Our Team

The founder of Benevolent Warrior Ranch, Matthew Ditto served as a U.S. Infantry Marine for 9.0 years and was honorably discharged in 2015. He served one combat deployment during the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign, and achieved the rank of sergeant prior to discharge.

Upon discharge Matthew was struggling with PTSD, and searched for equine therapy programs in the area, and could not find anything nearby. A kind stranger from Juliaetta offered to let Matthew work her horse… and the equine therapy changed his life for the better.

After spending several years as an apprentice horse trainer and continuing his equine education, Matthew is now a certified equine therapy specialist, certified horse trainer (Lyons Legacy), farrier, and beginning-rancher.

Matthew seeks to create a horsemanship program designed specifically for veterans that enables healing through communication and equine therapy.

Co-Founder of Benevolent Warrior Ranch, Lacy Ditto is a conservation planner with the Asotin County Conservation District and works with local farmers and forestland owners to implement conservation projects on their working lands.

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources Management and Forestry from Washington State University, 2018. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Planner Certification, 2023.

Lacy is a devoted Marine wife familiar with the challenges of military life and family balance, and seeks to connect other families with the resources they need to help their veteran loved ones reintegrate into civilian life.

Lacy was born in nearby Lewiston Idaho, and grew up in the LC Valley enjoying horses and the “farm lifestyle.” Family roots run deep in this area, and Lacy is 5th generation to live in Asotin County.

Board Member, Veterans Advocate, and non-profit advisor Jeff Bronaugh has a wealth of knowledge and expertise and we couldn't be where we are today without his help. Jeff Bronaugh, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, CIC. Jeff has over 40 years of experience in the risk management and insurance industry. He worked in executive management for a major insurance company before joining the insurance brokerage business, where he represented clients’ interest in areas of enterprise risk management and placement of insurance to include property and casualty and employee benefits. 
Jeff served as president of a major bank-owned insurance brokerage in Honolulu with clients throughout the Pacific Rim and as president and managing director for one of the largest 50 insurance brokerages in the United States owned by an international bank. 
He established a consulting practice in 2008 with five colleagues and continues to provide risk management and insurance counsel for companies, brokerages, and other entities.
In addition to serving on various community service and non-profit boards, Jeff is past president of both the Seattle and Hawaii Chapters of the Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters Society (CPCU) and served on the board of directors of both Seattle and Hawaii Chapters of the Society of Financial Services Professionals. He is past chair of the CPCU Risk Management Interest Group and Professional Resource Group and is currently a member of the Agents and Brokers Group as well as Risk Management Group for the International CPCU Society.
Jeff retired from the U. S. Marine Corps as a Lt. Colonel with 20 years’ service. His tours included serving with the First Marine Division, VMAQ-4 A-6 Squadron, 4th Marine Air Wing, then was subsequently assigned a command during Operation Desert Storm. He completed his service on a Commanding General’s Detachment 1 team prior to retiring.

Board Member, and Equine Expert: My name is Emily Smith and my background is in Administrative Assistance which I previously applied to 14 years in the foster care industry before joining D. A. Davidson & Co. in 2017. My current position with Davidson is Client Associate for the Capital Street Investment Partners Team.

I grew up on the breaks of the Salmon and Clearwater Rivers between Kooskia and White Bird, Idaho.  Being raised on some of the roughest horseback country in the state brought a lot of knowledge of what to do and what not to do’s of livestock herding. I’ve had my fair share of “Man from Snowy River” moments and the scars to go with. I really enjoy the rush of barrel racing and love the life of rodeo.  My teenage daughter enjoys the same sport of barrel racing and anything fast paced that we can do together with horses.  My husband is a veterinarian for the Washington State Department of Agriculture where he stays rather busy with disease investigation and control.

I hope to see a positive change in the way that our country’s veterans are cared for in their greatest times of need.  Being a military brat of a father in the Air Force, and experiencing first hand the process of helping him through the medical system has been eye opening. It’s difficult to get the connections made that our veterans need to get the care they require. Benevolent Warrior Ranch is a step in the right direction for our area in providing support to those veterans and I’m proud to be a support to this organization and those that it can help.

Board Member and Veteran's Mental Health Professional, Caren Cox is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She is an Idaho native who attended the University of Idaho for her undergraduate studies, and the University of Massachusetts for her graduate work. Caren is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional who specializes in the treatment of complex trauma, as well as a Tier III provider for active duty military, and veterans, through the Center for Deployment Psychology. Her passion is working with veterans and is the proud daughter of a Vietnam veteran. In her spare time Caren enjoys traveling to new places throughout the world and spending time with her children.