About Us
we strive to raise awareness
Our story began where passion failed. We, the “6 Broke Girls,” met while working at a failing equine rescue—a truly toxic “cult ranch”—where we witnessed firsthand how passion without professionalism destroys a mission and harms both animals and staff. Leaving that environment, we were driven by the urgent need to prove a better, more ethical way was possible.
We combined our deep equine knowledge with our corporate backgrounds in IT auditing, engineering, and non-profit management. For two years, we strategically returned to professional roles to pay our bills while meticulously building CAWS on the side. This duality of corporate skill and resilient hustle is our strength.
The result is Coral Acres Wellness Sanctuary (CAWS): a dual mission offering Dual-Spectrum Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) to both rescued equines and the human survivors (Veterans, first responders, youth) who need healing. Our model rejects the failures of the past through a professional business mindset.
Our sustainability is anchored by our goal to acquire this 29-acre Morrison property, which includes six existing residential cabins. Renting these cabins to retreat groups generates reliable earned income necessary to cover the equines’ long-term care. This guarantees CAWS will never compromise its mission. We are the resilient professionals ready to define the future of ethical rescue and trauma recovery.
Mission
Coral Acres Wellness Sanctuary is a female-founded nonprofit dedicated to the well-being of horses by prioritizing consent, compassion, safety, and partnership within our community.
Vision
Through compassionate care, education, and community outreach, we strive to create a future where every horse is valued, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive on their terms.
Values
Transparency. Kindness. Equity.
3 F’s: Friends, Forage, Freedom
Where we are now
CAWS was officially founded in July 2023 by 3 former colleagues and 1 volunteer at a horse rescue. After many years of experience working in nonprofit and animal rescue, our founding team decided it was time to create our own nonprofit. Today, Coral Acres Wellness Sanctuary is a foster-based rescue. We have rescued our first horse, Biscuit and look forward to being able to change many more lives in the future. As we move into 2024, our goal is to get out into the community and share our passion with as many people as possible.
Looking to the Future
CAWS will be a place where people and animals can feel welcome and find sanctuary. We will have a space where we can rescue, rehab, retrain, and rehome animals. This will include all animals that we have space for and who are within our experience level to care for properly. In addition to the rescue operation, we will provide a space for practitioners to come in and provide their services to the community. We will have overnight cabins to allow retreats and clinics to be all encompassing. We would love to invite gestalt coaches, yoga instructors, mental health providers, and others to utilize our space to provide their services to our community. We will also have programming to support underserved individuals in our community to experience how healing animals can be.
Meet the Team
Marissa
President
Raised on a farm in Nebraska, Marissa moved to Colorado to work with a sport-horse trainer before transitioning into public service. Her work in both the private and public sectors provided her the opportunity to develop leadership and administration skills. She strives to ensure our organization acts with integrity and transparency while providing compassionate care and attention to equine friends. Always an avid volunteer she has donated her time to fostering kittens and cats, as well as using her handy-woman and first-aid skills at local horse rescues and for friends. She currently works as an IT Auditor with the state and when not at her desk may be found snuggling one or two of her foster fails.
Megan Stauffer
Secretary of the Board
Megan brings over 15 years of experience in marketing, illustration, and web design with a background in wrangling and equine nonprofits. With a deep passion for horses cultivated through years of hands-on experience, Megan brings a blend of creative skills and practical knowledge to support the nonprofit’s mission.
Contact Megan at secretary@coralacres.org
Jason Kaiser
Treasurer of the Board
As a Colorado native, Jason has spent his life learning how various machines operate, and how to build anything he sets his mind to. Currently he works as an Operations Coordinator at a power plant, supervising all aspects of the facility and staff. By joining the board at CAWS, Jason hopes to share in his jack-of-all-trades experiences with the growing organization by providing key intel on not only facility design and management, but also with a fresh eye approach to business development.
Contact Jason at treasurer@coralacres.org
Jessi Summer
Executive Director & Founder
With a lifetime of nonprofit experience as both a volunteer and staff member, Jessi brings a passion for animal rescue to the CAWS team as her driving force. Working with her master’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Jessi sees the future of this organization as pairing her life dreams with her deep-rooted love of animals in a tranquil environment. She has been in Colorado since she was four, and currently lives in the Sedalia area with two rescued dogs, two rescued horses, and a pair of rescued donkeys.
Contact Jessi at jessi.summer@coralacres.org