Officers
- Beverly Dickerson – President
- Rachel Rice – Vice President
- Rebecca Brown Thompson – Secretary
- Jaqi Hasty – Treasurer
Directors
Officers
Beverly Dickerson – President & Co-Founder
She leads the effort to establish public riding lesson facilities on Fairfax County parkland. A resident of Oakton, Virginia since 1982, Beverly served as President of the Hunters Valley Riding Club for many years, where she led the organization in establishing both a jumping ring and a dressage arena after its original riding area was sold for development, and she remains a board member.
She has been featured in a video sponsored by the Friends of the W&OD, where she spoke of the importance of riding in Northern Virginia. The Hunter Mill Defense League named her the Ron Stanton Citizen of the Year in recognition of her participation in parks, trails, and environmental issues. She also received the Hunters Valley Association (HVA) Good Neighbor Award for her involvement in neighborhood activities.
Her interest in trails and the environment was reflected in her work on the Advisory Committee for the Cross County Trail for which she received a Fairfax County Volunteer Benchmark Award in 2007. In addition, Beverly is a longtime member of the Loudoun Fairfax Hunt. Before retirement, her professional work was focused on government contracting and information technology.
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Rachel Rice – Vice President
Rachel Rice is a long-time rider and advocate for equestrian activities in the area. She grew up riding in Fairfax County. Through her college she participated on IHSA and IDA teams. Prior to taking on the role of Vice President, Rachel was the junior board member of Fairfax4Horses. She is the President of the Hunters Valley Riding Club, and works to maintain its facilities, as well as organizing outreach events each year. She is also an active board member of both the Virginia Dressage Association (VADA) and the Northern Virginia Chapter of VADA. She works at a busy lesson barn in Alexandria and has run her own lesson program in the past.
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Rebecca Brown Thompson – Secretary & Co-Founder
Rebecca's dedication to the cause of preserving and expanding equestrian space in Northern Virginia comes from her belief that people of all ages who learn to ride reap the multiple benefits of being with and caring for horses. During her 28 years in the Foreign Service, Rebecca rode in such diverse locations as Argentina, El Salvador, the Philippines, Mexico, Venezuela, and Northwest Arkansas, in addition to Northern Virginia. She provides Fairfax4Horses nearly three decades of experience in public relations that includes writing, press event planning, grant work, and networking with other interested organizations and individuals.
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Jaqi Hasty – Treasurer
Jaqi is a long-time horse owner and runs a small boarding facility in Oakton. She began riding as a child and has been a member of the Hunters Valley Riding Club for many years. Jaqi was motivated to become involved with Fairfax4Horses after having a challenging time finding local riding opportunities for her daughter. Her professional background is in IT and technical writing, and she has worked at numerous consulting firms in the Northern Virginia area.
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Directors
Linda Byrne
Linda is a director and a co-founder of Fairfax4Horses. She helps develop the objectives, programs, and activities of Fairfax4Horses. She also develops liaisons with elected officials and county agencies. She has received professional training as an instructor in dressage, jumping, and cross-country riding and is a recipient of the Horse Master Certificate from the Potomac Horse Center. Linda is passionate about preserving the riding experience for children and adults in Fairfax County Virginia.
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Lisa Zimmerli
Lisa is a director and a co-founder of Fairfax4Horses. A lifelong resident of Fairfax County, she is a long-time horse owner who competes in cutting cattle on her quarter horse, and enjoys riding the extensive network of trails adjacent to her home. Lisa's professional background includes a degree in marketing and management, as well as experience in HR, training, and government contracting. She brings these skills to Fairfax4Horses by providing advice on how to reach members of the equestrian community and general population, and directing the participation of Fairfax4Horses in local events such as parades and contact with schools.