Our Team

Equestrian Services, LLC, a company that caters to the various needs of the equestrian community, is the brain child of Michael M. Donovan, a former award winning landscape designer and contractor, and his wife Jennifer Donovan, a life-long horse owner and competitive dressage rider. Although Equestrian Services was officially launched in the year 2000, it has been evolving since the couple met in California over a decade ago.

Michael Donovan, Principal

Michael Donovan, principal of Equestrian Services, has more than 20 years of experience in planning, project management and construction, with a broad range of programming, design, development, and in-field experience in community, resort, municipal project and private residential development. This experience is augmented by his formal scientific training, and earlier work in academic research and environmental consulting. His current project work includes: equestrian amenity feasibility studies, equestrian community master planning, development, and marketing; equestrian facility planning, design, construction, and management; riding arena evaluation, design, renovation, construction, and maintenance; and barn operations management and business planning.

Michael’s in-field project management experiences began with design/build landscape contracting and included completing a California Landscape Contractor’s Association award-winning project in Fairbanks Ranch while vice president of RBM Enterprises, in San Diego in 1992. Michael’s first "horse project,” the Albert Court Ltd. Linda Allen Grand Prix course which was completed prior to the 1992 Volvo World Cup in Del Mar, California, was connected to the complete landscaping of the farm he did with RBM Enterprises. He then worked with the Los Angeles-based environmental consulting firm Meredith/Boli & Associates, developing and performing large-scale environmental assessments and mitigation projects, including work on the PG&E “Erin Brockovich” project and remediating underground storage tank issues at Bank of America Data Centers throughout the United States.

After returning to the east coast in the mid-1990s, Michael and his wife Jennifer, a life-long equestrian, began developing Equestrian Services, LLC. Initially providing complete equestrian-related contracting services in Maryland, but wanting to offer the highest-quality services to the broadest group of clients, they grew Equestrian Services into the planning, design, and operations company it is today. Since its establishment in 2000, Michael has had direct involvement with more than 200 clients, including private farm owners, international community and resort developers, municipal governments and national agencies.

The rigor and precision encountered throughout the firm’s work is based in Michael’s scientific training. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Vermont and his M.S. in Chemistry from the University of California, San Diego. His commitment to both the development and equestrian industries is demonstrated by his membership in the Urban Land Institute, the American Resort Development Association, the National Frame Builders Association, the US Equestrian Federation, US Equestrian Team Foundation, the Maryland and Virginia Horse Councils, and his lead partnership role with the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource. He also currently holds a Contractor’s License.

Jennifer Donovan, Principal

Jennifer Donovan, co-founder and visionary for Equestrian Services, LLC and Equestrian Management, LLC, has owned and cared for horses for over 35 years. She comes from a family of equestrians; her mother currently owns seven horses and, at the age of 65, trains daily and competes in dressage. Growing up in Maryland, Jennifer was an avid pony clubber and hunter/jumper competitor. In her adult life, she began the transition into dressage while living in California.

Jennifer learned business practices in the field from her father, who started a temporary staffing service in the 1970’s. She worked initially along side her father after completing her B.A. degree from the University of Maryland and watched this business grow from a one-office company to a publicly traded international powerhouse.

After a move to California in the 1980’s, Jennifer spent the next 16 years in the film and video industry. First serving as script supervisor on several feature films and music videos, and then as producer, director, writer and editor for environmental and social issue documentaries for television. During this time, she also served as Barn Manager for a residential community in southern California. In the late eighties, Jennifer founded Earth Vision Productions, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide quality educational documentaries to schools, interpretive centers, museums and television. That organization is still active and is celebrating its 15th year.

Jennifer Donovan has an intricate knowledge of equestrian facilities, including riding arenas, footing, fencing, pasture renovation, and construction, as well as all horse-related care and activities. She has a proven track record of interpersonal skills that enables the development of relationships with customers, staff and equestrian community organizations as well as effective oral and written communication skills. She prides herself with excellent planning, organizational, and follow-up skills and has demonstrated superior leadership and true equestrian management skills. Teamed with other market analysis professionals, Jennifer is positioned to provide comprehensive services for residential and resort developers, as well as municipality administrators. With her firsthand knowledge of the development process, she, along with other team members, are able to provide market research, data analysis, and marketing strategy to create focused buyer and customer profiles that allow us to determine exactly what equestrian amenities, equestrian services and programs are the highest and have the best use for a project to optimize sales and increase return on investment for our clients.

After 35 years in the equestrian industry, Jennifer had a vision of raising the bar in the equestrian services industry. This vision encompassed creating a professional standard for quality design that focuses on safety and efficiency of care, all the while creating an equine profession built on sound business practices, customer service, and quality management, training and instruction.

Jennifer currently trains and competes in dressage, she has earned her USDF Bronze Medal, and she is half way to earning her Silver Medal on Renard, her Dutch Warmblood imported from Holland.

Gary Henry, CEO

Gary Henry was tapped by Equestrian Services, LLC (EQSV) and Equestrian Management, LLC (EQMT) to serve as CEO in November 2006.

Gary has more than 30 years of experience, spanning leadership, strategy, business process, change management, finance, IT, and marketing. His ability to reconcile financial goals with process improvement and technological change has helped many organizations evolve to the next level.

With Gary’s experience in process, technology, finance and marketing he has helped Equestrian Services, LLC and Equestrian Management, LLC implement initiatives appropriate for our organization’s size and stage of development with the ultimate goal of serving our client’s and their needs as a priority every step of the way. Gary continues to provide a broad perspective to discover opportunities and deep experience to focus on what really matters. Prior to founding G F Henry and Associates, and joining EQSV and EQMT, Gary was Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of Dominion Digital, a business process and technology consulting firm for many leading companies in the mid-Atlantic region. Gary served as CEO from 2001 through 2003 when Dominion Digital was named one of the 50 fastest growing Virginia companies by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to joining Dominion Digital, Gary was with General Electric for 26 years where he received numerous awards for leadership in business process re-engineering, operations management, business startup, marketing, sales, information systems, e-commerce and product development. At the age of 22, Gary started a new business for General Electric in Europe and in over 6 years he opened 6 offices across the continent. As a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Gary is an expert in business process improvement, Six Sigma, Lean methods, and change leadership.

Alejandra Abella, Project Director for Equestrian services, LLC & Director of Equestrian Management, LLC

Alejandra Abella is Project Director for Equestrian Services and Director of Equestrian Management, LLC. She is a trainer and a Certified Instructor / Stable Manager with the American Riding Instructors' Association. She graduated with a BA, Magna Cum Laude, and she holds a CC in Horse Science, from which she graduated Suma Cum Laude. She also has done graduate work in Animal Science. She was awarded the 2004 Instructor of the Year Award by the American Riding Instructors' Association, and she has been featured in The Horseman's Radio Weekly, Horse Talk, The Equiery, and The Chronicle of the Horse. She sits on the Equine Business Management Curriculum Advisory Committee at the Institute of Applied Agriculture of the University of Maryland, and she is a past member of the Horse Welfare Committee of the United States Hunter-Jumper Association. She was a National Merit Scholar and a member of five honor societies in college, and she is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.

Alejandra has more than 30 years' experience in handling, riding, owning and training horses, as well as showing experience in eventing, jumping, pleasure and hunter disciplines, both in Europe and the United States. She followed her dream to join the equestrian industry professionally after a decade spent in a corporate career in international development banking at the Inter-American Development Bank, headquartered in Washington, DC. During her tenure at the Bank, she was involved in international event and conference organization, team and crisis management, media relations, and audio-visual production. She was a member of the Bank’s first television production team, with monthly satellite feeds throughout Latin America, and she led the team for this work, as well as for several social documentaries, to win the first Inter-American Development Bank Outstanding Team Award in 1997. Following her stint at the Bank, she worked for French custom-saddlers Devoucoux and Antarès, having been instrumental in this last brand’s business start-up in the U.S.

Alejandra has traveled widely and/or lived in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and today she owns her own horse farm in Maryland. She is an avid reader, researcher, observer, and follower of other trainers' methods and writings, staying current on equine training and teaching disciplines of renowned trainers such as Linda Tellington -Jones, George Morris, John Lyons, Jane Savoie, Monty Roberts, and Michael Page, among many others.

Michele Schwartz, Architect/Equine Land Planner

Michele Schwartz has joined the company as Architect and Equine Planner where she will design equestrian facility site layouts and provide architectural consultation for the associated buildings. Schwartz is a Registered Architect in Virginia and Indiana with more than 10 years of experience in the field including projects in the education, civic, health care, residential and commercial markets.

"It's an exciting time to be part of equestrian development," says Schwartz. "As an avid rider, I am delighted to help Equestrian Services conceive and build top-notch horse amenities. This company has such a commitment to ensuring both horse and rider have access to the highest quality facilities."

"I have always been interested in horses and design, so you could say this opportunity had my name written on it," she adds.

Schwartz comes to Equestrian with impressive credentials including a degree in architecture from Kent State University. While at Kent, Schwartz participated in the study abroad program in Florence, Italy. She has also attended various continuing education seminars and conferences on Land Planning, Urban Planning, Sustainable Design, and Solar Energy.

Michele and her horse Jet Set compete in eventing. They competed at the very first American Eventing Championships. Michele is also Assistant Editor for Optimum Times, the USEA Area II quarterly newsletter, and is an active Area II Adult Rider member.

Lindsey McDaniel, Junior Equine Planner

Lindsey joins Equestrian Services, LLC and Equestrian Management, LLC as a Junior Equine Planner. She graduated from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC in May of 2007, with a degree in Landscape Architecture and a minor in Environmental Science. Her interests in landscape architecture lie in land preservation and environmentally sensitive projects. For her senior-year final project, Lindsey worked to design an educational and recreational park that utilized the natural and cultural features of a 1,000-acre farm in Woodford, VA. While landscape architecture is her first passion, horses do not fall far behind.

Lindsey became a horse owner for the first time when she was 15. Her first horse was an Appaloosa gelding that she showed competitively in the Appaloosa circuit throughout the Midwest, and later the east coast, when she moved from Iowa to North Carolina. During her time in North Carolina, Lindsey expanded her equestrian activities and began fox hunting and eventing. While Lindsey does not still have her own horse today, she stays involved by riding friends' horses and going to watch local horse events.

Outside of landscape architecture and horses, Lindsey enjoys traveling, sand volleyball, boating and photography. As our newest member of Equestrian Services, LLC and Equestrian Management, LLC, Lindsey joins the team excited about combining her passion in landscape architecture with her interest in horses.

Shelley Van den Neste, General Manager, The Oaks at Lake City

Shelley Van den Neste is the General Manager and Riding Director for The O’Connor Signature Equestrian Facility at The Oaks of Lake City, FL. She is the onsite extension of Equestrian Management, and she ensures that the horses are well-cared-for and the lesson program is running smoothly, as well as managing onsite staff. Shelley draws on her extensive equestrian experience when she teaches lessons and trains horses at the facility.

Prior to joining EQMT, Shelley gained more than 17 years' experience managing public, commercial and residential community equestrian facilities. She was director of the Equestrian Center at Promontory, a resort community in Park City, Utah; Equestrian Facility Manager at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, a public facility owned by Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation; Manager of Sunrise Farms Sport Horses, Inc., a breeding and commercial operation in Jupiter, Florida; and Summer Director of the Riding Academy for Raquette Lake Camps in Raquette Lake, New York. Prior to her professional career in the equestrian industry, Shelley was Facility Manager and Program Designer for The Ryan Group in Red Bank, New Jersey, where she developed software programs to interface with CAD drawings and assist in facility management. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of South Florida.

Highlights of Shelley’s management experience include organizing clinics with renowned clinicians like Walter Zettl while at Promontory; managing and marketing the 892-acre, eight-arena show facility at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center for signature benefit events, United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) sanctioned events, local equestrian groups, special needs groups and casual park users; managing two barns, training up to 20 horses, instructing students in a multitude of disciplines and levels up to USEF class A shows and National Championships in the U.S. and in Europe; conducting clinics and judging horse shows with Sunrise Farms Sport Horses, Inc.; and developing and designing the facility for Raquette Lake, as well as writing the facility’s training manual, providing horses, and selecting and training all staff for the eight-week summer camp program, which hosted up to 60 riders from ages eight through 14.

Shelley is an accomplished rider, instructor and coach with achievements including “Graduate with Distinction” from the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) L program for judges in training. In addition, she earned USDF Bronze and Silver medals and also coached riders to achieve Bronze and Silver medals in dressage. From 2002 to 2005, Shelley was the U.S. National Reserve Champion and Top Ten in Dressage at the 4th level, Prix St. George and Intermediate 1. She also has riding, teaching and showing experience and accomplishments in other disciplines including Regional and National championships in saddleseat, Western pleasure, hunt-seat, and equitation. Shelley has wins from the National Show Horse Finals, Arabian and Half-Arabian Nationals, as well as the Arabian and Half-Arabian Sport Horse Nationals.

Kristi Seymour, General Manager, Bergen Equestrian Center

Kristi Seymour joins Equestrian Professionals (affiliate of Equestrian Services & Equestrian Management) as the General Manager for the Bergen County Equestrian Center. Kristi has been tapped as General Manager to ensure the county’s mission is being upheld, to bring the staff together as a unified team, to oversee substantial renovations, to improve the conditions for the horses, to create systems, protocols, responsibility and accountability, and to transition all staff to Equestrian Professional personnel.

Prior to joining EQMT, Kristi worked in the non-profit sector and has over 12 years experience as a licensed clinical therapist. She holds several specialized clinical certifications ranging from crisis intervention and disaster debriefing to equine therapy through the EAGALA model, as well as psychotherapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Dialectical Behavioral Training (DBT). She has worked with various law enforcement agencies such as the LAPD, and shespecializes in Traumatic Stress. She has been published on the topics of Effects of Trauma on Child Development and Effects of Community Violence. Kristi’s management experience includes over five years of program management, and she has also held a private practice. Kristi holds a M.A. in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickenson University and a M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. Both degrees were awarded with distinction.

Developing and executing programs are Kristi’s strengths, and she is able to apply detailed quantitative analysis to equestrian projects and develop strategies that will help facilities capture and keep a competitive advantage while implementing best practice strategies. For example, she developed equestrian programs for exclusive residential mental health treatment facilities. At those facilities, she selected all the horses, trained them under saddle, planned and supervised facility construction, hired staff and developed protocols. She also oversaw the first Pony Club certification into that market. Kristi has also worked internationally as a consultant and was responsible for relaunching a drug and alcohol treatment facility.

Kristi has been an equestrian for 33 years with experience handling, riding and training. As a child, Kristi got her first blue ribbon at eight years of age doing Pony Club. During her youth in South Florida, she competed in the Quarter Horse and Appaloosa breed circuits, winning many local, state, regional and national high point and championship awards with her horses. She has ridden and showed in various disciplines, in both English and Western. Over the last 20 years, she has focused on riding jumpers and showed for many years on the “A” circuit riding with leading trainers in the Large Amateur Owner Jumpers and Small Grand Prix classes with her Hanoverian, Kallista. Kristi loves bringing along young horses under saddle and starting them over fences. Most recently, Kristi was honored to be asked to consult and develop protocols, as well as provide training and horse care for the Royal Stables of His Majesty King George Tupou V in the Kingdom of Tonga.

In her spare time, Kristi enjoys traveling internationally, having been to several island nations in the South Pacific, Israel and New Zealand recently. She is an avid reader and also loves to work out at the gym, snow ski and play tennis.

John Williamson, CFO, Equestrian Services and Equestrian Management

John Williamson is responsible for accounting, reconciling accounts, and tracking accounts payable and accounts receivable for both companies. John uses his 25-plus years of financial management experience to coordinate the corporate EQSV and EQMT books along with the accounts for the individual equestrian facilities run by Equestrian Management.

Prior to joining EQSV and EQMT, John was Controller / CFO for CROfessionals, LLC; CFO / Business Manager for Octagon Partners, LLC; Senior Cost Analyst for Pharmaceutical Research Associates, Inc.; Special Projects Director for The Rochester Corporation; Cost Accountant for Avionics Specialties Incorporated Teledyne Avionics Incorporated; and Attorney at Law with Williamson and Associates. John holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond.