Debrah Fisher (Secretary) holds a BA in Psychology from Evangel College in Springfield, MO.  She came to Birmingham in 2002 and went to work for the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education, a national membership association for healthcare educators.  Her passion for horses came later in life when she worked part time at an equine reproduction facility and experienced the healing power of this relationship in her own life.  Debrah found out about Spirit of Hope by contacting Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in 2006 and asking for information on similar programs in Alabama.  She started volunteering right away and has been blessed beyond measure by God’s amazing work in the lives of both children in need and rescued horses.

Angie House (Treasurer) received her MSW (Master of Social Work) in 1995 from the University of Alabama after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Montevallo in 1994. She also is a Licensed Certified Social Worker and has been employed as a Social Work Manager for the Alabama Department of Public Health for thirteen years. Her experience with Public Health has made her keenly aware of how lives can be changed for the better by a caring individual.

Katharine Morris is a graduate of Auburn University Montgomery with BS degree in Business Management. She has extensive management experience and helped in the training and development of small business entrepreneurs through her work as a manager with Montgomery Small Business Incubator.  Her duties included entrepreneurial training, business plan development and entrepreneurial mentoring. She currently works at Regions Financial Corporation.  Katharine, along with her husband, Ray raise Paso Fino's on their Columbiana farm and enjoy trail riding and working with their horses.

Joy O’Neal (President) graduated from UAB’s nonprofit management certification program and is currently working on her Master’s in Public Administration with a specialty in nonprofits. Joy is certified as a level one instructor through the Certified Horsemanship Association and is also certified through Greg Kersten’s OK Corral Series to provide equine assisted family counseling and teambuilding. Her many years of experience as a “barn mom” are being put to good use at SOHYR.

Colleen Samples is a registered nurse with a Masters in Nursing from UAB and a graduate from Cumberland School of Law. She has been a nurse in several local hospitals and practiced law for a number of years with a law firm in Birmingham. She is currently employed as a medical/legal consultant.  Her concern for animals and children's rights and well being makes Spirit of Hope a perfect fit for her talents. The kids participating at the ranch affectionately call her “the cookie lady.”

David Stephenson is the pastor of Grace Presbyterian in Chelsea, AL. He and his wife Kelly both graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. David grew up in East Tennessee, attended college in Knoxville and was always around horses. During high school and college, he worked with horses at summer camps; snuck on the University of Tennessee equestrian team and even tried to rodeo (“tried” is the best word). After college, he was the director of Camp Westminster in Georgia, a student pastor in Florida, and on staff with Briarwood Church in Birmingham. David and Kelly moved to Alabama in 2006 and are excited to settle into the community of Chelsea. David’s love of horses, children, and Jesus come together in the ministry of SOHYR.

Michael Connor is the Practice Manager at Liberty Animal Hospital and holds a BA in Business from University Of North Florida.  He has over 25 years of experience as an executive in the transportation industry and his most recent position was as President of Fontaine Specialized, a manufacturer of heavy haul trailers. After a brief trial with early retirement, where he did volunteer work for the SOHYR, he re-entered the workforce at Liberty Animal Hospital.  Mike is a Navy brat, an ex-Army Captain and a veteran of Vietnam where he served two years as a helicopter pilot. As a past President of the Shelby County Humane Society he feels that volunteer work is its own reward. Mike is married to Angie, has three sons and eight grandchildren.

Doug Sappington joined the Spirit of Hope board in November, 2009.  He is a Birmingham native with a degree in accounting from Auburn University.  Professionally, he is a sales, marketing and business operations executive holding positions of COO, Vice-President, National Sales Manager and other leadership positions in large companies and in start-ups.  Doug and his two children are actively involved at Church of the Highlands.

Kimberly Neff, DVM is a 2003 graduate from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Kim has been volunteering her veterinary, chiropractic and acupuncture services to the horses at the ranch since 2009.  During this time, Dr. Kim had the opportunity to share her personal experiences with some of the children at SOHYR.  Her experience with horses over the years combined with God's love there has always been hope for the future.  Dr. Kim lives on Lay Lake in Wilsonville, AL with her husband James, 4 year old daughter Sydney, two jack russells and one kitten.