Theresa Snyder
After 13 years of dedicated leadership, Theresa Snyder, the Executive Director of the Kent Association of Riding Therapy (KART) is retiring.
Under her guidance, the organization has grown in magnitude, reputation, and community impact. With Theresa’s commitment, vision, and guidance, KART expanded from serving just the local public schools, to serving Christian Academy, Camp Fairlee, Kent Center, Horizons, and Heron Point communities.
In addition to handling the day-to-day responsibilities of coordinating volunteers, schools, other organizations, therapy horses, PATH instructors, and additional tasks for the horseback riding therapy sessions at Worthmore, Theresa was also instrumental in finding funding sources for KART, as all of these services for the community with disabilities are provided for free.
Theresa came to KART as a volunteer, and it turns out that she happened to be a grant writer, so fortunate for KART. Theresa has raised over $1,000,000 over the 13 years, writing grants and coordinating fundraising events such as golf tournaments, half marathon/5K runs, River Packet cruises, Kitty Knight House outings, fundraising dinners and more. She was always looking for more ways to fundraise. She played an important role each year, putting together the spring and fall appeal letters and the annual newsletters. Her personal connection with family foundations resulted in more funding for KART.
As Executive Director, she was responsible for KART’s budgets and reporting to the Board of Directors on all activities. Theresa was crucial to a very important KART accreditation: PATH Premier Certification.
PATH is the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, Int. and KART is certified as a Premier Accredited Center, thanks to Theresa’s hard work, organizational skills, and attention to detail. The accreditation process is a peer review system in which trained volunteers visit and review centers, in accordance with PATH Intl. standards. A center that meets the strict accreditation requirements based on the administrative, facility, program and applicable activity, and service standards becomes a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center for a period of five years. Theresa has done this 3 times for KART. Not an easy task.
Even though Theresa was paid for her ED position, her dedication, commitment, and love for KART was evident when she listed her hours at the barn with the riding sessions as volunteer hours. She had a wonderful way about her relating to the students, volunteers, instructors, board members, and others. She always had a positive attitude and was willing to go above and beyond normal expectations.
Theresa guarantees that she will still be involved with KART, volunteering and serving in an advisory role.
Please join the Board, staff, volunteers, and the community wishing Theresa well and thanking her for all she has done for KART and the community with disabilities. Her passion and foresight will never be forgotten, and her tireless commitment and visionary leadership leave behind a lasting legacy that will guide us for years to come.
Theresa’s successor is a well-qualified horse enthusiast, Daphne Young. We look forward to our next chapters with Daphne, KART’s new ED.
For more information: Daphne Young, Executive Director for KART; [email protected]; 410.870.5536
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