Jennifer Ward - Owner/Principal

Having studied journalism and earned a post-graduate degree in public relations, Jennifer, who is based in Ottawa, Canada, began her career by handling media relations for the Canadian Equestrian Team for five years. Moving on to a contract with the United Nations, the horse world kept calling, inspiring Jennifer to start her own business specializing in public relations for the equestrian industry.

She founded Starting Gate Communications Inc. in 2001, and quickly gained a loyal following of clients. Athletes, events and organizations all benefitted from increased publicity and media exposure. In addition, Jennifer continued to act as media liaison for the Canadian Equestrian Team at major games including the Olympics, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games. She was also the press officer for equestrian sport at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo.

Having ridden since the age of six, Jennifer has successfully combined her passion for horse sport with a rewarding career promoting the sport she has loved for a lifetime. Her work with Jump Media allows her to further expand her talents and the connections she has made through years of hands-on public relations experience.

Jennifer Wood - Owner/Principal

Originally from Chicago, Jennifer Wood is a lifelong horseperson who began competing in the hunter and jumper discipline at the age of seven.  She went on to represent the intercollegiate team at the University of South Carolina.  Jennifer graduated from USC magna cum laude with a marketing degree in 2001.  Jennifer worked for Olympic show jumpers Anne Kursinski and Margie Engle before entering the public relations field in 2004.

Through her work as a freelance writer and photographer and for PhelpsSports.com, she has covered many international equestrian events including FEI World Cup Finals, FEI World Equestrian Games, and the Olympic Games.  Jennifer is a member of the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists and, in 2006, won the United States Equestrian Federation Pegasus Award for Media, Best Single News Article.

Known for her work promoting some of the best equestrian events and companies in North America through her company, Jennifer Wood Media, Jennifer looks forward to continuing to advance equestrian sport promotion through Jump Media.

Bridget Love Meehan - Managing Director

Bridget brings more than 25 years of management, marketing, and communications experience to Jump Media, most recently as executive director of Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) where she helped guide the organization through a significant period of success.

Prior to WIHS, she held senior marketing and communications positions at Discovery, Inc., leading teams producing corporate events, sponsorships, and public affairs initiatives plus cross-company marketing and brand-building strategies designed to grow distribution of Discovery’s U.S. networks.

Earlier in her career, Bridget managed a leading D.C. public relations firm specializing in event production and fundraising for corporate and non-profit clients. She worked in the publishing world as a literary agent managing the sale and licensing of client content to publishers, studios, and media across the world. She also served as director of communications for the United States Equestrian Federation.

A lifelong hunter rider and competitor, she is also now a proud horse show mom. Bridget received her M.B.A. from Fordham University and her B.A. from Kenyon College. Originally from the Buffalo, N.Y. area, she currently resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter.

Alice Collins - Communications Specialist

Originally from London, England, Alice Collins is an amateur dressage rider, breeder, and freelance writer who brings extensive journalistic experience to the Jump Media team. She worked at leading international sports network Horse & Country then spent seven years as the Dressage and Development Editor at Horse & Hound magazine.

She has reported from Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, FEI World Cup™ Finals, FEI World Equestrian Games, FEI European Championships, and multiple international competitions.

Alice has managed the media center at the Adequan® Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, FL, for six of the past seven years and writes press releases from dressage competitions across the globe, as well as features for various magazines and websites.

Alice graduated from The University of Essex with a First Class degree in Latin American Studies and speaks fluent Spanish. She gained her British Horse Society Assistant Instructor qualification in the United Kingdom and competed up to Prix St. Georges level on a horse she trained herself before moving to the United States. She now lives in Florida with her husband and two sons.

Simon Stafford - Photography Manager

Having served 26 years in the British army, Simon Stafford (SSgt. Ret.) gained valuable experience that today serves him well in the fast-paced world of equestrian sport. With tours of duty completed in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Simon retired from the British military in 2013 with his military conduct assessed as exemplary.

A classically trained French horn player, Simon also had two ‘day jobs’ with the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers while serving in Her Majesty’s Forces. As Quarter Master Sergeant, he was responsible for transporting men, equipment, and weapons from the UK to areas of conflict, such as Afghanistan. As Drum Major, he was responsible for arranging his Band’s appearances around the world, whether it be playing for Her Majesty on social occasions or providing pomp and circumstance at international sporting events such as the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ show jumping tournament in Calgary, Canada. Today, Simon applies his superior management, execution, and interpersonal skills as a key member of the Jump Media team.

Simon has used his retirement to pursue another creative passion for photography. He has quickly become known for his ‘behind the scenes’ photo essays at major equestrian events and counts the Canadian Equestrian Team and Horse Sport magazine among his regular clients. A member of the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists (IAEJ), Simon’s photography has graced Horse Sport’s front cover a total of nine times. His work has also been featured on the cover of the automotive publication, Open Driver (Spring 2016).

Rachel Roppovalente – Multi-Media Specialist

Rachel Roppovalente has been working in the equestrian industry for almost three decades. Getting her start at the Canadian Equestrian Federation, Rachel had the opportunity to gain overall knowledge of the sport in addition to working closely with the eventing and dressage departments. She parlayed that experience into a position with leading Canadian PR firm, Starting Gate Communications, where she handled everything from general administration and accounting to client website and ad design, as well as graphic design for various printed publications such as newsletters, calendars, and media guides.

Since joining Jump Media, Rachel continues to specialize in client activation spanning a wide variety of mediums. Fun fact - in addition to her stellar graphic design and accounting skills, Rachel is fully fluent in Mandarin!