PRESIDENT
Bruce Hayes – Rockford, IL
bruceh@semsandspecials.com
DIRECTOR
Keith Wagner – McHenry, IL
kwagner@fabrikind.com
DIRECTOR
Bryan Mace – Rockford, IL
SECRETARY
Keith Gasiorowski – Glendale Heights, IL
kgasiorowski@screwsindustries.com
TREASURER
Tom Kondrat – Glendale Heights, IL
In 2001, I started to train some of the therapy horses for the program and was officially asked to join the team in 2002. I teach lessons, train the therapy horses and maintain hay and feed inventory. I became a PATH International Certified Instructor in 2009. I feel blessed to be part of the amazing journeys our equine companions take our participants on and their achievements together!
I graduated with my masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Saint Louis University in May of 2017. I always knew that I wanted to work in a unique place. I never imagined that I would find a place like MCCD Dream Riders. I feel lucky that I get to work with this amazing group of people, families, and animals. I leave work everyday with a smile on my face. It is my passion to help individuals communicate. I truly feel called to work in this field. Before studying communicative disorders I got my Bachelor’s in Fine arts and French from Augustana College. When I am not working I enjoy traveling around the world and experiencing other cultures, painting, and spending time with my family.
I started working at our farm after graduating college in 2005. Since then I have moved to Tennessee, back here, then Wyoming, and now back here. There’s something about our farm that keeps me coming back for more. Seeing the smiles on our kiddo’s faces as they walk through the door, watching them progress as they work so hard to meet their goals, and seeing the pride in their parent’s eyes as their child interacts with horses in a way they never thought they would… that’s what I love most about Dream Riders. I am proud to be part of a dedicated and passionate team that we have here at Dream Riders.
I am the administrative healthcare manager at Dream Riders and couldn’t be more proud of my role here. I’ve been apart of this dream team since 2013. I love spending time with my kids, husband, and our German Shepherd, Copper. I enjoy puzzles, being outdoors, spending time with friends, and family. It brings much joy to my heart to see our kids, and families grow, accomplish goals, and milestones with our Dream Team here. What we offer and do here is truly a gift to the families.
It’s hard to believe that I have been a pediatric physical therapist for almost 20 years. I graduated from Purdue University with a bachelors degree in health science, then from Northwestern University with a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy. I started my career here at Dream Riders. I left for a little while, but couldn’t stay away. I live in the area with my husband and three teenagers, 2 daughters and a son, who keep us very busy. I absolutely love what I do every day! What I love most is having a part in bettering a child’s life. I love getting to celebrate milestones with families that their children achieve after all of the hard work that it takes to get there. Dream Riders brings together two of my most favorite things… children and horses. I am so grateful to work with a team of fabulous people and horses that all come together to help these children.
I have been working full time at Dream Riders since 2014. My job consists of helping in many different avenues of what we do here. Like overseeing an exercise program for the horses, and pairing staff with patients as rehab techs, making sure that the staff has all the tools needed to help their patient and is comfortable in their role as rehab tech while keeping in constant communication with the therapists. I also help with fundraising and teach lessons. My background is in education, so working here allows me to combine my love of teaching children with my love of horses!
Hi there! I’m Whitney, one of the occupational therapist’s here at Dream Riders. I graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2017 with my bachelor’s in psychology. I then went to Carroll University to get my master’s in occupational therapy. After graduating in 2019, I got a job in pediatrics and have been working with kids ever since! Prior to starting OT school, I knew that I wanted to work with kids. Making a difference in the lives of children and their families is so incredibly rewarding. I truly have the best job and the added component of using the horses as part of therapy makes all the difference. When I am not at work, I spend my time wedding planning (I get married in October, yay!) or hanging out with my fiancé and our puppy, Phoenix. I also love to travel, be outdoors, and read new books!
Hi, I’m Alli! I’ve been working as a pediatric PT since 2015 after I graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from NIU. I did my clinical rotations as Miss Beth’s student and knew I had to join the Dream Riders team permanently. I’ve always known that working with kids was my passion. As a former gymnast and avid lover of yoga, I love helping kids move their bodies and achieve meaningful goals. There is nothing better than forming lasting relationships with children and their families, and I always strive to have a positive impact in their lives. I’m so lucky to do that with the help of our amazing horses and caring staff at Dream Riders. When I’m not working, I’m doing yoga, reading, cooking, swimming, going to concerts, and hanging out with my awesome husband and son.
HI! I am Kendra Kulans. I graduated from Northern Illinois University with my Master’s in Speech Therapy Therapy in 2007. I went to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois for my undergraduate degree. There I graduated with a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Spanish. I played soccer while attending Augie and loved every minute!My mom was a nurse while I was growing up and I always knew I wanted to help people. When my little sister was in 3rd grade she got really sick and needed Physical, Occupation and Speech therapy to heal. It was from that point on I knew I wanted to be a therapist! I have 3 boys who are the pride and joy in my life (well and my hubby too!). We are busy in our daily life with golf, baseball, soccer and basketball. When we are not at games we love to travel! Dream Riders has been a perfect fit for me!
I have been working as a pediatric speech language pathologist for 20 years after graduating from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a master’s degree in communicative disorders. I have experience working in Early Intervention and in the clinical setting with children of all abilities. I love working with children and their families to help them learn to communicate in the best way they can. I feel so lucky to be a part of the therapy team here at Dream Riders where I am surrounded by both amazing people and amazing horses. When I am not enjoying time here on the farm I am usually traveling, camping and spending time outdoors in nature with my family.
Hi, I’m Kelsy!
I spent 3 years at Northern Illinois University playing volleyball and majoring in health sciences with a pre physical therapy emphasis and a minor in child and family studies. From there, I went to Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and graduated with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Since the very beginning, I always knew that I wanted to work with kids when I was older. This became even more apparent when I did my clinical rotation at Dream Riders with the best team ever! I knew this is where I was meant to be! I absolutely love being creative and making therapy fun for our kiddos who work so hard! It is such a joy working with families and helping them in any way possible! When I’m not working, I enjoy going on walks, spending time with friends and family, and wedding planning with my fiancé, Cooper.
I graduated from Rush University with my Master’s in Occupational Therapy in 2011. Prior to that, I spent four years at the University of Illinois at Springfield getting an undergraduate degree in psychology and spending most of my time in the gym on the volleyball team. I always knew I wanted to work with kids when I grew up. I was lucky enough to have experience as a teenager shadowing therapists and working summers learning about the field and knew I wanted to become an occupational therapist. I have spent my entire career working in pediatrics in a private clinic and in schools. I love being able to make a difference in the lives of both the kids and their families. I always tell everyone I have the best job, because I get to spend my day playing! When I am not at work, I am usually at home with my husband and twin boys, Jaxon and Lucas, and my dog, Roxie. I love to spend time outside, exercise, and travel with friends and family. I have a certification as an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) with a focus on neurodiversity affirming care. I have also completed training with the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA).
Hi, I’m Isabella! I graduated from UW-Whitewater in 2020, where I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Sciences & Disorders. I am certified as a Basic DIRFloortime provider. I value a holistic perspective and building a connection in order to promote shared engagement and communication within play-based, meaningful interactions. Additionally, I provide speech services through Early Intervention around McHenry County, and truly appreciate families welcoming me into their home in order to collaborate. I feel so lucky to be part of the amazing Dream Riders team! When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, tending to my plants, and spending time with my wonderful husband, cat, friends, and family.
“I grew up in Illinois but moved to Alabama to play volleyball before earning my master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2017. While in school, I completed a clinical rotation at Dream Riders and fell in love with their program and the amazing kids and families they served, and of course the incredible horses! After spending 12 years in Alabama, my husband and I moved back home to be closer to family and I feel so lucky to be part of the Dream Riders team again. I have always had a passion for working with kids and getting to add my love for animals into the mix was the icing on top. When I’m not at the farm, you can find me spending time with my husband and dogs, traveling, enjoying the outdoors, spending time in the kitchen and making memories with my family and friends!”
I graduated from NIU in 2016 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and started working in pediatrics, which is my true passion in PT! I have been a part of the dream riders family since 2016 as a student physical therapist with Miss Beth to today as a full time physical therapist. This place has a very special spot in my heart because I get to combine my love for animals with my love for helping kids learn to move and use their bodies! I recently got married (in 2020) to my husband Danny and we live in Lake Villa with our dog Fonzie. When I am not working I love working out, going on adventures, watching sports, doing home projects, crafting, cooking delicious vegetarian meals, baking yummy treats, and spending time with my friends and family!