TEC's Board of Directors

BOARD MEMBERS & BIOS

Questions about TEC?

Contact: Autumn Zick

Phone: (269) 429-0671

E-mail: info@tecfarm.org

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These are the leaders of making “I Did It!” moments happen at TEC. We are beyond grateful for their dedication and passion to leading, managing, and growing the organization.

Autumn Zick, M.A., S.L.P., President

Speech Pathologist at Berrien RESA, Blossomland Learning Center (a school for students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities; 1984-2014; retired)
Member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH Intl.) Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (1980 to present)
Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Member, PATH Intl. Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
Volunteer Instructor for TEC (2008 to present)
Volunteer Instructor for We Can Ride 4-H club for youth with disabilities (20+ years; retired)

Autumn is one of the founding volunteers who brought TEC to life. To combine her love of horses and helping those living with disabilities, she became a PATH-certified instructor in 1980.

Autumn began riding when she was 8 years old and has shown hunters/jumpers, dressage, and Arabians at the regional and national level. Professionally, Autumn found her purpose for more than 30 years, serving as a Speech Pathologist. When she retired from Blossomland Learning Center/Berrien RESA, her volunteer work became her full-time job.

Autumn continues to serve as a volunteer instructor for TEC, in addition to her role as Board President. Autumn hails from Williamston (MI), but calls St. Joseph (MI) home with her husband, Russ.

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Speech & Audiology – Michigan State University
Master of Arts, Speech Pathology – Central Michigan University

Margaret (Margie) Hojara-Hadsell, M.A., L.L.P., Vice President

Chairperson of the Salvation Army Advisory Board in southeast Berrien County
Member of the Southwest Michigan Child Care Resources Board
Great Start Collaborative Coordinator, Cass County for United Way of Southwest Michigan (Retired, Oct. 2019)
Michigan Limited License Psychologist
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and state administrator for Michigan Rehabilitation Services (23 years; retired)
M.A. Community Counseling, Andrews University, B.A. University of Notre Dame
PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (1990 to present)
Member, PATH Intl. Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
Volunteer Instructor,
- Reins of Life Therapeutic Riding Center, South Bend, IN (2000-2017)
- TEC (2007 & 2017- present)
- We Can Ride 4-H Club (1991-1999 & 2017- present)

Margie is a perpetual worker bee and volunteer. For close to three decades, Margie has been a PATH-certified instructor, serving at different times as a volunteer instructor at TEC, We Can Ride 4-H Club, and Reins of Life.

Margie began riding as a youth and had the opportunity to ride in the U.S. championships, and has shown hunters/jumpers at the national level. She retired from MRS as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and State Administrator, only to join the United Way of Southwest Michigan as the Great Start Collaborative Coordinator.

Being a part of TEC allows Margie to channel her work experience and love of horses into one. She and her husband, Ron, have also served as an instructor team since the early 1980s.

Barbara Lenhardt, Treasurer

Volunteer, We Can Ride 4-H Club (30 years)
Parent and sister of an adult with a disability
Paraprofessional accountant, Haslett & Gaynor, P.C., Niles, MI

Barb has been actively involved in therapeutic riding for over 20 years. Her first introduction to the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding was with the We Can Ride 4-H Club when her son, James, joined the program as a youth. James’ excitement and anticipation of riding each summer could be felt year-round. Her desire for James to benefit from a year-round program led her to be a part of the birth of TEC.

Donna Canter, M.S., Member at Large

M.S, Early Childhood Education, Western Michigan University; B.A., Education WMU
Lewis Cass Intermediate School District - Early Childhood Director, (retired)
Volunteer at TEC and We can Ride 4-H Club (2017-Present)
Past experience includes the Michigan Department of Education - Early Childhood Consultant
Elkhart and St. Joseph County Head Start Consortium - Early Childhood Education Manager
Secretary for St. Paul's Lutheran Church Council and Board of Trustees

Donna’s first experience with therapeutic riding was as a sidewalker for her then 4-year-old niece. As an educator, she is a firm believer in extending learning beyond the traditional classroom experience and welcomes the opportunity to assist her niece. As a side-walker, she was able to see firsthand the value in combining the expertise of the PATH-certified instructors with the use of horses to positively contribute to the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of individuals (especially children) living with special needs.

Several years after that first experience with therapeutic riding, Donna reconnected with a former classmate and TEC volunteer. They invited her to join TEC, and as they say, the rest is history. Donna has found a place at TEC where she brings her passion for working with young children and love of learning to the team as a volunteer sidewalker, horse leader, and Board member.

Larry C. Money, Member at Large

Lifelong resident of Buchanan - worked with horses as a young adult, showing and riding with local and regional stables
Clark Credit and associated businesses (32 years)
Area Wide Protective - Project Manager (10 years)
US Army Special Forces in Vietnam
American Legion, 54-year member,
has served as State Commander Department of Michigan of the American Legion,
currently alternate National Executive Committee man for the Nation American Legion
Currently Buchanan City Commissioner
Buchanan City Fire Department (27 years)

Alesha Seroczynski, Ph.D., Member at Large

Distinguished Professor of the Practice, Psychology; Holy Cross College
Faculty Advisor for Holy Cross College Chapter of Psi Chi International Honor Society
Chair, Holy Cross College Institutional Research Board (HSIRB)
Member of the Higher Learning Commission Peer Corp
Ph.D. Developmental Psychology, University of Notre Dame, 1999; M.A. Counseling Psychology, University of Notre Dame, 1995; B.A. University of Texas at Dallas
Member Association for Moral Education; Psi Chi; Association for Higher Education in Prison
Published and presented at several international venues on adolescent moral development and college-in-prison programs
Undergraduate internships with deaf-member families and adolescents with ADHD
Winner of Notre Dame’s McCloskey Business Plan Competition for Nonprofit Excellence, 2014
Founder and Research Director of St. Joseph County’s largest diversion program for justice-involved youth, 2002-2014
Volunteer and Board Member, Reins of Life Therapeutic Horseback Riding, 1995-2000
Lifelong rider and “barn mom.” First rode on Bedouin Arabs in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 1978. Daughter competed to the collegiate level and was an elected member of the Youth Board of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. Currently nurturing an off-track Thoroughbred (OTTB) into a lovely mount.

Alesha's equestrian journey began over 40 years ago and grew stronger as she proudly supported her daughter through collegiate-level riding. Professionally, Alesha has committed her career to expanding educational opportunities for students involved in the justice system. This passion has led her to her current role as Associate Dean and Director of College Operations for the Moreau College Initiative at Westville Correctional Facility, a program of Holy Cross College. At TEC, Alesha combines her lifelong passion for horses with her unwavering commitment to helping others.