Our Staff
Laura R. Corsun
As the Founder and Executive Director, Laura is the woman behind all the magic. High & Mighty was founded in 2011 as a PATH Member Center, became a 501(c)(3) in 2013 and in 2019 became a PATH Premier Accredited Center. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without her whole-hearted dedication to the High & Mighty mission. Prior to founding High & Mighty, Laura obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Masters in Education. Her role as the Executive Director is multi-faceted. Laura maintains the finances of the organization, develops the goals and mission of High & Mighty, provides leadership to the staff and volunteers, reports organization information to the board, and oversees the daily operations of High Mighty. She is also a PATH Certified Riding Instructor and a PATH Therapeutic Driving Instructor. Throughout these roles Laura finds enjoyment in the involvement of all aspects of our mission as well as in watching our participants, volunteers, staff and horses develop and change due to the work we do. It could be watching a horse drop their head and breathe into a child’s hand, or an adult while riding who tells you they have never felt their body balanced before. When she has free time, Laura enjoys being outdoors, traveling, learning new things and spending time with friends and family. Laura is proud of what High & Mighty does, who we serve and is truly inspired by the community that supports us!
Laura R. Corsun
Founder and Director,
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor,
PATH Certified Driving Instructor
“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is the future. Today is a gift.”
– Bill Keane
Rachel Conaway
After graduating from SUNY Cobleskill with a Bachelors in Animal Science, Rachel joined the High & Mighty team in 2014 as an Instructor-in-training under Laura’s mentorship. In April of 2015, Rachel became a PATH certified instructor and began working part-time teaching lessons. Her dream of making equine assisted services a career came true in February 2018, when she became a full-time staff member at High & Mighty. Her favorite part of being an instructor is watching a student master a skill that they have been struggling with. When she is not teaching, Rachel spends her time at the farm assisting with administrative and managerial tasks, developing programs, mentoring isntructors-in-training and helping to keep the herd in tip-top shape. Rachel enjoys each of the horses’ unique personalities and has a hard time choosing one that stands out as a favorite. She believes that they each excel at a different part of their job as therapy horses and she loves finding out what their strengths are. When she is not at work, Rachel can be found spending quality time with her husband Rhett and their daughters, Harper and Lyla. She also enjoys traveling to new places, trying new food, spending time with her horse Fly and cuddling her two cats; Talia and Wayne. In the future, Rachel would like to become certified as an Interactive Vaulting Instructor and an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning.
Rachel Conaway
Deputy Director,
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
– Winnie the Pooh
Fin Seely
Fin Seely joined the High & Mighty Team in May of 2022. Fin attended the University of New Hampshire where she studied Therapeutic Riding and received her PATH certification. Her favorite part of teaching is seeing how well horses can mirror the emotions and energies of the participants. Along with her job as an instructor, Fin has also taken on the role of Volunteer Coordinator. To fulfill this role, she manages the training of all new volunteers, supports volunteers in their positions, coordinates volunteer continuing education and handles volunteer communication and relations. Fin grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her parents, younger brother and their beagle, Beasley; but now she lives just down the road in Philmont. In her free time, Fin enjoys reading, hiking, painting and gardening.
Fin Seely
Volunteer Coordinator
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
“Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ally Bray
Ally joined our team as a volunteer where she demonstrated determination, ambition and organization. These qualities led to us hiring Ally as a member of our barn staff in 2014. In 2023, Ally accepted the position of Barn Manager. In this role, she oversees the daily operations of the facility and the direct care of the horses. This includes feeding and water, daily medications, turn in/out, stall cleaning, medical care and observing daily horse behaviors. She also assists with scheduling farrier and vet appointments, filed maintenance and ordering grain, shavings and medications. One of best part of Ally’s day is interacting with the horses and assisting with their daily exercise and care routines. She enjoys getting to know their unique personalities and how these each communicate in their own way. Ally is especially close to Sonya. She loves that Sonya is calm and collected and always listens when you give her 100% of your attention. Ally is also in the process of becoming a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and is mentoring under our senior instructors as she undergoes this rigorous and rewarding journey.
Ally Bray
Barn Manager
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor-In-Training
“You get what you give!”
– Allie
Dianne Ortmann, MSW
As Development Director, Dianne has one of the most important jobs on the farm. She is in charge of all things fundraising! This includes grant writing, appeal letters, event planning, board recruitment, acquiring new donors and maintaining our current donors. Without her, High & Mighty truly could not operate. Dianne has a special attachment to Cooper, because she and her daughter Louise are his owners! Cooper took such good care of Louise as her competition horse, that Dianne knew he would excel at taking care of our participants as a therapy horse–and she was right! Dianne enjoys seeing how Cooper and the other herd members benefit so many different people. When she is not busy at High & Mighty, Dianne enjoys riding, reading and watching movies with her family. Her family includes her husband Joe, daughters Tess and Louise, as well as two dogs, two cats and three horses.
Dianne Ortmann
Development Director
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
– Winston Churchill
Kevin Gordon
Kevin joined the High & Mighty team in October of 2023. As the Facilities Manager, Kevin’s daily activities can include regular repairs and maintenance, clearing and creating trails, mowing the grass and fields, plowing snow in the winter, painting buildings and fences as well as helping with the care of the horses. The best part of Kevin’s job is being able to enjoy the outdoors while building relationships with the High & Mighty staff and watching the bonds made between the participants and the horses. If he had to choose a favorite horse, it would be a tough choice between Brass and Lucky (although Lucky does belong to Kevin’s wife, Meryl, so he may have an unfair advantage!). A close second to his favorite High & Mighty animal is Vernon, the barn cat. Kevin is hard working, dependable and flexible. When he is not at the farm, Kevin enjoys playing disc golf and spending time with his family; which includes Meryl, their two children Leander and Rose, and their dog Lily and Cat Misty.
Kevin Gordon
Facilities Manager
Paloma Talbott
Paloma has been a part of High & Mighty in one way or another for many years. She began as a barn and program volunteer, where her obvious skill and work ethic made hiring her an easy choice. At first Paloma only worked on the weekends, then expanded her hours to include some weekdays as well. Since then, Paloma has worked varying hours while pursuing her education and has most recently taken on more of an administrative role as our Interim Program Coordinator in addition to her barn role. Paloma is the first person that the horses see many mornings and she says it is the best part of her day. They are always so excited to get their hay and greet her in their own special way. When Paloma isn’t busy with her daily tasks on the farm; she especially enjoys spending time with Thomas. He has the cutest personality and never fails to make me laugh or put a smile on my face.
Paloma Talbott
Program Coordinator and Barn Staff
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending”
-C.S. Lewis
