board of directors

 Susan has a degree in Special Education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and worked for the Glendale Union High School District for 30 years. In that time, Susan piloted three programs for the district: a transition program, a Life Skills program and a Sensory Integration Program. She has worked with students with a wide range of disabilities and has served as Department Chair for Special Education at Greenway High School for 16 years. One passion for Susan was helping her students learn to navigate the complex social world they live in. After gaining so much personal growth through interactions with the horses, Susan decided it would be ideal to pass along some of those lessons to her students. In her retirement, she plans to continue this endeavor through hosting other teachers and their students. 

 Jim Gath comes from a family of horsemen – his grandfather was a trick rider, trainer and horse trader, one of his uncles was a jockey and another was an owner of rather questionably talented racehorses. As a kid, horses were an important part of his life, but he began his adult life taking a different trail. He worked in a variety of occupations, such as a one of the founders of USA Today, but he always knew he’d end up with horses. Jim founded Rancho Tierra Madre in 2008 as a boarding facility and eventually took in more of his own horses than boarders. And that’s when the sanctuary was born. The rest, they say, is history. 

 Jean Gath is a founding member of Tierra Madre Horse Sanctuary. She is currently a principal at Pfeiffer Partners Architects Inc. where she oversees campus, cultural, and community master planning and programming assignments. She additionally oversees urban design and strategic development efforts. From Pfeiffer Partners’ website: “Her strengths include an ability to implement visionary solutions in ways that are cost effective and allow for future flexibility.” This strength plays a key role in helping to guide Tierra Madre Horse & Human Sanctuary to a sustainable future. 

 Dr. Keyser initially received a BA in business administration majoring in business management, but realized she had a greater love for horses than riding and volunteering. She attended Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. During her time in College Station, she was employed in the large animal ICU at Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. After veterinary school, she completed an internship at Reata Equine Hospital in Weatherford, TX. Dr. Keyser is an equine general practitioner who provides ambulatory and in-clinic services. She currently works at Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center and is ready to go at a moment’s notice. 

 Leika has always been a passionate animal lover and jumped at the opportunity to volunteer at Tierra Madre when she and her husband relocated to Arizona. A native of New Jersey, Leika attended Duke University on an athletic scholarship where she was a member of the women's soccer team. Earning a B.A. in Sociology, Leika has held marketing and administrative roles for several large companies in the financial services and real estate industry and currently works as a consultant for an investment company. In addition to volunteering her time at Tierra Madre, Leika is also a member of the Duke University Asian Alumni Association and served as an alumni admissions interviewer. She supports various animal welfare and human services organizations and is on the Be The Match bone marrow registry. 

 Valerie Salembier is a senior executive with experience in brand turnarounds. She has diverse experience in leadership management, marketing, sales, finance, circulation and manufacturing. Salembier has led the teams responsible for the turnarounds of Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar and Town and Country magazines. She has been President of the New York Post, Sr. Vice President of the New York Times and Sr. Vice President of USA Today. In her later career, she was Assistant Police Commissioner for the NYPD. Currently, Ms. Salembier is an Executive Mentor for ExCo Leadership, a firm that offers mentoring services to CEOs and C- suite executives. Salembier is also a writer who specializes in articles on business and career development. Among her awards and honors, she received the New York Women in Communications Matrix Award for Exceptional Achievement. She is one of ten founders of fantasy baseball and is an author of Rotisserie League Baseball.