Bridges at Worthmore
Fostering Personal Growth and Learning Through Equine Activities
BARBIE GLENN, Program Director/EAGALA Mental Health Therapist
Barbie has over twenty years experience working in the behavioral health field and is a Certified Mental Health Therapist with the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. She works with adults and children with chronic mental illness, trauma, abuse, and addiction. Barbie holds a Maryland State license as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Approved Supervisor, has attained certification as a National Certified Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., has a certificate in Advanced Trauma Treatment, and is a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner through United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. Barbie graduated from Wilmington University with a Masters of Science in Community Counseling, holds a Masters of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from Wesley College. In addition to her work with Bridges at Worthmore she is a Psychotherapist at Chesapeake Bay Psychological Services in Stevensville, Maryland.
PAM KUSTER, Path Certified Instructor/EAGALA Equine Specialist/Area Director for Special Olympics
Pam has worked in the horse industry for over forty years. She is a Certified Instructor with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International and a Certified Equine Specialist with Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. She has been involved in almost every aspect of the industry including showing, training, and riding instruction. She showed Arabians and coached professionally, taking numerous horses and students to championships. Some of these honors included NJ High Point, NJ Bred, Region 15 and East Coast Championships in a variety of divisions including halter and performance. In 1992 she had a major life change when her son, Scott, was diagnosed with autism and Pam became extremely active in disability advocacy. Along with her involvement on state and national councils and committees, she provided testimony on legislation for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Family Support Act of NJ , and the reauthorization of IDEA. Following her passion she took a position at the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) and became the Executive Co-Director. Pam is now able to combine her two great passions by providing equine assisted therapies activities while managing a full service, high quality equestrian center that houses over forty horses.
MARCO BELPERIO, PATH Certified Instructor
Marco Belperio has been working in the equine therapy field for over twenty years. He is a Certified Instructor with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International and a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner with the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. Born in Novara, Italy, Marco studied Animal Science at the State University in Milan, co-created the Eques Cooperative Society S.r.L. in Tuscany, completed courses for Vaulting Trainers, and worked for the World Wildlife Fund coordinating national park camp programs for children and adults. Marco is also the head instructor for Kent Association of Riding Therapy (KART) and is employed by Eastern Shore Psychological Service as a Family Advocate.
JACK BROSIUS, Head Coach
Jack Brosius is the Head Coach of the Bridges Athletic Program and Head Coach for Special Olympics Maryland. He also conducts kayak and canoe “clinics” for coaches from all over the State of Maryland. Jack started paddling in 1962 with the Washington Canoe Club and during the period of 1962 and 1976 he won over two dozen US National Championships in various boats as well as 2 North American Championships. He was a member of the US Olympic Team in Munich, Germany in the K-2 and a member of the US Kayak and Canoe Team for the World Championships in Mexico City. Jack competed in and won several events in the Canadian Master’s Canoe and Kayak Championships and competed as a member of the Kent Island Outrigger Canoe Team as well as helped coach the Wounded Warrior Outrigger program at Kent Island. Jack has coached paddlers of all ages in kayaks & canoes, whitewater paddlers in canoe and kayak, and the WCC Master’s Kayak & Canoe team.
LISA BARTLETT-KLIEVER, EAGALA Mental Health Therapist
With 18 years in the field of Mental Health and in clinical practice for the past 9 years, Lisa is an LCSW-C in good standing with the State of MD Board of Social Workers. Located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, her primary focus is identifying and healing the impact of Chronic Complex and Single event trauma. She holds several Advance Trauma Certifications including a year long collaborative with Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk's Trauma Center at JRI, and is an Advanced Certified Trauma Professional with Level 1 and Level II from the Ferentz Institute and is a Certified Anger Management Specialist. In addition to helping clients heal from trauma, Lisa also works with individual with Co-Occurring and Substance Abuse Disorder, Youth at Risk, and both children and adults with anxiety and depression.
During the summer, Lisa works in collaboration with a local Equine Discovery Center and therapeutic barn offering Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning for both youth at risk and adjudicated youth. As a Certified EAGALA Mental Health Professional, this equine psychotherapy model pairs nicely with traditional mental health practice making sessions both clinically powerful and experiential in nature. Her latest venture is to pair Dr. Brené Brown's Daring Greatly™ and Rising Strong™ models with the EAGLA Model Equine Assisted Learning experience. At the end of July 2018, Lisa completed her Training in the Daring Way™ & Rising Strong™ models
ROBIN DUNNING, EAGALA Equine Specialist
The Horse Inspired Growth and Learning Center Inc. Co-Founder, President
Robin has been working with horses for the past 40 years training, instructing, breeding and competing on a local and national level. In addition, she owned and operated her horse farm for 22 years. The importance of selecting horses for this program requires someone that, not only has an in depth understanding of horses but can also observe them in their natural environment which is crucial to the process of selecting horses that are appropriate for the program. During sessions it is her job to observe the horses and how they are interacting with the clients watching for patterns to emerge. Because the horses will respond in often subtle ways it is her responsibility to identify questions that will aid the client in discovery. Robin has also worked in the mental health field as a mental health worker at Sheppard Pratt Hospital. Robin also served on the EAGALA Ethics Committee
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Board of Directors
Dr. Benjamin Kohl, President
Rebecca Lepter, Vice-President
Pat Merritt, Treasurer
Emily Olcott, Secretary
Noël Archambeault
Deb Campbell
John Caraway
Robert Ditmars
Stephanie Clayton Turner
Dr. Jennifer Wright