Our team makes us unique!
Our program thrives because of the people who make it possible. With unwavering dedication and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our riders, our team is truly one of a kind.
At CART, our instructors are the driving force behind every lesson. As an accredited PATH Intl. Center, we are part of a worldwide network of over 800 centers providing Equine Assisted Services. Our instructors are Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors (CTRI), trained in horsemanship, adaptive teaching, and therapeutic techniques.
CART has a dynamic instructor team dedicated to creating safe, joyful, and life-changing experiences for all riders. Now meet the the team!
Our Team
The vision for CART began with Sarah Daly, Program Director, whose pioneering work in therapeutic riding spans decades. Sarah started her career in Buffalo, New York, in the 1980s and has dedicated her life to advancing the field, now recognized worldwide. As a CTRI, she is always in or around the arena, guiding fun, engaging, and transformational lessons while mentoring instructors. Behind the scenes, she oversees the equine team, coordinates lesson schedules, and ensures CART’s mission and financial health remain strong.
Sarah Daly
Program Director
Kim O’Donnell
Instructor
Kim brings her experience as an educator and lifelong equestrian to CART, blending knowledge, skill, and passion to enrich every rider’s experience. With her background in natural horsemanship, dressage, and hunter jumper disciplines, Kim has been a CTRI since 2023. Outside the arena, Kim serves as Director of Development at a K–8 independent school in Orange, Virginia, and previously worked at the University of Virginia and Albemarle County Public Schools in talent and career development roles. A New Jersey native who spent two decades in Colorado, she holds a BA from Dickinson College and an MA from the University of Colorado Boulder. When she’s not riding her “hearthorse” of 25 years, she enjoys camping, hiking, and cheering on soccer with her husband.
Maegan Sawyers
Instructor
Maegan joins CART with fresh energy and a passion for helping riders thrive. Born in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, she earned a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Virginia. During college, she discovered her passion for combining speech therapy with horseback riding while working at a camp for neurodivergent children in Vermont. After graduation, she worked as an Adaptive Riding Instructor in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (2023–2025) and is now back in Charlottesville pursuing her PATH CTRI and graduate studies in Speech-Language Pathology.