Equestrian Staff
Lauren Wong
TR Instructor, Program Director
Lauren is a PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. She contributes to SPIRIT’s program activities each week—teaching group therapeutic riding lessons and overseeing equine assisted learning programs and volunteer activities. Lauren has completed Greg Kersten’s OK Corral “Ok, It’s Family Time!” and “ Coming Home Again” certifications in Equine Assisted Activities. She believes strongly, in both the qualitative and quantitative benefits of therapeutic horseback riding, for her students and their caregivers. She has an interest in educating the public about the benefits of animal therapies. When not at SPIRIT, Lauren works as a software developer.
Vesma Montvillo
TR Instructor
Vesma Montvillo joined Spirit in 2018 as a dedicated volunteer. She has worked with horses since 2015 at the Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Maryland – and continues to spend her Sundays volunteering there. Vesma is the first certified Therapeutic Riding instructor through SPIRIT Academy, and has been teaching classes since 2020.
Michelle Gnozzio
Riding Instructor
A lifelong equestrian, Michelle grew up riding, training, and competing horses. She trained with top riders and worked for 5-Star event and Grand Prix dressage riders to learn how equine businesses operate. Her C3/HB United States Pony Club ratings attest to her proficiency in riding, teaching, and horsemanship. In 2020, Michelle joined SPIRIT as an instructor and soon became an integral part of the program.
Meagan Hosker
Riding Instructor
Jenna Klein
Riding Instructor, Therapeutic Horsemanship Facilitator, Volunteer Coordinator
Abigail Schwall
Riding Instructor
Hanna Bleznak
Occupational Therapist
Hanna is an occupational therapist with experience in outpatient pediatrics. Hanna grew up riding horses for fun and competition, and currently has one mare of her own! Over the years, Hanna has volunteered at therapeutic riding centers gaining valuable experience working with participants and horses. Hanna joined SPIRIT in 2022 to begin offering Occupational Therapy incorporating Hippotherapy
Cynda Zurfluh
Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Therapeutic Horsemanship Facilitator
Hanna is an occupational therapist with experience in outpatient pediatrics. Hanna grew up riding horses for fun and competition, and currently has one mare of her own! Over the years, Hanna has volunteered at therapeutic riding centers gaining valuable experience working with participants and horses. Hanna joined SPIRIT in 2022 to begin offering Occupational Therapy incorporating Hippotherapy
Elizabeth Fleming
Media Coordinator
Elizabeth joined SPIRIT in the beginning of 2020 as a volunteer. Once programs restarted after the initial wave of Covid, she was asked to join the staff as a therapeutic horsemanship facilitator. She served in this role as well as several others until her wedding and move to Raleigh, NC in June of 2023. Now, she stays connected to SPIRIT as the media coordinator doing writing and work remotely from her home. She loves her visits to the barn when she travels back to NOVA!
Emma Walsh
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Emma is a PATH CTRI (Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor). She began teaching at SPIRIT for some of the Saturday classes in early 2023 and restarted Wednesday evening classes! She has loved working with all the different horses, volunteers, and of course, riders!
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy,
Mental Health Service Provider
Currently hiring
EAP Program Director & Facilitator
SPIRIT is currently hiring to fill our EAP facilitator position, interested candidates please send resumes to [email protected]
Property Manager
Kevin Golla
Property Manager
Admin Support
Patricia Sullivan
Admin Support
Leslie Vernon
Book Keeper
Leslie's endless energy, amazing social skills and compassion, together with dedication to the SPIRIT mission, makes her an important source of energy and ideas as a Director of the Board and as a member of the Fundraising Committee. Leslie manages the financial area of the office in the role of bookkeeper and is a member of the Financial Committee.
Beth Philips
Volunteer Coordinator
Beth serves as Volunteer Coordinator. In this role, she organizes all volunteer work at SPIRIT, ensures that volunteer waivers and forms are completed, records volunteer hours, helps recruit new volunteers, and coordinates corporate workdays.
Key Personnel Volunteers
Jeff Wallace
AM Horse Care and Barn Management
Ed Brinberg
AM Horse Care and Barn Management
Doug Gaibler
AM Horse Care and Barn Management
Pierce Bates
AM Horse Care and Barn Management
Executive Director
Michelle Gnozzio
Executive Director
Michelle Gnozzio holds a B.A. in Business from Randolph-Macon College. Realizing how much SPIRIT impacts clients and the Fairfax County community, Michelle wanted to do more. She began by assisting the Executive Director, but then gradually assumed full responsibility for horses, facilities, programs, and business operations. Based on her performance and reviews by the Executive Director, County, parents, and program participants, the SPIRIT Board unanimously named Michelle the new Executive Director.