Sasha Camacho is a founding member of SoléAna Stables. Prior to becoming a mother to two beautiful girls, she served as a Treasury Analyst for prominent investment and technology firms and has filled many roles in various non-profit organizations for the last 25 years. Her desire to help individuals with disabilities and pay it forward is a driving force of her ultimate vision for SoléAna Stables.
I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age 13. By the age of 19, it became quite debilitating and I was confined to a wheelchair for 4 years. I’ve had 30+ surgeries, mainly joint replacements & fusions. I have a beautiful 17 year old daughter and have a degree in Psychology with 20+ years of management experience in sales, business development and marketing. Living with a disability myself, I understand the importance of therapeutic riding and SoléAna holds a special place in my heart! I’m honored to hold the position of part time Development Director!
I grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast, enamored with horses from a young age. After volunteering with horses and learning everything I could about them for years, I was fortunate to get my first horse, Cash, when I was in fifth grade. Over the years, I competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and team penning, later branching off to learn more about natural horsemanship and dressage. I'm so thankful for every horse that has come into my life and all of the memories and lessons they have imparted on me.
My husband Michael and I are both originally from Texas, but were stationed with the Air Force in California for close to 8 years and Colorado for almost 5 years before moving back to our home state with our son, Cannon, in 2022. While in California, I earned my PATH International Therapeutic Riding Instructor Certification in 2011 and my Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning Certification in 2012. In California and Colorado, I was fortunate to work for two wonderful centers, where I taught therapeutic riding and facilitated hippotherapy and equine-assisted mental health sessions for children and adults. In Colorado, I also co-facilitated a group equine therapy program for active-duty Army soldiers from Fort Carson. As the wife of a veteran, I understand the sacrifices our military members make every day, and feel so grateful to help bring something positive to this community through equine therapy. I’m very excited to see the growth of our Horses for Heroes program to support our local veterans through the transformative power of horses.
My other loves are art and photography, so you may also see me around the barn with my camera at times. I love any opportunity I can find to bring together my passion for photography with my passion for horses to capture the beauty and significance of the interactions of our riders, Volunteers, Staff and horses every day.
I grew up in the Southwest Houston area. After college, I spent 18 years in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. I am blessed with 3 children, ages 28, 27 and 21. Most of my working career was spent as a High School Counselor. When I moved to Alvin in 2012, I began working in several different Special Ed classrooms. My little-girl dream of owning my own horse came true in 2016. In 2020, I came across an ad at Alvin High School about volunteer opportunities at SoléAna Stables. I am sure it was directed to the high school students, but it didn’t stop me from submitting paperwork and becoming part of the volunteer team. Another dream came true when I received my PATH CTRI Certification in the fall of 2022. Combining my love for horses and people has become the most rewarding experience I could ever imagine!
Katelyn is an Occupational Therapist who completed the Doctoral Capstone of her degree program at SoléAna Stables in the summer of 2022. During her capstone and internship, she gained experience to become a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) and assisted with developing the Horses for Heroes veteran program at SoléAna Stables.
Katelyn is a veteran herself, serving in the Air National Guard for 6 years and is the wife to an Army Veteran. Katelyn is most excited about combining her two passions – her love for people and animals – to help veterans and military service members experience the many therapeutic benefits of horses. Katelyn currently works part-time as an OT treating individuals with brain injury.
Future goal: She recently passed becoming a Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist, using the horse as a tool for occupational therapy sessions here at SoléAna Stables in the near future.
Chucky’s love for horses started young! She got her first horse when she was two years old but by that time, she was a self-proclaimed professional rider, thanks to her spring rocking horse in the front yard and her little herd of stick horses. She started working at Golden Corral in Rosenberg, Texas on her 16 th Birthday so she could support her hooved friends and years later the restaurant world brought her husband into her life and they started their decades of marriage and have two great sons.
Chucky studied massage therapy in the Clear Lake Area at the Texas School of Massage and is also certified in Equine Massage. This is where her blessings doubled as she learned to mix her love of horses and her gift of massage. She has been able to reach many horses while working for a horse rescue and several of her own through the power of massage. Chucky has also worked as a Stable Manager, Horse Trainer, Stable Hand and Riding Instructor at several barns and feels blessed beyond measure to be able to work with horses each and every day!
Waleska Esquivel is a graduate of the University of Houston with double majors in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Her background is in education where she served as an ESL/Reading Instructor and Teacher Facilitator for over 15 years. Presently, Waleska is a Regional VP with Primerica Financial Services. She has combined her knowledge of finances with her passion for education to empower families about the importance of building a financial game plan. Waleska’s mission is to be a servant leader in the community and make a lasting impact through resources, connections and giving.
Janet Clark has been volunteering at SoléAna Stables for approximately two years. She is a transplant to Texas, grew up in New Jersey and graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH. Janet is a Senior Manager in the IT department of Hess Corporation, a leading independent energy company. She is married to Sean Clark and is a very proud mom to two college-aged kids: Ethan and Alexa. Janet grew up with an uncle who had special needs, which drew her and Alexa to volunteer at SoléAna Stables. The sense of community, love and support shown to riders, family and Volunteers is what drew her to become a board member and to continue to volunteer weekly.
Bridget Wright has been volunteering at SoléAna Stables for over a year. She is a wife of a military veteran, a mother of two, as well as a retired teacher. Bridget graduated from UHCL with a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and a minor in European History. She specialized in Special Education and taught in the Inclusive Classroom setting her entire teaching career. Her love for children, and their potential she knows they have, is what drives her to continue working with children and adults with disabilities. Bridget was born and raised in Texas, owning horses, camping, and was a gymnast as well. She feels bridging her two biggest passions in life, children and horses, was God’s way of bringing her to SoléAna Stables.
Stacy grew up in Maryland, went to college in Virginia and then traveled the world as an Air Force spouse, working in various government and corporate finance positions along the way. Currently, she is a Staff accountant at Bay Area Church and Christian School and enjoys any chance she gets to combine her passion for helping and serving others with her finance background. She is a mom to two adventurous grown children and two silly golden retrievers. As a teenager, Stacy had an amazing pony that she used in equine therapy, and this experience inspired her to get involved at SoléAna Stables where she has found the perfect place to combine her love of horses with helping Riders with special needs. Her goal is to live a life rich in good works.
Monique Johnson is a servant leader, mother, advocate and social change agent. She is currently the Manager of Partnership Projects at KIPP Texas and prior to that she was the Program Administrator for the Volunteers In Public Schools Program for the Houston Independent School District.
Prior to serving in public education, she worked in higher education for over 10 years. She is a published researcher, college instructor and past Chair of Psychology at the University of Phoenix.
Monique holds a Master Degree in Psychology from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Her professional training began as a case manager working with urban, homeless youth, whom she passionately advocated for in the child welfare system and in public education.
She is the blessed mother of three children. Monique is actively involved in her community and has served as a Board member for the Rotary Club of Houston and Gigi’s Playhouse Houston. In addition to serving on the SoléAna Stables Board of Directors she currently serves as Chair for the Rotary Club of Houston Youth and Education Committee and Volunteers for Back on My Feet, a national nonprofit that supports people in recovery.
Gabriel has been a volunteer in the SoléAna Stables therapeutic riding program for two years. Gabriel is an Executive Account Manager at BlackHawk, a physical security integrator. He is a U.S. Navy Veteran with deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and a staunch supporter of management and assistance of PTSD suffered by combat veterans. Gabriel is the President of Oilfield Connections International Chapter East, a networking organization dedicated to community support for our men and women returning home with scars that are unseen. He grew up in Pasadena, TX and is married to Chelsea and is a proud dad of two wonderful boys: Kaleb and Tristin. Gabriel’s daughter Hannah had special needs and was the driving force to volunteer at SoléAna Stables. Gabriel has worked closely with horses and is excited to support this organization with its goals for growth and outreach.
'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for
Matthew 25:45
me.'
Amanda is a transplant to Houston since 2012, having been born in London but also spending a number of years living in Sydney, Australia.
Her current position, for the past two years, is Head of Commodity Operations North America for Citi, but prior to that she spent 20 years with Macquarie Group, an Australian investment bank, in various positions and locations - Sydney, London, Toronto and Houston.
She is also a partner of a small business, DUO Houston, which is a boutique coffee shop and Pilates studio. Community is everything to her and her business partners, and they pride ourselves on being inclusive to all.
I was drawn to SoleAna because I really believe in the mind body connection and the power of touch. I have also seen how animals can both sense, and help therapeutically in various life situations, including grief. I also have a couple of friends who have children with differing needs on the autistic spectrum, and a friend of our family who has struggled to cope after various tours with the armed forces in the UK.
Outside of corporate world I love to travel, and am very interested in health and fitness, having studied Nutrition, natural therapies, various forms of massage and Yin yoga.
I may be the biggest in the herd but I’m just a gentle giant with a big heart. I grew up with Smokey and he is my best bud but I’m ready to “smoke” him when it comes to being great with our new family. I am pretty sure I have become a Staff favorite, but don't tell the little guys! Hope to see you around the barn soon!
I’m new to the program but I jumped in with all four hooves and showed all these guys what a little mare flare can offer to our students and volunteers. My shortness has come in handy as many have underestimated me but boy have I proved them wrong. I have done everything that has been asked of me with grace and excellence, well except the bubbles... I don't fancy bubbles!
Well hello there. My name is Smokey. I’m a very confident ranch horse that loves being ridden but ask me what I like most! GRASS!!! I’m doing great in all the programs and my easy going attitude is making me a quick favorite. Have I told you I LOVE grass?? I’m always looking for a grazing partner so come out and meet me soon!
My name is bigger than I am but don’t be fooled by my height. Great things come in small packages and I’m at the top of that list. I absolutely LOVE rolling in the sand when no one is looking and being the only girl in this big herd of boys! I would love for you to come out and let me show you how terribly cute I truly am.
Hello. My name is Bob. I am a 16 y/o Haflinger with the cutest of nubby ears. I go by Bob, not Robert or Bobby. Just plain ol’ BOB. I fancy it an acronym for “Best Only Buddy,” because that is what I am to Biscuit. We certainly are best buds and make a great pair of TR or H4H horses. Funny enough, we used to be an actual “pair” on a small wagon team!
Top of the morning to you. My name is Biscuit, and what goes best with breakfast...Biscuit and Bob. Each morning, I have a strong itch to help others and I just have to scratch it. Like my best friend BOB, I also love my TR and H4H work. I may be a halflinger, but I do like to “full-on linger” in the arena and help Staff.
¡Hola amigos! Me llamo Diego. I am a true romantic. Love is my passion. I love helping kids in therapeutic riding and love working with veterans in EAL engagements. I also love the fullness of my mane and tail. It is so pretty. If I didn’t love kids so much, I would be a cover model for dime novels or in an 80’s metal band.
Howdy Y'all! My name is Jeremiah but most folks in the arena simply call me Jerry. I am a long-legged Appaloosa horse and nearly 18 y/o. I enjoy Cowboy Poetry and long naps. I thoroughly enjoy my H4H work and look forward to my time with veterans. As a blanketed Appaloosa, I never get cold. Ha! I also have a sense of humor!
