with his wife, Rebecca.
Mr. Ebert has been in the landscaping and lawn-care business for over ten years, starting in the industry with another company. Nevertheless, when the opportunity to establish his own business presented itself, Jeremy knew that was the right move for him. He began with a few customers and since then has earned the trust and business of many others.
Jeremy is a private contractor who has been maintaining the grounds at Heaven’s Gait Ranch for years, assisting the staff with a variety of property needs. All year long, anyone who visits Heaven’s Gait Ranch can recognize that Jeremy is extremely considerate of the facility’s needs, especially as the seasons change. Whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, and whether he’s working in the indoor arena, outdoor arena, or out on the trails, Jeremy thoughtfully and proactively ensures our program horses have safe footing and our riders have safe walkways, which is much appreciated by our staff and volunteers alike. Heaven’s Gait Ranch is very fortunate to have Jeremy on their team, as his work enables individuals with special needs and veterans with disabilities to enjoy riding year-round.
As a perfectionist when it comes to the look, health, and maintenance of his customers’ lawns and grounds, Jeremy says, “I know what I want mine to look like, and I work hard to provide that for them too.”
When Jeremy is not on the job, he loves to be on the water fishing.
Sherri Sandona Kamenski, RN, BA, CST, EMFT, ECSTT, MMES, MMCP
Volunteer, Equine Massage & Bodywork, PATH Intl. Member
Sherri Sandona Kamenski, owner of ReVivEquine LLC and lifelong lover of horses, is an avid equestrian from Cedarburg, Wisconsin who volunteers her time and talents at Heaven’s Gait Ranch. Sherri fell in love with horses during 4H, owned a thoroughbred horse, and competed in Hunt Seat and equitation events throughout high school. With life changes and her parents being transferred to Ohio, “horse life” as Sherri knew it was put on hold to focus on a career and start her own family.
Sherri worked for 27 years in the operating room as a Certified Surgical Technician, Surgical Assistant, Registered Nurse, and Team Lead. She continued her education and obtained a BA in Integrated Studies for Computer Science and changed her career path to Electronic Health Record, with a focus in Surgery, Pharmacy, Physician Order Entry, and Oncology. As a breast cancer survivor herself (2013), Sherri deepened her passion for helping others, working a combined total of 44 years in the same health ministry – Ascension. Sherri retired in August, 2021 and decided to combine her love of science and horses.
In August of 2021, Sherri started to volunteer at a local therapeutic riding facility in Midwest Wisconsin, working with clients with special needs. Her passion for giving back to both clients and their equine partners was a perfect fit. Additionally, her interest in providing therapeutic benefits towards the equine partners grew! Sherri was already studying equine massage therapy certification through Holistic Animal Courses* when she was introduced to Jim Masterson at the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, WI in April, 2022. This was the inspiration to work with horses at a much deeper level!
Sherri is a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner, Certified Masterson Method Equine Specialist (MMES), Certified Equine Myo-manipulative Functional Therapist (EMFT), Certified Craniosacral Technician Therapist, and a student of Equine Kinesiology Taping. She is also a member of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International.
Heaven’s Gait Ranch is blessed that Sherri not only volunteers her time working with our participants, but she also generously provides equine bodyworks for our entire herd while sponsoring “Captain.”
Sherri says, “I’m honored to give back to these beautiful equine partners to make them a happier, healthier partner!”
*Holistic Animal Courses are reviewed by and are approved through the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodyworks (IAAMB), the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association (IVCA), and other organizations.
The Masterson Method® courses are accredited and approved by National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure and Massage (NBCAAM), International Institute for Complementary Therapists, and Equine Therapies Association of Australia (ETAA).
