Editor’s note: Alex departed USDF in the fall of 2022.
Department: Education
Job title: Education Coordinator
What is your main task in the office?
To provide assistance to members with the Education Department programs such as Licensed Officials, Online Education, the GMO Education Initiative and USDF University.
Members may call you concerning:
USDF University credits, GMO Education Initiative clinics and events, Licensed Officials, USDF Apprentice Technical Delegate Clinic, online and virtual educational opportunities
How long have you been with USDF?
I started working at USDF in October 2018.
How did you get started?
After graduating college, I worked as a horse show secretary for HITS, Inc. in Saugerties, NY, which runs hunter/jumper shows, for about a year. I then saw the opportunity for the position with USDF and knew that I would enjoy working at a company that is dedicated to promoting and educating equestrians about dressage.
What is the favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is being able to go to work every day and be immersed in the dressage community.
What is your favorite part of USDF?
I also really enjoy working in the Kentucky Horse Park and being able to pop over to the Rolex Arena to watch the horse shows on my lunch break!
Share a little about yourself.
I grew up near Syracuse, NY, and began riding at age seven. I got my first pony, Sunny, for my 11th birthday, and competed him in 4-H English, western, and dressage, and open shows. I got my second horse, Daffy’s Son Shine (Coqui), a Paint gelding, in 2010 and then began competing exclusively in dressage. With the help of many trainers along the way, I earned my USDF Bronze Medal in 2019 with Coqui, and now have half of the required scores for the Silver Medal. In November 2020, I purchased a young Canadian Warmblood to bring up the levels. We are currently competing at Training and First Level.
I graduated from Cazenovia College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Management, with a specialization in Equine Business Management. I competed on the IDA Equestrian Team during all four years at Cazenovia. At the 2016 IDA Nationals, I was the Overall National Champion of the USDF/IDA Quiz Challenge and won the opportunity to complete an internship at Hilltop Farm in Colora, MD, during the Summer of 2016. I moved to Kentucky in October 2018, along with Coqui, when I accepted the position at USDF. I will be graduating in December 2021 from Midway University with a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Equine Management.
