Board of Directors
Ann Villa
With over 15 years of experience in the philanthropic sector, Ann is committed to raising funds for organizations and creating a sustainable donor environment. As a horse owner, she has a deep understanding of the human-equine bond and believes that horses can positively impact lives.
Kay Lawrence
Kay is a nurse who spent 30 years in clinical practice in pediatric critical care, she then spent 10 years teaching nursing. Kay retired in 2021 and spends her time with her grandchildren and her two dogs, Loretta and Rosie. She also quilts and gardens. Kay considers Next Steps Forward her most rewarding endeavor and is thrilled to be involved in such a worthwhile organization. She has been privileged to witness the healing and confidence boosting of the human equine bond firsthand as some of her family members have recovered from PTSD.
Nicole Pioli
Nicole Pioli has spent the last 20 years of her career dedicated to promoting the emotional health and wellness of young people and people with disabilities. Her work experience has been within the charitable and education sectors, where she has held leadership positions for the last ten years. She has a bachelor’s degree in public health from Coastal Carolina University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina and considers her work to be a privilege that allows her to nurture the development of confidence, responsibility, and empathy among others.
Allison Gulbrandsen
Allison graduated from Cornell University with a BA in Economics. She has an MFA in Motion Picture Producing from the Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program at the University of Southern California. She progressed toward a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of California at Berkeley and at New York University. She has worked with community organizations to produce videos explaining the impact. Allison is passionate about the mission of our organization and is using her professional skills to make a difference in the lives of the adolescent survivors participating in our program.
Katherine Huff
As the Director of Equine Programs at McKenna Farms Therapy Services in Dallas, GA, Katherine has dedicated her career to helping those in need strengthen and heal themselves through the power of horses. She is a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL), an Instructor Mentor, and a Horse Powered Reading Facilitator. Through her professional journey, Katherine has directly observed how horse-human interactions profoundly benefit individuals navigating various life challenges. The Next Steps Forward mission deeply resonates with Katherine as she has witnessed for years the life changing benefits of horse-human interaction and is eager to help broaden the footprint of this positive experience.
Laura Irwin
Dr. Laura S. Irwin is an obstetrician-gynecologist in Augusta, Georgia and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Aiken Regional Medical Centers and Piedmont Mountainside Hospital. She received her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr Irwin feels privileged to contribute her expertise to this much-needed endeavor.
Marianne Matos
Marianne Matos, SC-LPC, LPCS, Path International ESMHL, NCC, Specializing in trauma, informed counseling as well as Equine-Assisted services for children, teens, and adults, and clinical supervision for LPC associates in the licensure process. Marianne’s focus areas include depression, anxiety, mood dysregulation, low self-esteem, trauma, grief, and assistance improving one’s ability to handle life’s challenges through self-awareness and self- empowerment.
Advisory Board
Robin Dawson
Dr. Dawson completed her BSN in 1988 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her MSN-PNP, also from UNC-CH, in 1996. In 2012 she completed a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies from the University of South Carolina. She received a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of South Carolina in 2014.
Dr. Dawson’s scholarship builds on over two decades of clinical experience as a certified pediatric nurse practitioner in rural South Carolina. Her multi-level program of research is focused on understanding the context and processes of communication, as well as the development of practical and innovative interventions designed to facilitate optimal patient-provider communication. She uses the intersection of rurality and childhood asthma to explore three specific areas of communication research: language discordance, technology-based interventions, and health care provider communication skills.
Caroline McKinnon
Following decades of work in mental health nursing settings, Dr. McKinnon shifted to nursing education with a focus on teaching and researching in the area of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Expertise in advanced practice child mental health care supports her academic interests.
Karen Papoudado
Karen has been the CEO of Cyber-Smith for the last 24 years. She has been instrumental in the creation of SC THRIVE and served as the Director of Grants and Innovation. Karen is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, with a bachelor’s in psychology and a degree in Chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Many of the numerous awards Karen has received include the Community Health Award, Walmart’s American Hometown Leadership Award, the Nova Award issued by the American Hospital Association, and the President’s Summit for America’s Future – Model Winner, given by America’s Promise Alliance. In 1999, she was awarded the Pew Foundation’s Solutions for America project. Karen is committed to the mission of Next-Steps-Forward as it aligns with her personal philosophy to resolve the negative issues in our community.
Equine Advisory Board
Lornie Forbes
An upper-level event rider in her own right, Forbes was influenced by her great aunt, Mrs. William Coxe Wright, who owned jump racehorses trained by Morris Dixon in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Her mother, Lorna Forbes, foxhunted and was the co-founder of the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association. At 19, Lornie Forbes was short-listed for the U.S. event team for the 1974 World Championships and was reserve for the 1978 World Championships, both times on different horses she made herself from scratch. Forbes went on to a long, successful eventing career, competing in the U.S., England, and France. She spent a season with Irish trainer Arthur Willie Moore, and galloped for Mikey Smithwick and flat trainer Dickie Small. She still rides and hunts. Slater and Forbes are part of a Riverdee syndicate and split their time between Unionville, Pa., and Aiken, S.C.
DR. SUZANNE SMITH VMD
Dr. Suzanne Smith is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Dr. Smith has been involved in the veterinary community as a former President of the NJ Veterinary Medical Association. She founded the New Jersey Animal Hall of Fame. She has served as Chair of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society and on its Admission Committee for several years. Additionally, Dr. Smith has served in the past on committees of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. Dr. Smith was a member of the New Jersey Governor’s Lyme Disease Advisory Committee. She served several terms on the Executive Board of Mane Stream, a therapeutic riding center, in Oldwick, NJ. She currently serves on the board of Riding with Heart, a therapeutic riding center in Pittstown, NJ. Dr. Smith has spent more than 20 years involved in Native American Veterinary Services (NAVS) as a veterinary volunteer on several reservations in the Southwest.
SCOCIA ROBBINS
Scocia Robbins has been deeply connected to horses her entire life, with over three decades of hands-on experience in equine care and support that began with her personal horses and expanded through her work with equine rescues. She has volunteered at McKenna Farms Therapy Services in Georgia for seven years, where her dedication led to her current role as Equine Operations Manager, a position she has held for the last four years. Scocia is currently pursuing her Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) certification through PATH International. While her qualifications are rooted in continuing education and experience rather than formal titles, her passion and unwavering commitment to equine welfare are the foundation of her work and advocacy.