Katy is the Program Manager at Servant’s Heart Ranch.

Katy grew up around animals and has been in the horse world for over 20 years - growing up she rode and trained horses, instructed lessons, and participated in hunter-jumper competitions across the southeast. Along with a love for animals, Katy has also always had a passion for helping people. She enrolled in college as a psychology major with the ultimate goal to become a mental health counselor in order to follow this passion.

Early on in college when she was still trying to find her “place” in this new city, God led her to volunteer at Storybook Farm, a nonprofit ministry in Opelika, Alabama that serves children with a variety of mental, physical, social, and emotional challenges. Here she was able to serve in a multitude of ways, including developing and instructing riding sessions for the children.

Over the years at Storybook, she saw children who used wheelchairs be able to build strength through riding the horses to be able to walk on their own more easily/with less assistance. She saw children who struggled with communication, building relationships, and/or were nonverbal begin building relationships with the animals, volunteers, and other children. It is so incredible to witness horses and humans connect with one another in a way that is impossible to put into words - but is only made possible because we are both God’s creation. It was here that it was made clear that God’s plan for her was to blend her loves of helping people with the assistance of animals.

Katy went on to receive her B.A. in Psychology and her M.Ed. degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Auburn University. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors and a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of South Carolina.

Prior to joining Servant’s Heart Ranch, Katy worked as a mental health therapist in a variety of settings, including nonprofit community mental health, outpatient private practice counseling, as well as residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment facilities. She has treated clients with eating disorders, substance use disorders, intellectual disabilities, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, suicidality, psychosis, self-harm behaviors, and trauma disorders.