Our Staff & Board

As President, Program Director and Head Coach, Donna Hensley is the driving force behind Sunrise Vaulters. Donna began her coaching career 30+ years ago training Figure skaters and Hockey players the mechanics of ice skating at a high level. She has worked with children as young as 18 months up through adults. Donna has a true love for horses and continues even today to fine tune her horsemanship skills with Chris Cox. Donna began vaulting with Valley View Vaulters. Under Rick and Virginia Hawthorne, she grew to love the sport and eventually became an assistant coach with VVV. When Rick made the decision to retire, Donna started Sunrise Vaulters to continue to pursue her love for vaulting and training athletes both young and old. She is a member of EVUSA, USEF and is SafeSport certified.

Fred Ronn

Vice President and Director of Operations

Fred is responsible for the behind the scenes aspects of Sunrise Vaulters. He too has a true love for horses and has worked with Chris Cox to make himself a better horseman. Fred’s business experience drives the club to grow while still maintaining the best experience for our members. Fred handles all of the logistics and is instrumental in the care of our horses and in keeping all of our equipment in shape. He is a member of EVUSA.

Steve Sullivan

Volunteer Coach and Lunger

Steve Sullivan has been a vaulter, coach, clinician, and judge during his career. A Gold Medal vaulter with honors, he placed third in pas de deux at the 1980 World Cup competition in Paris, France. He was a co-coach with Rick Hawthorne and member of the exhibition team at the 1984 Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles before retiring from competition.

Blandine Elbaz

Volunteer Groom, Lunger and Vaulter

As a basket ball player and coach in Paris, Blandine spent over a decade training young athletes. She is a vital member of the team, coaching strength training, leading the summer camp program and lunging during practices. She attends the EVUSA Symposium each year. She completed the lunging track in 2023 to hone her horsemanship, as a vaulter in 2024 and as a coach /vaulters in 2025.

Carolyn Elliott

Volunteer Assistant Coach, Lunger and Vaulter

A performing artist and competitive vaulter, Carolyn’s coaching focuses on performance, musicality and creating harmony with the horse. She assists with our adaptive vaulters, and co-coaches our beginner programs. Carolyn is a competing member of USEF, the EVUSA and is Safe Sport trained. She is currently working towards her certification as a clerk for EVUSA and her PATH certification to be a therapeutic riding instructor. She is the 2023 High Point Winner for Region 1 in the Adult Walk division.