“I didn’t find this work, this work found me.” 

Catherine Markosky, Founder & CEO, STAT Inc.

Twenty-two years ago, Catherine Markosky found herself standing beside an incubator in the NICU, praying her baby boy, Mason, would survive. He spent over a year in the NICU and PICU on life support—his tiny body sustained by machines. There were many nights when doctors told Catherine he wouldn’t make it, but Mason was a fighter. 

He always found a way to hold on. So did Catherine.

When Mason came home, he was still on a ventilator and couldn’t sit up or even bend at the waist. His muscles were locked tight from trauma, and every movement took effort. Catherine didn’t have a car, so every doctor’s appointment meant calling an ambulance to take him, ventilator and all. It was exhausting, terrifying, and isolating—but she never stopped believing there had to be more to life for Mason than simply being alive.

That “more” came in the form of a Chestnut Horse named Rusty.

The first time Mason was placed on Rusty, he couldn’t straddle or sit upright. The physical therapist carefully laid him prone across the horse’s back—his chubby little cheek resting against Rusty’s warm coat. The horse stood perfectly still, sensing Mason’s fragility, and began to breathe slowly and deeply. Over several weeks, Mason’s rigid body softened. His arms relaxed. 

Then came the miracle. Mason smiled. He became aware of himself. He became aware that riding a horse was fun! Something foreign to him until now. 

That small, quiet moment—a boy who couldn’t speak or sit up, found peace on the back of a horse. In that moment, everything changed. 

From then on, the barn became his therapy room, and the horses became his healers. Week by week, Mason gained more strength and more awareness. The horse’s rhythmic movement loosened what trauma had tightened. Slowly, his body and his spirit began to open up.

STAT® (Southern Tier Alternative Therapies), was born from that miracle. 

What began as a desperate search for hope and some level of quality of life has grown into a trauma-informed nonprofit that now serves thousands across Pennsylvania and, hopefully, soon, the nation. 

STAT supports folks experiencing trauma and homelessness; at-risk youth; children in foster care; children living with a disability; children with emotional and behavioral challenges; veterans suffering from PTSD; adults overcoming addiction; and elderly adults.

Over the past two decades, STAT’s work has evolved from one child’s story to a measurable movement—building trust, emotional awareness, and resilience through the connection between humans and horses. And now, through #ReinInHope, a coalition campaign supported by GivingTuesday, that mission is expanding once again.

This GivingTuesday, which takes place on December 2, STAT is uniting equine-assisted programs around the world under one banner of generosity and shared compassion.

Because, as Catherine Markosky, Founder & CEO, STAT Inc., says: “When we rein in hope, we release healing.” 

Catherine’s story is an inspiration. We wanted to learn more about her journey to founding STAT and what it means to be a part of a GivingTuesday Coalition Campaign. Here’s a recap of our conversation. 

Q&A with Catherine Markosky, Founder & CEO, STAT INC.

Q: When did you first hear about GivingTuesday, and what was your initial reaction? 

I heard about GivingTuesday (I think) through an inquiry I received in my email about creating a coalition. Then Staci, who works with community leaders at GivingTuesday, called to explain how we could unite multiple equine therapy centers to make a bigger impact. 

My first thought was confusion. We’re small in comparison to some across the nation, I thought “Why me? Why STAT?” It also seemed like a daunting effort ahead of me but then I thought to myself, “Finally, something that connects us instead of dividing us!” I am competitive, but I don’t compete with my fellow Equine therapy colleagues. In fact, I believe that we should be as common as the pizza joints in every town. It wasn’t about who could raise the most; it was about what we could do together. That spirit mirrors everything horses teach us: unity, awareness, and presence.

This year feels especially powerful. With #ReinInHope, barns, riders, and equine professionals across the country can share one message—hope is alive, and it has hooves. Charities and private entities can help one another in a very unique way.

Q: What is your first memory of equine therapy or horses in general? 

It will always be Mason and Rusty. The pair that taught me what healing really looks like.

At this moment, Mason was finally off life support but still fragile and tight from years of medical trauma. His world had been a series of hospital rooms, procedures, and alarms. When we first began his equine sessions, he didn’t understand what was happening. For the first thirteen sessions, he screamed and cried in terror. Every sound, every movement, every unfamiliar smell reminded him of the hospital. Rusty would stand quietly, breathing slow and steady, waiting.

Then came day fourteen.

That morning, I knelt beside Mason and said, “This isn’t the hospital. You’re not here to be poked or hurt. This is supposed to be fun.” Something in him shifted. When the therapist and I lifted him onto Rusty that day—still unable to sit upright, lying gently across the horse’s warm back—he didn’t cry. He listened.

Rusty stood still as always, his deep breaths syncing with Mason’s. Slowly, Mason relaxed. His fists opened. His body softened. And then, for the first time, he smiled.

That smile changed everything. It was the moment Mason discovered that the world could feel safe again. I then realized horses could unlock healing that medicine couldn’t touch. Rusty gave Mason his first true sense of freedom, and that single moment became the heartbeat of STAT® and, now, years later, the reason behind #ReinInHope.

Q: In your own words, what is a coalition campaign, how does it work?

A coalition campaign is when many hearts come together to pull in the same direction. It’s not about one organization—it’s about a shared mission that’s bigger than any of us.

For years, I watched small equine-assisted programs, many run by volunteers, parents, and veterans, work in isolation, each trying to make a difference with limited funding and little recognition. We were all doing good work, but we were doing it alone. Then I thought, What if we didn’t have to? What if every barn, every program, and every horse could be part of one unified movement of giving and hope?

That’s how #ReinInHope was born. It’s a coalition campaign that brings together equine-assisted centers, barns, and individuals from across the country, and eventually, the world. All under one banner of generosity. We’ve already done the groundwork, so all an organization has to do is join the movement! They can simply tag their GivingTuesday posts with #ReinInHope and #GivingTuesday to tell their story and watch the ripple-effect spread.

Each donation made through GivingTuesday on December 2 goes directly to individual programs, not to us. This isn’t about ownership or competition—it’s about visibility and collective impact. When hundreds of barns use the same hashtag, a spotlight is shined on our entire community, showing the world that healing through horses is real, powerful, and worth supporting.

A coalition campaign works because it turns many small voices into one strong one. When horses teach us to move together, we listen.

Q: What advice would you give to individuals who want to start a coalition campaign?

• Start with your why. A coalition can’t just be built on logos or shared hashtags—it has to be built on hearts.
• Find the common thread that ties everyone together and lead with that. For us, it’s hope. Every horse, every program, every story in #ReinInHope is grounded in the belief that healing is possible.
• Be generous with your ideas. When you start something collaborative, people need to feel that you’re not trying to own the spotlight—you’re trying to share it. 
• Make it easy for others to join, give them credit, and celebrate their successes as much as your own.
• Be patient. Coalitions grow at the pace of trust. You might start with just a few like-minded partners, but if you stay consistent, transparent, and authentic, others will follow.

And most importantly—remember why you began. Movements like this aren’t fueled by perfection; they’re fueled by passion. The right people will find you when they see that your purpose is genuine.

When many people hold the same vision with open hands, something extraordinary happens. That’s how #ReinInHope was born—and how every great movement begins.

What lessons have you learned so far in your career that you wish you knew in the beginning?  

My biggest lesson is that I can’t do this work alone.

When I started STAT®, I tried to carry it all. Every program, every grant, every horse, every person who needed help. I believed that if I just worked harder, I could make it all happen. But what I’ve learned is that healing works—whether it’s for people or for horses. 

It takes a village. And in this business, it takes a herd!

In the early years, I thought leadership meant control. Now I know it means trust. The same way we trust a horse to meet us where we are, we have to trust the people who walk beside us. Some will stay, some will go. And that letting go doesn’t mean losing power. It means making space for others to rise.

I’ve also learned that growth doesn’t always look like expansion. Sometimes growth looks like stillness, reflection, or building/rebuilding. There were seasons where I questioned everything—whether I could keep the lights on, why I can’t keep putting STAT® first, whether I was making a difference—but those moments taught me resilience and humility – and balance!

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be this: Don’t chase perfection. Chase excellence. Chase PURPOSE! 

The right people, partners, and miracles will meet you on the path when your work is rooted in heart. There’s no begging here.

That’s what horses have taught me more than anything: presence, patience, and the power of showing up, even on the hard days.

Q: What three tips would you give someone who wants to participate in GivingTuesday this year? 

• Lead with your story (Remember the reason behind your work).
• Give more than you ask.
• Be loud. 

Q: Do you have a favorite memory, so far, with Rein in Hope? 

We’ve only just begun! So I would say… stay tuned!