Staff and Board Members

Jaime Arnett

Executive Director

Jaime has extensive experience in nonprofit management, grant writing, and the private, and public sectors. Her nonprofit career began a decade ago with Habitat for Humanity, where she held every position from volunteer coordinator to assistant director, working in both Washington and Oregon states. In the private sector, Jaime was the Executive Administrator for the Boundary Fish Company in Blaine. She is passionate about governance and politics and is also a former Blaine City Council Member! In 2015, Jaime began grant writing for ANT to stay meaningfully connected to her community. She was drawn to ANT for our natural approach to mental and behavioral health services and, being an avid animal lover, was especially curious about the benefits of human-animal interactions. Jaime was the Director of Operations & Development prior to stepping in as the ED in 2020. She has a deep appreciation for ANT’s culture of compassion, the spirit of our animals, and the brilliance of our staff. Contact Jaime at jaime@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Katie Rohwer

Program Coordinator & PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor

Katie first was a part of the ANT family as a mentor for youth programming. She graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, received her Therapeutic Riding Instructor (TRI) certification from PATH Intl. in 2017, and was awarded the PATH Credentialed Professional of the Year in 2020 for Region 9 (which includes Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington)! Katie loves to share her passion for horses with the people she works with, and is usually the first person to engage with families and volunteers at ANT. She has a cat named Murphy and a horse named Scotty. She loves craft beer, a good novel, deep conversations with friends and experiencing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Contact Katie at program@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Jessie Pemble

Director of Development & ESMHL-in-Training

Jessie has been connected to ANT since the age of 11, when she attended day camps to work with her favorite therapy horse, Sundance! She graduated from WWU with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation which led her back to ANT in 2017, and has since held positions from Office Manager, Mobile ANT Coordinator and Outreach Director, before stepping into her current Development role. Some of her proudest ANT moments have been taking our therapy animals to Microsoft conferences in Seattle, where they offer comfort to over 5,000 people! When not at the farm, Jessie enjoys cycling, camping, and hiking with her rescue dog, Mama, and is passionate about the power of animals as healers. Contact Jessie at jessie@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Kelsy Hartmann

Barn Manager & PATH Intl. Certified ESMHL

Kelsy joined the ANT team in 2016, graduating from WWU with a Bachelor of Science in Biology (pre-veterinary emphasis) in 2017. She has cared for many animals in previous work and now enjoys being out in the barnyard caring for ANT’s herd! In her free time, she enjoys knitting, hiking, spending time with horses, and snuggling with her bunny. Kelsy especially loves the way the animals at ANT are viewed and treated as amazing facilitators for healing. She thinks it is incredible to work with these creatures as they offer healing and joy to those in need. Contact Kelsy at barnyard@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Lindsey Witus

Mobile ANT Coordinator & PATH Intl. Certified ESMHL

Lindsey began volunteering with ANT as a youth mentor after moving to Bellingham to attend Western Washington University in 2016. She is passionate about mental health, is a lifelong animal lover, and was immediately drawn to ANT’s mission and work in the community. She has experienced the healing power of animals firsthand and loves to share in their magic with our participants. In 2020, Lindsey graduated from WWU with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology & Psychology. While she helps out in many different capacities, she especially loves working with youth and facilitating intergenerational connections through our Mobile ANT program. When she is not at the farm, you can find her hiking local trails, practicing embroidery, or curled up with a good book. Contact Lindsey at lindsey@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Haley Didier

PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
& Horse Trainer

Haley’s love of horses from a young age propelled her to study Equine Sciences at Colorado State University, where she graduated in 2010. Since then she has worked on various ranches, farms, and animal facilities and has always had an interest in animal therapy. In 2017 Haley completed rigorous training to become a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and now hopes to pursue an Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning certification. Upon moving to Bellingham in 2016, she was instantly drawn to ANT and enjoys the tender, respectful, and reciprocal relationships fostered between animals and humans. If you can’t find Haley in the barnyard, she is exploring the beautiful wilderness surrounding Bellingham, mountain biking with friends, playing in lakes & rivers, or setting her creativity free through her love of painting. Haley also has a passion for traveling in search of adventure and experiences that feed her sense of wonder. Email Haley at haley@animalsasnaturaltherapy.org.

Jack Aguirre

Mental Health Therapist & PATH Intl. Certified ESMHL

Joaquin (Jack) Aguirre M.A., LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist serving youth & veterans at ANT. He has provided counseling to at-risk children/adults and their families for 22 years in hospitals, foster care, and private practice settings. He also holds certificates in Biofeedback and Stress Management, and has trained as a Trauma Response Specialist. Joaquin loves to fish and ride horses, and enjoys spending quality time with friends.

Kim Conover

Volunteer Coordinator

Bio coming soon!

Certified Staff, Equine Specialists & Riding Instructors:

Haley Didier: PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Katie Rohwer: PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
Kelsy Hartmann: PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning
Lindsey Witus: PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning
Joaquin Aguirre: PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning, EAGALA Certified Practicioner
Diana Meeks: Mental Health Clinician

Our Animals:

Horses, dogs, goats, rabbits, chickens, cow, miniature mule, miniature horse, and barn cats!

Our Volunteers:

More than 70 fabulous volunteers mentor program participants, take Mobile ANT visits into the community, and care for the animals each week! Check out our Volunteer page to learn more.

Board of Directors

Diane Krapf

Board Chair
Director of Marketing & Strategic Planning (Retired)

Ian McCurdy

Vice Chair
Associate Attorney
Adelstein, Sharpe & Serka

Adrian Fiala-Clark

Treasurer
Accounting Associate
Whatcom Land Title

Tina Marshall

Secretary
Lead Property Information Specialist
Whatcom Land Title

Diana Ambauen

Founder/CIO
Scratch and Peck Feeds

Lisa Page

Founder & Facilitator
The Common Goodness Project

Taber Darland

Musician & Teacher/Founder
Little Sapling Music