The Sprout staff work tirelessly to provide the highest quality care, service, instruction and therapy to over 125 individuals each week.
With over 100 combined years of horse experience the staff at Sprout bring a vast amount knowledge and experience to their work.
Their love for horses, passion for service and commitment to excellence has allowed Sprout to impact thousands in its community.

Contact Sprout Staff

Brooke Waldron, M.Ed

Founder, Executive Director, PATH Intl Advanced Instructor and Mentor

Brooke Waldron is the founder and Executive Director of Sprout. Brooke holds a Bachelors degree in Pre-Veterinary medicine and a Master’s Degree in Education. Brooke is a VA-state licensed teacher and an Advanced Level therapeutic riding instructor through PATH Intl. Brooke believes in the power of horse-human bond and the life-changing aspects of equine therapies. Brooke is a dedicated professional and self-proclaimed “POSSABILITARIAN,” that works to develop the ABILITIES of her students in therapeutic riding and beyond. Brooke is a PATH Intl. Certified Mentor and works to train new industry-leading professionals at Sprout.

Brooke moved on to the Sprout farm (then a soybean farm) in 2009 and set to work building the organization from the ground up. Her innovation, work ethic, knowledge and attention to detail have allowed Sprout to rise from the ground up. Brooke has boldly led Sprout from a mere soybean farm to a bustling non-profit serving hundreds each year. She was honored as a “30 Under 30” Top Entrepreneur in Loudoun County for her unmatchable efforts.

Anna Koopman

Operations Director

An avid equestrian her entire life, Anna Koopman brings a well-rounded competition-oriented background to the Therapeutic Driving Program at Sprout Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center. As a child she participated in 4-H and Pony Club; competed in eventing and hunters; and was on the Equitation Team at Mount Holyoke College. After college her competition focus has been on Combined Driving and is part of Team Koopman. Since 2003 they have traveled extensively competing in events from Florida to Canada.

In 2010, Anna’s father, Bob Koopman was named as an alternate to the USEF Combined Driving Singles Team. They competed at the World Championships in Patroni del Vivaro, Italy with their Morgan, Whippoorwill’s Keep Dancing (Dancer). In 2011 they traded spots on the carriage and Anna took the reins competing successfully at the Intermediate level. As a way of giving back to the community Anna became certified to teach Therapeutic Driving and recently received her certification to teach Therapeutic Riding after being involved with Sprout for a number of years.

Tim Mooney

Director of Philanthropy

Tim Mooney (Moons) has spent the last twenty years supporting children and families who are facing significant healthcare challenges. Whether raising funds for the programs of Division of Community Pediatrics at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, the children and families served by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC, kids and families battling childhood cancer who are served by the JUST TRYAN IT Fund and now serving our students and their families at Sprout – his passion is caring for children and their families impacted by childhood illnesses and dis-abilities.
Moons – as he is known to his friends – was introduced to Sprout at the 2019 Gallop Gala. Since that evening, he has been drawn to the mission of Sprout and how the staff, instructors, volunteers and horses are dedicated to changing lives through specific programs and therapies. After that evening…his future supporting the mission of Sprout became, in his words was, “Just a matter of time!”

Nancy Davidson, M.T.S.

Special Projects & PATH Intl Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist

Nancy Davidson is a life-long rider and has been a certified riding instructor for over 14 years teaching hunt-seat equitation to emerging riders. She graduated from Sweet Briar College in 1982 majoring in religion. In 2009 Nancy received a Master in Theological Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. Nancy completed an independent study that examined our right relationship with animals. She is thrilled to be a part of an organization that helps riders develop a trust relationship with horses through kindness and gentleness. Nancy and her husband Mike have been married for nearly 30 years and have three daughters.

Kayla Elias

Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor & Outreach Coordinator

Kayla Elias is a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and graduate of the College of William & Mary (English and Psychology). She began riding at age 7 and is experienced in dressage, hunt seat, western, and trail. A lifelong rider, Kayla is active in dressage with her horse, Guinness.

Kayla aims to help riders reach their goals through an approach that builds confidence, understanding of the horse, and a positive relationship between horse and rider. She is thrilled to be part of Sprout, an organization that places such strong values on acceptance, community, and possibility.

Mike Carney (aka Beard Guy)

Barn Staff

Mike Carney, aka Beard Guy, became fascinated with horses at an early age. He began his involvement at Sprout while the program was in its infancy and continues to be relentlessly dedicated to our equines today. Mike brings over 30 years of equine management, care and horsemanship to our program and provides top-notch support to the horses that work for our deserving riders. As a fixture in the barn, Mike is the “go-to guy” for all questions about horses, feed, tack, schedules and barn work.

Mike works with his full heart and soul. He has a true love for learning and a belief that horses can help people of all ages and bring great joy to them.

Sue Schmieg, PT, DPT

American Hippotherapy Association Level II Therapist

Sprout Therapeutic Riding and Education Center offers equine movement therapy under the direction of Susan Schmieg, PT, DPT. Sue has been involved with equine related therapies since 1977 at a number of facilities in Virginia and California. Sue received her BSPT from the Medical College of Virginia and her DPT from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently licensed in Virginia and has treated patients from neonates through geriatrics in all hospital settings as well as in-home and outpatient settings and was the director of a sub acute neuro rehabilitation unit while in California. Sue recently completed the required training under the American Hippotherapy Association and Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship, International for therapists using equine movement as a treatment protocol.

Heather Henken

PATH Intl Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Heather came to Sprout as a volunteer in 2012 and the “Magic of Sprout” led her to pursue the Riding Instruction certification through PATH International. She has always been an animal lover and after starting riding lessons as a child, horses have always had a special place in her heart. She has a B.A. in Sociology from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and has over 12 years of professional equine experience. Heather has worked as a Barn Manager and Groom for both show hunter and fox hunter stables. She worked as a veterinarian assistant for the US Olympic team vet and she is currently a licensed Equine Insurance Agent. When Heather is away from horses she loves to spend quality time with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs. She also enjoys hiking, playing soccer and helping train foster dogs for a fresh start on a new life.

I teach at Sprout because horses have always been a way for me to live in the moment and forget about my struggles. Horses have inspired me to grow both mentally and physically and I want to be able to facilitate that feeling of pure joy and personal growth for my students.

Lacy Warner

PATH Intl Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Lacy grew up in Upstate, NY in the Hunter/jumper show ring. As a teenager she acquired her first horse, a very difficult off-the-track thoroughbred, who eventually necessitated an introduction to natural horsemanship. After seeing the possibilities this new world of horse training could provide, Lacy began retraining her horse, and herself, via Parelli Natural Horsemanship. She graduated Parelli level 3 in 2011, after spending time at both the Florida and Colorado Parelli campuses, and makes a great effort to attend continuing education courses on a regular basis. Moving to Virginia was the best thing that ever happened to her! For many years now she has taught riding lessons to children and amateur adults with a focus on riding confidently cross country & fox hunting in addition to showing and eventing. She believes good training should be based on proper ground work and flat work.

Lacy’s passion is to show people that they can achieve their riding dreams, whatever they may be and to open their eyes to many different equine disciplines. She also takes great pride in training/re-training and starting/re-starting horses. Lacy can often be seen in the hunt field with a trail of children & adults with her. She has her colors with both Warrenton and Loudoun Fairfax hunts after nearly 15 seasons combined.

Pam McAffee

PATH Therapeutic Riding Instructor and ARIA Level 2 Dressage and Recreational Riding

Claudia Munson

Office Manager

A native of New York, Claudia moved to Northern Virginia in 1996. Over the past 23 years, she has worked as a Paralegal within law firm and corporate environments. She most recently worked for several years, with K-8 children in a Catholic School. She was introduced to Sprout in 2015 through one of Sprout’s fundraisers – Sipping for Sprout. Claudia has two daughters who enjoy riding and caring for horses, which has taught her the benefits of equine recreation. Her daughters have thoroughly enjoyed attending Sprout’s Junior Horsemanship camps, for which they now have wonderful memories. Claudia looks forward to working with and supporting the Sprout team

Kate Cunningham

Occupational Therapist

Kate has been a licensed and registered occupational therapist in Virginia since 2001, after graduating from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania with a degree in occupational therapy and a minor in psychology. She has provided therapy in the subacute, hospital, outpatient and home settings. She has held rehabilitation director roles for multiple programs developing teams and improving clinical rehabilitative care. Before joining Sprout she was the executive director for a multidisciplinary, all-inclusive model of care program in Northern Virginia where she oversaw all aspects of clinical care, program operations and insurance benefit management.

Kate has completed her level I American Hippotherapy Association training in order to provide therapy using equine movement as a treatment protocol. She began her passion for riding growing up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. After moving to Northern Virginia, she volunteered at therapeutic riding facilities in the area. She enjoys seeing the immediate effect of treating with horses, the joyful spirit created by everyone involved and the outcomes that can be achieved.

Lynn Bronson

Stewardship and Event Support

Lynn began volunteering at Sprout in 2012. She lives in Ashburn, Va with her husband John and her son Grant. John & Lynn also have two older sons and now two grandchildren. Lynn met Brooke while Brooke was her son's 7th grade science teacher. Lynn was born & raised in Northwestern Indiana where she had experience riding horses with her friends. Before retiring in 2011, Lynn was a bank officer at Virginia Heritage Bank and has over 24 years in the banking industry. She now enjoys working at Sprout as the co-office manager.

Christy Warner

Weekend Barn Staff and CARROTS Coach

Christy's life-long obsession with horses possibly began before birth. Labeled an ``extremely sensitive child`` at an early age, she found the greatest comfort with animals, particularly horses. Born in Virginia, she's been blessed to have lived in both Germany and recently, Italy. While living overseas, she had the great privilege of traveling to numerous other countries and found that the depth and strength of the human animal bond transcends nearly every culture. While she started riding at the age of 6, lack of funding growing up often made riding impossible. Instead, she voraciously consumed every possible form of information related to horses and volunteered anywhere and everywhere just to be near their calming presence. Upon moving to what used to be West Berlin at the age of 11, she taught herself just enough German to request volunteer opportunities in local barns where she spent as much time as school, sports and her parents would allow. She graduated from college in 1994 with a degree in Veterinary Technology and worked as a Licensed Veterinary Technician/Veterinary Nurse for nearly 25 years. While in college, she volunteered all of her extra time at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center. During her career, she acquired extra knowledge and practice in specialties such as in anesthesia, dentistry, cytology, ophthalmology, radiography, hematology and emergency care. She returned from living in Italy in the summer of 2017 and in 2018, through Mary Schreiber, became a certified equine and canine massage therapist and concurrently enjoys her flourishing massage business. Her passion for learning never ceases and is pursuing a study and certification in the human animal bond. Christy's employment at Sprout as weekend barn manager began in the winter of 2018. She was recently gifted the task of organizing tasks/projects for the CARROTS volunteer program and loves every minute with the volunteers. Each day she steps onto the farm, a sense of peace washes over her. For her, Sprout embodies inclusivity, endless possibilities and profound joy in the moments our riders and volunteers grow stronger and more vibrant, both emotionally and physically. She currently lives with her family on 7 acres in Gainesville with several chickens, ducks, guineas, 4 cantankerous goats, 2 barn cats, 3 house cats and 3 dogs. She hopes to add horses to the menagerie soon.

Klaudia Taylor

Lesson Manager

Klaudia began her equestrian journey in the spring of 2012. A few weeks after beginning her riding lessons, she started to assist with riding lessons for children and adults with a range of physical or cognitive challenges. A month into volunteering as a lessons’ assistant, she also started to help as a volunteer coordinator. Since then, she has volunteered with multiple therapeutic riding programs in the Washington D.C. area and has completed several horse training programs. Klaudia holds a master’s degree in International Development and has years of experience managing complex programs in challenging environments. As a barn mom, Klaudia started a blog for other potential, current, or former barn moms to share resources, exchange ideas, and provide support for mom’s or children’s experiences with horseback riding.

In January 2020, Klaudia started to volunteer at Sprout. Almost immediately, Klaudia felt like she was part of an extraordinary team. In January 2021, Klaudia accepted the position of a lesson assistant at Sprout. Given Klaudia’s personal experience growing up and working with children with disabilities, Sprout allows her to combine her passion for helping others and her love for horses. The Sprout facility, the horses, the instructors, and staff, make everyone feel like they are a part of something that is larger than life. The partnership they help to build between their horses, riders, volunteers, and instructors is one of a kind and is always focused on providing hope, healing, and empowerment. Regardless of how you arrive, you are sure to be changed for good during your time at Sprout!