Our dedicated board, alongside a team of supporters, strives to preserve the Sonoran Desert for the future Carefree Park. For details on our goals and strategy, please refer to our Strategic Plan
Wendy Mattes
Wendy earned her B.S. Degree in Animal Science from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After graduating from Cal Poly, Wendy worked as Assistant Trainer in the Thoroughbred racing industry. She then managed the Training Program for 60 young horses on a farm in Virginia, before moving back to California, where she founded her own Executive Search consulting firm for the high technology industry. She was in this role for 21 years.
After being diagnosed with MS in 1998, Wendy wanted a lifestyle change, and her natural love for children and passion for horses drew her to take a job as Riding Instructor/Trainer at a ranch in Portola Valley, California. When one of her young students was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, Wendy took a miniature horse to visit the child in her home before she passed away. This visit inspired Wendy to found Jasper Ridge Farm, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization offering therapeutic animal-assisted programs to the most vulnerable children and Veterans.
Wendy served as Board Member and Executive Director of Jasper Ridge Farm until 2017, when she and her husband moved to Arizona, drawn by the beauty of the Upper Sonoran Desert. Wendy still sits on the Board of Jasper Ridge Farm and assists the organization with grant writing and other fundraising activities. She ran a successful capital campaign to build a new, larger facility when the organization outgrew its first small site. The flourishing organization now serves over 3,000 children and adults each year.
Wendy was named a 2015 Woman of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Under her direction, Jasper Ridge Farm was named “Enterprise of the Year” by the Veterans Commission of San Mateo County for providing “exemplary service to Veterans.”
Wendy served on the Executive Board of the California Dressage Society as an elected Regional Director, and also served several terms on the San Francisco Peninsula Chapter of CDS, in various capacities, including Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Horse Show Committee Chair. She also founded the Junior/Young Rider Committee, and organized fundraising activities and educational opportunities for the junior riders in the Bay Area.
Wendy and her Marine Corps veteran husband of 38 years share their Carefree home with a dog, and her two horses are stabled in Rio Verde Foothills. Two of her three sons served in the U.S. Air Force, and Wendy is now the proud “tutu” of three beautiful grandchildren. Wendy enjoys hiking and horseback riding in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, and she believes we all have the responsibility to do what we can to save open space around us. Once developed, it is lost forever.
Ariane Buser
As an avid outdoor enthusiast and a true advocate for the environment, Ariane is always looking for the next adventure and a new trail to explore! Her passion for outdoor activities and the belief that everyone in Carefree should have the same opportunity to enjoy our natural landscape fuels her dedication to preserving the 48 acres intended to become Carefree Park.
Diane Lloyde Roth
Diane Lloyde Roth graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA with a double major in Economics and Political Science. Retail provided the best opportunity for her first employment out of college.
She learned the retail business in a boutique in York, PA and then was hired away to open a boutique in Lancaster, PA where she fine tuned her skills. Jaeger of London hired Ms. Roth to open stores for them which culminated in her opening their flagship store on 57 th St. in NYC.
In 1985 she opened her own high end boutique L’Armoire in New Canaan, CT. She introduced Donna Karan, Richard Tyler , Brunello Cucinelli, Giorgio Armani and many other quality retail designers to Fairfield County. In 1990 ,she expanded into the estate jewelry business with great success. Ms. Roth continues to consult with personal clients in estate jewelry and personnel styling after closing the retail store in 2019.
She has dressed clients for the Oscars, the Tonys, the Emmys, The White House and Buckingham Palace! She has also been quoted in the New York Times, New York Post and various other magazines, newspapers and online on dressing for special occasions as well as how to invest in estate jewelry.
All through her career, she has stressed the role of stores in supporting the towns they reside in and their responsibility to local charities. Ms. Roth started the Holiday Stroll event in New Canaan as well as serving on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and the New Canaan Mounted Troop, where she chaired the Gala for 4 years. Over the years she hosted numerous fund raisers for animals and children since she believes we must help the most vulnerable .
Lon Johnson
Lon Johnson graduated in 1981 from Mankato State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. Lon is currently the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Colbert Packaging. He is also a member of Colbert’s board of directors. In 1998, Lon joined Colbert Packaging primarily to develop a new division (Colbert Flexographic) designed to transform traditional packaging technologies to a more streamline and cost effective process. Today, Colbert Flexographic is responsible for Colbert’s primary revenue source. Lon served as President of the IOPP (Institute of Packaging Professionals) Greater Chicago chapter from 1994 – 1999. He served on the Executive Board of Directors for DCAT (Drug Chemical and Associated Trades) from 2002-2006. Most recently, he graduated from the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy. Lon and his wife, Kerrie, moved to Carefree in 2021, where they plan on making it their final destination.
Jo Gemmill
Originally from the U.K, Jo brought her passion for all things tea related and founded the highly successful English Rose Tea Room in the center of Carefree, which is now celebrating it's 22nd year in business.
During her time in Carefree, she also operated two gift stores, English Rose Accents & Jo London, ran an etiquette school, Chaired the Carefree Christmas Festival for 10 yrs and was a member of various non-profit boards including the Desert Foothills Theater, the Chamber of Commerce of which she was also Chair and the Desert Foothills Library.
Jo is honored to be asked to help serve on the Board for Carefree Park. Having seen so much development over the last two decades, now is the time to preserve a piece of Carefree to pass on to future generations to enjoy. The desert is the very reason why people move to Arizona and Carefree Park has the potential to be the jewel in Carefree's crown.