Caroline Fritch
Program Director & Lead Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Caroline is an established Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) and Program Director with over 17 years’ experience in program development, management, certification, and accreditation. Her accomplishments throughout her career include thousands of hours of safe lessons, and responsibility for establishing and maintaining Premiere Accreditation status through PATH.
Caroline created new program offerings like our Hangouts and Mini Camps which have proven to be very popular and effective at combining therapeutic riding with socialization and group activities which supports the broader needs of our clients. Before joining The Kvamme Center Caroline was instrumental in creating and implementing summer camps for special needs riders, after school programs for at-risk youth, organizing special needs horse shows, and being involved in the Special Olympics as an Equine Coach. Horses and helping people are her passions and we are fortunate to have her at the reins. Caroline and her husband recently relocated to California from South Carolina.
Shannon Swanson
Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Shannon Swanson began volunteering at The Kvamme Center in the fall of 2019, after watching the positive impact horses had on her son.
Shannon’s love of horses and desire to empower the special needs community has brought her to this journey of horses and healing at The Kvamme Center. Shannon worked in special education for 8 years as a behavioral technician, and helped manage an after school program designed for children with disabilities for 5 years. She has studied FloorTime, ABA, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, Equine assisted learning and Positive Discipline.
Shannon is our program manager, a PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and Certified Horse Powered Reading instructor.
In her free time, Shannon enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her family.
Kate Reid
Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Kate Reid grew up riding and has worked with horses in a variety of disciplines throughout her life. Her love for riding and the benefits she saw from being around horses and nature in her own life, along with a desire to help others, led her to the world of Adaptive/Therapeutic Riding in 2018. In 2019, Kate passed exams to obtain her PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor credentials. Since then Kate has worked and volunteered at two Therapeutic Riding programs in the Bay Area and continues her journey to grow and learn in the field of Therapeutic Riding.
Kate is particularly interested in the mental and physical benefits of Therapeutic Riding for adults and Veterans. In her free time, Kate enjoys traveling with her husband and their cat and dog, yoga, and volunteering at the barn!
Natalie Penrose
Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Natalie Penrose grew up participating in equine summer camps, taking riding lessons and spending hours on the trail with her horse, Skeeter.
It was Natalie’s background in Psychology that led her to explore the world of equine assisted services and the benefit of horses in therapy, learning, and horsemanship. She began volunteering at the center in 2023, after graduating from university. Since then, Natalie passed her exam to become PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.
Natalie is interested in mental health and wellness in teens and young adults. In her freetime, she enjoys reading, spending time in her garden, and hiking with her dogs.