The ELCR Board of Directors
To contact ELCR or a board member please contact the national office at (859) 455-8383, Info@ELCR.org or click on board member name, to utilize individual email account.
Nancy Hamill Winter
President, Illinois
It is the culmination of my dedication to volunteer service as inspired by my mother, combined with my lifelong passions for riding and the outdoor environment that have led me to the Presidency of the Equine Land Conservation Resource.
My academic training (BA International Studies, George Washington University; MA East Asian History, University of London; proficiency in both spoken Japanese and written Mandarin) prepared me for service in international education; however, my volunteer vocations have been driven by my childhood on horseback in the Illinois countryside. During those fifty years, I have rarely been far away from my horses that have enabled me to experience the natural environment. It is through horses that I have striven to serve the earth and its inhabitants.
The horses have provided me with an incredibly rich life experience including moments of blissful joy, exhilarating victory gallops, and grave disappointments. Countless hours were spent in the pursuit of equestrian excellence including participating in the 1984 Olympic Selection Trials. Fresh out of my academic years, I became a pioneer in the field of therapeutic horsemanship establishing three centers for disabled riders in the Chicagoland area (WayneDuPage, Acorn Hill in Naperville, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago) while also serving on the Board of the NARHA (formerly the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.) Simultaneously, I honored my commitment to the United States Pony Clubs, which had nurtured my riding interests as a teenager, by serving as a National/Regional Examiner, District Commissioner, and coach. One of the most joyous activities in the decade in which I coached included managing ambitious equestrians from the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions for the FEI Young Riders Three Day Event.
When I moved from Illinois' Fox River Valley to the Driftless Area, my volunteer focus shifted from to the natural environment that had become an integral part of my soul due to a life on horseback in beautiful places. Suburban sprawl drove me to this rural landscape where a perpetual bucolic landscape appears to be guaranteed. However, I quickly recognized that one has to be proactive in land protection and regional planning. For over fifteen years, my days have been consumed with hands on work of natural habitat restoration and the leadership roles on the Boards of several conservation organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, JoDaviess Conservation Foundation, Morton Arboretum, Prairie State Conservation Coalition and Equine Land Conservation Resource. My commitment is to preserving open space for future generations.
My role as President of ELCR integrates my life experience. This new leadership role will challenge me to intertwine the horse and the environment in a way that I have not tackled before. It will be a pleasure to serve in this way and I look forward to having the support and assistance of my fellow horsemen.
Photo by Rotten Cowgirl LLC
Dan Rosenberg
Vice President, Kentucky
Dan Rosenberg is no stranger to equestrian life and culture. Prior to starting Rosenberg Thoroughbred Consulting, Dan served as President and CEO of Three Chimneys Farm, home to such names as Smarty Jones and Seattle Slew. He was with Three Chimneys for 30 years, serving as General Manager before being appointed president.
Dan has also lent his considerable expertise to Thoroughbred Charities of America, the Kentucky Equine Institute, Thoroughbred Club of America and the Keeneland Pony Club.
Patsy Mattingley
Secretary, Washington
Patsy Mattingley has a long history with horses. Patsy, currently of Sequim WA, began her love affair with equestrian life at the age of seven, when she began riding in the Chicago area. Later, Patsy became involved with the US Pony Club through her then 13-year-old daughter, Jenny. Within three years, Patsy was a District Commissioner in Texas. Since then, she has organized meetings and festivals for the Pony Club, served on the Board of Governors and chaired the Governance and Development Committees.
Patsy comes to ELCR with experience in the equestrian world, but also a wealth of experience in nonprofit governance and a volunteers-eye-view of operations.
Larry E. Byers
Treasurer, South Carolina
Larry is an avid foxhunter, an ex-MFH, who learned the value and importance of open space while growing up on a farm in Adams County, Pennsylvania. He has been an active horseman both in showing and eventing and an active volunteer with US Pony Club. As President of USPC (2001-2004), he incorporated an emphasis on "riding in the open" and the responsibility of equestrians to preserve open space as a component in the syllabus presented to all USPC leaders at all levels. In San Diego where he now resides, his is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mission Resource Conservation District.
Anne W. Eldridge
Massachusetts
Annie freelance writes for equestrian publications, among them Horse Illustrated and The Chronicle of the Horse. An event rider who has competed through the advanced level, Annie currently campaigns young event horses. She served as a USCTA (now the USEA) Board of Governors member from 1987-1992 and was that organization's Vice President of Education from 1989-91. After graduating from Williams College in 1978, Annie worked in the publishing world as an editor of non-fiction books at Addison-Wesley in Reading, MA, and as managing editor of Horticulture magazine. Today she and her husband, Cap Kane, are actively involved in land conservation work in Massachusetts with the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern MA and The Trustees of Reservations.
Georgiana Hubbard McCabe
Co-Founder, Virginia
Georgiana, a longtime volunteer for the United States Pony Clubs, served as District Commissioner of Greenwich (CT) Pony Club and on the Board of Governors. While living in Connecticut, she was chairman of a Preserve Management Committee for the Nature Conservancy, and on the Board of the Greenwich Audubon Preserve. She served on the Board of the Piedmont Environmental Council (VA) and the Board of the UVA Cancer Center. She is currently a member of the Coastal Mountains Land Trust (ME) and the Greenwich Land Trust and serves on the Advisory Board of the Blue Ridge Foothills Conservancy. She is the mother of two grown children, Caroline and Nicholas.
Libbie Johnson
North Carolina
Libbie is a life long horse lover, starting in 1961 with organizing a fan club devoted to Derby winner Carry Back. She claims to be a mosey-along rider. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, she has worn various career hats including art gallery director, school teacher, social worker and founder of Johnson-Powell Public Relations Inc. and Johnson-Powell Lecture Group.
As one who believes that "service is the rent you pay," Libbie has been involved in her communities serving in various volunteer positions with Community Development, Travel and Tourism, Planning and Zoning, PTA, Planned Parenthood and Food Rescue.
In equestrian circles, past and present memberships include American Horse Council, North Carolina Horse Council, North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association, United States Dressage Federation, United States Eventing Association, United States Equestrian Federation, Foothills Riding Club, Foothills Equestrian Trails Association, North Carolina Horse Protection Society, Cardinal II Pony Club and River Valley Pony Club. Currently, Libbie serves on the Board of Directors for the United States Pony Club. She is also involved in implementing and hosting the first national symposium on Equine Economics for spring 2007.
On the home front, Libbie and husband Jerry are parents of three grown children. They share Far Side Farm in Tryon, NC with a collection of middle-aged horses, motley dogs, and moody cats.
P.A. (Tony) Leahy
Illinois & Georgia
Tony sees conservation of land and access as a very important issue going into the future because he wants to see all types of equestrian activity perpetuated not only for his daughter, but also, hopefully, for his grandchildren. Tony is the Master of Foxhounds of the Fox River Valley Hunt and Cornwall Hounds. He also serves on both the Board of Directors of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (since 2001) and the Educational Foundation of that organization. Tony was raised in rural Ireland where he was involved in show jumping and steeplechasing. He came to the United States to further his show jumping career. When living in Illinois, Tony and his family enjoy their JoDaviess County farm and are pleased that it has a conservation easement on it so that it will stay a farm forever.
Stephanie McCommon
Texas
Stephanie McCommon is the Manager of Membership Services for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), where she has worked since 1999. Her responsibilities include working with the AQHA Affiliates, managing the Recreational Riding Program and overseeing the Stewards for Trails, Education and Partnerships program. The Ride Program has grown to average 100 rides held annually worldwide. The newly developed STEP program encourages stewardship and conservation of horseback riding trails by equestrians. In addition, she worked with Palo Duro Canyon State Park to secure a $100,000 grant to fund new equestrian trails and establish handicapped-accessible access to trails. Ms. McCommon is a graduate of West Texas A&M University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.
James B. (Jim) Miller
Virginia
Jim grew up in suburban Northern Virginia next to racehorse owners who kept mares on their land for foaling purposes. Jim's family led an active outdoor life, with home garden and orchard, and traveling the country while camping. Jim graduated from The College of William and Mary with a B.S. in Biology and Duke University with a Master of Forestry degree. Jim served in the U.S. Army, and worked as a civilian forester for the Department of the Army. Jim retired in 2005 from the USDA - Forest Service after 35 years of government service in Virginia, Alaska, and California, with the last nine as the Dispersed Recreation Program Manager (trails, caves, and outdoor ethics) in the National Headquarters. Jim enjoys most outdoor activities, but allows that his wife and her remaining horse is the better horse person.
Sophie Pirie Clifton
Montana
Sophie is a former professor at Stanford Law School, is a graduate "A" member of the U.S. Pony Club, member of the winning 1979 North American Young Rider's 3- Day Championships Team, a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and an active competitor, trainer and clinician at the FEI level. Since 1973, she has taught dressage and eventing throughout the USA and overseas in such countries as Australia, United Kingdom, Thailand and South Africa, in the process gaining experience in diverse equestrian related land use practices. Sophie also works as an independent consultant specializing in strategic planning and organizational development. She serves on the U.S. Pony Clubs Board of Governors and has served ELCR since its inception, currently as a member of its executive committee.
John Strassburger
California
John Strassburger has spent most of his life riding horses across the
countryside. He's foxhunted for 36 years, starting with the Spring
Valley Hounds (N.J.) and then working for three seasons in the stable of
the Essex Fox Hounds (N.J.). While editor of The Chronicle of the Horse,
from 1986 to 2006, he covered six Olympics and hundreds of other
competitions around the country and the world, and he followed more than
two dozen more packs throughout the United States, Canada and England.
John is a graduate A Pony Clubber and is currently competing in eventing
at the intermediate level. He and his wife, Heather Bailey, now operate
Phoenix Farm (www.phoenixsporthorses.com) in Healdsburg, Calif., where
they breed and train event and dressage horses, while also writing and
editing books and magazine articles. John also rode in point-to-points
and NSA-sanctioned steeplechase races, over hurdles, timber and on the
flat for eight years. John was president of the Land Trust of Virginia
for three years (vice president for two), serving on the Board of
Directors from 1997 to 2003. He was also a member of the Steering
Committee of the Rt. 50 Corridor Coalition in Middleburg, Va., for two
years, and he helped establish the MFHA's Hunting Habitat Preservation
Award. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors of the U.S. Pony
Clubs from 1983 to 1988 and was chairman of the USPC Tetrathlon
Committee from 1985 to 1991.
Melanie M. Heacock
Director Emeritus - Maryland
Melanie co-founded ELCR in 1997 with Rick Jorgensen, Georgiana H. McCabe and Anson W. H. Taylor, Jr., and she heads ELCR's Development Committee. She is a former President of the United States Pony Clubs and chaired USPC's Task Force for the 21st Century, where the idea of ELCR originated. Melanie was also founder and co-chair of the annual National USPC Youth Congress. She has served as President of Paul's Place Outreach Center (Baltimore, MD), Chairman of Hannah More School (Reisterstown, MD) and Board member of St. Paul's School (Brooklandville, MD).
Advisory Council
Susanna Colloredo-Mansfeld
South Hamilton, MA
Over thirty years of Susanna's life has been dedicated to
environmental conservation and education. Susanna co-founded and
serves as a Director of the Essex County Trail Association which
encourages responsible use of the open land, maintains trails, helps
establish easements, and promotes good will and communication
between trail users and land owners.
She is also currently chair of the Open Space Committee of
Hamilton, works with Appleton Farms, a property of the Trustees of
Reservations, and is on the National Council of the Land Trust Alliance.
Susanna lives on her family farm, Black Oak Farm with her
husband, and one of her sons and his family who hunt and play polo.
Susanna served as a member of the ELCR's Board of Directors from
2001 until 2003. She currently serves as a member of the ELCR-Breyer
Grant Selection Committee.
Edward (Denny) Emerson
Vermont & North Carolina
Denny's credentials include being a leading 3-Day Event rider since 1962, a 1974 World Championship Gold Medalist, a two time President of the United States Combined Training Association and serving as the Vice President for 3-Day Eventing for the United States Equestrian Team, as well as writing regularly for The Chronicle of the Horse and other magazines.
Julie I. Fershtman, Esq
Michigan
Julie Fershtman is one of the nation's best-known and most experienced Equine Law practitioners. Her law practice crosses all breeds and disciplines and serves a national clientele. She has tried cases before juries in four states and has achieved numerous courtroom victories. She is the author of two industry books, Equine Law & Horse Sense and MORE Equine Law & Horse Sense. She has also written over 190 published articles on Equine Law. She has been a speaker at conventions in 26 states that include the American Horse Council, Equitana, Equine Affaire, and the National Conference on Equine Law.
For her contributions to the equine industry nationwide, Julie has received numerous distinctions. CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) honored her with its prestigious "Partner in Safety" Award, the American Riding Instructors Association presented her with an "Outstanding Achievement" Award, she was a recipient of the Michigan Horse Council's "Catalyst Award," and she received an "Associate Award" from the United Professional Horsemen's Association. She is a past board member of the American Youth Horse Council and the Equine Land Conservation Resource. She is also one of very few lawyers to be named a Fellow of the American College of Equine Attorneys.
Active in lawyer organizations, she is currently Secretary of the 40,000-member State Bar of Michigan and a Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Animal Law Committee. The American Bar Association's Barrister Magazine named her one of "21 Young Lawyers Leading Us into the 21st Century." She is a 1983 graduate of Emory College and a 1986 graduate of Emory Law School.
Laurel A. Florio, J.D.
Alpharetta, GA
Laurel Florio is an attorney and consultant to conservation organizations, and government agencies. Her work is focused on land transactions, and conservation easements. Laurel is a highly sought after speaker in the land conservation community, and a member of the Land Trust Alliance's Land Conservation Leadership Program Faculty. She was also a reviewer for one of the LTA's Curriculum Courses, Conservation Easement Stewardship, and teaches several curriculum courses on a regular basis at various conferences.
Laurel is a life-long horse enthusiast and rider. Driven by her passion for horses, she has ridden everything from thoroughbreds off the track to Arabians and pleasure shod Tennessee Walking Horses. Laurel's current equestrian activities include Dressage training and competing in the Southeast. She is as an active member of the US Dressage Federation and the US Equestrian Federation and the GA Dressage and Combined Training Association. Her current horse of three years is Puck, a 17.2, 12 year old Westphalen gelding.
"I am thrilled to be able to combine two of my passions, horses and land conservation, as a member of the ELCR Advisory Board. I am looking forward to assisting the organization in any way I can. And what a great excuse to try and get to KY more often too!!"
Susan M. Harding
Equine Network - Maryland
Currently Vice President, Group Publishing Director of Source Interlink Media's Equine Network, Susan has spent 20 years in the equine publishing industry. She joined Fleet Street, Publisher of EQUUS and Polo magazines, in January 1987 and served as Executive Vice President until Fleet Street was acquired by Primedia,Inc. in June of 1998. While at Fleet Street, Susan was instrumental in the launch of Dressage Today in 1995.
The Equine Network includes 5 monthly magazines - EQUUS, Horse & Rider, Practical Horseman, Dressage Today and Arabian Horse World, three special issues - Discover Horses at the Kentucky Horse Park, EquiShopper and Arabian Horse World Special, a book division - HorseBooksEtc. and three websites - EquiSearch.com, equine.com and EquiShopper.com.
Prior to entering the horse world, Susan worked at Newsweek magazine in New York City, the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C. and McKinsey & Co., in London. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Harvard Business School.
In addition to her involvement with horses in her employment, Susan has served as President of American Horse Publications and on the Board of Trustees of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). She currently is on the board of Horse and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) and on the Advisory Council of the Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR).
Susan owns a PMU horse, a Thoroughbred/Percheron cross named Metaphor and two cats, LC and Moxie.
Karen Isberg
Kentucky
Karen Isberg strongly believes we need to be conscientious stewards of the earth-to conserve and preserve for today and tomorrow. Not only must we teach our children, but we must also serve as strong roles models for them. She has taught these values to her son and daughter as well as other youth she encounters.
A lifelong horsewoman, Karen cared for, rode and showed horses as a youth in her home state of New York and at her aunt's farm in Kentucky. She has shown Quarter Horses, Paso Finos, hunters and jumpers. She was an avid 4-H'er, serving as teen leader, club president and captain of the horse bowl team. Karen also taught riding throughout high school and college. As an adult, Karen has competed in lower level eventing and dressage.
A graduate with distinction from Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Karen's primary field of study was equine reproduction with a minor in communications. As an undergraduate, she was president of the Cornell University Horseman's Association. She also served as the research farm manager at Cornell University where she supervised the full-time, graduate and undergraduate student staff, coordinated and conducted nutritional research at the Equine Metabolic Center, managed the contagious equine metritis (CEM) isolation unit, and conducted drug-testing trials for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Karen is president of two equine-industry companies. Kentucky Performance Products produces and distributes scientifically proven nutritional supplements for horses and show livestock. In 2007, she established the Arion Group, a design and marketing firm that specializes in meeting the needs of agriculture-related businesses, as well as those of small and midsize local businesses.
Karen has been an active leader with the Boy Scouts of America, Blue Grass Council, Elkhorn District and the Girl Scouts of America, Wilderness Road Council. She also enjoys walking, camping, birding, civil war history, Dutch oven cooking and dog training. She is a member/supporter of the MidSouth Eventing and Dressage Association, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Woodford County Humane Society, ASPCA and the Civil War Preservation Trust.
Rick Potts
Virginia and Montana
Richard R. Potts II, more commonly known as "Rick," is the Chief of Conservation and Outdoor Recreation for the National Park Service. Rick has with NPS since 1984. Rick holds academic degrees in Animal Science (B.S., Pre-Veterinary) and Animal Nutrition /Wildlife Management M.S.). He is a wildlife biologist, and a graduate of the National Park Service Natural Resource Specialist Training Program. Rick is also professional trainer, facilitator and mediator.
Rick is responsible for administering five national programs for the National Parks Service: Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA); Wild & Scenic Rivers; National Trails System; Hydropower Assistance; and Challenge Cost Share. Through these programs, the NPS develops partnerships with communities and organizations across the country, and works cooperatively with them to develop outdoor recreational opportunities and resource conservation projects. He has lived and worked in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Southwest Alaska, Molokai, and Montana.
A longtime horseman, Rick is a professional Farrier, a licensed Montana Guide, a Certified Master Mule Packer, and a Certified Leave No Trace Stock Master.
Rick and his wife, Meridith, are owners of Painted Meadows Ranch, LLC that they started in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Meridith was training horses and mules as pack and saddle trail stock full time before moving East, where they now reside on a small horse farm in western Loudoun County Virginia.
William J. Price, V
Queen's Cup Steeplechase - North Carolina
Bill serves as President and CEO of Sonitrol Security Services, Inc., but his life's passions involve his family and horses. His personal "horse" interest is in racing Thoroughbreds. Following this passion, Bill became involved with steeplechase racing. He is carrying on the racing tradition as the founder and race chairman of the Queen's Cup Steeplechase. Bill has served as a Board member of the National Steeplechase Association and serves as the Race Chairman of the Queen's Cup Steeplechase. The Queen's Cup is run on the 300 acre farm Brooklandwood, of which 245 acres have been placed under permanent conservation easement. Bill is also a board member of the Catawba Lands Conservancy.
Rand Wentworth
President, Land Trust Alliance - Washington, DC
Rand is President of the Land Trust Alliance, a Washington, DC based land conservation organization that provides policy, lobbying, and training services for America's 1667 land trusts. Prior to joining the Land Trust Alliance in 2002, he was Vice President of the Trust for Public Land and founding director of its Atlanta office. Previously, Mr. Wentworth was president of a commercial real estate development company. He is a graduate of Yale University and holds an MBA in finance from Cornell University. He has testified before the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee and serves on the Ethics and Accountability Committee of the Independent Sector. The Atlanta Regional Commission presented Mr. Wentworth its Visionary Regional Leadership Award and the Urban Land Institute recognized him with its Community Leadership Award for creating a river greenway in Atlanta. Morehouse College has honored Mr. Wentworth for expanding the Martin Luther King Jr. National Park in downtown Atlanta.
James R. Wolf
United States Equestrian Federation -
Gladstone, New Jersey
James Wolf has many years of administrative and competitive experience in horse sports. Prior to joining the United States Equestrian Team (USET)/United States Equestrian Federation® (USEF) staff full-time, he managed the United States Equestrian Team's three-day eventing squad at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, where he was responsible for the coordination of the training and preparation of the team. He served as the USET/USEF's Director of Eventing Activities from 1993 to 2004; Team Leader for the U.S. eventing teams at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games; 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games; 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games; and 1997 European Open Championships. In 2004, Wolf was appointed Executive Director, Sport Programs and is responsible for the development, planning and facilitation of all areas of the USEF's Sport Programs. Additionally, he has served as co-chef de mission at the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games and as chef de mission for the entire U.S. equestrian delegation at the 2007 Pan American Games, 2002 and 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games and the 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.
"When I was a young boy, my father said, 'land is the most valuable thing you can have.......they are not making any more of it'. This certainly applies to the need for preserving open space. It is irreplaceable. Most of the important things in my life rely on access to undeveloped land. Whether it is horses or fly fishing, the access to land is critical."
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