2017 Academy of Achievement and NYC Inductees Announced!

Every year at The USPC Equine Symposium amd Convention, The National Youth Congress (NYC) convenes for three days. NYC began in 1998 to recognize outstanding Pony Club Members. The NYC delegates are selected by their regions and are provided the opportunity to learn valuable life skills to help them navigate their futures. This year 33 delegates were a part of the three day Congress.

Central New England Region– Samantha Baer and Ava Nadeau
Camino Real Region– Sarah Barnes and Sophie Buelow
Deep South Region– Megan Benton
Delmarva Region– Carly Dyal
Eastern Pennsylvania Region– Sarah Shaw
Great Lakes Region– Alexandra McKinley
Hawaii Region– Lindsay Grimshaw and Jenna Neher
Inland Empire Region– Cyra Carlson
Intermountain Region– Jenna McCully
Middle California Region– Sarah Smith and Katie Steinjann
Midwest Region– Emily Hovis and Kelsie Raucher
Northwest Region– John Filer
Oregon Region– Jodelle Marx and Mikayla Rebholz
Southern California Region– Jenna Dewald
Sunshine Region– Lilian Van Winkle
Tri-State Region– Hannah Holmes and Anna Viazanko
Virginia Region– Lindsay Woods and Michaela Yowaiski

A very special part of the NYC is the induction of outstanding USPC Alumni into the Academy of Achievement. The Academy of Achievement was created to honor alumni who have attained outstanding achievements in their chosen fields. Honorees this year were selected from a distinguished group of nominees. The alumni inductees join the delegates of the NYC to help guide and mentor them by bringing a voice of experience into the discussion. The following four recipients were recognized at the January 27, 2017, Honors Banquet:

Dr. Kathleen Carr is an H-A graduate who grew up in a military family. Her introduction to Pony Club came when she was 17 by joining the Benning Pony Club, though she began riding as a 4-year old.
Dr. Carr is a graduate of the University of Georgia, receiving her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the College of Veterinary Medicine. She earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from Auburn University and her Masters of Science in International Studies from the U.S. Army War College.
Dr. Carr retired in July 2007 at the rank of Colonel after a 22-year active duty career in the U.S. Army. She served in a variety of key operational and strategic positions throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). Since 1994, Dr. Carr’s career focused on biodefense medical countermeasure research with assignments at the U.S Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs).
Dr. Carr is married to Edwin (Ned) Taylor. They enjoy their time on their farm in Sharpsburg, Maryland with their 3 dogs, 4 horses and barn cat. Kathleen is the managing partner in Quantum Leap Eventing, LLC, a home-based business that focuses on teaching, coaching and training three-day event riders and horses

Dr. Jennifer Lord is an H-A graduate of Berks Pony Club in the Eastern Pennsylvania Region. Jennifer enjoyed everything Pony Club had to offer, although her favorites were the show jumping and combined training rallies, and teaching younger Pony Club members.
Jennifer graduated from Albright College in Pennsylvania with honors, where she obtained degrees in both Biology and Business Administration, as well as a minor in International Business. She went on to earn her Doctor of Medicine degree at Medical College of Pennsylvania-Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. After finishing her training she moved to Austin, Texas where she began private practice specializing in hand and upper extremity surgery. After treating patients for eight years, Jennifer realized she wanted to have a bigger impact and reach more patients and left active medicine to pursue a start-up company. She is currently working on a medical device to improve fracture care, although still maintains her medical license.
Jennifer currently lives with her husband and their two adopted rescue cats, Zen and Zoe. She enjoys riding, competitive rowing, volunteering with the local animal rescue, and being an environmental steward as a Master Naturalist.

Lisa Roskens is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Burlington Capital Group LLC.  Under Ms. Roskens leadership, the Company was restructured from an investment management firm to an organization with ongoing operating businesses built on a shared services platform.  Prior to coming to the Burlington Capital Group in 2000, Ms. Roskens served as Managing Director of Twin Compass, LLC and was the Director of Business Development at Inacom Corporation.  From 1995 to 1997, Ms. Roskens served as Finance Director for the U.S. Senate campaign of Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.  A graduate of Stanford Law School, Ms. Roskens was an attorney with the Kutak Rock law firm in Omaha, Nebraska from 1992-1995, specializing in commercial litigation.   
Ms. Roskens competed in marathons and triathlons, but her primary hobby has been equestrian, specifically as an amateur jumper rider.  In 2001, Ms. Roskens founded Take Flights Farms, a 501(c)(3) organization that incorporates horses into therapeutic and learning programs.  Her love for the sport and her home city spurred her to found the Omaha Equestrian Foundation in 2011, a 501(c)(3) that hosts an annual volunteer-run equestrian event, The International Omaha, and won the bid to host the 2017 World Cup Finals in Jumping and Dressage.    

Sara Williams, a graduate “A” member of Panache Pony Club in the Sierra Pacific Region, has been involved in Pony Club for over 28 years as a member, instructor, examiner, DC and RIC. She became an attorney in 2004 and has primarily focused her legal career on helping youth as a juvenile defense attorney. Combining her knowledge of horses with her legal profession, she also handles equine law cases, including anything from contract disputes, sales and lease agreements to equine related personal injury cases.
Her memories of Panache Pony Club in California are so special to Sara. She believes that because they had so many involved parents that supported the member’s successes, many graduates are still involved in Pony Club today. Sara has tried to bring that sense of involvement to the clubs she has worked with since she has graduated from Pony Club herself.
Grooming for Gina Miles was an amazing experience for Sara as she was able to see professional horsemanship at the very top levels, as they traveled the world with horses. She and Gina would joke about how they used all of their Pony Club skills through this incredible journey.
Sara has a three year old daughter, Crosby, and lives in Woodland, California.