TEWKSBURY TRAIL ASSOCIATION
MEET THE BOARD MEMBERS
CATHY FOSTER
TTA Board Position: President, Liaison to Tewksbury Township
Where Did I Grow Up: Texas and NY.
What Did I Study In School: Business Administration.
When Did I Move to Tewksbury: 1991; I was drawn by the beautiful countryside. It was definitely worth the commute.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: I've been part of the TTA since 1998 and I love the mission of the Association and the heart and camaraderie of its members.
What Do I Do For Fun: I love to spend time with my family, ride my horses, hike along the beautiful trails here, and participate in obedience and schutzhund with my German Shepherds, Gunner and Aska. And I do love the fun, creativity, and rewards that come with gardening!
What's My Favorite Animal: I love them all. But I love mine the most of course, including my horses, dogs, cats, bird, fish, and blue-tongued skink!
What's My Favorite Food: There's nothing better than home-grown Jersey tomatoes and fresh basil.
If I Had A Super Power: I would put an end to animal cruelty and neglect.
GIA-RAQUEL ESPOSITO
TTA Board Position: Vice President, Liaison to the Tewksbury Equestrian Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Pittstown, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Corporate Communications.
Where Do I Live: I moved to Tewksbury in 2019.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Exploring our lovely landscape with even lovelier people and sharing our passion for horses with the community.
What Do I Do For Fun: When I'm not with my horses, I love hiking with my Corgi, Abernathy, and working on our mutual paddle-boarding skills!
What's My Favorite Animal: Platypus :-)
What's My Favorite Food: Avocados and anything made with them!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: The ability to heal any ailment be it to human, equine, canine, or other!
LOUISA SARGENT
TTA Board Position: Secretary, Liaison to Tewksbury Land Trust & New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Where Did I Grow Up: Chatham, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Spanish.
When Did I Move to Tewksbury: 2007.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Bonding with other horse lovers.
What Do I Do For Fun: Play with horses, read, swim, hike.
What's My Favorite Animal: Horses and cats.
What's My Favorite Food: Chocolate!! Ice Cream!!!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: Fly... of course!
ROXANNE SOROKO
TTA Board Position: Treasurer & Online Communications Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Montville, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Business Communications, Marketing, and Advertising.
When Did I Move to Tewksbury: 2005.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: The immense network of trails that run through both private and public lands.
What Do I Do For Fun: Ride, of course, and spend time with my family.
What's My Favorite Animal: Horse, of course!
What's My Favorite Food: Burgers and fries.
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: The power to add more time to each day!
MELISSA SCHMEIDER
TTA Board Position: Membership Services & Hospitality Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Allendale, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Business and marketing.
Where Do I Live: My horse actually moved to Tewksbury in November 2020 and I live in Long Valley (moved there 18 years ago).
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Bonding with other horse lovers and enjoying the beauty of the area.
What Do I Do For Fun: Play with horses and dogs, make pottery!
What's My Favorite Animal: All creatures but mostly horses, dogs, donkeys, elephants, giraffes and foxes.
What's My Favorite Food: German food, anything my husband or Mom cooks.
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: The ability to heal the sick!
Where Did I Grow Up: Morris County, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Science and literature . . . funny, since I work in a math world now!
When Did I Move to Tewksbury: 2004.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Having a network of friends and horse people who treasure their horses, and dogs & cats, as much as I do! Also, the awesome scenery along the Tewksbury trails.
What Do I Do For Fun: Ride, read, swim.
What's My Favorite Animal: It's a tie between horses, cats, and dogs
What's My Favorite Food: LOBSTER!!!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: The ability to talk to animals!
JOY CUSTER
TTA Board Position: Trail Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Paramus, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Business/Finance.
Where Do I Live: Tewksbury, NJ, since 2016.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Trail clearing and meeting all the gracious board members/members on the way!
What Do I Do For Fun: Trail clearing with my power tools and my tractor. I love power tools! Also, I host raft floats down the Delaware in the summer and love to paddleboard.
What's My Favorite Animal: My geldings VALIANT AND GENT and my dog Ella.
What's My Favorite Food: Anything but TRIPE!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: End corruption in the government on every level with my new invention - laser truth tool!
KATHI DECK
TTA Board Position: Landowner Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Martinsville, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Hotel/Restaurant Management & Real Estate
Whe Do I Live: Bedminster, NJ
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: How the community/landowners come together to celebrate horse/rider!
What Do I Do For Fun: House hunting (Real Estate career), everything horse, playing with my dogs, kayaking, biking… If I ever have time!
What's My Favorite Animal: Dogs & horses
What's My Favorite Food: Seafood
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: Slowing down the aging process for all!
MARY ANNE GERRITY
TTA Board Position: Landowner Committee & Hospitality Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Linden, NJ.
What Did I Study In School: Business but my career eventually went to the wonderful world of exports, which I enjoyed for 20 years.
Where Do I Live: In 2019, my childhood dream was to live on a farm - and I finally - my dream came true! I live in Tewksbury!!
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: Trail clearing and meeting all the gracious board members/members on the way!
What Do I Do For Fun: Anything to do with horses! I also love to travel and read.
What's My Favorite Animal: Horses and cats but I also love the donkeys and chickens I live with and the llamas I visit in the Adirondacks.
What's My Favorite Food: Anything but liver!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: To be able to get people to communicate to resolve difference.
Barbara Emmer Bernard
TTA Board Position: Trail Committee
Where Did I Grow Up: Summit, NJ
What Did I Study In School: BS in Accounting and a BS in Management
Where Do I Live: I live on Sutton Road, Califon for 5 years this August.
What Do I Love Most About the TTA: I love the people I have met over the years, clearing the trails so I can ride them (LOL,) volunteering and being part of this organization.
What Do I Do For Fun: Play with my grandchildren, ride my horses (Hunter Paces are my favorite) and socialize with my friends.
What's My Favorite Animal: I have two favorite animals, horses and dogs, I have three of each.
What's My Favorite Food: Pizza is my favorite food.
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be: To have the ability to find a super duper President!
Hester de Voogd
TTA Board Member: Trail Committee
Where Did I Grow Up:
In Heerlen, The Netherlands, a city in the south of the country, close to Maastricht and the German and Belgian border.
What Did I Study In School:
I graduated in Business Communications.
Where Do I Live:
Millington (Long Hill Township), NJ
What Do I Love Most About the TTA:
Getting together with a group of horse riding enthusiasts and riding the beautiful Tewksbury trails together.
What Do I Do For Fun:
Apart from horse riding, I like to hike with my husband Mark and our dog, Belgian Malinois Mia and to spend time with friends over dinner. And I’m an avid reader, both fiction and non-fiction.
What's My Favorite Animal:
I can’t choose so I’m going for horse, dog and cat. We have our dog Mia and our retired horse Nonchalant back in Europe. And Gent, my trail ride buddy (courtesy of Joy and Ben Custer).
What's My Favorite Food:
Lobster roll. And Dutch snacks like bitterballen and broodje kroket!
If I Had A Super Power, What Would I Want It To Be:
Speak many languages and be able to time travel.