Our Leadership
The People Behind the Mission
Wild Willow Redemption Ranch is led by people who believe deeply in second chances — for horses and for people.
Organizational Leadership
Victoria Francis, M.A.
Founder & Executive Director | USMC Veteran | LPC-Associate | Equine Coach
My work with horses and people began long before certifications, programs, or professional titles. I grew up with horses, riding from a young age and learning early that horses are teachers of presence, honesty, and humility. They shaped how I learned trust, responsibility, and relationship long before I had language for those things.
As life unfolded, horses became more than a passion. They became central to my own recovery and healing. In seasons where words fell short, horses offered regulation, grounding, and truth without judgment. That lived experience is the foundation of everything I do today.
I am a United States Marine Corps veteran. I carry a personal, lived understanding of PTSD and Military Sexual Trauma, and that experience informs how I hold space for others.
My journey into this work began as a Level 1 Certified Equine Guided Coach — and that foundation was so meaningful that I wanted to go deeper. I pursued licensure so I could offer more: I am now a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, supervised by Cathy Champ, LPC-S, and trained to provide equine-assisted counseling. My clinical internships were completed at the Children's Advocacy Center and Trinity Challenge, where I worked with individuals and families navigating trauma, abuse, and complex relational wounds.
My clinical work is grounded in evidence-based and experiential modalities, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), EMDR, and trauma-informed experiential approaches. In addition to my work at Wild Willow, I serve as Director of Equine-Assisted Counseling at Living Hope Equine Therapy, where I provide counseling services and help guide the integration of horses into the therapeutic process.
I also serve on the boards of other nonprofit organizations, and I remain committed to the broader movement of equine-assisted care — both as a clinician and as an advocate for the horses who make this work possible. At Wild Willow Redemption Ranch, horses are honored as individuals with their own stories, and humans are met with respect for theirs. This ranch exists because I believe deeply that healing happens when horses and humans are given the space to be seen, regulated, and restored together.
Nonprofit Governance
Board of Directors
Wild Willow Redemption Ranch is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors committed to protecting the organization's mission, responsibly stewarding its resources, and keeping decisions centered on the wellbeing of the horses and people we serve.
Matthew Francis
Board Member - Vice President
Matthew Francis serves as Vice President of Wild Willow Redemption, bringing a hands-on approach and a strong commitment to supporting the organization's mission of helping horses and healing humans.
As part of the team behind the day-to-day work at the ranch, Matthew helps oversee facility projects, property improvements, maintenance, and the practical needs that keep WWR operating safely and effectively. Whether it's building fence, improving pastures, tackling repairs, or helping create spaces where rescued horses and people can thrive, he is often working behind the scenes to turn WWR's plans into reality.
Matthew also supports the organization's long-term growth as a board member, helping ensure that WWR remains responsible, sustainable, and focused on its mission.
For Matthew, being part of Wild Willow Redemption means helping build a place where horses are given another chance and where those horses can become part of something even bigger — bringing hope, connection, and healing to people in the community.
Ashley Burns
Board Member - Treasurer
Ashley Burns brings a unique combination of military service, trauma-informed practice, nonprofit leadership, and professional management experience to the Wild Willow Redemption board.
An Army combat veteran, Ashley understands firsthand the challenges that can follow military service and has turned that experience into a commitment to supporting healing, connection, and community. She is the founder and owner of Burns Courage and Restoration Ranch, a veteran-focused equine-facilitated nonprofit dedicated to providing meaningful, evidence-informed opportunities for healing to those who have served.
Ashley holds Level 1 and Level 2 certifications in Equine Facilitated Learning through The HERD Institute and is an Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed and trauma-informed practitioner. She is also certified in Mental Health First Aid and Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), further strengthening her knowledge of veteran mental health, suicide prevention, and trauma recovery.
Outside of her nonprofit work, Ashley serves as a Senior Construction Project Manager in the oil and gas industry, where she brings extensive experience in strategic planning, budgeting, risk management, operations, and cross-functional leadership.
As a member of the Wild Willow Redemption board, Ashley brings both compassion and strategy to the table. Her experience as a combat veteran, nonprofit founder, trauma-informed practitioner, and project manager provides valuable perspective as WWR works to strengthen equine rescue efforts and expand access to equine-assisted mental health services in our community.
Allison Dooley
Director of Mental Health Services
Allison Dooley, M.A., LPC, REAT, EMDR Certified — Wildly Whole Counseling
Allison is a bilingual holistic therapist specializing in trauma, burnout, and self worth for women. She helps women who have experienced past trauma get to the root cause of burnout, people-pleasing and perfectionism using a creative, whole-body approach so they can rebuild their self-worth, reconnect with themselves and trust their own voice again.
Her approach goes beyond traditional talk therapy, incorporating EMDR, IFS, expressive arts, and somatic techniques to support healing in the mind, body, and spirit. Because stress and trauma live in the whole body, not just the mind.
Over the past two years, Allison has grown increasingly drawn to horses and the healing they offer. The more time she spent around them, the more she noticed how intuitive they are, sensing what you're feeling and helping you feel truly seen. That connection has grown into a genuine passion, and she's eager to keep learning about equine-assisted healing while supporting the ranch's mission. She's honored to help rescue horses find a safe environment where their gifts can then heal others.
Kristy Biollo
Board Member - Secretary
Kristy brings a heart for service, a lifelong love of animals, and meaningful lived experience to the Wild Willow Redemption Board. Originally from Canada, she has extensive volunteer experience and a deep passion for helping both horses and humans find connection, support, and healing.
Kristy previously worked as a nurse in an emergency department, where she gained firsthand experience supporting people through some of life's most difficult moments. Her background also includes working closely with trauma and loss, giving her a unique understanding of what it means to walk alongside others through pain, transition, and healing.
Today, Kristy's passion centers on being of service to others and creating space for people to feel seen, supported, and safe. Her compassion for animals, commitment to helping others, and belief in the power of simply being present make her a valued part of Wild Willow Redemption's mission to help horses and humans heal.
Shelby Cain
Director of Equine Wellness & Rehabilitation
With a lifelong passion for horses and a deep belief in the healing connection between humans and animals, Shelby brings a unique combination of nonprofit experience, equine training, and relationship-centered horsemanship to her role as Director of Equine Wellness & Rehabilitation.
Shelby's experience in the nonprofit world began with the Humane Society of North Texas, where she developed a strong understanding of animal welfare, rescue, and the importance of creating compassionate, supportive environments for animals in need. Her work with horses has continued to shape her belief that rehabilitation is about far more than physical recovery — it is about helping each horse feel safe, understood, and valued.
She is also the founder of Bright Side Horsemanship, a positive-reinforcement, relationship-based equine training business focused on building trust, communication, and partnership between horses and humans. Her approach centers on meeting horses where they are, listening to what they are communicating, and creating a foundation built on mutual respect rather than fear or force.
At the heart of Shelby's philosophy is the belief that horses are deeply empathetic souls who deserve our respect. She sees them not simply as partners in the work, but as individuals with their own personalities, experiences, boundaries, and voices. She believes that taking the time to understand and honor those qualities creates stronger partnerships and allows horses to thrive.
In her role, Shelby is passionate about supporting the organization's two distinct missions. She works to provide compassionate care, rehabilitation, and new opportunities for horses in need through the organization's equine rescue efforts, while also supporting the development of safe, meaningful, and transformative experiences through its equine-assisted mental health services. She is committed to ensuring that horses are treated with patience, respect, and understanding while honoring the unique and powerful role they can play in fostering connection, healing, and personal growth for the people they serve.