Kelly Munz, Associate Professor of Equine Studies & Equine Studies Department Chair

Professor Kelly Munz graduated from Deleware Valley College and received a bachelor of Science in Large Animal Science. From there she completed her Master of Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Animal Science, specializing in Equine Reproduction. Professor Munz's thesis was titled Parathyroid Hormone and Calcium Interactions in the Periparturient Mare.

Professor Munz has taught a variety of courses at Centenary College such as Practical Horse Management, Equine Systems and Disorders, the Musculosketetal System, Equine Nutrition, and Breeding Management.

Professor Munz is also a United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Catagory 1 Steward and works at many horse shows in an offical capacity on the East Coast, including the 2004 USEF Talent Search Finals. Professor Munz is the Corresponding Secretary for the New Jersey Horse Shows Association, which is an affiliate of the USEF.

While at Centenary, Professor Munz was honored with the 2004-2005 United Methodist Exemplary Teaching Award.

Dr. Octavia Brown, Professor of Equine Studies & Director of Therapeutic Riding

Professor Octavia Brown, ED.M., H.C. is an Associate Professor of Equine Studies, Director of Therpeutic Riding and teaches Therapeutic Riding Instructor Certification at Centenary College. This is a course approved by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). She also teaches Fundamental Theories of Riding - a First Year Experience class - and riding classes.

Dr. Brown is a founder of the NARHA, serving four terms on the Board of Directors. In 1972, she founded the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center in New Jersey. She co-founded HRH of NJ, a state-level council for therapeutic riding programs. She is a past president of the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International.

Dr. Brown was honored in 1982 as New Jersey Horse Person of the Year by the New Jersey Horse Council. In 1990, she received the NARHA Directors' Award and the President's Award. In 1993, she was the Gates-Ferry Distinguished Lecturer at Centenary College. In 1998, she received NARHA's highest honor, the James Brady Award for Lifetime Achievement in Therapeutic Riding.

Heather Clark, Instructor of Equine Studies & Assistant Coach IHSA Team

Heather Clark graduated from the University of Massachusetts and received both a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science/Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1997.  During her senior year, she was eighth in the Cacchione Cup at the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Nationals.

Her practical equine experience encompasses having been a show and sale barn trainer/rider in the Netherlands, the assistant trainer and road manager for one of the Eastern United State’s most prestigious stables, and the assistant trainer for one of the 2000 Olympic Equestrian Team competitors. In addition to the training and riding responsibilities, Professor Clark focused the overall care and health of these horses.

From 2002-2006, Heather developed, taught, and trained a competitive intercollegiate team and was named Coach of the Year on 2005 for Zone 3 Region 4 with the IHSA.  In 2002, Heather formed HLC Stables LLC as a riding and training facility based in Whitehouse, NJ.  At this facility she trained beginners through advanced riders, in all aspects of hunter, jumper, and equitation. Her students have competed in shows throughout the Northeast including all the Jumper and Equitation Finals including USEF Medal, ASPCA Maclay and USEF Talent Search.  Ms. Clark joined Centenary College’s staff in 2007 as an Instructor of Equine Studies.

Tara Clausen, Assistant Professor of Equine Studies & Coach of the Hunter/Jumper/ANRC Team

Professor Tara Clausen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Studies from Centenary College, as well as a M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership. She also holds a United States Equestrian Federation 'r' Steward's license.

Professor Clausen teaches upper-level hunter and jumper courses, Course Design, Farm Facility Design and Management, Basic Concepts of Training, and Advanced Techniques of Teaching and Training. An exceptional coach, she travels with the Hunter/Jumper Team to local, recognized horse shows and shares the coaching responsibility of the ANRC Championship Team with Michael Dowling.

Prior to joining Centenary College in 1998, Professor Clausen worked in the industry as a trainer for Riverstone Farm in Garrison, NY. She continues to train outside of Centenary and ride professionally for Tim and Kelly Goguen of Boggs Hill.

Timothy Cleary, Assistant Professor of Equine Studies 

Professor Timothy Cleary graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. His first year of college was spent at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He also earn a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University in New York, as a non-traditional student.

After college, Tim returned to his native New Jersey. He managed and operated the Junior Essex Troop of Cavalry - a non-profit organization started by the Essex Troop Cavalry in the early  1900s - to carry on their traditions and "foster the love of horses among boys."

Since a ripe young age, Tim Cleary has been around horses. There has always been something about those noble creatures that has drawn him to them. While he has spent a significant amount of the last three decades training and coaching at horse shows, today he experiences life with horses more often in the non-competitive, quieter atmosphere of the farm.

Nevertheless, he still enjoys the rigors of managing, judging, announcing and course designing - all aspects of the horse show world. Professor Cleary is the manager of the Garden State Horse Show - the largest horse show in New Jersey. Centenary College and the Garden State Horse Show have forged a meaningful alliance benefiting both organizations, particulary the students.

Michael Dowling, Instructor Equine Studies & Head Coach IHSA Team

Having been involved with horses for the past 30 years, Michael Dowling brings a great deal of equine experience to Centenary College's Equine Department. Academically diverse studies from Fairfield University in Connecticut and University of Lancaster in Lancashire, England round out his education. Following studies in England, Michael open Windham Hill, a training facility in northwestern New Jersey where the focus is on training and preparing horses and riders for the show ring.

His students have gone on to win classes at prestigious horse shows including The National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden, Devon Horse Show, Harrisburg and Washington International. Concentrating on managing and qualifying  both horses and riders for regional, zone, and national hunter and equitation finals, in addition to riding and selling investment horses, has kept Michael very busy over the past few decades.

Along with horse show management, judging, stewarding and course designing at recognized and unrecognized events, as well as giving clinics on both east and west coasts, Michael now brings his knowledge and experience to the students of Centenary College.

Dr. Michael Fugaro, Associate Professor of Equine Studies & Staff Veterinarian

Dr. Michael Fugaro graduated from the University of Delaware and received a Bachelor of Animal Science. He completed his veterinary training at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Fugaro completed an internship at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and a large animal surgical residency at Purdue University.

Dr. Fugaro has practiced large animal medicine and surgery at Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, and Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, and Morris counties in New Jersey.

Prior to arriving at Centenary College, Dr. Fugaro was one of the principal veterinarians representing the State Veterinarian for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's Division of Animal Health. Dr. Fugaro is board certified in large animal surgery and a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Dr. Fugaro provides a very high standard of care for the horses owned an boarded at Centenary College. In addition, he provides multiple educational opportunities for the students to learn and experience equine veterinary medicine and surgery in the form or lectures, clinical cases, and hands-on workshops and demonstrations.

Assistant Professor Sarah Marchese Simms

Professor Sarah Marchese Simms holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Cook College/Rutgers University. She has been awarded her United States Dressage Federation Bronze and Silver Medals, as well as the ESDCTA Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals.

Professor Simms teaches upper-level dressage classes, as well as Dressage for the Hunt Seat Rider, Fundamental Theories of Riding, Management of Equestrian Activities, Farm Facility Design and Management, Basic Concepts of Training, and Practical Horse Management I and II.

She is the coach of the Intercollegiate Dressage Team. Professor Simms continues to compete in the FEI dressage ring, as well as run her own dressage boarding and training facility.

Dr. Lynn Taylor, Associate Professor of Equine Science

Lynn Taylor, Ph.D was born in Florida and raised in Brookfield CT. She attended The University of Connecticut where she received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 1988. She continued her studies at Virginia Tech, where she received her Master's of Science in Animal Science in 1991, and her Ph.D. in Animal Science in 1995. Her areas of research were Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, and her Ph.D. dissertation title is Acid-base Regulation During Exercise in Horses Fed Lecithin.

Dr. Taylor was an Assistant Professor at Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio for eight years, and served as the Chair of The Department of Equine Science for six years as an Associate Professor. She was also the Equine Nutritional Consultant and an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where she consulted with clinicians, residents and students on the medical issues of feeding horses and diet formulation. 

Dr. Taylor started teaching at Centenary College in 2004, and was both Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Department and Acting Chief Academic Officer. She joined the Equine Studies department as an Associate Professor of Equine Science in 2009.

She currently resides in Hope NJ, and is the sole proprietor of Equine Nutritional Consulting, which provides corporate and private consulting on a variety of issues related to the feeding and care of horses.  She also holds a patent in Equine Neutraceuticals.

She has taught the following courses at Centenary College: BIO 115-116 (General Biology I and II), BIO 205 (Animal Science Techniques), BIO 320 (Animal Behavior and Zoology), EST 312 (Equine Nutrition), and HON 204 (Science, Technology and Society).

Kim Twiggs, Veterinary Assistant

Kim Twiggs graduated Sigma Cum Lade from Centenary College in 2008. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Equine Studies with a concentration in Teaching and Training. After graduation Kim successfully ran Pineland Stables a hunter/ jumper boarding and training facility in Cape May County, New Jersey. There her students competed on the local circuit and were active in the local 4-H with her club the Pineland Riders.

While attending school Kim was an active member of the Hunter/Jumper team. She received the Equine Student of the Month award in May of 2008. Kim adopted a Centenary horse named Durmiente after graduation and enjoys competing locally with him. Currently Kim in enrolled in the Masters in Business Administration at Centenary College.

Amy Gregonis, Equine Office Coordinator

Amy Gregonis graduated from Centenary College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 2005.  Her concentration was Business Administration with a minor in Math.  In May 2009 she completed her Master's Degree in Finance.  Previously, Amy worked at First Hope Bank as an Electronic Data Processing Operator for 4 years before her love of horses took over her career.  Amy has brought her love of horses, mixed with her business background, to the Centenary College Equestrian Center.
 
Throughout her time in college Amy participated on the IHSA team as well as showing as an alumni member for the IHSA. She has also worked as a dressage rider at Devoncroft Farm, owned by Pamela Wooding.  Even after college, Amy still enjoys competing in the adult equitation and jumper rings.