Lessley Burke

Lessley Burke brings a lifelong love of horses, creativity, and hands-on community involvement to the Ridgebury Farm Board of Directors. She grew up on Long Island, NY, surrounded by horses, where riding and barn chores were a way of life.

She graduated from Smith College with a double major in English and Latin and spent more than a decade working in the book publishing industry in New York City before relocating to Connecticut. In 1990, Lessley and her husband purchased a small farm near Ridgebury Farm, where she has managed her own barn and cared for horses ever since.

In 1995, Lessley left the corporate world to pursue her passion for metalsmithing and jewelry design. She spent fourteen years at the Brookfield Craft Center, where she taught, led the metals program, and served on the board, before opening her own teaching studio, Guilded Lynx, in Ridgefield, CT. She is also a certified yoga instructor, having completed both her 200- and 500-hour trainings.

Beyond her role on the board, Lessley is an active and familiar presence at Ridgebury Farm, often found helping in the barn, riding, or assisting during therapy sessions. She and her husband, Bob, live nearby and have two grown children.