From Stilettos to Boots:
Frances Schultschik’s Inspiring Career Reinvention
By Lainey Berkus | Photography by Jennifer Denton
For 22 years, Frances Schultschik commanded boardrooms, dazzled in designer heels, and helped put San Antonio on the global map. As Director of Tourism and Marketing—and later, Director of Public Relations—for the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau (now Visit San Antonio), she orchestrated campaigns that showcased the city’s rich culture to international audiences.
Frances brought San Antonio to the world through creative and visionary marketing strategies targeting Mexico, Latin America, Canada, Europe, and Asia, making San Antonio a primary leisure, business, cultural, and medical destination. Frances took great pride in her high-pressure leadership positions that created millions of dollars in earned media value year-round, impacted the tourism industry, and grew the economic impact in the Alamo City. Truly, this PR superstar and great storyteller shaped a smart strategic vision that branded our City in a competitive marketplace.
Some of the highlights of her career include bringing the national Today Show to the RiverWalk, its first live televised show outside of New York. She also created a media campaign for Mexico that included producing a couture fashion show in Mexico City while initiating collaborations with significant travel industry partners and civic business leaders.
But after years of high-stakes marketing and a successful run as an independent consultant, Frances traded press releases for pasture life, exchanging her power wardrobe for jeans, work gloves, and knee-high cowboy boots.
“I went from media briefings to mucking horse stalls—and I’ve never been happier,” she laughs.
Now, twice a week, you’ll find Frances at Osborne Equine Rescue, where she spends hours tending to neglected and abandoned horses. She cleans stalls while swaying to salsa and country tunes, hauls hay, grooms the horses, and hands out plenty of belly rubs and carrots. By the end of the day, she’s covered in—you guessed it—dust, sweat, mud, and horsehair.
“These beautiful animals wouldn’t have a second chance without the community’s support,” she shares. “Volunteers are the heartbeat of equine rescues, helping with barn maintenance, horse training, fundraising, and so much more.”
Frances hopes to inspire others to join her in this hands-on, heartwarming work. “All you need is a little time, a whole lot of love, and a sturdy tote bag filled with work gloves, rubber boots, wipes, extra socks, and a change of clothes,” she advises. “Oh, and my tote? It stays in the trunk—never inside the house!”
For Frances, this chapter of her life isn’t just about giving back—it’s about rediscovering joy in unexpected places. “I may not be making headlines anymore,” she says, “but these horses have my heart, and that’s more than enough.”
Tip:
Grab your sturdy bag with strong handles, fill it with tools for barn mucking, and volunteer at Osborne Equine Rescue. Call 210-827-3136, Claudette Osborne. Bring a friend, your family, or your church group for a rewarding day of care and connection.
