Meet Janelle Robinson as she shares her passion for horses and her path to becoming The Shea Center’s Chief Program Officer.
“As a kid, like many little girls, I loved horses and wanted one of my own. Growing up in a military family, we were fortunate to be stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where my first dream came true, and I started my equestrian journey at the age of 10. Like my passion for horses, my career path came into focus at a young age. Early in life, I knew I wanted to be a serving professional, which led me to pursue a career in physical therapy. While in physical therapy (PT) school, focusing on pediatric PT, I was introduced to a specialty practice called hippotherapy. I was instantly curious about combining my career path of helping people improve their quality of life with my passion and love of equestrian sports. Not sure how this could be done, I continued with my career in PT, practicing in various areas: pediatrics, hospitals, home health, outpatient neurology, and orthopedics.
“My husband and I, with my horse in tow, moved to California in 1994. I worked in an orthopedic rehab PT clinic and had my horse stabled at Rancho Sierra Vista. I would ride by The Shea Center, then called Fran Joswick Center, on many rides and think, ‘One day, when I have some time, I am going to volunteer.’ Time passed, and in 1998, I referred one of my clients to Shea to continue his recovery from a stroke. Not long after, I received a call from Dana Butler-Moburg from Shea asking if I would be interested in discussing a job opportunity. Dana shared a vision with me about being a part of a movement to create a world-class therapy riding center. She spoke about a state-of-the-art facility that would provide services to people with various abilities using horses. Hippotherapy!
“I had no trouble seeing the vision Dana shared that day. It was a pathway to combine my career of providing PT services and sharing my love for horses. My biggest professional accomplishment is starting and growing the therapy services at Shea to include physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
“I thrive on connecting with my clients and figuring out how to get on their page and what motivates them. I have spent many years walking beside my clients as they experience the horse’s movement to challenge their balance, improve their muscle tone, and give them a sense of improved independence. As a physical therapist, the value of the horse’s movement as a treatment tool is unmatched. Using horses for mental health development and growth is also a benefit of using the horse as a tool. This new passion and pursuit led me to start the Shea Military Program, serving our veterans and active-duty military.
“My love to grow and mentor people and horses is as strong today as the day I started. I have a fantastic staff that I am grateful to work with every day. I can honestly say that after 25 years at The Shea Center, I still wake up excited to go to work and see the expanding vision and continued growth of the Center.”
Janelle is a licensed physical therapist specializing in Hippotherapy (HPCS). She is an advanced therapeutic riding instructor through PATH Intl., a certified BALIMO riding instructor (Balance in Motion), and a certified clinical instructor through APTA (American Physical Therapy Association). She also obtained a Bronze Medal from the United States Dressage Federation, which highlights her proficiency in equestrian sports.
In addition to riding and training horses, Janelle engages in various hobbies, including snow skiing, hiking, cycling, traveling, and reading a variety of books.
