Bridging Life and Work Through Shared Values
Apexer J. Hess turns a passion for service—and horses—into meaningful change.
It’s an early July morning in Central Virginia. Overcast skies threaten an otherwise balmy forecast, but the campers at Labyrinth Training Center will be out in rain or shine today. For J. Hess, Apex associate general counsel and cofounder of the center, this is more than just a passion project—it’s a living embodiment of the values that guide his life’s work.
Now in its fourth year of operation, Labyrinth fosters, trains, and helps rehome rescued horses, as well as offers a range of community programs and educational opportunities. The center’s summer camp, nominally a horseback riding program, fosters social and emotional skills by teaching children how to care for and manage the animals.
“We’ve worked with kids with all kinds of behavioral or self-confidence challenges and watched them turn their lives around,” said Hess, who serves on Labyrinth’s board of directors.
The day’s activities will hold everything from riding lessons to nature walks and even zip-lining—all outdoors, in line with the center’s goal of fostering an appreciation for the natural environment. As campers pair off with their animals, it becomes clear the training center offers a refuge for more than just horses.
A Core Connection
Hess sees his responsibilities at Labyrinth as remarkably similar to his role on Apex’s Legal team. Clean energy development can be a complicated process—when projects encounter barriers to their progress, he steps in to address issues and ensure work can move forward unabated.
“At the center, I make sure everything is in order from a legal perspective so that everyone else can make the magic happen—which is exactly what I do at Apex,” Hess said with a wry smile.
Beyond the nature of his work, Hess sees deeper parallels between the organizations. Both Apex and the Labyrinth Training Center are guided by core values of environmental sustainability and integrity—shared principles that create a natural alignment between Hess’s professional life and personal mission.
“I spend all my time at Apex applying what these horses have taught me—that’s what this work requires.”
Realizing a Shared Vision
J. and his wife Alex founded the Labyrinth Training Center in January 2022, but the idea to start a nonprofit had been percolating for over a decade.
“From the beginning, Alex and I had been talking about finding a way to give back to the area where we would eventually settle down,” Hess recounted. “When we moved here to Goochland County, we saw the opportunity to realize that dream.”
They first opened a horse rescue and foster program. According to Hess, that’s when people just began to show up, wanting to lend a hand—and it all grew from there. More helpers meant more horses, and before long J. and Alex’s vision had taken shape.
While providing equestrian access may be the center’s most visible impact, J. and Alex crafted something far more fundamental: a mission and approach that creates lasting change for their community.
Solid Foundations
“Our motto here is Horses, people, nature—better together. These three pillars govern everything we do,” explained Hess.
First, every horse the center cares for is a rescue: at some point in their past, each animal endured neglect, abuse, or some other form of trauma. Through one means or another, the horses find their way to the center, which trains them and prepares them for a permanent home.
The second pillar, people, focuses on creating accessible experiences for the surrounding community. In an area where nearly half the children in the local elementary school receive free or reduced-cost lunch, the center works with local organizations to identify kids who could benefit from its programs—and, as has been happening since the beginning, sometimes people just show up.
“One day a week, students take the school bus here and spend the afternoon with us. They learn to ride and to care for the horses,” said Hess. “Rescued horses have a special way of connecting with people, particularly people who have themselves gone through trauma.”
Nature, the third pillar of Labyrinth’s mission, requires an even more holistic perspective. From on-site solar panels and rainwater collection to natural fertilization and composting processes, the nonprofit has addressed the environmental sustainability of every aspect of its operation—including forging partnerships with local organizations such as the James River Association to support the surrounding area’s ecological well-being.
With this three-pronged approach, the training center hopes to create a model for other farms to follow. Unlike many facilities that prioritize quantity of horses, Labyrinth embraces a more balanced approach that Hess believes creates better outcomes for animals, land, and people.
“If the animals aren’t healthy and the land’s not healthy, we’re not healthy. We maximize the use of the land, but we do so by prioritizing soil health and growth,” said Hess—a sentiment that mirrors Apex’s approach to sustainable development and land stewardship.
Making Magic Happen
As another day of camp winds to a close, eleven-year-old Ziani Queraypryor reflects on her experience. “Horses are therapeutic. When you’re with them, they make you feel calm.”
For third-year camper Sophier Granada, it’s about growth: “There’s hard work and discipline and you have to wear jeans in the middle of summer, but that’s what’s great about this camp. They teach you how to care and love.”
These transformations exemplify what drives Hess at home and at work: creating positive change by allowing others to reach their full potential. Whether he’s advancing the development of a clean energy project or helping his community grow its connection to the natural environment, the principles remain the same.
“I’m such a better person for this place,” Hess mused. “I feel like the least I can do is be a good steward of this land and pass the same opportunities along to others.”
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