Founder, Executive Director
Sarah Dunkle, Clinical Social Worker (CSW)
Sarah grew up in a small town in Vermont where she rode horses for the first time at 9 years old. Over the years, she worked at local horse farms and has owned her own horses. Sarah completed her undergraduate practicum at the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center in Longmont, CO, before graduating from BYU-Idaho with her BSW. Sarah recently graduated from Utah State with her MSW and is now working as a youth clinician in Oregon while managing HEEAL’s operations remotely. She is excited to see HEEAL continue to run and looks forward to future operations!
Co-Founder, Utah Programs Director
Kristina Jex, B.S.
Kristina grew up in Northern Utah, spending her summers horseback riding and discovering firsthand the profound impact horses can have. From a young age, she dreamed of starting her own Equine Facilitated Therapy program. She pursued her passion at Utah State University, earning a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Equine-Human Science. With experience in various mental health settings throughout the valley, she is now excited to combine her love for horses and mental health to create a space where healing and transformation can take place.
Board of Directors
Derrik Tollefson
Dan Sorensen
Learn more about Derrik
Dr. Tollefson is a professor of social
work at Utah State University and
Director of the I-System Institute,
home of Mind-Body Bringing. He
has a passion for helping people and loves
horses. He has found that HEEAL
aligns with these passions and is
excited to see the direction the
organization takes.
Dianne Calloway-Graham
Learn more about Dianne
Dr. Calloway-Graham has been a therapist and professor of Social Work at Utah State University since 1990. She loves horses because of the powerful impact they can have on people’s lives. She and her husband were in the Saddle Club of Hyrum and have enjoyed their horses for many years. As she has aged, her horse -Whisper- has become more of a pet! Although semi-retired, she is on the board because she wants to support our team and our endeavors to make a difference in the community.
HEEAL United 