Learn About the Staff
Penny Campbell
Penny has been in love with horses all her life and has pursued any opportunity to work with them. In 1999 she discovered the world of therapeutic riding and knew she had found her purpose. She co- founded Healing Reins Therapeutic Riding Center in 1998 and worked extensively in all aspects of the organization throughout the next 22 years, helping to create services such as Hippotherapy, Equine Assisted Mental Health and Heroes Horsemanship. In 2024, Penny gained an Instructor of Riders with Disabilities certification through the Certified Horsemanship Association. In her free time, Penny enjoys competing in Reining, Reined Cow Horse, Sorting and Team Penning as well as trail riding in the central Oregon wilderness.
Kaitlin Buxton
Kaitlin is a lifelong horsewoman. She gained her PATH Int'l certification as an instructor in 2020 and has training as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Kaitlin excels in teaching children with special needs and loves creating a fun and challenging environment for her students. In 2024, Kaitlin gained an Instructor of Riders with Disabilities certification through the Certified Horsemanship Association. Kaitlin also loves to do Sorting and Team Penning with her horse, Jingo, a lesson horse at StirrUp Purpose.
Bryan Mitchell
Bryan has a passion for helping other veterans overcome the roadblocks and struggles that many veterans face when returning home from service. Spending many years as a buckaroo cowboy on working ranches throughout the west provided Bryan with a wide scope of knowledge of horses and horsemanship. During his Army career, Bryan was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In combat he sustained multiple traumatic brain injuries which eventually sent him home. Bryan's journey in natural horsemanship and passion to help others has fueled a desire to use the innate healing powers of horses to help other veterans overcome their struggles.
Candace Martin
Candace brings nearly 20 years of experience working among diverse groups of people with varying abilities in our community. As an educator in Bend LaPine schools Candace facilitated collaboration between classroom teachers and students with disabilities by supporting unique learning styles in both core and elective classes. One of Candace’s strengths is cultivating success through creative, individualized modifications and accommodations for people living with disabilities. Alongside educating in classroom settings, Candace spent 4 years as a coach for Special Olympics-Unified Sports. Candace transitioned into the world of equine assisted services in 2021 as administrative support for a local program. Learning about the transformative power of the horse gave her new insight into therapeutic and educational opportunities for people with disabilities.
Cindy Cronin
Cindy grew up in Portland, Oregon. She has been training horses for 38 years, specializing in starting young horses, hunters, jumpers, dressage, and driving, working with trainers on both the east and the west coast. She has been in the therapeutic riding industry for 8.5 years, becoming a PATH certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2011 and a Therapeutic Driving Instructor and Equine Specialist in 2014. She currently does freelance training in addition to her StirrUp Purpose role. With her 30 years of driving experience, she assists in introducing the StirrUp Purpose horses to long lining for the hippotherapy sessions as well as handles the horses during many of the sessions.
Eliza Ruggiero
Eliza loves sharing the joy of horsemanship with others. She was first introduced to the world of therapeutic riding as a volunteer and is excited to now be part of the StirrUp Purpose team. As a lifelong equestrian, Eliza has experienced firsthand the teaching and healing powers of horses. Horses played an influential role in Eliza's childhood, helping her navigate grief and loss related anxiety. Based on her personal experience, Eliza is motivated to help others overcome obstacles both in and outside of the arena. With the help of the amazing StirrUp Purpose herd, Eliza hopes to foster confident and empathetic riders.
Jackie Davis
Jackie spent her childhood on the back of a horse, exploring the Central Oregon trails, and competing in all disciplines in 4-H. She still enjoys getting lost on those trails throughout Oregon with her Mustang, Skinner, and discovered a new competition with an Equestrian Drill Team. Jackie was a Therapeutic Horseback riding instructor for many years, enjoying fostering the horse and human connection as the foundation to transform lives mentally, emotional, and physically. She now loves the supportive role with Hippotherapy and working with the herd to keep them healthy & happy for the participants to enjoy.