Our Team: Dedicated. Professional. Caring.
MTRA is proud of its dedicated staff. As a charitable non-profit organization, MTRA is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and is managed by a professional staff of four paid employees. The staff is augmented by over 100 active volunteers who further support our daily operations.
Pam Morrison
Executive Director
PATH Certified Instructor, Pam received her certification in 2009 while working at Harmony Farms in Rockledge, Florida, where she later became Program Director. After five years with Harmony Farms, Pam moved to Hidden Acres in Port St. John to help with a new equine program focusing on at-risk youth, as well as conducting riding lessons for all levels of dressage, hunter/jumper, trail and obstacle challenges for beginner through intermediate riders. Her love for the horse and passion for equine-assisted therapeutic riding brought her to MTRA.
Pam began as our head instructor for the Hillcrest School program in the fall of 2014, and was promoted to Program Director in the fall of 2015. On July 1, 2018, we were pleased to announce her promotion to Executive Director of MTRA.
Pam studied at the University of Southern Maine and held a career in general management in the country club industry. She served on the PATH International National Conference Committee in 2013 as a chair of hospitality and entertainment. Pam served on the committee for the PATH Regional Conference in 2012, held in Tampa, and hosted the Conference at MTRA in 2019. Pam and her husband, Brett, are welcome fixtures at MTRA and we are blessed to have both of them in our family.
To contact Pamela Morrison, please email execdirector@mtraocala.org !
Jenna Rovira
Development Director
A lifelong equine enthusiast, Jenna grew up showing 4-H and riding her Arabian every chance she had. She showed in English Equitation, Western Pleasure, Show Jumping, Reining, and Gymkhana events. She also showed in pleasure driving classes for a friend with Hafflingers.
Jenna attended Youngstown State University in Ohio, obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and pursuing a career in child welfare and human services with a long-term dream of combining love of horses and love of social work through some type of equine therapy programming. She exercised racehorses and obtained her Assistant Trainer’s license for Thoroughbred Racing at Mountaineer Racetrack, Tampa Bay Downs, and Thistledown through college, and continued working with Thoroughbreds through two-year old in training sales introducing her to Ocala’s Horse Capital of the World. Falling in love with the area, Jenna decided to move to Florida in 2006, where she continued galloping by morning and social working in child welfare/foster care field during afternoons and evenings as a Placement Specialist for Kids Central Inc., and Lead Case Manager for the Heart of FL Youth Ranch. She was a founding member of Unbridled Hope Therapeutic Horsemanship, a PATH Int’l member program, through the Heart of Florida Youth Ranch, which was designed for children residing in the program under foster care statutes in 2017 with a focus on teaching empathetic leaderships and establishing foundation for children to begin trusting others again. Jenna obtained her PATH Int’l Therapeutic Riding Instructor certification in December 2018 after completing her training and instructor hours through MTRA.
Jenna is extremely excited to assist in developing and raising awareness and funding for MTRA. The reach of MTRA’s mission within the community to children and adults through the vast selection of programs offered through MTRA aligns with Jenna’s lifelong goals and passion for giving back to the community!
If you are interested in learning how you can help the MTRA program, please email Jenna at development@mtraocala.org today!
Catherine Sears
Program Director
Catherine is a third generation Equine Enthusiast and Professional. She has been training, schooling, caring-for and riding horses of all breeds and disciplines her entire life. At just 22 months old, she competed in her first horse show in Western Equitation.
In the mid 1990’s, she started professionally teaching English/Western Equitation and timed competitions. At her family’s Equine business, Rocky Top Stables, Catherine managed 300+ farrier clients and over 30+ boarders, which consisted of foaling, training, schooling, riding lessons and rehabilitation. For over 18 years, she has been an apprentice certified Farrier and is also trained in Equine Massage Therapy. She says that the benefits of combining the two are extremely beneficial towards a horse’s well-being, soundness and recuperation.
Because of her passion for teaching therapeutic riding, she earned her PATH certification in 2008. Catherine joined the MTRA family in 2016 and feels blessed being able to make a positive difference in people’s lives using horses. Her riders inspire her with their determination and perseverance.
When Catherine is not teaching, she likes taking care of her farm and horses, spending time with her family and making memories. She also loves music, singing and writing songs. She released an album titled, “Life’s Amazing Ride” of all original songs. Her music is playing worldwide and topping various charts. The song, “Let Fate Dance” hit the top 10 charts in Italy and she was awarded Best Live Performance by the Independent County Music Assoc. in Nashville, TN.
We were pleased to be able to promote Catherine in June 2018 from Instructor to Program Director and look forward to a bright future with her guiding our therapeutic program. If you would like to learn more about participating or how you can get involved, please email Catherine today at catherine@mtraocala.org !
Nancy Moore
Administrative Assistant
Nancy and her late husband moved to Florida from Columbus, Ohio. Before her retirement in 2011, she worked for E-One, the fire truck manufacturer, in Ocala, Florida. Nancy came to MTRA as a volunteer leader/sidewalker as she loves horses and enjoys helping. She stepped up when MTRA’s previous administrative assistant retired and has kept our client and volunteer data records current and accurate. She really enjoys working with the staff, clients and volunteers at MTRA. As a recent retiree, Nancy enjoys aerobic classes, synchronized swimming, mah jongg, trivia, and many other activities at Del Webb Spruce Creek retirement community where she lives. She also volunteers as a reading tutor at Belleview Santos Elementary.
To request general information about MTRA, please contact Nancy at information@mtraocala.org today.
Erica Smith
Volunteer Coordinator
She joined the team in 2022 as the Volunteer Coordinator after volunteering and witnessing incredible achievements and connections and that love that is all around MTRA.
If you are interested in learning how you can get involved and begin volunteering at MTRA, please email Erica today at volunteer@mtraocala.org today!