Bridget Simon, Board President
Bridget believes in the mission and goals of Equestrian Crossings. As a board member, and current president, she brings her professional background of working for and with boards to help guide EqX towards their goals.  

While living in Beijing, China, Bridget was introduced to the world of hippotherapy when she volunteered with a physical therapist working with young patients and an old Mongolian horse. She was fascinated with the concept of using horses and their movements as therapy.  
When Bridget moved back home to Washington in 2011, she immediately contacted EqX when they advertised for volunteers. She continues to volunteer in the arenas for both hippotherapy and adaptive riding sessions. The instructors and the board are dedicated and driven, and EqX has so much potential. But the main motivation to staying involved may be that same fascination of using the horse as therapist.  

Bridget is back to riding lessons – and is no longer intimidated with equines the size of Peanut. She has bonded with Haldor. She continues to learn all that equine therapy has to offer, and is very grateful for the opportunity to contribute in any way to this amazing type of therapy.

John Riley, Board Treasurer
John was born in Kansas City, MO and grew up in a suburb on the northside of Chicago.  He attended Kansas State University where he earned a BS dual degree in Architectural Engineering and Business Administration in 1985 and then moved to San Diego, CA where he met his wife, Donna.  Soon after they married, John and Donna moved to the Seattle area in 1990 where they settled in their first house in Covington, WA and started a family. 

With his wife and young family, John moved to Whidbey Island in 1998 where they designed and built their current home near Langley, and have raised their four children, ranging in ages from 19 to 9.  In 2002, John and 3 other colleagues started their own structural engineering design firm, Quantum Consulting Engineers, in downtown Seattle, and John is currently a Principal/Owner-Partner. 

John has been active in several non-profit organizations; including Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts (Troop Cookie Dad), and currently also serves as Treasurer for the South Whidbey Schools Foundation.  John enjoys biking, hiking, camping, traveling, stamp collecting, playing trombone, and dreams of retiring somewhere “warm, sunny and with an ocean view.”  For now, he enjoys watching his daughter in her “Adaptive” riding program with EqX and marvels at what a difference it has made in her life.

Lori Lehto – Secretary and Chair of the Sunshine Committee

Lori was raised in Anacortes, WA and has been riding horses since she was 6 years old. As a child growing up, and even up until the time her own children were in school, Lori’s family has always had at least 2 to 4 horses for everyone to enjoy. She’s a firm believer that horses offer a unique compassionate bonding with those who take the time to really look into the heart of the horse. “As a young girl, my happiest hours of the day were always spent with my horse; whether I was riding bareback through the  trails, or simply sitting on the ground with my horse’s chin resting on my shoulder.” Lori and her husband live in the Oak Harbor area. Upon their retirement in 2 years, Lori looks forward to having lots of free time to volunteer her days with EqX working one-on-one with the horses however she’s needed.

Gail Corell – Volunteer Coordinator

Gail is a homemaker and a retired RN and midwife who grew up in England and moved to the USA in 1990 when she married her husband Glen who is a retired USAF veteran and fighter pilot. They retired to Whidbey Island in 2006 with their son Max, who currently attends WSU, “Go Cougs”.

Gail enjoys volunteering with several non-profit organizations; she loves the great outdoors, gardening, cooking, horses and big dogs. As a teenager, she rode English style and did a little jumping. She helped “Equestrian Crossings” get off the ground in 2009 and served on its first Board of Directors as VP while also holding the positions of Hospitality Chair, Volunteer Coordinator and Sunshine Person. Currently, she is the Volunteer Coordinator, hospitality person and photographer and loves every minute of it. Her passion is to make EqX successful, to be the best wife, parent and friend possible and to give back to the community in any way she can.

She hopes to help start a new program within EqX in the future called “Horses, Hearts and Heroes” which will serve returning military personnel and their families in their recovery from physical and psychological injuries.

Gail is passionate about what EqX  offers it’s students and volunteers and loves being part of the EqX “herd” because it is just so incredibly rewarding! Even the horses love it.

Jacque Diaz, EqX Board Member, representing adaptive student interests.

Jacque and Miriam met about 8 years ago, outside of WalMart. They talked about sports, and horseback riding. When Jacque commented that her only riding was pony rides, Miriam asked if she’d like to learn to ride. Jacque asked ‘where do I sign’, and the rest is history.

Jacque has been very competitive in Special Olympics, adaptive mountain biking and skiing.  As part of the EqX vaulting team Jacque is breaking new ground in equine vaulting, as she is one of the first adaptive riders to tackle this sport.

“What I like best about coming (to lessons) is being with everybody and working with the horses and learning how to take care of them and ride.”

“Being on a horse has really helped me to work those muscles and to get stronger. It really seems to help out.”