Meet Our Staff
Alexandra Whittey
Executive Director/Instructor
Alexandra (Alex) Whittey has over 27 years of horsemanship experience and holds the following certifications from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.): Advanced Therapeutic Riding Instructor, CTRI, Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning and Mentor.
Alex is also a Certified Masterson Method © Equine Specialist, Certified Health and Wellness Coach and Registered Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance RYT 200).
She first became involved with the equine assisted services industry as a parent of a participant, then moved forward to become a volunteer, an Instructor and now she owns and operates Equisol Ranch and manages its programs.
Her experience has helped her develop strong intuition and observation skills, which allow her to present as a pillar of strength and guide for others when need be. She constantly strives to achieve clear communication to help people meet their goals in ways that work best for them and to learn from every participant.
Alex looks forward to the opportunity to learn how she may best meet your needs in order to help you meet your desired goals and for you to become a part of the Equisol community.
Conni De Masi
Development Director
Conni has been around horses her entire life. She grew up participating in 4-H Horsemanship, competing in rodeo and local Play-Day Western Showmanship and Gymkhana events. Conni was a participant and volunteer for the Honey Lake Valley Riders for many years and then, while attending college, taught and volunteered with the Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort McArthur in San Pedro, CA., where she worked with seals and sea lions and helped plan the Care Center’s funding and outreach events. It was at that point when she realized that she enjoyed working with large animals… outside of the water.
In 2018, when Conni moved to Reno, she decided that she wanted to go back to working with equines and that she enjoyed helping people, thus becoming a volunteer who conditioned horses for a therapeutic riding center. This led to an explosive passion for developing outreach and fundraising programs for equine assisted services. In 2022, Conni joined the Equisol Adaptive Horsemanship team as a member of the Board of Directors as well as the Development Director, a role in which she is able to utilize her creativity for fundraising, special event planning and become more involved with community collaborations.
You may occasionally catch Conni at the ranch working with the equines and volunteering during therapeutic riding sessions or in other capacities.
Anna Dieffenbach
Equine Manager
Horses have played a significant role in Anna’s life path. Riding started as a childhood activity for her, which fostered a great curiosity in landscapes, wildlife, and human connections. Through high school and college, she focused on dressage and eventing. After graduating from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Conservation Biology, she traveled around the US for seasonal wildlife and recreation jobs and finally landed in northern NV. She is excited to commit full time to the equine industry, integrate into the community, and adventure throughout the region.
In her role of Equine Manager at Equisol, Anna’s focus is to incorporate a combination of horsemanship techniques that will help ensure the well-being and fitness (both mental and physical) for its herd. She believes that people always have something to learn from their equine partners and aims to help create successful human-equine experiences.
Kay Smith
Equine Care Team Supervisor
Kay has been passionate about horses for as long as she can remember, but Arabian horses have always held a special place in their heart. She has many years of experience showing and training Arabians in different disciplines and loves teaching and guiding other equine lovers. When not at the barn, Kay is practicing yoga with her daughters and continuing her education in Deaf Studies. She is very excited to be part of the Equisol Adaptive Hosmanship team!
Addison Fraser
Equine Trainer
Addison has been passionate about horses since the age of 11, when she first discovered the joy of riding. Over the years, she has dedicated herself to the world of hunter jumpers and has had the opportunity to train with a variety of skilled professionals who helped her refine her technique and deepen her understanding of equine behavior. Through all of the chapters of her equine journey, she has gained valuable experience and has learned the subtleties of horsemanship and equine care.
Addison is proud to extend her knowledge, experience and dedication to Equisol and finds her role as Equine Trainer rewarding. Her responsibilities allow her to focus on preparing the equines to support riders of all abilities, which lends to a safe and empowering environment for all.
Lindsey Heath
Barn Team Assistant
Lindsey has been part of the Equisol Adaptive Horsemanship team since September 2023. She is currently an animal science student at the University of Nevada, Reno and is set to graduate in Spring 2026.
Lindsey grew up owning horses and throughout high school, participated in a drill team for her hometown rodeo. She started working with horses professionally when she started college in 2022. She is passionate about all animals and the positive impact they have on human lives.
Ellese Krugle
Barn Team Assistant
Ellese is a Nevada native, growing up surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Silver State. She has been drawn to equines since a young age, inspired by their gentle strength and profound connection they foster with people. Believing in the transformative power of the equine, Ellese is committed to helping individuals find healing, resilience, and inner peace through working with them. With dedication and compassion, she prides herself on the care of our equine therapists and the hearts they heal.
Mackenzie McVicars
Barn Team Assistant
Mackenzie has loved equines her entire life. She began riding lessons when she was 3 years old and has been riding as often as she can ever since. She has owned her own horse and has helped friends, family and neighbors clean stalls and look after their equines for multiple years. Additionally, she spent a summer working at an equine rescue. Mackenzie enjoys being around equines because she finds it relaxing and therapeutic in benefit. She hopes to work around them as much as possible in order to gain plentiful knowledge and experience with hopes of one day owning her own horse ranch.
Isabella Blakely
Barn Team Assistant
Isabella fell in love with equines as a young child and started riding when she was just 4 years old. After some years away from the equine world, she is excited to be working once again with them at Equisol Ranch. As a senior in high school, Isabella volunteered at a school that served people with special needs. Her role as a Classroom Assistant provided her the opportunity to support and create memorable bonds with the students.
After Isabella graduated from high school, she moved to Reno from California to attend The University of Nevada, where she is currently studying Veterinary Science. Her goals are to become a veterinarian and to continue to nurture her love for animals.
Hannah Foote
Ranch Hand
Hannah's passion for equines started during her childhood in Virginia, which led her to compete in dressage and work with equines professionally since 2015. Hannah moved to Reno in 2016 and felt passionate about wanting to make a positive impact on her community. She sought out organizations where she could support people and equines joining together for the sake of well-being. Currently she is a proud member of U.A. Local 350 Plumbers and Pipefitter's Union working full time, while she still holding space to be a part of the adaptive horsemanship community.
Bodie
Resident Mouser/Guardian
Bodie is our resident guard feline who oversees all. Between naps, he works diligently to keep the lounge area rodent free and to seek affection from humans. He has been working in the industry since his adoption in 2021. He is working toward achieving the world record for the cat who receives the most pets, scratches and treats while on the job.
