Paige Deponte

Founder & Executive Director

Paige Deponte grew up on Oʻahu and moved to Maui at 19. Her career in photography and filmmaking took her around the world to more than 40 countries, capturing diverse cultures and stories. Yet through all her travels, Maui has always remained her sanctuary a place of peace, grounding, and purpose. A survivor of complex trauma, Paige has transformed her personal healing journey into a lifelong mission of service and resilience-building for others. Following the loss of her husband in 2011, she found solace and renewal through her horses, whose sentient and compassionate spirits reignited her sense of hope and meaning.

In 2021, Paige founded The Spirit Horse Ranch, a trauma-informed Equine-Assisted Learning and Resilience Center dedicated to helping children, families, and community members heal from crisis and trauma—including those impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires. Under her leadership, the ranch has provided thousands of equine-assisted sessions across Maui and Moloka‘i, offering accessible, evidence-based healing programs rooted in compassion and connection.

Paige Deponte is extensively trained and certified in multiple trauma informed and resilience building modalities. Her credentials include EAL Academy Certified Facilitator, Dually Certified Natural Lifemanship NLC-P,EP  (Trauma Informed Equine Professional), HeartMath Certified Trainer, Brainspotting Practitioner (Levels 1 and 2), Art Therapy, Belief Clearing Practitioner, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.

These trainings support her work in developing and facilitating trauma informed equine assisted services that help individuals regulate their nervous systems, process trauma, and build resilience through experiential learning with horses.

She continues to live ranch life surrounded by her children, ten grandchildren, her beloved herd, and her loyal Australian Shepherd, Blue. Paige’s unwavering passion is to protect, uplift, and empower Maui’s youth and families—helping each individual rediscover resilience, connection, and the strength to heal.