Caitlin Gooch

Caitlin Gooch is a mother, writer, amateur gardener, anime and sudoku enthusiast -- oh!... and a horsewoman! Growing up in Wendell, NC, she wanted to be a veterinarian, but her volunteer work with the youth in her community led her on a different path. Earning her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from East Carolina University, Caitlin was able to put academic context to the social cycle of systemic racial inequality. While working with youth in her community, Caitlin was exposed to the educational disparities plaguing communities of color and decided to take action- starting with the literacy gap. Leading with her first passion, Caitlin uses her horses to incentivize reading, making it more fun! In 2017, Caitlin founded Saddle Up and Read, a non-profit organization whose mission is to use horses and equestrian culture to close the literacy gap between white children and children of color. To contribute to the history of an industry she is so passionate about, Caitlin is in the process of writing books with characters that look more like her. When Caitlin is not busy with Saddle Up and Read, horse care or raising her three daughters, she makes hand-crafted cards. She believes in spreading love and does this through “snail mail”, sending letters of love, light and everything in between.