Born and raised in Filey, Yorkshire, England, Jo Whitehouse was hooked on eventing when she attended her first Pony Club Eventing Rally. Her daughter Hannah rode her first pony at the age of two and very soon mother and daughter shared their passion for ponies and eventing. Like most eventing parents, Whitehouse soon took on the role of check writer, groom, and volunteer at events and with the Pony Club. Following her husband’s transfer to the U.S., she filled her days working at the USCTA headquarters in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

Whitehouse joined the Association (USCTA) in 1987 when General Jack Burton was President. Whitehouse has worked in almost every department of the USEA, including editing the magazine, Eventing USA, for several years. In 2004, Whitehouse was named CEO and under her leadership, the USEA began, among other things, the USEA’s Eventing Hall of Fame, the American Eventing Championships, the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series, and the Young and Future Event Horse Programs. She was an early supporter of the Instructors' Certification Program and has overseen the creation of several of the grants that are now administered by the USEA Foundation. Most recently, she worked tirelessly to create the new Course Designer’s Grant to help ensure the future of the sport by paving the way for new course designers to enter the profession and for current course designers to further perfect their art. Whitehouse retired as CEO at the end of 2015 and now serves as the USEA Chief Development Officer, living close to her daughter in California.