Board of Directors
Executive Board Members
Executive Director and Founder
Dr. Wendy Schonfeld
Dr. Wendy Schonfeld, founder of RideAbility, graduated from New York Chiropractic College in 1989 and established the organization in 2012.
She holds multiple certifications, including , P.A.T.H. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) as a Certified Therapeutic instructor, Equine Assisted Learning-Education, Sports Director for South Carolina Equestrian Special Olympics, Advanced Certified Equestrian Coach for Special Olympics, Certified Executive Functioning Coach and a Certified Neurodiversity Coach. In addition, she has completed P.A.T.H.’s specialized training in Equine Services for Heroes.
At RideAbility, Dr. Schonfeld oversees all aspects of the center’s operations-from the therapeutic adaptive riding sessions to volunteer training, client services, special events, and fundraising.
Dr. Michael Schonfeld
President
Dr. Schonfeld has spent a lifetime giving back to his community. He is a two time past President of the Clover Rotary Club and he has served six years on the Board of Directors of the York County Board of Special Needs & Disabilities (Maxibilities). He has also served on the Board of the The Greater Clover Chamber of Commerce and numerous other county and town boards. He is still in active practice in Clover as a Chiropractor.
Hank Grossman
Treasurer
Hank Grossman is a technology veteran who has worked at various companies including 360i, Bank of America, Salesforce and Cisco. With a Bachelor of Science in Management from Tulane University and The Freeman School of Business, Hank brings financial knowledge and experience to RideAbility. In his spare time, Hank enjoys traveling, golfing and spending quality time with his wife, Lauren, and their two boys. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA.
Pamela VanAernum
Vice President
Working as a surgical assistant in oral surgery until becoming a stay-at-home mom, Pamela has always had an interest in helping others. She came to RideAbility looking to volunteer for an organization that shared her passion of making a difference in the lives of others. Pamela and her husband, Richard, currently live in Lake Wylie, SC, where they enjoy the amazing weather and great southern hospitality.
Jackie Kushner
Secretary
Jackie has been a valued member of the RideAbility Therapeutic Riding Center family since it first began. A certified nurse-midwife with a master’s degree from The State University of Stonybrook in NY, Jackie has witnessed the countless rewards of therapeutic riding first-hand. She believes RideAbility is a vital organization for the community and welcomes the opportunity to help it thrive.
Board Members
Tonya Cotton
Tonya started volunteering when her daughter Samantha needed a ride to RideAbility in 2016 and she fell in love with the horses, students, and teams right away. She is now a lead volunteer at the center weekly with her daughter Riley volunteering and coaching Special Olympics as well. Tonya has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University and enjoys attending Clemson football games with her husband Marty, son Tucker (Clemson '20), and daughters Samantha (Clemson '24), and Riley (Clemson '27).
Jo Ann Gilberti
Jo Ann’s daughter Danielle is a student of Wendy’s and a volunteer at the stable. Before moving to South Carolina, Danielle had spent several years enjoying the benefits of therapeutic riding. After doing some research and speaking to Wendy, we knew immediately that we’d found our new program.
Kari Bogner
Kari Bogner has 11 years of experience in non-profit work at Make-A-Wish Hawaii. After moving to South Carolina, she and her daughter Aiden started volunteering weekly at RideAbility. Kari holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and is a certified EMT and Surgical Technologist. Her interest in non-profits grew when Aiden was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 3, experiencing firsthand the value of such programs for families like theirs.
Wendi Day-Rodriguez
Wendi knows the peace, love and trust animals provide can be the best medicine for the human soul. She enjoys taking her 4 mini goats to events and watching both children and adults light-up as they interact with these adorable little critters. In addition to her love of animals, Wendi brings more than 35 years of accounting experience to RideAbility.
Theresa Horton
Theresa has loved animals and nature since she was young. She moved to Rock Hill for school and earned a Business Administration degree from Winthrop University. She started volunteering at Rideability in 2014 to work with horses again and saw how valuable the program was. Theresa coaches for Special Olympics and got certified as a PATH instructor in 2023. She now teaches part-time and likes hiking, kayaking, camping, and outdoor activities.
Gina Brewer
Gina has always had a deep love for children, animals, and serving others. After spending many years in education, she scaled back to spend more time with her family. She initially began volunteering at RideAbility in 2023 to share the experience with her daughter, who was already an active volunteer and Special Olympic coach. She quickly fell in love with the horses, students, and mission of the program. She has advanced her knowledge to become a Special Olympics coach. In her free time, Gina enjoys spending time with her husband, Jody and their two children, Isabelle and Caleb.