FRIDAY: August 4, 2023 LOCATION: Vet School Classroom (morning only) Equestrian Center (afternoon only) Turning Point Ranch (Dinner + Awards only)
7:00am-8:00am - Registration
Session A 8 – 9am
A1, Autism Behind the Behavior Part 1 DE Attendees will have a better understanding of the neurology that drives sensory-based behaviors, and how to effectively deal with those behaviors when they are demonstrated by riders in the arena. Keith O’Connor, Speech Pathologist M.A., CCC-SLP is a Speech Pathologist/Language Pathologist (SLP) with 22 years’ experience. He had an early background in medical training at the VA Hospital and TIRR Hospital for traumatic brain injury in Houston, Texas. The subsequent bulk of his career has been in public schools working as a speech therapist and clinical supervisor for graduating clinicians in their final clinical year toward achieving full licensure. He currently provides speech services for riders with motor and/or developmental delays as a contractor/consultant at Inspiration Ranch in Magnolia, Texas in the presence of PATH Intl. certified instructors. He has participated in the evaluation and diagnosis of individuals as a diagnostic team member and provided direct therapy for those individuals in a variety of self-contained settings. Keith has gained experience in the equine industry by being a year-round volunteer side-walker since 2011. He has provided multiple in-services for volunteers and equine staff members on the topics of disability awareness and autism spectrum disorder for various local equine facilities.
A2, Using the Power of Video CE Video is the most powerful marketing tool you can use. It creates emotional connections like nothing else. Whether your goal is to increase donations, develop a customer base, or share your brand, video marketing provides the tools to accomplish it. Dan Bewley has been helping nonprofits and businesses, reach their audience through video marketing for nearly a decade. His videos have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for nonprofit organizations in Tulsa. He's passionate about helping brands share their mission and develop connections with the power of video.
A3, Cultivating Donors to Bigger Gifts CE Whether the donor is an individual, family, business or grantor your efforts between gifts make a big difference. Learn some tried and true methods for cultivating larger gifts and some new ideas to stay fresh. We will discuss donor motivation, cultivation strategies, making the ask and donor appreciation events. Joe Wappelhorst brings extensive experience and knowledge in nonprofit leadership, working with people with disabilities, program management, organizational development, strategic planning and fundraising. With 30 years of experience in nonprofit and church management, Joe has put his passion toward providing vision and programs for underserved people throughout Houston.
Session B 9:15 – 10:15am
B1, Autism Behind the Behavior Part 2 DE Continuation of session A1.
B2, KPIs: Keeping People Interested, Informed, Involved, & Inspired CE When some people hear “strategic planning” they grab their coffee and run to the conference room while others are lacing up their shoes to run the other way. Terms like “Key Performance Indicators,” “Strategic Areas of Focus” and “Data Analysis” can cause some individuals to cringe and some to get excited. Strategic planning can be a daunting process that takes time, extra energy and a whole lot of effort. It can also be a process that transforms the way organizations do business and the way they go about their days to reach their overall goals. A strategic plan is a way they define, align and move forward in achieving their missions for good together, instead of running in different directions. In this interactive session, individuals will learn how strategic plans can be exciting instead of scary, how data analysis can use the facts to tell a story, and how KPI’s can actually stand for: Keeping People Interested, Informed, Involved and Inspired. Amie Haar is the founder of Emerge, Consulting based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Amie is passionate about many things, including her faith, her family, the power of a good belly laugh, and the way in which the world can thrive by means of education (especially when it comes to us!). She believes strongly in helping others find their true purpose, be it through individual coaching, team facilitation or large group training, specializing in the areas of communication, relationship building and core business strategy & alignment. As a nationally certified Clifton Strengths Coach, and with her several years of combined experience in the areas of donor relations, human resources, speaking, facilitating, training and coaching, Amie comes alongside and teaches others how to best show up for themselves and those around them. Outside of owning her own business, Amie loves being with her husband Josh, their three beautiful children Ava, Miles, and Warren, cracking open a new book, drinking a good cup of coffee, exploring the outdoors, and spending an evening at the theater.
B3, The Five Dysfunctions Among A Team CE Using the principles created by Patrick Lencioni in "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," we will identify the common situations that lead to dysfunction and what leadership can do to decrease a team collapse. Julie Jones has a background in bookkeeping, teaching and nonprofit management. She moved to Shamrock, OK, in 2019 when God promised her a blessing if she came. This rural area in the center of the triangle made by Tulsa, OKC, and Stillwater is a far cry from the city and suburban life she loved. However, she has found peace and joy in obedience and rural living. Her passion is helping people discover all they can and offering the tools and support needed. In addition to raising and launching five successful adults, Julie has lived out this passion through leadership in Women and Children's Ministry at the Boise Rescue Mission and developing the life enrichment program in a new Assisted Living/Memory Support community in Colorado Springs. Additionally, she has taught in charter schools and early childhood education centers. Julie recently earned her BS in nonprofit management at City Vision University. She serves as the Administrative Director for The Right Path, a therapeutic horsemanship program in Drumright.
Session C 10:30 –11:30am
C1, Wildland Fire Safety for Equines CE How to prepare your pastures, barns and use areas for an oncoming wildland Fire. Tips and ideas for evacuation of equines and other domestic animals during a wildland fire. Paddy T. Metcalf is the Fire Program Manager at Oklahoma State University Fire Service Training. He has 30 years on the job as a fire fighter at a Rural Combination Department.
C2, Concussion Protocols DE Attendees will learn the definition of concussions, signs of a concussion and what to do if a concussion is suspected. Recovery from a concussion, post-concussive syndrome and secondary injury will also be covered. The importance of equestrian helmets and how to properly fit a helmet will also be reviewed. Shannon Middleton is a Speech Language Pathologist, HPCS, CTRI and ESMHL. She has been incorporating equine movement into speech therapy sessions for 17 years.
C3, Tour of the Vet School
C4, Clinical Equine Behavior: The Veterinarian's Perspective CR All Horses are social animals with complex behaviors and a great capacity for learning. Understanding how horses think and their social "language" can improve the human-horse bond and help us recognize problems early. After this lecture attendees should be able to recognize and interpret common clinically relevant behaviors, understand the capacities and limits of equine learning and have a deeper understanding of the point-of-view of the horse. Evan Crisman, VMD, MMP is an equine veterinarian with a special place in his heart for the working horse. He completed his veterinary degree and master's in medical physics at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a rotating equine internship and then residency in equine internal medicine at Oklahoma State University.
11:30 – 1:00 pm Lunch and PATH Intl. Update from Kathy Alm, CEO at the Vet School
1:00 – 1:30pmTravel to the Equestrian Center for lunch and afternoon sessions
Session D 1:45 – 2:45pm
D1, Recession Proofing Your Center CE Learn the importance of relationships in securing your nonprofit's financial future and how technology can make building and maintaining those relationships easier. Explore how faith can provide a powerful foundation and enable you to navigate challenging times with resilience and hope. Limited to 55 attendees. Athena Captain brings her extremely engaging and humble style to the speaking arena, captivating audiences ranging from professional single moms to families raising kids with special needs, to entrepreneurs and sales professionals looking to create a growing sales machine. Athena’s heart drives her to serve those who know, deep down, that they have a gift, a knack, that hasn’t fully developed, and who hunger for that spark of inspiration and knowledge that will finally help them turn that corner. Her proven results building a referralbased prospecting and sales machine for a custom homebuilding company, after building a hugely successful sales team for one of the nation’s largest mortgage firms, give her credibility to inspire and teach an audience of professionals from any size organization. Her life spent raising a child with special needs, while juggling the load that comes with being a world-class sales and marketing professional, all while overcoming the challenges of someone who scores 10 / 10 on the ACE scale, gives her credibility to speak into the lives of an audience facing similar challenges, but who also share the belief and vision that they can do, and become, more than anyone ever thought possible. Athena brings a unique combination of grit, empathy and no-excuses inspiration that speaks to a range of audiences, leaving them with not only the motivation, but also the tools to go back into the world with a renewed sense of purpose and an understanding of how to carry it out.
D2, Horse Tales Literacy CE Horse Tales Literacy Project allows your center to connect with local schools and families that might not otherwise hear about therapeutic horsemanship. For ten years, The Right Path has taken our horses to schools for a first-touch event and then invited the students to the ranch for a field day. Teachers receive a curriculum to promote literacy skills developed by educators with attention to current educational standards. Each student receives two books and the field trip of their dreams to learn horsemanship and read the book they have been practicing with to the horses. Come experience a mini version of the field day and see how you can incorporate literacy and horsemanship to increase awareness of your center in your community. Joshalyn Ocker is a current Board member at The Right Path in Drumright, OK. She has been active in education for more than 30 years, in both public and private sectors. Her love for learning led her to start literacy camps at The Right Path in 2012 and she officially began the Horse Tales Literacy Project in 2013. Joshalyn and her husband, Mike, live on a farm in Drumright where they are parents to 15 wonderful children and co-leaders for the Creek County homeschool group, Abide in Me. Joshalyn is also an advocate for Constitutional Home Educator’s Alliance and can often be found at the State Capitol during legislative session. Natalea Watkins has been involved with Turning Point since it was founded in 2000. She is currently a Board Member, serving many years as Treasurer and Secretary. She helped start the Literacy Program in 2010, has served as Center Rep for Turning Point's Premier Accreditation, served as the Oklahoma State Rep and on the LSTEN Board for many years. Today she does newsletters, t-shirts and the website at Turning Point as well as helping Baxter write the book "Hay you guys!" being used in this year's Literacy Program. Natalea uses a wheelchair for mobility.
D3, Skill Progression Formulas: Short- and Long-Term CR Riding We will discuss lesson plans that allow for the achievement and documentation of skill progression from the beginning of a riding lesson until its end. We will also explore methods to establish a long-term riding skill progression for individual students depending on their seat discipline and overall goals. Anthony Busacca, PATH Intl. Master Instructor, CTRI, ESMHL over 35 years of experience in the EAS profession. He has conducted riding instructor workshops and training throughout the United States and in several foreign countries.
Session E 3 – 4pm
E1, Get Creative in Canva CE Step into the world of Canva and find out how this invaluable graphic design tool can be used to improve marketing your nonprofit. Whether you want to design social media posts, brochures, reports, invoices, presentations, calendars etc. The options and abilities are endless with Canva! Have zero experience with graphic design? No problem, Canva has thousands of templates that can be customized to fit your needs. Limited to 55 attendees. Brooke Gamble has a background in elementary education and has been passionate about therapeutic riding since she was a teenager. She is a marketing assistant for Savannah Station TRP and loves volunteering at the center. She is married to Tyler Gamble, and they have 3 boys Gunner, Weston and Bryler.
E2, Hoof Care Management Demonstration CR All This session will include information on finding a hoof care professional, the farrier/client relationship, preventative care, and an anatomy overview. Scott & Sydney Wilkinson own and operate Wilkinson Farrier Service, a full-service farrier facility located in Harrison, Arkansas that combines tradition with innovation. They offer a whole horse approach to achieve soundness and longevity. Scott Wilkinson is an American Farriers Association Certified Journeyman, graduate of Oklahoma Horseshoeing School, and has 31 years of experience.
E3, Horse Conditioning Exercises Anyone Can Do CR All Exercises to condition horses and how you can incorporate volunteers into your horse conditioning program. **Speaker Change** Shayna Bolton
Session F 4:15 – 5:15pm
F1, AmeriCorps Service and Member Acquisition CE AmeriCorps is the only federal agency dedicated to national service and volunteerism. Each year, we disperse funding and connect AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers to organizations across the country. During this presentation we will discuss the federal program AmeriCorps, the benefits and requirements of being an AmeriCorps Host Site, how to apply for AmeriCorps grants, members and training, and how to connect with your state's programs and commissions. Limited to 55 attendees. Austin Stark is the Red River Community Corps Program Coordinator who is working towards alleviating poverty for people living in Oklahoma. As an AmeriCorps NCCC Alumni, Congressional Award recipient, and nonprofit management professional with over a decade of experience, Austin has served Oklahoma and Americans nationwide through disaster response during Hurricane Sandy, the 2013 Moore Tornado relief effort and through volunteerism with a focus on food instability, housing and disaster preparedness. Specializing in the AmeriCorps VISTA program, Austin works with a myriad of nonprofits and universities to expand the capabilities of organizations that support Oklahomans in need.
F2, Horse Care: Choke and Eye Care CR All This hour will be divided between 30 minutes of how to recognize and care for a horse that is choked and 30 minutes of how to recognize disorders of the equine eye, what signs constitute an eye emergency, and tips and tricks for treating horse eyes. Learning objectives include: recognizing a choking horse, making a detailed plan on stabilizing the choking horse and getting veterinary care, describing the dietary needs of a post-choke horse, listing the most common equine eye disorders, listing signs seen in horses with eye disorders that make them an emergency, and listing 4 tips/tricks for successfully treating/managing equine eye disorders. Lyndi Gilliam DVM, ACVIM, & PhD is a veterinarian and professor at the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is board certified in equine internal medicine and has been practicing veterinary medicine for 22 years. Her research interests are snake envenomation and pharmacology. She is originally from Cheyenne, Wyoming and grew up riding working cow horses. In her free time, she enjoys supporting her children in their various activities.
F3, Combining Riders and Nonriders CE Attendees will learn how to incorporate nonriders into riding classes. Due to scheduling issues, The Right Path had to pair riders with nonriders and adapt to the situation. Find out a way for both riders and nonriders to get a productive class with the help of a strong leader to assist the walkers through the activities. Codi Wilkinson comes from a rodeo background. She grew up training horses and giving riding lessons then attended Connor's State College on a rodeo scholarship. God brought her to The Right Path in 2021 via her college roommate where she dived headfirst into pursuing her CTRI. She successfully passed in September of 2022 and has since accumulated enough hours to become a mentor.
Chuckwagon Dinner at Turning Point Ranch // 5:45-6:45pm Networking, LSTEN Meeting, PATH Intl. Region 8 Update & Region Awards