Mariela Padilla
Irvine,CA
Summary
Compassionate individual, skilled in equine therapy and team collaboration. Proven ability to assist in equine therapy sessions, ensuring safety and comfort, while promoting effective communication among team members. Driven to make a profound impact on society by building bridges between animals and people, specifically through equine therapy. Looking to work in the Oppenheimer Family Equine Center to expand my knowledge of horses and equine management.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Front Desk Receptionist
Friendly Hills Country Club
Whittier, California
08.2024 - 04.2025
- Delivered exceptional customer service through prompt and accurate handling of client inquiries and requests.
- Managed high-volume office operations, including call handling, appointment scheduling, and email correspondence.
- Coordinated events for guests, fostering effective communication between guests and staff to ensure smooth operations.
Hippotherapy Intern
J.F Shea Therapeutic Riding
San Juan Capistrano, California
01.2020 - 03.2020
- Assisted riders during therapeutic sessions to ensure safety and comfort.
- Maintained equipment and facilities for optimal functioning and cleanliness.
- Supported instructors by guiding horses during lessons and activities.
- Shadowed licensed professionals, from equestrian riders to licensed therapists.
- Fed the horses barn food, and also Platinum Performance supplements.
- Monitored rider progress and communicated observations to the team.
- Participated in training sessions to improve skills in therapeutic riding practices.
- Assisted in therapeutic riding sessions for children with neurological and physical disabilities, ensuring safety, and promoting effective riding techniques.
- Supported therapists in managing sessions, providing hands-on care, and safety monitoring for both clients and horses.
- Organized and led workshops for beginner riders, covering essential skills like grooming, tacking, and basic veterinary care.
- Mounted and dismounted Western saddles on horses.
- Worked closely with a variety of horses, from Quarter Horses and American Quarter Horses to Belgian/Quarter Horse Cross, to name a few.
- Maintained barn cleanliness for over 30 horses.
- Coordinated and supervised equestrian events, fostering community engagement, and expanding outreach.
CALPIRG Representative
Calpirg
Irvine, California
10.2015 - 04.2018
- Assisted in developing advocacy campaigns for crucial environmental policies, such a s the plastic bag ban.
- Managed volunteer efforts by training and guiding participants effectively.
- Utilized digital tools to track engagement and participation metrics for events.
- Assisted co-workers during busy periods or whenever needed in order to provide excellent customer service.
- Researched local environmental challenges to inform program development strategies.
- Lead 11 environmental campaigns in order to raise environmental awareness.
- Actively recruited students from UCI; collaborated with other respective organizations for maximum awareness of our campaigns, and to strengthen networking.
- Collaborated with students from other respective universities during the 2015 spring break to inform cities across California of plastic pollution.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Planning
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA12-2025
Skills
- Hoof care
- Horse handling expertise
- Animal Therapy Techniques
- Customer communication
- Team collaboration
- Animal observations
- Horse handling
- Grooming techniques mastery
- Equipment organization
- Stable management
- Injury prevention
- Haltering techniques
- Mane and tail care
- Patience and empathy
- Hippotherapy
- Physical /Occupational/Speech Therapy
- Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
- Western Saddle Mounting
- Adaptive Riding
- Sidewalker
- Effective communication
- Bilingual in Spanish and English
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Google Drive,
- Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
References
References available upon request.
Certification
Bachelors of Arts- UC Irvine- Urban Planning (2025)
Timeline
Front Desk Receptionist
Friendly Hills Country Club
08.2024 - 04.2025
Hippotherapy Intern
J.F Shea Therapeutic Riding
01.2020 - 03.2020
CALPIRG Representative
Calpirg
10.2015 - 04.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Urban Planning
University of California, Irvine