A Unique Set of Skills and qualifications
Board of Directors & Staff
The H4H Board of Directors of Horsemanship is passionate about our mission and dedicated to ensuring our organization’s success.
Co-Founder/Executive Director
Karolyn Hooper
Karolyn (goes by “K”) has great love and respect for Veterans, Emergency Responders and their families, and has a passion for sharing the healing power of the horse with those in need.
Karolyn Hooper is a Co-founder, Instructor, and the Executive Director for Horsemanship for Heroes. K retired from the U.S. Army after twenty-three years of service, including multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl) as a Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) and as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL). A life-long learner, K is an Assistant Faculty Instructor in the Equine Studies Department of Post University.
Co-Founder/President of the Board
Scott Hooper
It’s all about the people! Serving our nation was Scott’s greatest honor. Serving those who have served our nation, and our community is his calling.
Scott Hooper is a Co-founder, Instructor, and President of the Board of Directors for Horsemanship for Heroes. A retired U.S. Army combat veteran (Somalia, Iraq x3), Scott served over twenty-five years in the Infantry. During that time, he held multiple leadership and senior advisory roles across the globe. Scott is a PATH, Intl. certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Personally impacted by the human-horse bond, Scott considers this program potentially life-changing for all…participants and volunteers alike.
Secretary, H4H Board of Directors
Brigitte Stafford
Brigitte is Vice President for the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America for the State of Nevada. She is a longtime Nevada Humane Society “Lead Volunteer” for off-site pet adoptions. She has been involved with event planning and fundraising for several Nevada Veteran service organizations, including the State Veterans Home, Veterans Guest House, Army/Air Guard Family Support Office, Homeless Veterans Stand Down, Home Goods for Veterans with Katie Grace Foundation, Wreaths Across America, Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza cleaning team and many more.
Treasurer/equine advisor, H4H Board of directors
Gayle Scheffel
An equine enthusiast from an early age, Gayle adopted her first horse at the age of 9. She attributes much of her success and confidence to the horse/human experience and is a firm believer, supporter of equine assisted therapy.
Gayle is a 30-year veteran in the executive search industry. Her focus has been serving high growth companies in a broad range of venture capital backed, technology-oriented industries including semi-conductors, e-commerce, media, and food science. She was a founding Partner at KarrScheffel a boutique Executive Search firm in San Francisco, CA. She also held key management positions within the executive search practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Scheffel & Associates, and Baxter Biotech. Gayle currently acts as Strategic Advisor to SB Search Partners. Gayle is active in the Northern Nevada community and is on the Board of Montreux Golf and Country Club where she chairs the Membership Committee. She is also on the Board and Executive Committee at Big Brother’s and Big Sisters of Northern Nevada.
COrporate Partnership and Engagement Advisor
Juan Carlos “JC” Giron Jr.
Juan Carlos “JC” Giron Jr. brings a unique blend of personal passion and professional expertise to Horsemanship for Heroes. Having spent many of his formative years on a ranch working with livestock and horses, Juan Carlos deeply appreciates the transformative power of the human-animal connection and believes strongly in expanding access to equine-assisted therapy and the opportunities that arise from combining this modality with other proven psychotherapeutic approaches. His grandfather’s service in the South Pacific during World War II informed Juan Carlos’s enduring commitment to supporting military communities and addressing the complex health challenges our veteran and first-responder heroes often face.
Professionally, Juan Carlos is an accomplished executive and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in capital markets, finance, and strategic development. He has held executive roles in the natural resources sector and is currently the President & CEO of Canstar Resources Inc., a Toronto Stock Exchange Venture listed firm focused on opportunistic investments across the mining value chain with an emphasis on securing the West’s supply of the critical materials that are essential for high technology and the defense industrial base. Prior to Canstar, Juan Carlos served as the Chief Financial Officer of a US-listed mining company in Nevada, as founding member and Executive Vice President of Strategy and Capital Markets at a Canadian-listed mining technology firm, and as a corporate development leader for a venture-backed watertech startup. He has advised a wide range of early-stage companies – including non-profit and for-profit organizations – on corporate development and strategic growth, while also serving on the advisory boards of emerging ventures. Juan Carlos began his career at UBS International (NYSE: UBS) where he spent a decade in the offshore banking division serving the needs of a select group of international investors, family offices and successful entrepreneurs.
Volunteer Coordinator
Linda Wolff
Linda is a devoted volunteer whose journey into service began with a transformative two-day trip to Georgia. There, she joined a group of parents and volunteers in welcoming and supporting Army Ranger School candidates during their grueling Darby phase, just before the Mountain phase of their training. The heartfelt smiles and gratitude from these exhausted, hungry soldiers left an indelible mark on her, igniting a lifelong commitment to serving the Veteran and Military community.
After relocating to the Reno area in 2021, a friend introduced her to the Equine Assistance Therapy program. Although she never considered herself a “horse person,” Linda quickly discovered the profound healing power of these animals. She started her volunteer work with CAR and soon transitioned to Horsemanship 4 Heros (H4H), where she has been a pillar of support from the very beginning. Her contributions were instrumental in achieving the PATH, International Premiere Accreditation for H4H, and she was honored as Volunteer of the Term for T2-24 last year. Beyond her impactful volunteer work, Linda has excelled in management roles across organizations of all industries and sizes. Yet, she considers her most rewarding position to be that of a household manager. A loving wife, dedicated mother of two grown sons (including one who is active-duty Army), and proud grandmother of three, Linda brings the same passion and commitment to her family as she does to her community
