Our Team

Adam Daurio is an accomplished executive director and attorney, with experience in, knowledge of, and passion for the rodeo, equestrian, and agricultural industries. Daurio is currently the Executive Director of the Saddle Up! Foundation, a non-profit corporation based in Parker, CO that provides equine assisted activities and therapies to individuals with special needs.  Previously, Daurio’s legal practice included agricultural law, real estate and business law, general contracts, non-profit organization, and western lifestyle consultation.

Daurio received an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Extension and also Economics, from Colorado State University.  He then went to University of Wyoming Law School and received his Juris Doctor.

Daurio volunteers as a guest lecturer for Colorado State University’s Agricultural Law class and Equine Science Senior Capstone class.  Additionally, his philanthropic work includes volunteering for 4-H, Volunteers of America, Kempe Foundation, YMCA, Bridgeway Homes, Susan G. Komen, Families First, and Global Down Syndrome Foundation.

Daurio enjoys showing quarter horses in western all-around, reining and cowhorse events.  He lives in Parker, CO with his wife Jennifer, their two dogs and five horses.

Robin is a physical therapist who has been involved with the horse world since early childhood.  She has been providing Hippotherapy since before it had an official name, and is a registered AHA therapist. She is also NDT trained.

She served on the AVA Executive Board of Directors and is currently on the AVA Board of Directors.

Robin is a long time member of the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) and served as the regional liaison for several years.

Ciana Gingola, originally from Connecticut, has lived in Colorado since 2009. She has 20 years of experience working with horses; she began horseback riding lessons as a child, which developed into a life-long love. From a young age, she began volunteering with Pegasus in the Therapeutic Riding program. She is a true believer in the healing power of horses!

She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Delaware, where she joined the Equestrian Team. Additionally, she completed internships and summer jobs working with children with special needs. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Social Work (MSW), with a focus in Child Welfare and Equine Assisted Therapies, at the University of Denver; she anticipates graduation in June of 2012.

Prior to SaddleUp! Foundation, Ciana interned with Dungarvin, a Child Placement Agency, serving foster children with developmental disabilities. Ciana began at SaddleUp! Foundation in 2011 as the MSW Intern; she is pursuing a PATH Intl. Therapeutic Riding Instructor Certification. Currently, she is thrilled to be working full-time as the Schedule Coordinator with the SaddleUp! Team.

Felicia has been riding horses since she was 2 years old.  She learned horsemanship while growing up in the Denver area through the United States Pony club as a child and began Eventing and showing locally.  She instructed Pony Club teams through college, while riding with the CSU Polo Team, followed by riding with the Denver Polo Club.  She has instructed at many levels, primarily Dressage and Hunter Jumper and was CO-District Commissioner for the Platte Valley Pony Club, where she received Instructor Certification while working with the Platte Valley and Aspen Springs Pony Clubs.

Felicia attended the USHJA (United States Hunter Jumper Assosiation) Instructer Certification Workshop and has hosted Equestrian trips to Europe.

She became a Certified Therapeutic Instructor through PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International in 2011.  Felicia now utilizes her experience and expertise with the SaddleUp! Foundation helping people share her passion for horses.

Dani was born and raised in Colorado.  Like many young girls she was enamored with horses from an early age. On her 12th birthday her wildest dreams came true when her father gave her a pony.  Her love of everything equine continued to grow as she did, so when it came time to choose a college she found herself at Colorado State in the Equine Science department.

After graduation, she traveled around the US and abroad working in various aspects of the equine industry, eventually making her way back to her hometown. Shortly thereafter, Dani began her relationship with SaddleUp! as a volunteer. She was later hired on as the equine manager, and eventually moved into the role of program director during which time she completed her certification as a therapeutic riding instructor from PATH International.

SaddleUp! has been a life changing experience for Dani and recently she returned to school in pursuit of a degree in occupational therapy. She continues to work with her students on a part time basis.

Laura has an accounting and horse background.  Out of college, she worked for Ernst & Young, Gillett Group Management, and Bruce Berger Realty.   Currently Laura handles SaddleUp!’s accounting as well as other clients in the equestrian and philanthropic industries.

Laura's volunteer hours are spent at church and in her daughters' schools.

Family life is important and she is fortunate to have a wonderful husband, Doug and two daughters, Elizabeth and Erin.

Debbie has owned quarter horses and thoroughbreds for 33 years, riding both English and Western disciplines.  She has competed in everything from Gymkhana events (barrel racing, pole bending etc.), Western Pleasure, and to more recently competing in Hunter Jumper events in Colo. and New Mexico.

Debbie began volunteering at SaddleUp! in 2009, while attending PTA school.  She graduated as a Physical Therapist Assistant in May, 2011, became certified Level I through AHA, in July, 2011, and received her license as a  PTA  in August, 2011.

Debbie currently works under the direction of Robin Bowman, PT, and is a full time therapy provider at SaddleUp!

Maria is an occupational therapist and loves working with horses. She received her master degree at Ithaca College in upstate New York and graduated in 2009.

She grew up in Connecticut and moved out to Denver, CO after graduation. She has been working at SaddleUp! since 2010 and completed her level 1 AHA, as well as various other courses related to pediatrics.

Outside of SaddleUp!, Maria enjoys adventures in the mountains, no matter what the season.

Kelly Pierson, M.A., CCC-SLP was born and raised in Dallas, Texas.  She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science and Disorders and from the University of Colorado with a Master of Arts in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.  She has been working at Saddle Up! since August 2011 and is AHA Level 1 certified.

Outside of work, Kelly loves mountain adventures, particularly hiking and snowshoeing.

Courtney has been an occupational therapist for 9 years. She completed her undergraduate work at the University of Central Florida and her graduate work at Nova Southeastern University.  She has worked with adults and children in all settings, and has found her passion here at SaddleUp! Foundation. She has worked at SaddleUp! for a year and continues to grow in her horse knowledge.  Courtney is AHA Level 1 certified.

Courtney has lived in Colorado for 10 years and enjoys hiking, camping, skiing, and spending time with her family. She has two daughters, Addison, 3 years old and Gracyn, 2 years old, at home that keep her life very busy and interesting.

Caren Powell, M.Ed. CCC-SLP is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Augmentative Technology specialist.  She earned her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association after receiving her Masters from the University of Georgia.  Caren has worked in the field of speech and language therapy for over 20 years in many different settings including the home and classroom settings with children of all ages.  As an Augmentative Specialist with the Easter Seals of Colorado, Caren conducted assistive technology and augmentative communication evaluations and training for individuals with disabilities, their families, and professionals in home, community and school settings. She has worked as a trainer at Talking with Technology, Director of Computer skills camp at Rocky Mountain Village, and a lead speech-language therapist for Urban Adventures (a local Adam’s Camp program with young adults who use Augmentative Communication.)

Caren continues to consult in the school and home settings for children and adults as well as providing hippotherapy at SaddleUp! Foundation.

Caren has two very active boys who keep she and her husband, Drake, very busy!