Meet Our Board of Directors:
Susie Bjorklund, Founder and President (2000)
Ms. Bjorklund is the Founder of Freedom Farm. She has been a riding instructor and training horses for 37 years and is a licensed practical nurse.
Ms. Bjorklund is a Certified Path International Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Mentor, and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning.
Ms. Bjorklund provides the primary direction and instruction during all therapeutic riding sessions.
Andy Barnauskas, Treasurer (2019)
Andy is COO of Operations for Banner Engineering Corporation. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Banner Engineering is a globally recognized leader in the field of industrial automation. Throughout a 30 year career, Andy has had the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of running a successful organization from IT, Logistics, Financial, Accounting, Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain etc. Andy has also served on other non-profit boards. Andy has been involved with Freedom Farm for a number of years, first assisting with the Polo event, then as a side-walker volunteer, and now as a board member of Freedom Farm.
Sarah Kostial, Director (2017)
Sarah is Vice President of Private Banking at Associated Bank. Sarah has 25 years of experience in the banking industry. She focuses on private banking clients and their families in addition to professional service firms with an emphasis on the legal and medical industries. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gustavus Adolphus College. Active in her community, Sarah serves on the board of directors for several non-profits in the greater Twin Cities area, including Freedom Farm and serves as Treasurer for The Institute for Basic and Applied Research in Surgery. In her free time, Sarah enjoys her family time and weekends away at the cabin. She also enjoys golfing, paddle boarding, skiing, and volunteer work. Originally, from Saint Paul, MN, Sarah now lives in Orono with her family.
Dr. Winstead Kirkpatrick, Director (2018)
Dr. Winstead Kirkpatrick graduated from the Oklahoma State College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014, and was then hired by Oklahoma State for a one year equine surgery and internal medicine internship where he honed his skills in all aspects of veterinary medicine. Winstead grew up in Buffalo, MN where he enjoyed being active in the Wright County 4-H horse programs, starting young horses, and working on his parent’s hobby farm. Winstead trained American Saddlebred show horses for several years before attending veterinary school, and continues to enjoy showing in his free time. Winstead enjoys all elements of equine practice, with special interests in sports medicine and reproduction.
Linda Berg, Director (2020)
Linda is a lifelong Watertown resident who graduated with a BA degree in Business Education from Winona State University. She taught and coached at the Howard Lake-Waverly High School for 5 years before deciding to stay home to raise the 3 boys she has with her husband Rob. Linda currently works as an office administrator at Berg Companies, is a real estate agent on Kevin Butcher’s Team at Edina Realty, and also offers interior design services through Berg Interiors, her small residential design company. She has been a part of Freedom Farm’s Polo event fundraiser from its inception as the property host and party planner, and has also served as a volunteer as a side walker.
Brian Rothstein, Director (2020)
Brian is a family man, sports enthusiast and proudly Minnesota born and raised. His youngest son, Eli, is a student at Freedom Academy whose life has been transformed by the programming at Freedom Farm. Always willing to lend a hand, Brian has been a volunteer coach, mentor, and public servant; having served on ISD #110 School Board from 2010-2018, including the last six years as chair. He lives in Waconia with his wife, April and three children.
Cynthia Glock, Director (2020)
Cynthia Glock has been a life-long advocate for at risk youth as well as animals in search of good homes. Cynthia moved to Winsted in 2015 with her partner, Jeff Bellairs. They live on a small hobby farm with their rescued horses, goats, dogs, cats, chickens and ducks and enjoy gardening of all types.
Cynthia moved to Minneapolis in 2008 and became involved with several volunteer organizations. She was a Guardian Ad Litem in Hennepin Country from 2010-2014. As court appointed special advocate for the safety and well-being of children, she became passionate to discover programs that would help give these children support to succeed. During this time Cynthia became an advocate for animal assisted equine therapy and was a board member for Truhaven Ranch Equine Rescue. Cynthia came to Freedom Farm in 2018 as a volunteer side walker and leader. She also volunteers with Freedom Academy, teaching art classes to the teens during the school year.
Cynthia has a BS in Food Science with a minor in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and continued education programs from the Art Institute of Chicago. Cynthia is currently a Senior Account Manager at Sensient Technologies, a global flavor, extracts and color producer. Working from her home office in Winsted, Cynthia works with National food and dairy manufacturers to create innovative new food products for consumers.
Lori Maus, Director (2024)
Lori Maus is a Waverly resident who graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in Medical Technology. After working 10 years as a Medical Technician she came home to raise her children, which evolved into homeschooling them for 14 years. It was during this time that she started volunteering at Freedom Farm as a horse leader and she just completed her 15th year. Lori and her husband Jeff enjoy traveling, volunteering, fishing, biking, and entertaining.
Zach Johnson, Director (2024)
Zach Johnson served in the United States Marine Corps from 2007-2011 with deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a Combat Wounded Veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He has been working with horses for a little over a year and a half and greatly believes in the benefit of equine assisted therapy for veterans and first responders as well as for all demographics. He hopes to bring a perspective of a veteran that has lived through traumatic experiences and to help Freedom Farm support the veteran and first responder communities.