Melissa Jones, Assistant Trainer / Barn Manager
Melissa was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in New England. She moved to California in 1980 to work for Mark Mullen and Victor Hugo-Vidal along with Mickey Hayden. In 1987 she joined Karen Healey Stables and has never looked back. Twenty-eight years later her mentors are still Karen Healey and George Morris. Melissa’s career highlight is being part of so many kids’ lives from youth through adulthood.
Tasha Visokay, Assistant Trainer / Rider
Tasha Visokay is a key part of the Karen Healey Stables Team. Born and raised on the East Coast, Tasha’s skills both on and off a horse are invaluable assets at home and on the road. Since joining the team Tasha not only helps to prepare the customer’s horses but has also become a top jumper rider, with placings in the Grand Prix aboard Geory Maskrey-Segesman’s Caspa 7.Previous to her arrival on the West Coast, Tasha worked in New York riding for Andre Dignelli at Heritage Farm. She is a graduate of New York’s Barnard College with a degree in Sociology and a focus in Special Education and Criminal Justice.
Tracey Wade
Unlike most facilities, we have a full time home trainer, Tracey Wade, who holds down the fort while the rest of the team is on the road. This means we have full time management of horses as well as advanced riding, training, and lessons, regardless of where the rest of the team is showing.
Tracey rode with Karen as a junior, came to work professionally for her from 1997-2000, and has returned again as the home trainer in 2013. During her 13-year leave, she was riding and/or working with greats such as Eddie Connors, Todd Minikus, Rob Gage and Leslie Steele. She also owned & operated her own training business at the Middle Ranch, in Los Angeles, CA. As a junior rider she placed 5th in the ASPCA National Medal Finals, and won both the CPHA Junior and LAHSA junior finals as well as had top ten placings in numerous other medal finals and junior jumper classics. As a professional, her students qualified for national finals and had numerous top ten placings in other year-end finals. She is a graduate of UCSB, and has an MBA from Pepperdine University as well as a masters in accounting from University of Washington. She is currently working towards her CPA.
Heather Chatham
Heather Chatham joined the KHS Team in 2015. Born in Pebble Beach, California, she rode as a junior in the hunter and equitation divisions. At age 25, after attending college on scholarship and riding on the Kansas State University Equestrian Team, she started competing at the Grand Prix level. She has worked with many respected professionals, including three-time Olympian Mark Watring.
Heather is known for her cheerful, professional presence at the barn. Her understanding of elite-level horse care and training fit especially well with the KHS philosophy.