Our Board of Directors

Laurie has volunteered at We Can Ride for more than 20 years.  After retiring, she rejoined the Board of Directors in 2023 as Board Chair.

During her 25 years as a Food Scientist in Research and Development at General Mills, she became a recognized expert in multiple technologies.  Throughout her career, Laurie led technical teams to identify and apply solutions to both business and manufacturing initiatives.  She developed internal and external strategic partnerships which provided critical support to the supply chain.  Laurie also enjoyed serving as a co-chair within the General Mills Disability Network.

Her dedication to We Can Ride is based upon seeing the amazing impact of the programs on clients and their families for so many years.  Her life skills learned from growing up on a small farm in Massachusetts, leading initiatives for a large corporation, and living with a disability all help her to provide perspective and leadership at We Can Ride.

Joe Timmons is a retired social worker and teacher who has worked with individuals with disabilities in educational, vocational, and health care settings for over thirty-three years.  From 1984 to 2003, Joe served as an instructor and counselor with adults and adolescents with physical disabilities, including work at Vision Loss Resources, the Courage Center, and ISD 287.

From 2003 to 2018, he was at the College of Education at the University of Minnesota focusing on research in special education. Since 2018, Joe has been connected to Lionsgate Academy as a social worker, aide, and board member of the Lionsgate Foundation.

Joe loves horses and the smiles they bring to We Can Ride families. 

Erin initially became involved with WCR as a parent of a rider who has been in the program for many years. She also is the proud owner of three lovely quarter horses! 

Erin retired from General Mills as the Director of Global Business and Employee Services after 24 years. In that role she negotiated global business contracts with service vendors and oversaw multiple operations including travel, meetings, and the IT service desk.   Prior to that Erin worked in Sales and Customer Relations with Northwest Airlines.  She received her MBA from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) in Arizona.

Erin is passionate about the WCR mission, the staff and the volunteers that make it happen every day. 

Andrea Wehrung joined the We Can Ride Board in 2024, following three years as a volunteer leader and side walker. 

As Director of Data Strategy & Governance at Apogee Enterprises since 2021, Andrea brings strategic oversight and organizational expertise to her board role. She previously built a distinguished 25-year career in the IT organization at General Mills.

Andrea holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a BBA from Ohio University, complemented by both Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification and Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) credentials.

Her passion for We Can Ride centers on supporting clients through the unique power and love of horses. Andrea’s combination of hands-on volunteer experience and professional background in strategic management provides valuable perspective to the organization’s continued growth and impact.

Kelly graduated from Hamline University with a BA in Sociology, Allied Field in Computer Science and Minor in Psychology. After spending over 35 years in information technology, including legal online products and services as well as e-commerce retail, she retired in 2022.

She first became involved with We Can Ride by helping with a fundraising golf tournament in the mid 1990’s. Her involvement expanded with other fundraising activities including the Chef’s Brigade/Gala event for 20 years. She was board chair from 2001-2013 and has recently returned to being an active member of the board.

Kelly’s family and friends with both physical and emotional challenges were her initial draw to the We Can Ride community and mission.  During her ongoing involvement she continues to love the dedication of the people involved in the daily operations of this amazing organization, as well as seeing the many benefits of the programs offered. Kelly is passionate about helping We Can Ride thrive and grow for years to come.

As Director of Research and Development at KLN, Heidi brings strategic organizational development expertise to her board role. She leverages her experiences in animal health and nutrition from her 10-year career in Veterinary Health Sciences and 15-year career in R&D, strategic marketing and Animal Nutrition and Health at Cargill to help her communities thrive.

Heidi holds an MBA and graduate degree in Human Health Sciences; supported by undergraduate degrees in Veterinary Health and Biological Sciences.

Heidi’s passion for We Can Ride comes from giving back to her community and recognition for the valuable connection between animals and human health.

Gregg is a special education teacher in Golden Valley, working with K-3 students primarily diagnosed with autism. Before transitioning to education, he had a distinguished 20-year career as a senior management professional at UKG (formerly Kronos, Inc.), where he provided motivational team leadership and achieved notable performance results for their sales operations and renewals organizations.

Gregg earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Minnesota State University Mankato and has completed graduate coursework in Organizational Leadership and Management at Concordia University, St. Paul, along with graduate studies in Elementary Education at the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul. Since May 2018, Gregg has been an active volunteer at We Can Ride, serving in various roles including leader, feeder, side-walker, barn aide, and teaching assistant.

Timette has spent more than 25 years in the medical device industry, leading communications for global companies including Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and now Inspire Medical Systems. She is passionate about connecting people and organizations to mission-driven work.

Originally from Augusta, Georgia, Timette earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augusta University. While growing up, she spent a lot of time around horses, including showing, teaching and training American Saddlebred horses.

She discovered We Can Ride four years ago while looking for a way to give back to her community. Since joining the organization, she has served as a side walker, horse leader, barn aide, and feeder, and continues to enjoy both the hands-on work in the barn and supporting the organization’s growth as a board member.

Rachel has volunteered at We Can Ride since 2020 and other adaptive riding programs prior to joining the We Can Ride community. Rachel’s connection to We Can Ride comes from a combination of passion for giving back to the community and love of horses/riding.

Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with a focus on Healthcare & Careers, along with a Public Health Minor from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. During her time at the U of M Rachel was a member of the MN Western Equestrian Team. Rachel enjoys to continue building her education and in March 2023, earned an Equity Certification from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities through its ECHO program. Rachel continues her education and advocacy as a member of the Minnesota Social Service Association (MSSA).

With a strong background in direct support, case management and team leadership, Rachel currently serves as a Waiver Case Manager Lead, where they have worked since 2020. In her role, Rachel provides leadership, supervision, and support to a team of case managers working with individuals accessing MN Waiver Programs. Rachel has held various roles in the organization, gaining experience in leadership, program management, and client advocacy. Prior to case management work Rachel worked as a Research & Reagent Coordinator with Memorial Blood Centers and as a Direct Care staff with ACR Homes/Arthurs Senior Care.

Rachel is passionate about advancing the mission of We Can Ride, and looks forward to continuing to connect horses and humans.

Cary has volunteered with We Can Ride for over 16 years, as a side-walker/horse leader, as Board treasurer, Board Chair and now as Board Emeritus. 

Cary retired from her career in social work after 30+ years of leadership and direct care experience in the mental health and chemical health fields including managed care settings, community behavioral health organizations, and with families experiencing abuse and neglect.  Her greatest rewards came from engaging professionals, advocates and community members to increase access and quality of care to mental health and chemical health services. For the past 28 years Cary has been an active cancer survivor and consumer advocate at the national level.  She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from South Dakota State University. 

She enjoys sharing her love of horses with riders, their families, staff and volunteers through the wonderful community of We Can Ride.