Meet the Team at Rooted Oaks Ranch

Larry Ogden

CEO, Keeper of the Grove

Leadership & Vision

Larry Ogden has spent his career building businesses, leading teams, and bringing meaningful ideas to life. 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.

Debbie Holcomb

COO, Tender of the Roots

Program Integrity & Faculty Standards

Debbie Holcomb holds the integrity of the programming, the standard of the faculty, and the depth of the work itself. She ensures every offering at Rooted Oaks meets the clinical and experiential standards that define the ranch.

Emily Berry

Program Director

Registered Nurse & Yoga Instructor

Emily Berry has been a Registered Nurse for more than 23 years and brings a calm, grounded presence to Rooted Oaks Ranch. A certified yoga instructor, she has spent the last several years helping facilitate women's retreats and experiential healing work. Emily's work is centered around connection — to ourselves and to the world around us. A few years ago, she spent nearly a month in the mountains of Costa Rica 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, LMFT

Clinical Director, Steward of the Heartwood

LMFT · LCDC · Our Lady of the Lake University

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

Allie Haydon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor certification and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Our Lady of the Lake University (2016). Her approach is strengths-based and relational — 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 the ranch, Allie enjoys riding horses, reading, and spending time with her husband at comedy shows and live events.

Amy Jacobs, RN, BSN

Director of Equine Connection, Tender of the Herd

RN, BSN · 25 Years Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

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. Amy developed her own approach centered less on exercises and more on the real relationship between the client and the horse — believing horses respond honestly to energy, presence, and authenticity, which is often where meaningful insight begins.

Dusty Warren Paez

Director of Admissions & Outreach, Keeper of the Gate

BA Speech Communication, Sam Houston State University · Special Education Certification, University of St. Thomas

Education & Community Partnerships

Dusty Warren Paez brings more than a decade of experience in education, outreach, admissions, and community partnership development to Rooted Oaks Ranch. 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 of Equine Operations

Equine Operations

Laura Mendoza brings more than 30 years of experience in the equestrian world to Rooted Oaks Ranch — 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 presence to the ranch each day.