Meet the EquiNorth Team
Dr. Madison Lee | Chair
Dr. Madison Lee came across Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue with her husband in 2018 as they were driving home from a weekend away. After stopping in for a visit, Dr. Lee and her husband quickly fell in love with LOHR’s mission. Dr. Lee grew up in a family, who loved animals and owned racehorses. Dr. Lee also took horseback riding lessons as a young girl in lower Westchester. Bringing her two passions together, caring for animals and helping others who suffer from mental health difficulties, she became the Co-Chair of the LOHR Therapy Committee.
Dr. Lee is a New York State licensed child and adolescent psychologist as well as a nationally certified school psychologist. Dr. Lee received her B.A. from Pace University, where she majored in Applied Psychology. She acquired her M.S. and PsyD in School-Clinical Child Psychology from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. Dr. Lee has worked in various public and private schools, residential treatment facilities, and hospital settings. Dr. Lee completed her pre-doctoral internship within the Harrison Central School District and thereafter, completed her post-doctoral work with the Katonah Lewisboro School District, in which she is currently the middle school psychologist. In addition, Dr. Lee works with children and their families in private practice.
Dr. Lee specializes in evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents with various challenges, including but not limited to generalized anxiety, social anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, school refusal, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and executive functioning. Dr. Lee strongly values working with the client’s family and/or school support network to ensure collaboration throughout the therapeutic process. Dr. Lee is Natural Lifemanship Level 1 Certified. She also has specialized training and extensive experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent Management Training (PMT), Organizational Skills Training, and neuropsychological assessment.
Dr. Lee’s doctoral research focused on the relationship between intelligence, academic achievement, and executive functioning, which she has presented at professional conferences. Dr. Lee is a member of the American Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists, NY Association of School Psychologists, and Westchester County Psychological Associates.
Brittany Cervino
Brittany has volunteered for the therapy committee at LOHR since the summer of 2021. Brittany has a bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's College in Criminal Justice/ Juvenile Law, with minors in Sociology and Psychology. Shortly after graduating and waiting for the NYPD academy, she decided to take her first master's at St. John's University for Criminological Theory and Research, where she was hoping to take her research and intel skills to the department.
Brittany's dream was to be in uniform and help the communities in need. While in the process for 2.5 years, a dear family friend, P.O Richard Catapano Jr. of the 73rd precinct, died by suicide in August 2020. From then on, Brittany felt she could be a voice to help end the stigma of suicide for our first responders and veterans. After a lot of thought, Brittany declined her Police Officer position and started to dedicate her time to her personal training business and diving headfirst into the mental health world. Brittany is now enrolled in Adelphi University's Mental Health Counseling Program to get her LMHC.
Her 5 Year plan is to work for LOHR, helping first responders, those who suffer from substance abuse, and those who endured trauma. She would also like to have a practice of her own that will provide affordable mental health counseling to our first responders, veterans, and at-risk youth.
Deanna Mancuso
A well-established member of the local professional equine community, Deanna started out as an exercise rider for various farms from Westchester to Columbia Counties. Next came barn management, eventually transitioning to business-owner of Equine Escape Stable. Within a few years of opening Equine Escape, Deanna began to recognize a disturbing trend within the community. She was receiving a growing number of inquiries regarding unwanted horses and how to report abuse and neglect. This problem was only exacerbated by requests from the DCSPCA to foster seized horses which had begun to outnumber available spaces at their own facilities. Determined to be part of the solution, Deanna established Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue to offer permanent sanctuary to these otherwise unwanted, abused, or neglected animals, and provide them with a safe haven where they would never again experience the situations that led them to LOHR in the first place.
Erich Steffensen
After working as a butcher for 25 years I left that job to work with dogs. For five years I trained service dogs for people with disabilities. I was surprised how much I enjoyed working with the people, especially the veterans I dealt with. Covid came along and my programs were ended. Soon after, I had breakfast with Deanna and she mentioned therapy with horses. It sounded interesting and I started volunteering on the farm, and was later hired as the pproperty manager. Nine years ago I had a fire and lost 6 dogs along with my house and everything my wife and I owned. Back then I thought PTSD was just in your head or an excuse. One day, after the fire, I turned on a light with a flourescent in the house we were staying in and it crackled and flickered as it turned on. I immediately freaked out thinking it was a fire and from then on realized PTSD was a real thing. That has helped a lot with my service dogs that train to help with PTSD. I grew up working on horse farms and just love being outside and working with the horses, and being a part of Lucky Orphans. I’m also part of the EquiNorth Team. I’m Natural Lifemanship and Mental Health First Aid trained.
Thomas Olsen
Thomas came to Lucky Orphans in 2018 after passing by and stopping in for a visit. Thomas instantly fell in love with the herd and all that Lucky Orphans has to offer, especially for the veteran and first responder communities.
Thomas has been in law enforcement since 2011, currently serving as a Police Officer with the Westchester County Police Department. In addition, Thomas currently serves as the Assistant Chief with the Thornwood Volunteer Fire Department where he has served as a volunteer firefighter since 2005. Thomas has a vast amount of experience as a first responder and has been involved in many large-scale and complex incidents. He is acutely aware of the toll that continuous and prolonged exposure to trauma places on first responders and veterans.
Thomas completed his Master of Arts in Management for Public Safety and Homeland Security from Pace University in 2016 and has one publication in the International Journal of Criminology and Sociology Vol. 5 (2016) entitled “A Model-Based Approach to School Shootings: Every Second Counts!”
The calm and tranquility experienced during time spent among the herd have been a life-changing experience for Thomas. He enjoys introducing the herd to visitors and sharing the benefits the herd has to offer.
Willow Diana
Willow Diana is a member of the Lucky Orphans Rescue Therapy Committee. She has completed and is certified with Natural Lifemanship CORE Training Level 1.
Willow’s training:
Learned the Trust Technique, recognizing the importance of the animal-human relationship in both personal and sociological change.
Completed and received her Harmony Horse Handling Horsemanship certification.
Completed training in safeTALK Suicide alertness.
Completed the Foundations of Equine Experiential Facilitation Through E3A.
Willow is an Ordained Minister & Spiritual Consultant. Ordained in the Sanctuary of the Beloved in the Order of Melchizedek, and the Universal Life Church.
Willow is also a Reiki Master, Crystal & Sound healing Practitioner, Ceremonialist, Herbalist and Equine Assisted Healing Practitioner. She is also Mental Health First Aid Trained.
She has been offering energetic Reiki Healing to the horses and humans on the farm along with Sound healing, Drumming, and Aromatherapy. She is facilitating Spiritual Ceremonies, Shamanic journey work/meditation, Cacao Ceremony, and Fire Ceremony, just to name a few.
The reciprocity is strong with the herd feeling blessed and healed when I leave. Who is healing who ? I am thankful to be part of LOHR and to share the magic and healing of the horses. ~Willow
Danielle Molella
Danielle was born and raised in the beautiful Hudson Valley. After almost twenty years living away from her hometown, she came back to her roots, and is finally doing what she loves!
Danielle attended both Syracuse University in upstate New York and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA, where she earned a degree in Industrial Design. When she was 26 years old, she ventured out to the Pacific Northwest.
In 2004, while living in Seattle, Danielle decided to get professional training in something that felt very natural to her, helping people heal. She continued to work full-time as a designer while she went to school at night and on the weekends to become a Licensed Massage Practitioner and Professional Bowenwork Practitioner. The West coast is a wonderful place to explore alternative health. Danielle is grateful to have received her training out West and very excited to be able to share her knowledge and healing here in the Hudson Valley.
Since moving back, Danielle has expanded her knowledge of the body by taking advanced training classes in Applied Myoskeletal Therapy, the ARC Method and is certified in the Zone Technique.
Danielle practices Bowen Therapy in her private office in Millbrook, NY. She is passionate about helping humans on their journey to optimal physical and emotional health. In 2019, Deanna asked her if she could help one of her horses with Bowen Therapy. Deanna had just read an article about Equine Bowen Therapy; it is well-known in Australia.
Danielle has been volunteering her time at the farm ever since and loves the connections she has made here. Horses are sensitive and emotionally evolved creatures. Danielle finds it incredibly rewarding to help both humans and horses.