Fran Joswick was The Shea Center’s first executive director.  In 1978, Fran, a self-described horse person, was a social worker working with the disabled and learned about a therapeutic riding center in Michigan.  She wanted to start something similar in Southern California and united with Nancy and Derek Lewis to found Orange County Riding Center, Inc.

In the beginning, Fran joined with the Lewis’s, their son Michael, two volunteers, and a borrowed pony to start the Center.  After four or five years, they expanded to 15 to 20 students, 20 to 25 volunteers, and a board of directors.

Fran was involved with the Center until 1989 when she moved to Hawaii.  At that time, the Center was renamed in her honor as the Fran Joswick Therapeutic Riding Center.  In 2001, when J.F. Shea Co., Inc. donated the property where the Center is located today, it was once again renamed to J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center.

To learn more about The Shea Center’s story, check out the About page on our website.