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Instructors Bios
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Dana Vennen
Executive Director
A horsewoman all of her life, Dana began with THH as a volunteer in high school. She took over management of the program, which had nearly become defunct, in 2000. Since then, she has seen the program grow to the busy, bustling center of activity that it is today! Dana remained a volunteer until 2004, when she went part time and then was able to retire from her previous career to become the full time Executive Director in 2006. |
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Sue Szanyi
RN, BSN PATH Advanced Instructor, Program Director THH
Sue grew up on a small farm in NJ raising Beef cattle and horses. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She has been teaching riding and training horses specializing in corrective training for over 25 years. Her early riding background focused heavily on hunt seat. Later riding included breaking young horses to make them trail safe and kid safe with some work training horses for barrel racing and Western Pleasure. In 2002 Sue became a PATH registered instructor and later went on to become a PATH Advanced Instructor. Sue has been married to US Navy CDR Neil Szanyi for 20 years and they have enjoyed living up and down the East Coast of the US, and in Italy. The couple has one son, Quinn. They settled in Hawaii in 2004 where Sue began her work with THH. |
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Nancy Bloomfield
RPT
Kona Program Coordinator
PATH Registered Instructor
Nancy is a pediatric physical therapist with over 40 years of experience working with special needs children in Hawaii. She is currently working in the school system in Kona, Hawaii. After seeing incredible improvements in core strength and stability, balance, and midline orientation in some of her students from participating in mounted activities, she was determined to get a program started in Kona. With the help of some professional horsewomen, the THH Kona program was established in 2005. Nancy took riding lessons and became a PATH registered riding instructor in 2010. She continues to work fulltime for the DOE and runs the THH-Kona Program on a volunteer basis on Saturdays along with 8-12 other volunteers. |
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Elizabeth P. Cambra
PATH Registered Instructor
Elizabeth's love for horses began at age four when her best friend began taking therapeutic riding lessons. She rode on and off throughout her youth and did a bit of jumping as well as Western Pleasure. She has volunteered in therapeutic programs in Texas, California, and Hawaii. After visiting the Honolulu Polo fields, she began volunteering at THH in 2005. Less than a year later, Elizabeth took her passion to the next level and got certified as a PATH Instructor. Her degree in Child & Family Development was a perfect fit and allows Elizabeth to work with Hawaii's youth while being around her favorite animals. In 2007, Elizabeth was bitten by the polo bug and began learning the sport. A year later, she bought her first horse and continues to play polo. Elizabeth teaches lessons on an as needed basis these days and remains on the THH Board of Directors. |
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Sandra Van Horn
PATH Registered Instructor
Born to a military family in West Germany. Moved to the States when she was a toddler. Moved several times and ultimately ended up in the DC Metro area in Northern Virginia. B.S. in Medical Technology with Highest Honors from George Mason University. Worked for 4 years as a medical technologist in Northern Virginia. Married in July 2003. Attended & graduated from University of Virginia School of Medicine (MD program) on an Army Health Professions Scholarship. Transitioned to active duty Army in 2008. Completed internship and second year of psychiatry residency at Tripler AMC. Currently a third year resident but taking time off to do research at TAMC in Psychology. Have always loved horses but never had a chance to work with them. Began volunteering & taking lessons at THH in July 2009. Became a PATH Registered Instructor in April 2010 & enjoy teaching lessons on Saturdays at THH. She lives in Tripler AMC housing with her husband and 2 cats. She owns a horse who lives in a paddock adjacent to THH horses. She also enjoy hiking, music, and creative venues. |
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Linsey Erar
PATH Registered Instructor
Linsey grew up in Cantonment, Florida. Her Grandpa and Dad taught her about western riding when she was about 6 years old. The only thing Linsey wanted to do was be with her horse...not much has changed since. In college, while taking Dressage and Jumping riding lessons, she was lucky enough to have had an instructor who was on the French Olympic Horseback Riding team. In high school and college Linsey was involved in volleyball and musical theatre. Linsey was able to do an internship at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL. This past May, she graduated with honors from the University of West Florida getting a B.A. in Elementary Education. Linsey found a therapeutic riding facility in Molino, FL and learned how to teach lessons under her mentor, Fran Gersin. Linsey fell in love with the impact horses and horseback riding can have on people. She spent all the time she could learning about therapeutic riding and its benefits. Linsey was married in May 2009 and one year later moved to Hawaii. Linsey was so thankful to have found THH and to join their crew. She feels lucky to be apart of it. "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." ~Winston Churchill |
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Irene Nurzia-Humburg
PATH Registered Instructor
Irene was born in Frankfurt, Germany and then moved to Italy, her mother's homeland, at age 5. Her love for horses began with pony rides at Christmas fairs, and she started taking riding lessons at age 8. At 10, she and her family moved to the countryside near Rome, and Irene was lucky enough to be able to see 'her' horse from the bedroom window. For years, weekly riding lessons were Irene's passion. Her instructor was very strict and technique-focused, believing in firm teaching methods: an 'old school' horseman which gave her a strong base upon which to build. Irene was starting to work on jumping when diagnosed with lumbar scoliosis at age 15 and was forced to stop riding. Doctors weren't very familiar with the benefits of riding at the time. Irene went on to get her BS and then MS in marine environmental sciences, specializing in sea turtle nesting biology doing research in Italy, Greece and Costa Rica. In 2007 she got a job with the Marine Turtle Research Program at the National Marine Fisheries in Honolulu and moved to Hawaii. A colleague there told her about THH and volunteering. Being around horses again helped reignite her old passion and discover a new one: sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with children and young adults. She has been doing chores, riding and volunteering steadily since the spring of 2010. |
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Crystal Smith
Barn Manager / Instructor in Training
Being born into a military family and loving horses from day one she traveled the world longing for a horse. After her father retired Crystal's family moved to New Zealand where she got to ride here and there and got to go to riding camps before moving to Hawaii. In 2002 after she graduated High School she started volunteering for the only Carriage Company in Honolulu. She still manages to find time to help with special events and christmas tours. In 2006 she started volunteering for THH and working hard to get where she's at now as a full time volunteer, weekend barn manager, instructor in training and a groom for polo. |
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