New faces at STAR!

New faces at star

You may have noticed we have several new faces around the office at STAR. If you haven't had a chance to meet them yet, be sure to stop by and say "Hi!"

Chandler Rhea Blankenship Operations Support Staff Chandler holds a BA in English Literature from Maryville College, as well as her Certification in Non-Profit Management. In her free time, Chandler enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with horses. She has been volunteering with STAR since 2010 and is excited to join the STAR Staff Team!

​Sam Holyfield Program Support & Instructor Sam serves as STAR’s Instructor and Program Support. Sam is a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI) and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL). Sam graduated from St. Andrews University with a B.A. in Therapeutic Horsemanship and minor in Psychology. She has been working with horses for 10 years and has ridden almost every discipline.

Kara Price Program Coordinator & Instructor Kara manages our Minis in Motion, Reflections, and Field Trip programs. She holds a BS in Social Work from the University of Tennessee and is a certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL). She is working on her Therapeutic Riding Instructor certification. Having grown up riding horses, she is excited to work with the horses and people here at STAR.

 Rick Price Facility Director Rick is in charge of caring for and maintaining our facilities. Rick comes to STAR after working as a facility manager for a hotel chain for many years. He also has experience working on a dairy farm and is excited to put his skills to use at STAR.

Hailey Rose Viars Communications Manager Hailey Rose holds a BA in Agricultural Communications from the University of Tennessee and a MAG in International Agriculture from Oklahoma State University. Growing up, she enjoyed riding and competing in rodeo. With a passion for communicating, creating, and storytelling, Hailey Rose is excited to share STAR’s story of #HealingThroughHorses.