Nina Ekholm Fry, MSSc., CCTP, is Director of Equine Programs at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection at University of Denver where her work focuses on therapeutic human-horse interactions and on equine behavior and welfare. She is Adjunct Professor in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology and the Graduate School of Social Work, and leads the post-master Equine-Assisted Mental Health Practitioner Certificate program. Nina is the former Director of Equine-Assisted Mental Health at Prescott College and served as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Counselor Education until 2014. For the past 15 years, she has focused on horses in human services in the U.S. and Europe, specializing in inclusion of horses in psychotherapy and is a certified clinical trauma professional. Nina serves on the boards of the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA Inc.) and the Certification Board for Equine Interaction Professionals (CBEIP), and is chief editor of the HETI Journal, published by the International Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy. She has a background as a mental health practitioner providing clinical services, as a competitive rider, riding instructor, and equine behavior consultant; and as an academic professional engaged in national and international organizations for therapeutic equine interactions. She has a particular interest in ethics and social justice perspectives within the human-animal connection.
