Team

Diana Schnell

Executive Director

Diana Schnell is the Executive Director of Equestrian Connection. Inspired by her twin sons, she brings a deeply personal commitment to the work that has shaped Equestrian Connection’s mission from the beginning.

For the past 25 years, since founding Equestrian Connection (EC), Diana Schnell has drawn on a uniquely powerful combination of personal and professional experience, as a special needs parent, a healthcare professional, and a highly educated leader, to build one of the nation's premier therapeutic equine centers.

At the heart of Diana's work is a deeply personal understanding of the challenges families face when seeking treatment and care for loved ones with special needs. That understanding drives EC's mission: to ensure that individuals and families who need support have meaningful access to services, regardless of their financial circumstances, through robust access programs and financial assistance.

Under her leadership, EC has raised over $25 million, beginning with Diana's own athletic achievements in Ironman competitions and long-distance running, and growing over the years through the dedicated support of an exceptional Board of Directors, diverse fundraising events, and generous local and regional foundation partnerships. That commitment to growth has helped EC earn its place among the top ten largest therapeutic equine centers in the United States.