Management Profiles

Lua Oas Southard - CEO

Lua's publishing, marketing and advertising career started in 1969; in 1973 she helped launch the national publication Practical Horseman. For 11 years Lua was President and CEO of Southard & Associates, one of the nation's largest equine-oriented advertising agencies. In 1991 she was enticed to return to the publishing industry by Cowles Magazines. During her six-year tenure at Cowles, Lua was, among other things, the publisher of Practical Horseman. She also served as Director of Equine Marketing for all of Cowles equestrian titles and forged a joint marketing agreement between Cowles and the American Association of Equine Practitioners for a 400-page book, titled Hands-on Horse Care, published by Horse & Rider magazine. Lua is a Past President of American Horse Publications, a national, non-profit association dedicated to promoting better understanding and communication within the equine publishing industry, and she served two terms on the National Western Heritage Month Board. Her career and marketing philosophy is profiled in the 2001-2002 Tack 'n Togs Annual Buyer's Guide.

Cassandra Lizza - Media and Communications Manager

Cassandra joined Equine Resources International in November of 2005. She graduated from Goucher College with a B.A. in English and business management. While at school, she completed a public relations and advertising internship with Breyer Animal Creations. After graduating she continued to work with Breyer, writing press releases, articles and other marketing materials. She also worked closely with the events manager to assist with promotional events, including a three-day consumer event held annually at the Kentucky Horse Park that attracts over 4,000 attendees. A rider since the age of ten, she competed successfully on the Arabian circuit. She learned to ride saddleseat before specializing in huntseat, but also enjoys dressage and side saddle. While attending Goucher she was a member of the Intercollegiate Equestrian Team.

Click here to read about her 2008 horseshow season.

Rebecca Pitcher - Media and Communications Manager

Rebecca joined Equine Resources International (ERI) in July of 2005. She graduated from Cazenovia College with a B.P.S in Equine Business Management. While at school, she completed various equine-related internships, including a publication internship with Hoofprints magazine in Woodstock, IL through the American Horse Publications (AHP) organization. While there, she wrote event coverage articles, editorial and took photographs for Hoofprints and the Hooved Animal Humane Society website. Her other internship experiences include, completing a reporting internship with the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and assisting with the production of the 2003 National Reining Horse Association Futurity and Championship Horse show in Oklahoma City, OK. In addition, she has done freelance articles for the PRIMEDIA Equine Network and covered the 2004 Quarter Horse Congress for Quarter Horse News and Barrel Horse News. As a student member of AHP, she was selected as a finalist in the annual award contest in both 2003 and 2004. Rebecca has ridden since the age of seven and competed successfully as an all-around on the Quarter horse circuit. While attending Cazenovia she competed on the Intercollegiate Western Equestrian team and was a member of the Equine Ambassador Club. While working at ERI, Rebecca is continuing her education by taking additional journalism and communications classes.

Our in-house experts are supported by an impressive roster of freelance specialists who provide a wealth of resources to help produce, develop and implement client projects and programs.

Mary Fisher - Art Director

Mary is the owner of Fisher Arts & Graphics in nearby West Chester, Pennsylvania. A graduate of Kutztown University with a B.F.A. in Communications Design, Mary started her graphics career with Lua Southard as a member of the Southard & Associates staff in 1986. She now has over 17 years of experience as a graphic artist and project coordinator, along with extensive experience working within a corporate graphics environment. Mary understands the need for creative work under tight deadlines and budgets. Along with her corporate graphic experience—which includes seven years with Pfizer Animal Health—Mary has taught courses at the Chester County Art Association and volunteered as an art instructor in Namibia, Africa. Her current clients include Pfizer Animal Health, Equine Resources International, Citadel Federal Credit Union and Brandywine Optics Inc.

Teresa Avery - Consultant

A marketing and public relations veteran, Teresa worked with ERI for more than 10 years as a full-time member of staff. Now a consultant, she brings not only her years of experience, but also an impressive set of business skills honed during the completion of her MBA at Pennsylvania State University's Smeal College of Business. Her advanced business degree complements her background and undergraduate degree in agricultural communications from The Ohio State University. A long-time horse woman, Teresa grew up riding Quarter horses in Ohio and now rides a warmblood on the east coast. No matter the horse, as long as she's in the saddle, she's happy!

Dean A. Hoffman, ERI Affiliate

Dean served as the Executive Editor of Hoof Beats, the largest Standardbred magazine, for 24 years, and recently formed Hoffman Communications LLC, an affiliate of ERI. Prior to taking over at Hoof Beats, he worked in advertising and public relations capacities in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. He is an award-winning writer and photographer and he currently serves as president of American Horse Publications. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Communicators Corner at the Harness Racing Museum in New York in July, 2007. In 2005, he won Harness Tracks of America's highest honor, the Stanley F. Bergstein Messenger Award for "exceptionally outstanding and meritorious service to the sport of harness racing and unparalleled contributions to its literature." He has traveled to numerous European countries and has addressed associations in Sweden, Norway and Finland. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program since 1981. His articles have appeared in equine publications around the world and he is the author of four books on horses.

Toby Raymond - Project Manager

Toby Raymond has been involved with horses throughout her life. Having attended Morvan Park Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, Virginia, shown hunter/jumpers, galloped racehorses, groomed trotters, exercised polo ponies, as well as having assisted veterinarians at Thoroughbred racetracks in NY and FL, she has combined her equestrian background with a seventeen year career as a commercial film producer to bring yet another dimension to Equine Resources International.

Through her company, TLR & Associates, a creative resource for equine related businesses, Toby has united with ERI on several projects in addition to her having relationships of her own with Absorbine, Cargill Animal Health (Acco Brands, Nutrena), Eqyss Grooming Products, Featherlite Trailers, Life Data Labs (Farrier's Formula), and several editors for whom she writes on assignment.

Meg Mullery - Capitol Hill Correspondent for Equine Insider

Meg has lived and worked in Washington, DC for more than twenty years. Her political experience includes a stint in the Senate liaison office of the White House, working on several presidential and congressional campaigns, and lobbying efforts for various clients. Meg's lifelong love of everything equine propelled her to take her first riding lesson well into adulthood. She now splits her time between Washington and Virginia's horse country where she continues dressage and jumping training.