Board of Directors
Our board is responsible for working toward decisions and actions that align with the interests of our community and give individuals a place to grow and thrive. Developing policies, strategies and operations that help to move forward in the work they find so impactful.
Shawn Rodrigues
Founder
A Licensed Professional Counselor and the clinical director at The Heart of the Matter in Chandler, Arizona where they have offered equine-assisted psychotherapy since 2008. After a 20 year career coaching swimming and running aquatic programs she decided it was time for a change. This change led her back to school and then to work in the field of crisis and trauma healing. She believes that an eclectic combination of skills, knowledge and techniques joined together with horses, mindfulness and positive regard for the participant can ultimately lead to learning, growth, and healing.
Connie Gorsuch
Board Member
Connie and Shawn share a rich history spanning three decades of camaraderie and friendship, several states, and generations of family. She retired from the escrow industry in California and relocated to Arizona in 2008. She resides in Northern Arizona with her husband of 50+ years, their two horses, three dogs, an ever changing number of chickens, a feral barn cats and some awesome volunteer vermin control snakes. In her “spare” time Connie enjoys tending to her furry and feathered friends, gardening, and adventuring in the amazing Arizona wild - both on horseback and on foot.
Joy Estes
Board Member
Joy is an Arizona native and has been a prominent business-owner in Scottsdale for over 30 years. She is actively involved in the community, specifically with the Scottsdale Police Department, and is always looking for new ways to support others. She is excited about her role in Boise’s Gift and the benefit it will bring to others, people and animals alike, for years to come!