Gretchen Jelinek
Board Member
Gretchen Jelinek is a lifelong competitive equestrian who competes in the show jumping division and is passionate about using her experience and leadership to support causes that improve lives. A graduate of Lewis University, where she was a four-year collegiate athlete, Gretchen earned a degree in kinesiology in 1999. Early in her career, she moved to Arizona, where she became involved in volunteering with vulnerable teens through equine-assisted programs.
Over the years, Gretchen has served as a Patient Liaison for Children’s HeartLink, Equestrian Director for Special Olympics, Fundraising Chair and Board Member for the Humane Society of Westchester, and a member of the Equine Leadership and Gala Committee for Humane Society of the United States. She has also served on the fundraising and gala committee for JDRF (now Breakthrough T1D).
Dedicated to philanthropy, community engagement, and creating meaningful impact through service and fundraising, Gretchen has lived throughout the United States and now calls Connecticut home. She shares her life with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of beloved animals.