Meet the Team at Rooted Oaks Ranch
Larry Ogden
Larry Ogden has spent his career building businesses, leading teams, and bringing meaningful ideas to life across multiple industries. Over time, that work evolved into a deeper focus on mental health, personal growth, and creating spaces where people can reconnect with themselves in a more honest and grounded way.
Rooted Oaks Ranch brings those experiences together. Set on 56 wooded acres north of Houston, the ranch reflects Larry’s belief that meaningful change happens when people are given the space, support, and environment to do deeper work. His approach is direct, relational, and rooted in showing up fully, both in leadership and in life.
Emily Berry
Program Director
Emily Berry has been a Registered Nurse for more than 23 years and brings a calm, grounded presence to Rooted Oaks Ranch. Alongside her nursing background, she is a certified yoga instructor and has spent the last several years helping facilitate women’s retreats and experiential healing work.
Emily’s work is centered around connection, both to ourselves and to the world around us. She cares deeply about creating spaces where people can slow down, feel supported, and do honest work without pressure or performance.
A few years ago, Emily spent nearly a month living in the mountains of Costa Rica while completing her yoga teacher training. The experience reinforced something she still carries into her work today: when life gets quiet, people often begin hearing themselves more clearly.
Allie Haydon
Allie Haydon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with experience working with adolescents, young women, and families navigating substance abuse, mental health challenges, and relational dynamics. After earning her Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor certification, she worked in nonprofit agencies supporting young people and their families before later receiving her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2016.
Her approach is strengths-based, relational, and focused on helping people reconnect with who they are beneath survival patterns, self-doubt, or struggle. She is especially passionate about supporting young women and families in building healthier relationships, greater self-awareness, and lives more aligned with their values.
Outside of Rooted Oaks Ranch, Allie enjoys riding horses, reading, working out, and spending time with her husband at comedy shows and live events.
Amy Jacobs, RN, BSN
Amy Jacobs has worked in equine-assisted psychotherapy for more than 25 years. Before moving into therapeutic work, she spent years competing on the national horse show circuit, later combining that experience with her background in nursing and relational healing work.
Over time, Amy developed her own approach to equine-assisted psychotherapy centered less on exercises and more on the real relationship between the client and the horse. She believes horses respond honestly to energy, presence, and authenticity, which is often where meaningful insight begins.
At Rooted Oaks Ranch, Amy helps guide equine experiences that feel grounded, relational, and deeply human, for both clients and horses alike.
Dusty Warren Paez
Director of Admissions & Outreach
Dusty Warren Paez brings more than a decade of experience in education, outreach, admissions, and community partnership development to Rooted Oaks Ranch. Her background includes work in both education and mental health settings, with a strong focus on advocacy, relationship-building, and supporting individuals and families in finding the right resources and support systems.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Sam Houston State University and a Special Education certification from the University of St. Thomas. Dusty is especially passionate about mental health advocacy, neurodivergent support, inclusivity, and helping people feel genuinely seen and connected throughout the admissions process.
Laura Mendoza
Director`
Laura Mendoza brings more than 30 years of experience in the equestrian world to Rooted Oaks Ranch. Her background includes training nationally ranked riders and working with horses across Hunters, Jumpers, and Equitation.
Laura is especially drawn to horses that others may have overlooked or struggled with. Much of her career has been built around helping horses regain trust, confidence, and steadiness through patience and consistency.
At Rooted Oaks, she helps oversee the horses and equine environment while bringing a practical, calm approach to the ranch each day.
WHAT WE DO
We provide a continuum of mental health and wellness services for individuals, couples, and families.
This includes workshops, intensives, retreats, evaluations, and residential care.
Each offering is designed to meet people at a different stage, whether they are just beginning to understand patterns or are ready for deeper work.
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