Staff & Advisors

Staff/Instructors

Rick Iannucci retired U.S. Marshal and former Green Beret.  Director of Horses For Heroes, New Mexico, Inc.  A working cowboy on several surrounding cattle ranches, also the founder and adult leader of the nationally recognized Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club (Western Horseman Magazine, November 2009).  Rick is also a member of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and a decade member of the Special Forces Association (D-7014).
 
Nancy De Santis  working cowgirl wrangling on surrounding ranches, adult leader of Turquoise Trail Wranglers 4-H Club, as well as Director and Instructor for Horses For Heroes, New Mexico, Inc.

Christina Savitsky our Lead Instructor has been a NARHA certified therapeutic riding instructor since 1999, and has taught all levels of riding from beginners through reining competitors.  Christina and her husband Ethan with their young daughter Mesa Ray manage all aspects of the Pecos Bar X Bar Ranch, with plenty of cattle-work, fence fixin', and a hunting operation.  Christina also owns her own business, Buckaroo Balance, and offers riding instruction based in a philosophy of relaxation as well as retreats that combine yoga with horseback riding.

Michael Housholder a Texas born and raised cowboy and former US Marine.  Currently completing degree work at UNM, as well as one of our Cowboy Up! Instructors.

Lori De Santis has always been passionate about horses.  She comes from the discipline of stadium jumping but since moving out west enjoys pleasure riding. Lori is a massage therapist with her own practice in Santa Fe and also a working wrangler in the Cerrillos hills.

Tricia Warwick is a native New Mexican; born and raised in Albuquerque, a Blue Star mother, and has been instructing beginning riding lessons for over 6 years.  To our veterans Tricia says:  "There is no better feeling than to give back to someone that has willingly done so much for me and my country.  I thank each of them and welcome them safely home!" 
 
Karen Hardy a working cowgirl and owner Santa Fe Riding Company LLC. "I have seen first hand what amazing things are possible with the help of a horse and I am proud to be an instructor with the Horses for Heroes - Cowboy Up! program.

Thomas Wingate, US Army Veteran, Ranch Manager of Eaves Movie Ranch.

Carl Hawkins, USMC RECON Veteran, Purple Heart Awardee.  Texas Born life long working ranch cowboy worked with Charles Goodnight, 6666 Ranches, and Singleton Ranches just to name a few. Owner of the world class Hawkins Chuckwagon.

Wes Studi US Army Combat Veteran, horseman extraordinaire & Cowboy Up! Instructor.  Also the star of such notable films as Geronimo, Last of the Mohicans, Comanche Moon, Avatar & Heat.

Kenny Tomlinson  the son of a career US Marine and life long horseman raised in Taos, New Mexico.  One of our Cowboy Up! Instructors that breeds, raises and trains American Quarter Horses.

Advisors

Sgt. Andrew Brandi, USMC, Combat Trauma Advisor

Neal "Doc" Riley, Special Forces OIF combat veteran, Program Medic

General George Franzen, USAF ret., Senior Military Affairs Advisor

Robert Kingsbury CPA.  Accounting Firm of Gonzalez & Kingsbury

Wayne Winters, Horse Health Advisor and Farrier

Calvin Bockbrader, USMC RECON, Logistics Officer

Mrs. Bea Castellano-Lockhart, Esq. Senior Legal Advisor

Nicole Woody, Esq. Legal Advisor

Nicole Castellano, Community Affairs Advisor

Jennifer Jaramillo, County Affairs Advisor

Deb Austin, Office Alternatives, Albuquerque, NM

Darrell "Moe" Elmore, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Special Projects Advisor

Tim O'Byrne, Editor, Working Ranch Magazine

Program Partners

We have been endorsed by the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association and as a result currently have seven ranches that will serve as our "Program Partners".  These ranches will provide our Veterans with the opportunity to continue to develop the ranch skills they initially learn here with our instructors.

Mike Hobbs, Express UU Bar Ranch, Cimarron, NM.

Steve Price, Bonanza Creek Ranch, Santa Fe, NM.

Bob Frost, Cap Rock Ranch, Cap Rock, NM.

Henry Mc Kinley, Staple Cross Ranch, Santa Fe, NM.

Grant Mitchell, Singleton Ranches - San Cristobal, Santa Fe, NM

Charles Bennett, Bennett Performance Horses & Vista Nueva Ranch Real Estate, Portales, NM

Christina Savitsky, Pecos Bar X Ranch, Pecos, NM

Pete Comstock, Cmdr. The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Department of New Mexico.