Naples Equestrian Challenge

Our Administration Team

Sheryl Soukup, Executive Director

Over the last 13 years, Sheryl has served in a variety of nonprofit leadership roles, including service on nonprofit boards and committees at the local and statewide level, as well as eight years of experience as an executive director. Much of her experience in nonprofit leadership has been in the area of developmental disabilities. Most recently, Sheryl served as the executive director of Immokalee Housing & Family Services from 2006 to 2010. She is a Rotarian, a graduate of Leadership Collier (2008) and volunteers as a mentor in the Take Stock In Children program. Sheryl moved to Florida in 2002 from Boston, where she worked for Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Children’s Initiative. Prior to her work in social services, she enjoyed a career in science, primarily in microbiological research. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts.
“I am so excited to join NEC! Together we will accomplish great things for individuals with disabilities and the community as a whole. I can’t wait to meet all of the wonderful people that make this a strong and vibrant organization.”

Layne Waltbillig, Executive Assistant

Layne Waltbillig joined NEC as our Executive Assistant in February 2011. Layne is a Florida native from Port Charlotte and has lived in Naples for 6 years. She is a graduate of Florida State University and earned her degree in Finance. Prior to joining NEC, she taught math for Collier County Public Schools to middle and high school students. Layne was recently married to her husband, Nick, in February 2011, just prior to joining NEC.
Layne became interested in working at a nonprofit organization as a result of spending time as a volunteer in the office of Lighthouse of Collier. Her commitment to giving back to the community began in her college years, largely as a result of her participation in a sorority, Delta Gamma. Membership in Delta Gamma provided Layne with lots of opportunities to volunteer in community events. Layne continues to be involved in Delta Gamma through her alumnae chapter.

Missy Saracino, Program Administrator
During the summer of 2008, Missy became a part-time staff member of NEC as Saturday’s Volunteer Coordinator. Then in January 2010 she became a full time member of the NEC family as our Program Administrator.

Missy grew up in State College, Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management with an emphasis in Commercial and Community Recreation. While attending Penn State, she was the Commercial and Community Chair for the Recreation and Parks Management Student Society, a member of the Penn State Equestrian Team and was on the “Morale” Team for the largest student run philanthropy, Penn State’s Dance Marathon - an organization that dedicates time and efforts to helping children with cancer.

Missy has been in Southwest Florida for over 5 years now. Her past work experiences include working with the Marco YMCA as the Tennis and Sports Program Coordinator as well as working at an animal hospital.

In addition to volunteering with NEC for over two years, Missy also had the opportunity to volunteer with an FGCU Therapeutic Sports Challenge Event, in which she assisted in running the therapeutic tennis challenge. Additionally, she has also volunteered with the Humane Society and Habitat for Humanity in Collier County.

Paula Bowes, Program Coordinator

For the past 10 years, NEC has had the pleasure of calling Paula Bowes a volunteer. She began volunteering at NEC right after moving to Naples with her husband, Andy, and their daughters, Alex and Caroline. She has volunteered as a sidewalker, groom-and-tacker, leader and is one of our exercisers. She has served on NEC committees and has helped out with many special events and other projects. Paula enjoys helping NEC through one of her favorite hobbies - photography. She has captured many great moments throughout the years at NEC! In 2009, she was awarded the NEC Adult Volunteer of the Year. In May 2011, Paula began her employment with NEC as our Program Coordinator, putting all of her years of volunteer experience to work.

Paula is a Florida native from Coral Gables. She spent many years as an In Flight Supervisor and Flight Attendant for Air Florida, Midway, and Eastern Airlines. Aside from working at NEC, she uses her creative abilities as a Floral Designer for Sweetgrass Designs of Naples, and she has won numerous awards for her design work. Paula’s love for animals extends beyond horses, and she is a Certified Volunteer Dog Trainer under the Walter Turken Training for Adoption Program.

Our Instructors

Deborah Stafford-Antonelli

Deborah “Deb” Stafford-Antonelli is one of our NARHA certified riding instructors. She made her way to SW Florida from Boston, MA to escape the cold and snow. She resides in Naples, FL with her husband Stephen and her two children Austin and Ava. She stays busy with her various roles of wife, mom, teacher, and equestrian. Deb has a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts and a Master Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She is a drop out prevention teacher for the Collier County Public School System.

Deb has been around and involved with horses since she was a small child. She started riding at the grand old age of two and she and her pony Trinket spent countless hours together bonding. She helped with the family’s business of training and breeding Standard Bred Racehorses in her spare time. Deb participated in Pony Club during her high school years and competed on the intercollegiate riding team during her college years. After college, she still continued to spend time in the saddle helping to rehabilitate off the track racehorses. She still continues to ride and spends time training her horse in Dressage.
Eventually, she made her way to Florida and found NEC. She obtained her NARHA teaching certification in 2000 and was one of our first riding instructors. She has been with the program since we first started with a hand full of riders and two borrowed horses. Our program is grateful and blessed to have such a valued instructor aboard our team.

Lea Haven

Lea Haven ventured to Florida in 1988 from Bradford, PA. She and her husband Jim have owned their own general contacting company since 1999. She was blessed with a hubby who was very handy with a hammer and built her a barn in Golden Gate Estates on 5.5 acres. She loves to start her day with a walk down to the barn to hear the greetings from her two horses. Lea is very family orientated and loves to spend time with her two sons as well as her two grandchildren.

Lea holds a certification as a medical assistant and a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management. She worked for a construction company in Naples, FL for several years and also coached soccer for over 12 years. Life called for a change of pace when she lost her job in 2001. Her love of horses drew her to NEC as a volunteer. She spent 2-3 days a week helping with program, cleaning stalls, and exercising the program horses. Lea went on to obtain her NARHA instructor certification in 2003 and also took on the role of NEC’s equine manager.

Lea never had the opportunity to own her own horse until she moved to Florida. She enjoyed occasional rides as child, but did not break into the riding world until later in life. Lea connected with her first horse Carbon Copy “CC” who taught her confidence and an understanding of the equine world. Eventually, Lea bought a second horse DC Sensation, and the pair has worked their way up to First Level in the world of Dressage.

NEC is very happy to have this hard working gal aboard our team. She is not only a great instructor, but she is also our Barn & Property Manager.

Robin Heroth

Robin Heroth originally hails from St. Johnsville, New York. She ventured to Florida due to her husband’s job and has been busy enjoying the beauty of Southwest Florida. She and her husband Gerry have three wonderful children, Vanessa, Valerie, and C.J. who have kept the both of them busy with school, sports, and college graduations. The family currently resides in Naples, FL where Robin maintains and manages her own barn and small training facility. When Robin isn’t busy teaching, riding, or mucking stalls she enjoys fishing and golfing.

Robin’s love of horses started at an early age and throughout college she obtained several teaching certificates, including Lake Erie’s Riding for the Handicapped Program. She has been in charge of several other riding programs throughout the United States and she finally settled in Naples with a facility of her own. She has an extensive background in both riding and teaching Hunters, Eventing, and Dressage. She is still teaching lessons both for Hunters and Dressage.

Ms. Heroth obtained her Instructors Certificate for Therapeutic Riding from Lake Erie College in 1979. She also holds a BHS/Assistant Instructor’s Certification which she earned in 1980. She also holds a College Teaching Certificate from Lake Erie College.

Naples Equestrian Challenge was lucky to have Robin come aboard as a NARHA Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor in May of 2008. She was “roped” into getting certified by a fellow NEC instructor and has been stuck with us since then (although we are very glad she’s here). She currently teaches our Thursday morning classes as well as our Saturday Lesson Rotation. She has also helped to implement our exercise program for our therapeutic horses and assists in maintaining their health and physical well being.

Amy Murray

Amy Murray originally hails from Doylestown, PA. She and her husband J.D. moved to Naples, FL so that she could find a teaching job and he could play golf year round. Their daughter Sydney keeps them busy and together they enjoy swimming, reading, and playing with their two dogs Norman and Bailey. Amy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from West Chester University (Westchester, PA) and a Master’s Degree in Reading from Florida Gulf Coast University (Ft. Myers, FL). She also obtained her certification as an ESE (Exceptional Student Education) teacher for grades K-12. Amy puts her education to good use as an ESE inclusion teacher for Lely Elementary School where she works with learning disabled children.

Amy also has an extensive equestrian background as she began riding at 8 years old. She took riding lessons as a child up until she left for college and then joined the West Chester University Equestrian Team. Amy rode and competed with the university team for 5 years and also taught hunter/jumpers on a part time basis. Her riding discipline includes both hunter/jumpers and dressage. She continues to ride in her spare time and further her equine knowledge through dressage lessons.
Amy became involved with the Easter Seals (riding for the disabled) program in Allentown, PA. She started as a volunteer and eventually became an assistant instructor. NEC is glad Amy decided to make the move to Florida as she has now been one of our certified NARHA riding instructors for over 8 years. We’re glad to have her aboard our team.

Beth Yurkovac

Beth Yurkovac is one of our NARHA Certified Riding Instructors. She is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, spent most of her childhood in Gloucester, VA, and has called SW FL her home for the past 12 years. Beth graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelors Degree in Healthcare Administration and she is currently working on her Master’s Degree. She also obtained her certification as a Medical Reimbursement Specialist and has worked for a local physical therapy center since she moved to Naples.

She has a long history working and training horses. She first climbed into the saddle at the age of 7 and has been there ever since. She grew up riding Hunter’s and worked as a groom to pay for lessons and shows. She taught able bodied riding in Virginia and assisted in the breaking and training of green jumper’s. An injury took her out of the jumping scene, but she still spent her spare time at the barn teaching. She eventually became interested in Dressage and has been training in the sport for the last 11 years.
Beth has been with NEC since 1998. She started volunteering as a sidewalker and leader. She eventually took on the role of Equine Manager & Volunteer Coordinator. The more time she spent at NEC she found that her first love was teaching, so she obtained her NARHA teaching certification in September of 2002. She passed the other roles onto other eager helpers at NEC and concentrated on teaching. Beth has truly enjoyed her time spent at NEC and feels very blessed to be part of such a wonderful organization.