Our Directors come from all over Yavapai County and a variety of personal/professional backgrounds. All are actively involved with the programs offered by Horses with Heart in addition to other community organizations such as Kiwanis and Habitat for Humanity. Some Board Members are parents of children involved in the programs and some have disabilities themselves and benefit first-hand from the relationships developed with the horses.
2024 Board and Staff Roster:
President: Mike Zenner
Member: Trudy Chapman-Radley
Member: Helen Collins
Member: Gloria Reid
Member: Madelyn Melchiors
Member: Mary Smith
Member: Bonnie Moreau
Mike Zenner – President
Mike grew up in central Minnesota with five siblings, enjoying everything outdoors in the upper Midwest. He started his career with The Toro Company right out of school and spent thirty-nine years with Toro, in various engineering roles. Mike began his community involvement while in Minnesota, spending fifteen years as a youth mentor and almost that long as a driver, delivering Meals on Wheels. At retirement time, Mike and his wife, Traci, made the choice to move to the Prescott, Arizona area, along with their two dogs, two cats and two horses. It didn’t take long for Mike to get involved in his new community, once again delivering Meals on Wheels, twice a week. More recently, Mike can be seen driving a police car on Friday mornings, while volunteering with the Prescott Police Department, “Citizens on Patrol.” Shortly after becoming a Director for the Board, Mike accepted the position of Treasurer for Horses with Heart and volunteers with the therapeutic riding classes.
Trudy Chapman-Radley – Director
A whirlwind in Western boots, Trudy became the first Executive Director of HwH in 1996, just three years after joining the group begun by Vickie Stuart. A certified PATH Instructor and CHA Member, she’s been a fixture in Arizona’s horse world since 1970, from 4-H programs to nationally-sanctioned barrel racing competitions.
Born in Akron, Ohio and an Arizona resident since 1965, Trudy initially wanted to be a school teacher. Life had other plans, though, and she took her love of both children and horses into the arenas of Horses with Heart. Trudy’s hands-on horsemanship education has come from legends like Pat Parelli, Monti Roberts, Ned Leigh Equine Natural training. The Murray Family Butch, Joy and TY now living in Stephenville TX. Adventure In Awareness Barbara Rector, now located in Tucson AZ. Bonnie Lemaire my first Barrel Racing lesson.
Describing HwH as her “second family,” Trudy knows better than most how “the horse-rider relationship helps make dreams come true.” Sometimes it can be challenging to see past a rider’s disability and find their ability, she notes. Still, “No wheelchairs or walkers are needed when you’re on the back of a horse. My passion has been to serve the disability community and pay it forward with love and compassion. I’m so blessed!” And one more thing… “When our riders succeed in our arena, they will succeed in the arena of life.”
Helen Collins – Director
Helen began her journey with HWH in 2004, while the organization was still at the Whistle Stop Ranch in Dewey, AZ. She met Trudy Chapman then who was making a pitch for HWH at another non-profit Helen was attending. Having a special needs grandson, Helen immediately felt the program would be a perfect fit and began her near twenty-year dedication as a volunteer. Her thirty-six-year career in office management and bookkeeping made her an excellent candidate for Board Treasurer and was elected to serve in 2005. She continued as the Treasurer until March 2023 and is now an active, participating board member. Helen loved her early volunteer days working with the Special Olympics Equestrian Team, now the Competition Team. It has only recently been that Helen needed to retire from the physical requirements of an SST member in the arena but remains committed to her other committee work with the Volunteer and Special Event committees. Helen was married to a police officer and have three daughters and one son-all grown and married. Helen has nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She lives in Chino Valley with her best friend, Willow, a lab/shepherd mix.
Madelyn Melchiors, DVM – Director
Madelyn has been a long-time volunteer with Horses with Heart as well as a mixed animal veterinarian serving northern Arizona. One of her first volunteer memories included learning how to assist in therapeutic riding classes as a horse leader and a side walker. Many hours were spent here as a dedicated horse care giver, learning to feed, groom and everything in between. After Veterinary School at Colorado State University, she returned to Arizona to begin her practice and ready to assist HWH with a desire to give back to the special needs community. Caring for and advocating for the health of our herd is her top priority. As a Board member, she brings a professional perspective from the equine industry to everyone and provides veterinary care for the herd. Madelyn lives in Kingman, Arizona, with three horses, cats, a house rabbit, chickens, and some quail.
Gloria Reid – Director
Gloria worked at an elementary school that housed the special education department and they were always some of her favorite kiddos. She has always had a love for the elderly, children, and animals. Gloria found Horses with Heart through one of the parents with their child at the dog park in 2015 and she’s been here ever since. She enjoys being on the Board, working with the riders, being an SST volunteer, helping with the Marvelous Minis program and the Competition Team. Recently, Gloria tried riding herself with the Silver Saddles recreational riding class. Mos recently, she has learned about horse-driven cart driving in the Silver Carriage classes. Gloria just learned about horses when she was sixty years old and really appreciates the healing and gentleness that they have. Gloria says, “Horses with Heart is the best organization I have ever had the honor to work with.”
Mary Smith – Director
Mary has been a past President and Secretary for Horses with Heart. She began her volunteer journey in 2007 as part of the safety support team (SST) in the arena and doing stall chores. Not long after that, she took over the horse supplementing duties from Terry Stoddard, the “barn queen,” on her retirement. A few years later, she became the Coordinator of the Horses with Heart Marvelous Minis Program. Mary says it has been her honor to watch HWH grow and be successful through the years. There have been bumps in the road, but the HWH values and “heart” have remained steady. Mary lives in Prescott Valley with her husband, John, and an Airedale. Mary enjoys playing bells in her church bell choir and looks forward to some post-Covid traveling again.