Our Board
Dr. Susan Zapf - President
Dr. Zapf is an Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Professional with over 27 years of experience working with the pediatric population. She received her undergraduate degree in Recreation, Park, & Leisure Studies from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and Master of Occupational Therapy/Rehabilitation Technology degrees (MA) from Texas Woman’s University. In April 2012 she graduated from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pediatric Science. She is Board Certified in Pediatrics through AOTA, certified in the Sensory Integration, and certified through RESNA as an Assistive Technology (AT) Professional. She is the primary author of the MATCH-ACES Assistive Technology Assessment and The Service Animal Adaptive Intervention Assessment (SAAIA). Dr. Zapf has presented throughout the United States and internationally on assistive technology assessment and implementation, sensory strategies in occupational therapy, and using animals and nature in therapy.
Dr. Zapf is the owner of The Children’s Therapy Center, Inc., a prominent pediatric sensory integration clinic in Houston, Texas Dr. Zapf has been married to her first love, Joe for 33 years and has two sons, Christopher, a recent graduate from the University of the Ozarks and Joshua, a junior at SCAD. Her four-legged children on Clara a Goldendoodle therapy dog, Buddy, a Bichon Frise, and Bandit, an American Paint on the Reining Potential Team!
Keather Patterson - Treasurer
Keather handles the financial affairs of Reining Potential of Texas. Prior to this role, she’s spent the last 12 years at SEMG Events working with non-profits, assisting them with event planning and fundraising. During that time, she developed a love for philanthropy and set a goal to do more. She studied Business Management and Marketing at Brazosport College and Austin Community College while having a career in Hospitality Marketing. In 2015, her son Karter was diagnosed with Autism, and while researching different therapies, Hippotherapy stood out. Keather grew up around horses and knows how therapeutic working with animals can be. She expressed her desire for Karter to try Hippotherapy with his Occupational therapist, Dr. Susan Zapf, and that’s when she learned that Dr. Zapf had a desire to start a Hippotherapy program. Keather’s excited to put her skills and knowledge to use in helping Rening Potential of Texas grow and help as many children as possible.
Jerrica Zarrella - Secretary
Jerrica Zarrella is currently a stay at home mom. She previously worked at LifePoint Church where is served in administration roles, volunteered for children’s summer camps, and helped organize all the details and communications regarding camp, as well as coordinate and lead fundraisers for children and teen camps. Jerrica has a passion for children and creativity, and her organizational skills and attention to detail have always played an important part behind the scenes. She is married to her best friend and biggest supporter, Joey, and has two children - a three year old daughter and a sixteen year old son. Family time has always been her favorite time, and in her spare time, she enjoys her photography sessions, crafting, reading,