Allie Conrad - Executive Director

Allie Conrad is the Executive Director of CANTER Mid Atlantic which she began in 1999 at Charles Town Racetrack.  Allie became involved in CANTER after purchasing a horse out of the infamous New Holland Auction in Pennsylvania.  The horse she bought (pictured above) would change her life.  A hard-knocking racehorse with 60 + starts at Charles Town, he showed her the importance of advocating for racehorses.  Allie and Phinny’s story was told in the 2009 book “Second Chance Horses” and details their relationship.

In 2008 Allie had a chance to tell the stories of racehorses on the world stage when she was invited to testify in front of a congressional hearing, which has spring-boarded Racehorse Welfare to the forefront of animal welfare issues.

Allie, a lifetime resident of Maryland, now resides on her farm in Southern Pines, North Carolina with her fiancé John, Jack Russell Terrier Bertie Boots, foundling Blue Heeler Zeke, Dexter and Moonpie the cats, and 6 horses, including the illimitable Phinny.

In addition to running the CANTER Mid Atlantic group and overseeing the operations at 7 racetracks, Allie works a full time job for a DC-Area Consulting firm as a project manager for a software development contract and in her spare time, enjoys Photography, Eventing and trail riding her horses.

Kelly Utter -- Vice President

Kelly Utter is an invaluable member of the CANTER Mid Atlantic Team.  She keeps things running smoothly in Maryland and particularly at the area racetracks. Kelly has a beautiful baby boy and a wonderful horse named Yoda and does a phenomenal job keeping the wheels moving on our layout farm in Maryland. Go check out her blog she writes for CANTER. http://calabriarose.wordpress.com

Deidra Darsa -- Vice President

Jess Morthole 

Jessica brings a world of knowledge to CANTER Mid Atlantic's training and track listing program in Delaware thanks to her many years riding, retraining and finding homes for horses off the track as a young girl. Jess heads up our Delaware Park track listing program as well as retrains and places 30+ horses a year for the CMA program. Jess's popular blog, http://dixierumble.wordpress.com has paved the way for many people to forge better relationships with their horses thanks to her honest, open and straightforward advice on training. 

Jess lives in Camden, Delaware with her very helpful husband Kurt, many cats, and their own horses. In addition to spending a load of time riding at her farm, she and Kurt enjoy going on Paper Chases and foxhunts.