I am a... Board Member

Deb Kirsch

I am a Board member and I am involved in whatever is needed at the time: from instruction, to organizing, to being an officer. I enjoy my role as a Board member because I got so much out of Pony Club when I was a kid - it truly shaped who I am today - and I want to help create that opportunity for others. I enjoy being a leader because I get to work with amazing, dedicated people from around the country.

Lisa Evans

I am a past Board member and current Chair of the Advisory Committee. Growing up with horses, I appreciate the hard work and support so many young riders require to develop and test their skills as equestrians. As a banking professional, I also appreciate the significant impact great instructors and mentors can make to develop the skills of young leaders. Community involvement is important to me as an expression of gratitude, a way of giving back. I enjoy being a leader in Pony Club because I feel good knowing my efforts are helping to advance the mission of the organization and provide much-needed support and programming for members. More importantly, I feel good knowing positive experiences such as those gained in Pony Club can open doors to self-discovery and give members and volunteers a sense of their own potential and a base from which we all continue to learn, grow and succeed.

Yvette Seger

In Pony Club, I am a wearer of many hats! Most members know me as a Chief Horse Management Judge – and my crazy, colorful socks that I wear when judging. In this role, I have a front row seat to everything Pony Club taught me in my teenage years: excellent horsemanship, teamwork, and self-advocacy. Each rally provides an opportunity to help members develop new skills and celebrate their progress through the Standards of Proficiency.

I am also a Committee Leader, having chaired several committees in both the Activities and Instruction Councils, as well as Board-level committees. In those roles, I have had the opportunity to contribute to the Pony Club curriculum and ensure learning environments that are safe – and fun!

Committee leadership ties into my next role within Pony Club – member of the Board of Governors. This is where I learned about the “business” of Pony Club. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Pony Club is dependent upon the network of club, center, and regional volunteers to implement programming, but the true heartbeat is the National Office staff. Board members are responsible for the “big picture” – the confluence of the work from the different layers of Pony Club to fulfill our mission to develop character, leadership, confidence, and a sense of community through equestrian sport.

Finally – and most importantly – I am a Pony Club member. The ability to rejoin the active member ranks 15 years after “aging out” has provided a new appreciation for all the work that goes into every aspect of Pony Club – from club lessons and certifications, regional clinicals and rallies, and national certifications and Festival. Regardless of one’s rank on the Standards of Proficiency, there is always something new to be learned from Pony Club!