About
About
Lora’s parks and recreation began in 1989. She has spent over half her lifetime creating safe places on park land for all trail users. Twenty-five years was served as a dedicated law enforcement/maintenance ranger. Add to that her formal education in two distinct areas – Bachelor of Science in environmental studies/resource management and an Associate Degree in equestrian studies. Work, education and personal experience have woven together seamlessly to create a uniquely qualified, neutral horse trail expert/consultant and author with a profound knowledge and understanding of recreational equestrian needs; trail planning and maintenance in natural areas; law enforcement issues and strategies; community involvement; best practice horse keeping; equine behavior; customer service; volunteerism; natural resource management; mounted patrol operations and multi-use-trail conflict resolution.
In 2011 Lora began providing educational sessions at international, national and state, park conferences, including:
Atlanta, Georgia 2011
Ohio Parks and Recreation Conference
Columbus, Ohio 2012
American Trails International Symposium
Portland, Oregon 2015
Syracuse, New York 2019
North Carolina 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, (2021 cancelled due to Covid), January 2022 and April 2022. Additionally, Lora has served on the Board of Directors for The Park Ranger Institute since 2015.
COSA (Colorado Open Space Alliance) Vail, Colorado 2020
(Cancelled due to Covid)
Lora has been a trail rider and horse owner since 1986 and has ridden, started and re-schooled many different breeds in multiple disciplines. During her career with Metroparks she managed the Metroparks Mounted Patrol Unit 5 horses, then in 2001 she created The Oak Openings Horse Corps, a volunteer group that helped maintain the Oak Openings horse trail and facilities, and in 2006 she created the Metroparks Mounted Volunteer Trail Patrol unit. She managed both volunteer groups until her retirement in 2017.
In her spare time, she enjoys trail riding, cycling, kayaking, hiking, camping with and without horses, cross-country skiing and creating one-of-a-kind horsehair keepsakes. Her lofty goals include cycling every rail-trail in the United States and completing a thru hike or horseback ride. Current trail mounts are a Tennessee Walker gelding and a mixed-breed gelding.
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Specialized Training & Experience
Blazing Trails for Change
Bullet Proof Mind (Lt. Dave Grossman)
Communications
Community Policing Through Environmental Design - CPTED
Conflict Resolution
Customer Service
Dealing with Difficult People
Diversity and Inclusion
Ethics
Facilities and Grounds Maintenance 1989-present
Firearms and Qualification (25 years)
Husqvarna 32-hour chainsaw training (bucking, limbing, felling)
Horse Keeping
Ice Water Rescue
International Police Mountain Bike Assocation Training x2 (IPMBA)
Leadership
Lean Manufacturing
Legal Updates (broad coverage 25 years)
Mounted Police Colloquium
Native Prairie Management (since 1992)
Ohio Police Officer Training Academy
OSHA 10 hour
Pesticide Applicator
Prescribed Burning
Special Event Planning
Teams and Team Building
Trail Maintenance since 1989-present