Board of Directors

President

Jacob grew up at Southlands, having taken his first ride here at age 4. He has been a part of the Southlands family for over a quarter century.  As a child, he rode in pony camps, graduated to be one of the counselors and he competed in many horse shows across the region including many years at the Dutchess County Fair. Today, one can often find him riding his mare Salem around the farm. He continues to volunteer in many ways, assisting our barn staff with maintaining our grounds, managing our herd and offering his technological services & expertise to the office staff. His support of the Southlands school of horsemanship, deep connection to our history and his work with our buildings & grounds reflects his deep dedication to Southlands. Most notably, he created the Nicole Marie Wiley Scholarship Fund to honor his late wife who he met at Southlands and served as our Barn Manager. This fund supports working students in their horsemanship education at Southlands and their ability to participate in shows and clinics in the local community. His involvement through the years is testament of his love for Southlands.

Treasurer

Suzanne Battenfeld has a decades long career at IBM as a marketing executive as well as her own entrepreneurial endeavors within her family’s farm, Battenfeld’s Flower & Christmas Tree Farm (one of the region’s oldest & most beloved businesses).   Suzanne grew up riding at Southlands, where her family rode as young children as well. Today, she continues to ride and enjoy her horse Witano and has been a dedicated supporter of The Southlands Foundation and its mission.

Non-Executive Director

Liz Golden Hilton is a long-time supporter of The Southlands Foundation. As young girl, Liz rode with Deborah Dows (then known as Mrs. Thomas) as her instructor. Her first lesson was in 1966. Ms. Golden Hilton credits her experiences under Deborah as having instilled a strong compassion for animals and stewardship of our natural landscape. Liz is also a Southlands volunteer and works with our longtime neighbors & partner 501c3, Samaritan Daytop Village Rehabilitation Center in a weekly equine-assisted program. Liz has extensive not-for- profit experience and currently serves on the boards of St. Francis Hospital (which helped form what is now Mid-Hudson Regional) and the Hyde Park Visual Environment Committee, focusing its efforts on beautifying the Historic Town of Hyde Park. She also serves as a volunteer for these two organizations. Additionally, Ms. Golden Hilton expresses her love & appreciation for all animals with over two decades as a volunteer at the Dutchess County SPCA .

Secretary

Cathleen Tobin grew up riding at Southlands in the 1980’s as it transitioned from Southlands Farm to The Southlands Foundation. What began as weekly lessons in elementary school evolved to active participation in Pony Club and Summer Program (now Pony Camp), and relationships with multiple lease horses. Cathleen is grateful for how Deb Dows and the broader Southlands family instilled a sense of resilience and shaped her appreciation for nature, the land and the creatures it supports.

Cathleen is the founder of Moonbridge Financial Design, LLC, an independent financial planning firm in Rhinebeck that serves women who take the lead on financial decision making in their households. She became a financial planner after fifteen years in global financial inclusion, as a strategy consultant helping financial institutions better reach and serve women clients. Previously, she held marketing and brand management roles at Johnson &Johnson, Revlon and Unilever, both in the US and abroad. Cathleen has an MBA from Cornell University. She is a member of the Rhinebeck Rotary Finance Committee, and serves on the board of the Sisters of Charity Housing Development Corporation, which maintains a network of affordable housing units in New York City, Rockland, and Ulster Counties.

Volunteer Coordinator

Katy Kollar moved to Rhinebeck with her family in 2014 and was introduced to Southlands by her neighbor, Susi Williams. For the past three years, she has volunteered with Southlands’ unmounted equine therapy program, which supports both Samaritan Daytop and the Anderson Center for Autism. A longtime volunteer, Katy previously served with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps at a women’s shelter in Alaska and later ran a successful small business on Long Island before settling in the Hudson Valley to raise her three children. She is also a strong advocate for her son, Owen, who resides in a group home through the Anderson Center, where she has held leadership roles with Anderson Family Partners and served on several committees. Katy currently works part-time at Starr Library and enjoys life in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Kevin.

Kathy Zitz grew up in Rhinebeck and has owned a local business with her husband Jim since 1989 (Warren Cutlery), where she manages the finances. A longtime horse owner, Kathy took her first riding lessons at The Southlands Foundation with the venerable John Craven. She currently owns and manages her two horses at her home in Rhinebeck, and is intimately familiar with the daily care and health concerns of equines. She rides regularly and enjoys honing her skills in dressage with her Warmblood gelding. As a local resident for six decades, she is well-versed in local community needs and history. Kathy is a strong advocate for environmentally responsible land use and education about the wonders of nature that surround us in the incredible landscape of Southlands.