Board of Directors
Southern Tier Alternative Therapies, Inc.
STAT
Serving Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, Tompkins, and Chemung Counties
STAT is a 100% volunteer organization and was co-founded by one very passionate, determined
parent and one licensed physical therapist who have gone to extraordinary lengths to achieve
STAT’s mission and to accomplish our vision to:

Provide assistance to families of children with special needs create to participate in
alternative and animal-assisted therapies

Support children with special needs throughout our community with unique and creative
programs that promote and improve their health and quality of life. We are committed to
providing programs that will both enhance and improve the lives of children with special
needs and their families.

Design, build, and provide access to a state-of-the-art alternative therapy complex to
offer effective and highly beneficial, individualized programs and therapies for children
with special needs at no cost to families.

Within ten years, design and develop an alternative day school for children with ASD and
other neurological and physical disorders and disabilities, in conjunction with the
alternative therapy complex.
Our founding program, The Riding Connection, functions with a variety of hard-working volunteers,
committed partner facilities, and exceptional equine. STAT’s 2008 Pilot Program, The Riding Connection
has grown exponentially by 2009 year end growing from 12 scholarships to providing over 560 within a
year. STAT scholarships are in high demand with a current wait list of over 100 individuals. In 2009,
STAT designed a pilot Program called The ProMISE Project, a program where at risk youth receive
mentoring, participate in experiential learning and leadership education using equine, and who are then
trained as volunteers to work with children with special needs in our Riding Connection program. By
combining STAT’s two programs we can bring out the best in our youth populations who are at risk by
teaching compassion and understanding for individuals with disabilities as well as introducing exciting
career venues to inspire these teens to develop skills and interests in related professions.
Catherine Markosky is the President and Founder of STAT, Inc., she is the mother of five children,
including two with disabilities: Mason, age 9, is multiply disabled having Cerebral Palsy, a tracheostomy,
and severe scoliosis; and Max, age 6, is Autistic. Her most recent experience was the position of
Economic Development Specialist for Cortland County’s Industrial Development Agency/Business
Development Corporation and prior to that was the Aviation Department Manager at a private consulting
engineering firm serving New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Catherine has witnessed Mason (since
age 2 ½) and Maxwell (since age 3) both significantly benefit from alternative and animal assisted
therapies. Catherine is extremely passionate having seen firsthand the effective and remarkable
outcomes from equestrian therapies with both her boys and many other children with various disabilities
throughout her community. When STAT began, the intention was simply to find funding for families for
Hippotherapy, but it has quickly evolved into a broader focus to include not only equine-assisted
therapies but other animal and alternative therapies (e.g., music therapy and art therapy). STAT’s
growth has been exponential because of overwhelming community support and a fierce interest from
families who are interested in utilizing alternative programs for their loved ones who have special needs.
www.statinc.org
statinc.@stny.rr.com | 607-223-4176
P.O. Box 1567, Binghamton, NY
Facilitating alternative and animal assisted therapies to promote and
enhance the health and quality of life for individuals for underserved youth
Board of Directors
Southern Tier Alternative Therapies, Inc.
STAT
Serving Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, Tompkins, and Chemung Counties
Matthew Thorn, Vice President is a 2008 graduate from The Catholic University of America in
Washington, DC where he achieved his Bachelor’s Degree in Politics/International Affairs. He is currently
pursuing his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Binghamton University. He has worked as a
campaign fundraiser for Congressman Brian P. Bilbray managing his online efforts in Washington, DC.
His recent career with ACHIEVE (an organization who works with developmentally disabled individuals) is
as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Binghamton, NY. In addition, Matthew was a member of the
Board of Education for Valley Central School District in Montgomery, NY, is a member of the Board of
Directors for Dark Knight Productions, Inc., a non-profit working with at-risk youth, and was President of
the Teenage Federation/ Catholic Youth Organization for the Archdiocese of NY, exceeding 1,000 youth.
With his most recent membership in July of 2009 on STAT’s Board of Directors, he looks forward to
concentrating on fundraising and youth engagement in hopes to make a difference for tomorrow’s
generation.
Sara DeFrancesco, Board Secretary is a 2001 graduate of Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT)
earning her BS in Psychology. During her time at SHU she was on the Varsity Equestrian Team where
she was introduced to Therapeutic Riding and volunteered many hours with the Pegasus Program
learning various aspects of equine-assisted therapy techniques and witnessing the benefits to individual
participants. Following college, Sara continued to volunteer a equine therapy facilities throughout New
York State, one in Binghamton (Stable Movements) and one in Rochester (Heritage Christian Services).
While at Heritage Christian Services, she also facilitated day habilitation programs and worked as a job
coach in residential settings. Sara currently works at Catholic Charities of Broome County as a Medicaid
Service Coordinator for people with developmental disabilities. She is an avid volunteer at the Catholic
Charities Food Pantry, has participated in STAT’s AHA Level I training course and continues to volunteer
and stay involved at equine therapy facilities throughout Broome County.
Mike Saleeby, Board Treasurer, holds his Masters in Education from the University Of Notre
Dame (fully funded through Americorps) and a BS in Biology. Mike joined STAT’s ProMISE Project
in 2009 and has volunteered countless hours to help develop a unique collaboration with
Binghamton University’s MSW Program designed for youth at risk of dropping out of school. He is
currently employed full time by Catholic Charities of Broome County in the Children and Youth
Division, where he provides 24-hour on-call care and services to a culturally diverse caseload of
young individuals, ages 5-18, with mental health diagnoses who are at imminent risk of “out of
home placement”. Since 2005, Mike has been the Program Director for Catholic Charities’ Youth
Adventure Leadership Indoor Challenge Course. He has also taught Math and Science in inclusion
classrooms. He brings to STAT his experience in developing programs and curriculum with
outcome based analysis. The programs he develops all have a similar primary objective: to use
challenge program curriculum to teach young people socialization, group learning and leadership,
anger management, and coping skills.
Beth Parks, LPT, Scholarship Committee Chairperson Beth Parks, also a founding member of
STAT, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BS degree in Physical Therapy. She is a
Licensed Physical Therapist specializing in Pediatrics, since 1985. She has had her own private practice
and has received numerous continuing education credits for Hippotherapy, Aqua Therapy and Cranial
Sacral Therapy, NeuroDevelopmental Treatment (NDT), Sensory Integration, and Play Based Therapy. Of
www.statinc.org
statinc.@stny.rr.com | 607-223-4176
P.O. Box 1567, Binghamton, NY
Facilitating alternative and animal assisted therapies to promote and
enhance the health and quality of life for individuals for underserved youth
Board of Directors
Southern Tier Alternative Therapies, Inc.
STAT
Serving Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, Tompkins, and Chemung Counties
all the treatment modalities, she has seen the most dramatic and fastest results in her clients using
Hippotherapy. Beth notices that the children develop special relationships with “their horses” and find
that with this connection, the children work much harder during Hippotherapy than any other traditional
therapy. Beth continues to treat many children using equine-assisted therapy and is a strong advocate
for the other animal-assisted and alternative therapies, which STAT will provide in the future. As the
organization evolves and grows in the Southern Tier of New York, more and more children will receive
the benefits of animal-assisted and alternative therapies to improve their health and their quality of life.
Jeff Jacobs, Esq., is a Partner with Coughlin & Gerhart, Attorneys, LLP, of Binghamton. Jeff is one of
the founding members of STAT and is an essential component of STAT, counseling in the areas of legal,
insurance, and security issues.
Bruce Trinca is a licensed Optician in practice in Owego, NY since 1995. He has a long time interest in
equine studies and skills including Parelli Training and Endurance Riding. Bruce became a partner facility
volunteer with STAT in 2009 and thoroughly enjoys working with STAT and in putting his equestrian
experience and knowledge to work helping children with special needs. He views working with these
special children as a privilege and has become a star contributor when it comes to volunteer hours and
commitment to the mission. Bruce has interest in and has participated in many equestrian skill
workshops and trainings including American Hippotherapy Association’s Level I Course (2009),
Thoroughbred Racing, Hunter Equitation, 3-Day Eventing, and Equine Property Management.
Becca Spencer is a licensed art therapist who works with children with ASD and other developmental
disabilities. She graduated with her Masters in Art Therapy in 2009 and is a newly licensed professional
with a great deal of excitement for STAT’s mission. Becca joined the BOD specifically to help to develop
and build an art therapy program for children with special needs.
Sally Colletti is a proven advocate for her son Jack and the autism community in the Greater
Binghamton and Central New York area. Sally owns and operates a brokerage company providing
counseling and advocacy to hundreds of families with loved ones on the Autism Spectrum. She founded
the Central NY Autism Society, Inc., and has served as President and Chairman of the Board. She has
extensive experience in creating summer camps and social skills programs for children and adults with
autism. She served on the Family Support Services Council and currently serves on the NYS Independent
Living Council appointed by the NYS Dept of Education, Board of Regents and VESID, where she
facilitates the State plan for independent living, mandating federal ADA and RSA Acts. Sally was also
appointed as the Most Integrated Settings Coordination Council and the Autism Consortium of NYS,
representing parents of the Greater Binghamton area.
www.statinc.org
statinc.@stny.rr.com | 607-223-4176
P.O. Box 1567, Binghamton, NY
Facilitating alternative and animal assisted therapies to promote and
enhance the health and quality of life for individuals for underserved youth