Darla McConnell, President

Darla currently serves as the Director of Business Development and Outreach for Heart Services at Riverside Methodist Hospital. She has extensive experience in marketing, customer service, community relations and management. Darla has served on numerous boards and councils, including the Healthy Columbus Advisory Board, and as the Riverside Methodist Hospital Outreach Volunteer Coordinator. In these roles, Darla led the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who focused efforts on community health projects. Darla is committed to the development of important programs and improvement of healthcare for our community. She has been involved in the Forum for Healthcare Strategists, Voluntary Hospitals of America Health Improvement Network, Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, and Franklin County Cardiovascular Coalition. Darla is excited to have the opportunity to serve on the White Pine Stables TRC Board, where she can be involved in the community through the development and growth of a program that will use therapeutic horseback riding and the natural love of animals to improve the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities. Her focus is to provide affordable and effective therapies, measure and communicate therapy outcomes, and to provide life-changing volunteer opportunities to high school and college students by enhancing their sense of empathy, compassion and responsibility.

Laurel K. Beard, Officer

Laurel has been involved in healthcare for over thirty years. She graduated from OSU with her BS and Registered Nurse degrees in 1978, and has cared for patients in a variety of capacities and settings. Laurel has worked in hospital settings, including Children's Hospital, and later specialized in Home Healthcare and Maternal Child Health. Laurel continued her education with an emphasis in teaching, and she has mentored and volunteered with many area groups serving young and elderly. Additionally, Laurel has many years of experience owning and caring for horses. Laurel's goal for serving on White Pine Stables TRC Board is to teach children horsemanship in the arena and classroom. With her experience volunteering in various organizations, she also has a desire to assist with volunteer recruitment and training.

Emma Speight, Officer

In her professional life, Emma serves as Deputy City Manager, Community Affairs for the City of Upper Arlington, leading all public relations efforts for the City. Her position requires that Emma wear many different hats depending on the day and the project of managing the City’s professional image, developing and implementing numerous avenues for communicating effectively with members of the community, providing strategic planning assistance on the development of special projects or to address community issues. She was one of five founding members of a roots-based volunteer initiative called Volunteer UA, a program that aspires to grow into a central clearinghouse for matching worthy organizations and causes with prospective volunteers in the Trivillage area. Emma intends to be an active Board member by contributing her marketing, writing, desktop design, and event planning skills to White Pine Stables TRC. Emma is a transplant from England but has considered the Columbus area home for over 15 years. An avid animal lover, she has two horses of her own and is still optimistically telling herself that one day she will make a good dressage rider. She is honored that she was invited to participate in White Pine Stables TRC and to be able to help children and adults who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience and benefit from what she considers the best part of her week; spending time with horses.

Sue Matthews, Officer/Parent Liaison

Sue has a B.S. in Interior Design and currently serves as a Planning Associate at The Ohio State University Medical Center in her professional career. The flexibility in her workplace allows her to work part time at the Medical Center and spend the other time working with her special needs son. Sue’s son is enrolled in the Autism Scholarship program which allows him to have a variety of educational and therapeutic programs. Throughout the journey of having a special needs child, Sue has found a sense of joy in sharing information and support with other parents of special needs children. White Pine Stables has become a “sanctuary” in their weekly therapy schedule. Being involved with the program at White Pine Stables has been pivotal in her son’s self esteem and physical improvements. It’s Sue’s hope that many more families will be able to have the opportunity to be a part of this unique program – whether as students or volunteers.

Joyce Richmond, Secretary

Joyce is a RN and also holds a BS degree in Allied Health Education & Administration and has worked in various facets of healthcare for the past 15 years. Joyce has experience working with at-risk populations, particularly women and children. Joyce currently works in the field of public health in an administrative position, and brings experience in collaborative efforts for promoting health in the community. In addition to public and private health service, Joyce has served as a student nurse preceptor for the OSU College of Nursing BSN and Masters Programs. Joyce looks forward to bringing her experience and skills in strategic assessment and strategic planning, as well as grant writing and grant management, to help ensure program growth and sustainability.

Jackie Hanson, Interim Treasurer

Jackie is a long-time resident of Delaware County, and she has been a regular volunteer at White Pine Stables. Jackie has a great deal of experience working with a variety or corporations, including a non-profit organization. Besides her service in the stables, Jackie brings needed office and accounting skills to our Board including data entry, daily balancing of funds and deposit preparation, invoice reconciliation, creating and updating spreadsheets and proficiency in Quickbooks. Jackie also works with website development and many business software applications. Since Jackie works with our students weekly, she is passionate about White Pine Stables mission and goals. She has witnessed the impact of therapeutic riding on the lives of our students, and she is looking forward to helping White Pine Stables TRC thrive and grow.

Christy Richmond, Founding Executive Director/Instructor

Christy spent over twelve years working in the pharmaceutical industry after earning a degree in biology/chemistry from Central Michigan University. She has held numerous positions in training, mentoring and tutoring while in school and during her career. She has been involved with horses since the age of four, and her continued riding led her to build a facility to train at home year round. After working with health professionals for many years and continuing to research medical and science literature, the promising topic of therapeutic riding prompted Christy to begin certification as an instructor through NARHA, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. Christy's understanding of disabilities and her experience with horses and teaching guided her decision to found White Pine Stables Therapeutic Riding Center. Christy is thrilled and humbled by the enthusiasm shown by those she invited to become inaugural Board Members, as well as the overwhelmingly positive response from the community thus far. Christy is looking forward to expanding the program to serve as many students as possible and spending more time teaching the incredible people who are connecting with our special horses.

Advisors to the Board:

Homer V. Beard, Executive Consultant

James P. Chase, DVM, Diplomate ACVS

Robert B. Graziano, J.D.

Rork Matthews, Student Advocate

David M. Richmond, Senior Information Technology Consultant

Norman W. Speight, Financial Advisor