It takes a whole village of folks to keep HHF running and running well! NO person is paid at Hickory Hill Farm. Being 100% volunteer driven, our Board works diligently and could not do it all without our wonderful volunteers.
Within our board and active volunteer group we are proud to have two FEMA Credentialed DART responders, three Certified Teachers, a Childhood Trauma Certified counselor, two Pet Partners Registered Therapy Teams, volunteers with degrees in Equine Science, and more than 6 active volunteers that are CPR and First Aid Certified. Our team is dedicated to continuing their education and training in all aspects of the programs HHF provides.
Board of Directors
Shea Hutsenpiller is Hickory Hill Farm’s Executive Director. Born and raised in middle Tennessee, Shea graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Equine Science. She has always felt a strong urge to use her passion and love of animals, primarily horses, to help others. After meeting with Jenna through their mutual friend, Jenny, and sharing their similar ideas, it was clear to Shea that God had big plans for them. She co-founded Hickory Hill Farm in early 2016 along with Jenna, Sean, Jenny, Katie, and Madi. Shea has owned, cared for, and shown horses since she was eight years old. She brings her years of real life experience with horses, educational background, and experience working with other area non-profits to our leadership team. When not working on Hickory Hill, Shea spends her time on her own small farm caring for a herd of animals including six horses (including one personal horse, the rest belonging to HHF or boarders), three goats (2 HHF fosters), two pot belly pigs (HHF fosters), four dogs (one adopted rescue), and one cat (also a rescue!).
Jenna Gibbons is our Assistant Director. Jenna was born and grew up in Plymouth, Michigan. Graduating from Michigan State with a degree in Elementary Education and with six years of teaching experience in different parts of the country including Detroit, MI and Smyrna, TN, Jenna brings a strong educational background and desire to serve others to our leadership. Jenna has operated successful Kid’s Camps and programs in both Michigan and Tennessee. She states, “I have always wanted to find a purpose in my life that I feel truly passionate about. I enjoy being outdoors with my animals, and I feel that I have a mission to work with children. What better way to bring the two together, than to give my time and experience to Hickory Hill Farm?” Jenna helped form the dream of Hickory Hill Farm in 2015 and co-founded it in early 2016. Jenna and her husband Sean reside on a small farm in middle Tennessee with their son, Rowan, four horses (three personal rescues and one HHF foster), and one dog (adopted!).
Jennifer Clymer is Hickory Hill Farm’s Secretary. While Jenny was born and raised in Minnesota, she has made her home here in middle Tennessee with her husband Ivan, daughter Carlie, two horses both rescues, three rescued pups, and three rescued cats! Her educational background is also in childhood education as she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Minnesota. Jenny feels very strongly about giving back to others and helping them through their trials, whether that someone be a human or an animal, it makes no difference. Jenny is the missing link that brought the Gibbons together with Shea in the early planning stages of Hickory Hill Farms. You can find Jenny helping out at the farm, volunteering with the Wilson County County Mounties, or enjoying her hobby farm with her family.
Malia Pack serves on our board and also as the HHF Marketing and Public Relations Manager. Malia grew up in West Virginia and North Carolina. She now resides here in Middle Tennessee with her husband Mark and their five children. Malia enjoys spending her time hiking, traveling.. preferably to the beach, crafting, and of course, loving on and riding Hickory Hill Farm Rescues. She is also a member of our HHF Riders program and spends time riding and working with our fosters. Most recently, she helped transform a nervous, insecure horse to a bold trail mount for her new family! Juggling her time between her family, Hickory Hill Farm, and her day job as a business analyst, Malia has a full plate!
Sean Gibbons is a member of our Board of Directors. Originally from Michigan also, Sean moved to Nashville while he was obtaining his Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education from Vanderbilt University. He is also a Certified Teacher and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Similar to his wife, Jenna, Sean also has a passion for working with children. Sean has non-profit experience, serving on the Board of the American Youth Soccer Association and the Environmental Action Group. Sean assists with the development of our camp programs alongside Jenna. When Sean is not working or at the farm, he is spending time with Jenna and Rowan or enjoying one of his other hobbies such as playing the guitar.
Madi Beard is a member of our Board of Directors. Madi is a middle Tennessee native that has been a horse enthusiast for most of her life. She assists the rescue side of our organization in many different aspects. Growing up, Madi took lessons riding hunter jumpers at a local barn; she then spent several years horseless. She never gave up on her dream of riding again, and after graduating high school, she began getting back to riding, this time in the western arena. She has years of experience caring for, assisting with training, and showing quarter horses. Madi has a passion to assist animals that are in tough situations. “Animals don’t have a say in how they are treated or whose hands they wind up in. It is so rewarding to help neglected animals through the healing process ending in a happy loving home,” shares Madi in regards to her experiences with animal rescue. She enjoys family time, barrel racing her horse, and spending time with her border collie in her spare time.
Dr. Kathryn Makowiec is a member of our Board of Directors. Hailing from upstate New York, Katie made her home in middle Tennessee while she worked towards her Doctorate of Audiology at Vanderbilt University. Katie has been around horses since she was a small child. She grew up riding hunter jumpers including competing on her University’s Equestrian Team and has experience restarting OTTBs, training horses in both the English and Western disciplines, and working with neglected horses. Katie has a passion for giving back proven through over eight years of volunteer service with various organizations including Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. Katie enjoys being able to combine her passion for helping and love for horses together at one organization.
Our team would not be complete without our fabulous fosters and volunteers, so we would also like to acknowledge and thank the following folks:
Fosters:
Jenna & Sean Gibbons — Shea & CJ Hutsenpiller–Jennifer & Ivan Clymer–The Robertson Family
Volunteers:
Teresa Lundberg — Phoebe Williamson — Krystle Brackett — Taylor Blankenship — Mark Pack — Jeff Blankenship — Angie Blankenship — Patrick Delaney — Mary Gibbons — Dennis Gibbons — Easlin Robinson — Mary Ann Hicks — Debbie Cicero — Nathan Huddleston — Julie Hancock — Josh Wiseman — Pennie Reese — David Curtis — Tricia Dapelo — Lauran Douglass