Michelle Bacogeorge, ESII, BSYA
                                Executive Director/Equine Specialist

   Michelle has an unwavering compassion for children and dedication to animals.  She is a member of, and has completed "Protecting God's Children" through, Virtus Online and continues her education by reviewing newsletters and articles.  She has owned dogs all of her life and studied different training techniques and she has owned horses for over 9 years and studied Parelli.  She has completed animal~assisted therapy and activity classes through BSY Group and she is a certified equine rescue volunteer with Carolina Equine Rescue and Assistance through The Equine Institute.  Michelle is a member of  EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) since 2007, is Level II certified, and is working on her advanced certification through EAGALA.  She has completed clinic Parts I and II on speaking the language of horses presented by Janie Smith of Carousel Stables in Monroe, North Carolina.  She is also a member of the American Saddlebred Association of the Carolinasfor over 6 years.  Michelle has over 20+ years of professional experience, including over 13 years of owning a business while working 11 years in management and 9 years in the legal field.  Michelle has also obtained extensive experience working with children of different ages as she founded and chaired the Saddlebred Spirit for 2 years, a youth group that was registered with the American Saddlebred Horse Association in Kentucky.  She coached flag football for 2 seasons for the local I-9 Sports League and volunteered as a Cub Scout Den Leader and recently was an Assistant Webelo Patrol leader for Pack 97 through St. Mark Catholic Church and as a baseball coach for T-ballers with Stewards of the Game.  Michelle has also volunteered through the Big Brother/Big Sister program.  Michelle is enthusiastic about this new program and looks forward to making positive differences in our youths' lives.

                                                                 Janie Smith, ES
                                                  Director of Equine Services

   For over twenty years, Janie has been educating herself on natural horsemanship.  From 1989 until 2008, she owned and operated Carousel Stables ~ a 40-stall boarding and training facility devoted to helping people create relationships with horses.  She provided a full lesson program focusing on balanced riding and learning the language of horses.  Janie's education includes 100 hours of dressage instruction; 2,000 hours of observation of lessons and teaching; attending Pat Parelli clinics; attending several John Lyons and one Josh Lyons clinics; attending Chris Cox Horsemanship clinics; and attending a Dave Seay Horsemanship clinic.  She also attended the NC State Equine continuing education seminar, a Purina Feeds Nutrition and Health care seminar, a BWFA Hoof Care Seminar, Mike Stine's seminar on Lamninitis and equine dynamics, and a Ray Morris seminar on Equine Massage Therapy which certified her as an Equine Massage Therapist.  She has instructed at Triple Creek Farms with cutting horses and spent 6 years as an instructor for the USCL Equine Program.  Janie is a member of the North Carolina Horse Council and serves on the Board of Directors for REINS and has formerly served on the Board of Directors for SHOE.  Janie is looking forward to providing her equine expertise to the programs of CaliCos Haven, Inc.!

   Diane has over 30+ years of experience in education.  As the current Co-President of King's College in Charlotte, North Carolina, Diane has extensive experience in working with high school and freshman college students.  She has served as the State President for the NC Business Education Association; on the Executive Committee of the Southern Business Education Association; as the NC State President for the National Business Education Association; as the State Secretary for the NC Guidance and Personnel Association; on the Executive Committee of the NC School Counselors Association; on the Conference Planning Committee for the Carolina Association of College Admissions and Registrars Organization; on the State Conference Committee for the NC English Teachers Association; as the President of the Administrative Management Society; and on the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Sales and Marketing Executives.  Diane has also been an accomplished advisory board member in Vocational Education for the NC Board of Public Instruction and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; in Business and Office Education for Central Piedmont Community College, and on the Advisory Board of the Bell South Yellow Pages.  Additionally, Diane has been recognized by the NC Business Education Association as the "Member of the Year;" by Bradford Schools, Inc., in King's College's "School of the Year" award; and by NC DECA, NC FBLA, and NC HOSA in "Appreciation for Contributions" awards.  Among her many career accomplish-ments, Diane has also served as resident and on the Board of Directors for the Carolina Ambassadors and has been a member of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.  Diane is awed by the EAGALA Model and is intent on contributing her knowledge and expertise with regard to education and the mentality of our youth in today's society.

                                                          George Bacogeorge
                    Board of Directors/Secretary and Treasurer

   Being raised in his family's restaurant all of his life, George developed an incredible business sense with regard to customer service and management of the day-to-day operations of a business.  After owning his own construction company for over 5 years, George opened the third franchise restaurant under his father's and mother's business name in a downtown Charlotte location.  Gus' Sir Beef~Uptown in the Latta Arcade was a successful venture for George and Michelle for over 13 years.  As the trademark for the restaurant was "Vegetables fresh my farm," since childhood George obtained great experience of running and managing a farm and large garden.  George is excited about volunteering his knowledge and expertise in business, management, farming, and gardening with the volunteers and clients of CaliCos Haven, Inc.