Wendy Wilcox
Ranch Support Aide & Sibling Support Coordinator
Wendy Wilcox wears several hats for Friends of Leaps & Bounds. Wendy can be found on the ranch leading horses as a Ranch Support Aid as well as working closely with our families in her Sibling Support Coordinator role.
Wendy has a BA in Child Development and an MA in Developmental Psychology, both from Cal State San Bernardino. She became Certified as a Child Life Specialist in 2001.
She worked for more than 20 years as a Certified Child Life Specialist, at many of the leading Children’s Hospitals such as CHOC, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ, and University of Loma Linda Children’s Hospital. We are lucky to have her now share her impressive credentials both in the clinic and on the ranch.
Wendy is a Norco native steeped in the community. She is a busy wife and mother and can be found at Jazzercise, kayaking, out in the yard with her chickens and two Babydoll Sheep (Levi and Cotton), and of course with her family.
Megan Baker
AR Instructor
Megan is a certified Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International riding instructor. She started volunteering with Leaps & Bounds in 2010 and fell in love with the Leaps mission, which lead her to become a horse handler and now instructor. She has an enthusiasm for teaching and sharing her knowledge of horsemanship to all abilities. Growing up in Norco, she has a background in the discipline of western riding. She is a graduate of Oregon State University with a BS in Agricultural Sciences, and holds certifications in Animal Science and Horse Ranch Management from Mt. San Antonio College.
In her free time you may catch her around the ranch with her horse Patronus Charm, getting ready for their next show in Western Dressage. She is also an active member of the Norco Horseman’s Association and volunteers regularly at community events to support the equestrian lifestyle in our community.
Cheryl Rohnke Kronsberg
Adaptive Riding Instructor
Cheryl Rohnke Kronsberg came to Leaps & Bounds as a volunteer after closing her Yorba Linda boarding, lesson, and training business during the Covid Crisis.
Cheryl is a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Master Instructor, CHA Certifier, and an AQHA Professional Horsewoman. Cheryl has been a speaker at both local and national equestrian events and a multi-time guest speaker on the radio program, Horses in the Morning. Her articles have been published in magazines such as: The Instructor, Horse Illustrated, and Horse Trader. She also holds a business degree from Fullerton College and a BA in English from CSUF.
For the past 40+ years Cheryl has taught students from brand new beginners to world level competitors. Cheryl often travels to facilities throughout the country as certification staff for CHA. Cheryl now wishes to benefit the equestrian community by passing her knowledge and expertise on to new horse enthusiasts as well as those who will influence the future of the equestrian sport- instructors and trainers.
Cristina Yates
Animal Wellness & Training Coordinator
Cristina joined the ranch team in January 2022. She began working with animals and discovered they were her passion at young age. As a young adult she began working at a wildlife sanctuary helping care for two blind mustangs and her love for horses grew from there. She has previously worked at Knott’s Berry Farm, training their horses and driving the Stagecoach which ultimately led to her purchasing her own horse, Pirate, from Knotts. Pirate now resides in Norco and Cristina enjoys riding him regularly and is focusing on training him to become a trusty trail horse.
Cristina enjoys working at Leaps because it is a way to continuously expanding her skills and knowledge in horsemanship as well as pediatric therapy. She also watching our riders grow and develop through the benefits of hippotherapy and adaptive riding. She sees daily how it can change the lives of so many kiddos in need.
In her free time, Cristina enjoys riding her horse, hiking with her dogs, game nights with friends and going dancing.
Samantha Grisso
Lead Ranch Support Aide
Samantha became a Ranch Support Aid at Friends of Leaps & Bounds in March 2022. She began working with horses in high school and continued to do so throughout college. She is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and worked at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center while attending there.
She has loved horses all her life and is thrilled to have a job where she can work with them again, while experiencing their impact on all the kids at our facilities. She feels it is extra rewarding to see the kids get excited about working with the horses as well.
In her free time, Samantha enjoys spending time with her friends and family, reading, and reading and learning about horses whenever she can.
Heather Frost
Trail Rider & Horse Behavioralist Support
Heather first joined Leaps & Bounds as a volunteer in 2022 and became a Horse Handler / Ranch Support Aid shortly after. Her role then transitioned into a Trail Rider & Horse Behavioralist Support member. Originally from Orange County, she graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Equine Science and from Fullerton College with a degree in TV/Film Production. She has worked with horses and kiddos in a variety of roles most of her adult life. Highlights include working as a Producer at HRTV “The Network for Horse Sports”, as an Equine Trainer/Lead at Disneyland’s Circle D Ranch, and on several TV shows and major motion pictures (some having to do with horses!) for the big studios such as ABC, Warner Bros, and Universal.
If you can name it, she’s probably done it with horses… including playing polo, driving, vaulting, starting, troubleshooting, and re-training, with extensive knowledge of equine care and nutrition. Heather has been a horse owner for 25+ years and still owns her first horse, Spencer, whom she got when he was 6 (he’s now 33 and still kicking… literally!). She now owns a small hobby farm in Norco with her horses, dogs, chickens, goats, sheep, a cat, a cow, and a pig, right in her own backyard. In her spare time, Heather enjoys teaching riding lessons, training horses, spending time with her animals and family, and volunteering with her church. Heather is determined to help make the world, and her community, a better place through her expertise and passion for horses and is thrilled to be a part of the family here at Leaps & Bounds.
Rachel Gatlin
Ranch Support Aide
Rachel joined Friends of Leaps & Bounds in April 2023. She is a graduate of Mt. San Antonio College with a degree in Horse Ranch Management. Rachel has worked at several ranches as a Ranch Hand and Groom. In addition to working with horses, she has experience with a variety of animals including alpacas, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Rachel has been riding horses for almost 20 years and enjoys western eventing including gymkhana.
When not working, Rachel cares for her own menagerie of animals. She has 1 horse, 3 dogs, and 2 cats. Rachel enjoys spending time with her friends and the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) of feral barn cats. Rachel has rescued and rehabilitated several litters of feral kittens. Rachel is most looking forward to seeing how the children progress in their therapy, and her favorite part is the smiles!
Amanda Giddens
Ranch Support Aide
Amanda Giddens joined Friends of Leaps & Bounds in August of 2023. She has worked with horses big and small her whole life. She is particularly fond of her miniature horses, which she actively shows here locally in Norco. Amanda is also a certified Equine Dentist Technician. In her free time, she likes to go on walks with her minis around town.
Amanda Giddens joined Friends of Leaps & Bounds in August of 2023. She has worked with horses big and small her whole life. She is particularly fond of her miniature horses, which she actively shows here locally in Norco. Amanda is also a certified Equine Dentist Technician. In her free time, she likes to go on walks with her minis around town.