Board of Directors

A woman and a young boy riding a horse outdoors during sunset, with trees and a few buildings in the background.

Janelle McCollum

President of the Board

Janelle joined the board in October 2025.  She was elected President of the Board in January 2026. She works with all of the committees and officers on the board as well as daily with our CEO, Kassi. She feels that Freedom Reins is a family and is excited to be a part of the family.  

Freedom Reins is a family affair for Janelle. Her husband, Jeff is involved in several projects at the barn and always by her side. Her two children, Micah and Marissa have both volunteered as well.  Marissa is also teaching lessons part time at Freedom Reins. 

When she is not at the barn or working on things for Freedom Reins, Janelle spends her days teaching high school special education, near Decatur. This is her 27th year of teaching. She is also involved in leading worship at her church. 

Her favorite part of working at Freedom Reins is seeing children and adults' lives changed by interaction with a horse and our Freedom Reins family.

A young girl wearing a pink helmet and pink skirt, riding a horse with a woman holding the reins in a grassy outdoor area with trees and cloudy sky in the background.

Kim Butler

Board Member

Kim has been a volunteer at Freedom Reins since 2023. She joined the board in 2024. She served as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for two years. She is currently part of the fundraising committee and volunteers frequently.

In May, Kim married her husband Eddie. She has two adult children,(including Kassi - our CEO). She loves being Mema to 3 boys.  

Kim's favorite part of volunteering is seeing the kids' smiles and hearing them yell, yeehaw! She loves that they're having so much fun while learning, growing, and developing new skills. Kim's prayer is for the program to continue to grow so that more can benefit from these experiences.

A person riding a horse outdoors on a sunny day with a blue sky and scattered clouds. The rider is wearing a helmet and a gray t-shirt, and the horse has a dark mane and a harness. There is a fenced riding area with a white barrel and some trees and a barn in the background.

Kaitlin Julian

Board Member

Kaitlin became part of the board of directors in 2024. She is part of our fundraising committee and the marketing committee.

She is a mother of 2. She has been riding, competing and working around horses since she was 5 years old!

Kaitlin has been volunteering with Freedom Reins since 2022, Her favorite part of Freedom Reins is teaching children how to ride and care for horses.

A woman standing outdoors at sunset with a light brown horse, both facing the camera. The woman is wearing a hat, a dark t-shirt, and jeans. The horse has a leash on and is close to the woman. Background shows green fields and a building, with the sky transitioning from orange to dark blue.

Toma Romero

Board Member

Toma became part of the board of directors in 2025. She is part of our fundraising committee and marketing committee.

Toma and her family have been volunteers since 2024. Toma's favorite thing is feeding the horses and assisting in the equine therapy sessions, especially seeing the connection between horses and children.

She started a community garden at the ranch in memory of Frankie, a horse that used to be part of our program. Toma's vision is to introduce equine care and riding to children in underserved communities while inspiring interest in equine care as a future profession through hands-on experiences with horses.

A man sitting on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a grassy field, attached to yellow equipment or a sled, with a wooden fence post and wires in the foreground and a farm building in the background.

Tom Kopeika

Board Member

After living and working in downtown Chicago for years, volunteering for Freedom Reins gives Tom a chance to experience the fresh, country air he always dreamed about sitting in his cubicle.

Freedom Reins is a family affair as his wife Chris and daughter Hazel also volunteer often for Freedom Reins.

Tom joined the board of directors in August 2026.  He is part of our marketing committee and volunteers several tasks around the barn.  Besides serving on the Board of Freedom Reins, he has been a Mentor since 2019 and now serves on the Board of "Central Illinois CEO", a local high school Business Entrepreneurship program that helps students gain important, real world skills.

A woman and three children sitting on a white chair next to a decorated Christmas tree and a horse with a red bow on its waist. The background is decorated with small string lights hanging from the ceiling.

Angela Wiant

Treasurer of the Board

Angela and her family joined Freedom Reins in the fall of 2023. They previously leased Frankie, a beloved therapy horse, who passed in 2024.

Angela has a few years of equine experience but has loved watching her two children, Atlas and Emerie, learn horsemanship as well. She feels the supportive and caring family atmosphere at Freedom Reins is second to none!

When she's not homeschooling, you'll find Angela doing barn chores, helping with field trips, or reading a book. Angela was elected as Treasurer of the board in September 2026.