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About Us

Mission

Return to Freedom is dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity and habitat of America's wild horses through sanctuary, education and conservation while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.

History

Founded in 1997 by Neda DeMayo and operated on a 300 acre ranch in California owned by the DeMayo family.

Meet Our Founder

One of Neda’s earliest memories of wild horses was watching them being chased and captured on television. “Whether it was a movie or the news I cannot recall, but I will never forget the anguish I felt as a 5 year old child standing by helplessly as these beautiful horses were traumatically captured”. Read More . . .

Accolades

- Chosen as permanent home for "Spirit" the Kiger mustang stallion that served as muse for the DreamWorks animated film "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"

- Recipient of Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network's Wildlife Sanctuary Award and the American Horse Defense Fund's Spotlight Rescue Award

- Two time and current recipient of Charity Navigator's highest rating, the 4 Star Charity rating

- 2011 Charity of the Week in The Week

Board of Directors

Neda DeMayo, President

Jack Carone, Vice President

Pat Hines, Treasurer

Nancy Holly, Secretary (non-voting)

Diana DeMayo -Brown, Director

Barbara Hill, Director

Kevin Beckmen, Director

Elissa Kline, Director

 

Staff

Neda DeMayo, CEO

Jill Anderson, Director of Internal Operations and Communication

Jessica Schley, Program Coordinator

Karen Descamps, Office Manager

Tess Davis, Events & Marketing Coordinator

Samantha Lovett, Volunteer Coordinator

Monica Zannon, Barn Manager

Peter Wright, Ranch Projects

Merced Tagle, Ranch Forman

Paulin Tagle, Senior Ranch Hand