Board of Directors

Neda DeMayo

President

Neda DeMayo, president and founder of Return to Freedom, has worked for over twenty years on wild horse and burro issues with a focus on solutions, and is a recognized authority on wild horse behavior. Neda works nationally to elevate the status of America’s wild horse and burros through advocacy, education, media, programs, and events.

With a vision to create a sanctuary model to explore minimally invasive wild horse management that could be viable on the range, she founded Return to Freedom in 1997. She speaks at national press conferences, educational venues, rotary clubs, public and private venues, and she has held government contracts to remove horses on horseback to sanctuary so they would not be dispersed or slaughtered.

Irene Vejar

Board Chairwoman

Irene Vejar has been a Human Resource professional for the past 40 years, and serves as a member of the Santa Barbara County Housing Authority Executive Management team.

In her free time Irene enjoys photography, and came to learn about Return to Freedom through a fellow photographer. Having owned and ridden horses in her youth she has always has a special place in her heart for them, but had no idea that the wild horses would completely capture her heart. She immediately felt a very real connection to the wild ones and their struggle, and returns often to witness their behavior, and of course photograph them.

Her hope is to spread the word of the plight of the wild horses through sharing her photography.

Independent voting member

Jack Carone

Vice President

Jack joins us with a broad background in animal rights and protection. He is a past Co-Director of Last Chance for Animals.

Jack Carone has been working for the rights of other species for over twenty-five years. As a principal in several animal advocacy organizations, he has lent his voice and his pen to oppose a wide range of injustices toward animals, while encouraging and helping others to do the same.

A 20-year veteran of the music industry as a singer, songwriter, record producer, and music director, Jack was first moved to action in the early 1980s when he received a mailing about animal experimentation. His love for his own dog companion inspired him to become involved in helping other animals.

Jack worked for eight years as Volunteer Coordinator and Park Manager for Tree People, for decades with a seminal Los Angeles animal rights organization in a leadership capacity, was on staff of the award-winning Animals Voice Magazine, co-directed a large domestic horse sanctuary, and currently sits on Return to Freedom’s Board of Directors.

Jack believes that because our versatility as humans has permitted us to acquire enormous power over the lives of other species, we have a solemn duty to use this power to the benefit of those with whom we share the planet.

Sarah Marley Shaw

Board Director

Sarah Marley Shaw, a San Francisco native, is the founding Director of the Nature Defense Foundation and Sindisa Sanctuary. Sarah graduated from Boston University with a BA in Political Science and her post graduate degree was earned at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Upon earning her design degree Sarah worked for Levi Strauss as a Designer before opening her own San Francisco retail store with subsequent locations in Marin County and Sonoma County. Throughout her career Sarah has been active in the philanthropic community, serving on the Board of Elephant Aid International and The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation. Since retiring from retail in 2015 Sarah has been dedicating her time to the Nature Defense Foundation and Sindisa Sanctuary where she provides a forever home for farm animals on her rescue ranch.

Independent voting member

Honorary Board Members and Ambassadors

Accordion (Item)

Wendie Malick

Wendie Malick — Advocacy

Wendie is an American actress and former fashion model best known for her role as Nina Van Horn on the television sitcom Just Shoot Me! from 1997-2003. Wendie Malick is on the board of The Environmental Media Association and is a spokesperson for both Return to Freedom and The Humane Society of the United States. She lives in the Santa Monica Mountains with her husband, five horses (two of whom are mustangs adopted from Return to Freedom), a donkey and two rescued dogs.

IN MEMORIAM