Our Board of Directors
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DAN GILLEN
President, Happy Hooves Board of Directors My wife and I recently retired to South Carolina from the Chicago-land area. I was searching for something to occupy my time and mind that would involve my love of horses and giving back to my new community. I discovered Happy Hooves by reading a wonderful article in the Greenville Journal that highlighted the incredibly valuable contribution the program makes to children within the community. I began to volunteer in the School at the Barn Program and have not looked back. I bring an extensive business background to the Board from my 40+ years of working at a senior level position for a Fortune 100 company in a variety of roles and functions. My area of expertise is in Human Resources and HR technologies. Prior to my retirement I was an avid horseman, a youth sports volunteer, and a licensed soccer coach. Historically, our family volunteered through our church and our local Ronald McDonald House. As a family we would visit Dude Ranches in Colorado, and I would often escape to the mountains to horse pack across the West. |
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NANCY SUTTERFIELD
Vice President, Happy Hooves Board of Directors I discovered Happy Hooves shortly after moving to South Carolina in 2014. It's always been important to me to give back to my community, and I was in search of something that would have a positive impact on the children in our area. The fact that this opportunity includes working with horses is an added bonus! I began volunteering with Happy Hooves School at the Barn, a full day program for special needs classes, which includes therapeutic riding. Working with the instructor, I would side walk with the horse and rider in the arena and on the trails. Nothing was as rewarding as the confidence and self-esteem I witnessed children gain as they interacted with these big, beautiful, gentle horses. I was instantly hooked on the amazing farm setting, the horses, the people and their mission. With over thirty-five years of professional experience in the advertising and marketing field, I knew I could do more to help spread awareness of all the great things that are happening at Happy Hooves. Now, along with my board duties, I chair the Communications Committee, responsible for helping to share the wonderful story of Happy Hooves. Aside from my board duties, I volunteer with the communications team for Living Hope International, a youth home and ministry in Mexico. |
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HELEN GRABEN
Treasurer, Happy Hooves Board of Directors Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist I first learned about Happy Hooves in 2009 when my daughter began taking riding lessons at Eden Farms. Over the years, my daughter began assisting with therapy lessons, and our entire family began to understand the tremendous impact that the program makes in people's lives and saw the benefits firsthand. I am honored to return to the board after taking a few years off to focus on my family and am excited to see the program thriving. I hope to use my administrative skills from years as a paralegal as well as my horse skills from years as a horse mom to support that growth. I feel fortunate to wear a few different hats with jobs that I love and that let me use different sides of my personality. The first is as a sales associate at The Tack Shop in Greenville, and the other is as the bookkeeper for Eden Farms. I've also taken on the role of Program Coordinator, which means I try to make sure that our instructors, staff and volunteers have the support that they need to provide Happy Hooves' students with appropriate therapeutic experiences in accordance with PATH International's professional standards and guidelines. |
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PAIGE SIMS
Secretary, Happy Hooves Board of Directors When I first came to Eden Farms during my Clemson days to take lessons, I had no idea that I would be back again over a decade later at a Happy Hooves fundraising event. I began volunteering with the Happy Hooves programs in early 2019 and joined the Board later that year. My background is science and engineering; I am a Professional Engineer with extensive experience in environmental consulting, regulatory compliance, and safety. Currently, I am an instructor for continuing education classes and a freelance technical writer. At the barn, my years of horse experience allow me to take on many volunteer roles. With the Board, my current focus is fundraising, leveraging my grant writing experience. This former horse crazy girl is thrilled to be able to engage with the equestrian community as an adult in a whole new way. Any rider will tell you how much good a horse can do for your mind, body, and soul, and I feel privileged to work with Happy Hooves to bring those feelings to so many more people. |
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KAY MASON
Member, Happy Hooves Board of Directors I had always enjoyed helping out at the barn. My daughter, Anne, boarded a horse at Eden Farms and took lessons there for years. Anne loved to help with the therapy lessons and camps, and I began helping with concessions at the horse shows at Eden Farms, as well as Christmas at the Barn and Wines & Equines events. After my son finished elementary school and I was no longer PTO treasurer, I was able to devote more time to volunteering with Happy Hooves. The barn has a wonderful and caring staff who have become like family to us over the last 14 years. In fact, Amy Goudelock (Happy Hooves' founder) was my daughter Anne's mentor when she went through Confirmation at Easley First United Methodist Church. I joined the Happy Hooves board of directors in May, 2014, and I primarily help with fundraising and planning events, but really a little bit of everything, wherever I am needed! I am a licensed architect in South Carolina, though I stopped working full-time to spend more time with my children as they were growing up. I am also Scholarship Treasurer for the non-profit Crescent Music Club in Greenville. |
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KYM KLAPPERICH
Member, Happy Hooves Board of Directors I first came to Eden Farms for my daughter to attend a birthday party in 2004. We fell in love with the barn, horses and staff and my daughter has been taking riding lessons at Eden Farms since that time. She currently works at the barn as a camp counselor, as a horse caretaker, and as a Therapeutic Riding volunteer with Happy Hooves. I began teaching riding lessons and summer camp lessons at Eden Farms in 2007. And, I joined the Happy Hooves Board in 2013. I primarily work on grant writing, fund-raising, and try to offer my perspective as a parent and riding instructor as a board member. I love being a part of Happy Hooves because I have the opportunity to help so many children with special needs in our local community. It's a gift to see these riders smile, have fun and gain confidence through our programs and the miraculous power of the horse. My family and I also have our Quarter Horse, Flashy, at Eden Farms. It's so special to watch her along with the other incredible horses work with riders in the Happy Hooves programs! |
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KIM GRANT
Member, Happy Hooves Board of Directors I became aware of this wonderful organization through a neighbor and Happy Hooves team member. During a conversation, I mentioned that I owned and showed horses in my younger years. I was invited to attend an orientation for volunteers which provided me a tremendous perspective of the work and efforts being made to help special needs children. I immediately felt the desire to become involved. I have previously worked for a Fortune 500 company as an Art Director and also, ran my own business for many years. Art has always been a creative outlet for me. However, I had been looking for an opportunity to volunteer in a way to help others and Happy Hooves appeared to be a perfect fit for me, with their focus on kids and horses. My initial experience as a volunteer working with the children filled my soul and I am honored to be on the Board of Directors. I hope my creative experience can provide additional value to future events along with my continued time as a volunteer. I am proud to be involved with such a great group of people who are dedicated to improving lives of others. |
