People Behind the Kentucky Derby Festival
The Kentucky Derby Festival has become the region’s largest annual production with a cast and crew of thousands. Before the event stage comes to life each spring, the many people behind the scenes spend all year scripting, rehearsing and developing the “big show.”
The Festival is a private, nonprofit organization that was created by volunteers. And though it is now managed by a professional paid staff, it is still overseen by a volunteer board and fueled by the manpower of more than 4,000 friends and neighbors. Click on the links below to learn more about the groups of people that come together each year to produce FUN for the entire community. And you just may decide you want to join us!
Chair of the Board
Judy Hess / Caesars Southern Indiana
Chair Elect
Mike Shea / Government Strategies
Vice Chair
Ken Selvaggi / WAVE TV
Secretary
Erin Rasinen / Messer Construction Co.
Treasurer
Alfonso N. Cornish
Immediate Past Chair
Marita Willis / The Hope Collaborative
President and CEO
Matt Gibson
Kathy Bingham
Natasha M. Collins / LG&E and KU Energy LLC
Merilyn Coslow
Bill Fisher / Omega Consulting
Barbara M. Porter / BB&T
Nancy Jo Trafton / Indiana University Southeast
David A. Vogel / Louisville Water Co.
Brian Walters
Louis Waterman/Goldberg & Simpson
Steve Andriot/Dri-View
John Aubrey/Jefferson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Tracey M. Ballard/Fifth Third Private Bank
David S. Beck/Kentucky Venues
Jill Joseph Bell/Molina Healthcare
David Bingham/Business First
Tyler Bliss/New Albany/Floyd Co. Education Foundation
Paul K. Carroll
Janice Cates/Office of the Mayor
Wendy Dant Chesser/One Southern Indiana
Carolle Jones Clay/Republic Bank & Trust Co.
J.P. DeLaney/Logan Lavelle Hunt Insurance & Wealth Management
Dr. Barry D. Denton/The Denton Group
William Donaldson/DPR Enterprises, LLC
Joe Elliott/University of Louisville
Gary Friedman/Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana
Les Fugate/Brown Forman Corporation
Mike Gandolfo/RE Solutions LLC
Cynthia B. Goldsberry/Ford Motor Company
Marian Gonzalez
Robert L. Hecht/Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company
Bob Herre/HMS Global Maritime
Darren Hobbs/ZirMed
Charles F. Hoffman
Sarah Jordan/Alpha Media Louisville
Dana Kasler/Louisville Parks & Recreation
Briana Nicole Lathon
Janet Lively/Arrasmith
Ann Marie Maldini/YPAL
Hank Mangeot/AT&T
Mike Mangeot/Office of the Governor
Rebecca Matheny/Louisville Downtown Partnership
Tim McGurk/Kroger
Lynnie Meyer/Norton Healthcare
Susan Meyer Moore/The Fillies Inc.
Christy Moreno/WHAS TV
Carol Nord/Nativity Academy at St. Boniface
Nancy O’Hearn/Galt House Hotel & Suites
Mike Parrino/Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated
Todd Pitt/Summit Media LLC
Taylor Powers/Zoeller Company
Debbie Prewitt/Citizens Union Bank
Debbie Roberson/WLKY TV
Donna Salas/Parade Chair
Bruce Salyer/Meijer
Jean Scott/PNC
Stacy Serad/Humana Inc.
Maria Smith/Harbor House of Louisville
Rick W. Smith
Joey Wagner/J. Wagner Group
Kristin Warfield/Churchill Downs Inc.
Rebecca Wood/GLI
Dale Woods/WDRB Media
Stacey Yates/Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau
1957 – Robinson S. Brown, Jr.*
1958 – Addison F. McGhee*(F)
1959 – Frank G. Rankin*
1960 – Spencer T. Jones*
1961 – J. Seaton Huff *
1962 – Fred McClellan*
1963 – Richard B. Condon*
1964 – William Moore*
1965 – James Browitt*
1966 – Arthur T. Sturgeon*
1967 – Thomas A. Ballantine*
1968 – Basil P. Caummisar* (F)
1969 – Mac Smith*
1970 – D.A. Sachs, III*
1971 – Samuel H. Gifford*
1972 – Arthur J. Metzler*
1973 – Ralph C. Wooton*
1974 – Samuel H. Klein*
1975 – W. Clyde Glass*
1976 – Lewis C. Tingley*
1977 – Charles R. Smith*
1978 – James E. Carrico
1979 – Edwin C. Coburn*
1980 – Katherine G. Peden*
1981 – James S. Judy*
1982 – Bernard D. Rosenthal
1983 – William J. Sheehy*
1984 – William E. Summers, III*
1985 – Barbara M. Hoffman
1986 – Edward Jungbert, Jr.*
1987 – William W. Campbell
1988 – Wendell P. Wright
1989 – Thomas A. DeMuth*
1990 – Mrs. Charles (Jean) Weyland
1991 – David W. Higgins*
1992 – Carol W. Hebel
1993 – David H. Snowden
1994 – Mike Kallay / Chairman of the Board
Guy W. Hempel / Festival Chairman
1995 – Donald G. McClinton* / Chairman of the Board
Marlyn Y. Smith* / Festival Chairman
1996 – Donald G. McClinton*
1997 – Robert R. Scherer*
1998 – Thomas T. O’Hearn
1999 – Penny McTighe*
2000 – William E. Summers, IV
2001 – Sam Smith
2002 – Linda McGinity Jackson
2003 – E. Douglas Hamilton*
2004 – Carolle Jones Clay
2005 – Dan L. Owens
2006 – Rip Hatfield
2007 – Roy Potts
2008 – Nancy Norris
2009 – Chris Dickinson
2010 – Leslie Broecker
2011 – James A. Hillebrand
2012 – Wendy Jacob
2013 – Chris Whelan
2014 – David Nett
2015 – Trish Osborn
2016 – Wes Rutledge
2017 – Lisa Stevenson
2018 – Scott Watkins
2019 – Marita Willis
2020 – Judy Hess
Michael E. Berry
Gov. Andy Beshear
Martha Layne Collins
Barbara Price Cordery*
Hon. Greg Fischer
John R. Guthrie
Earl Ruby* (F)
Scott Willard
Ray Wimberg* (F)
Mike Ziemianski*
* Deceased
(F) Kentucky Derby Festival Founder
Matt Gibson – President & CEO
Stacey Robinson – Executive Vice President/Chief Engagement Officer
Aimee Boyd – Vice President of Communications & Media Relations
Jenn Churik – Event Manager
Zach Fisher – Senior Event Manager
Dodie Howlett – Vice President of Marketing & Creative Strategy
Cynthia Jackson – Customer Service Representative
Chris Martini – Event Manager
Carl Mittelsten – Executive Assistant
Jennifer Morgan – Merchandising Manager
Sarah Nordman – Sponsorship Sales Manager
Jayme Perez – Sponsorship Sales Manager
Jessica Pollio – Sponsorship Sales Manager
Bridget Sherrill – Vice President of Merchandising
Katherine Steponovich – Merchandising Manager
Catherine Vish – Event Manager
Shanna Ward – Director of Events
Clare White – Digital Content Specialist
Tim Whitten – Director of Finance
April Zik – Vice President of Sponsorships
JOIN TEAM KDF!
No volunteers, no Festival! It’s that simple! Without the help of some 4,000 committed citizens, the Derby Festival would not be the grand civic celebration it has become. With nearly 70 events, production of even a portion of the Festival would be impossible without volunteer support.
From entertaining lost children at Thunder to hosting bands at the parade, volunteers serve on committees that work throughout the year to guarantee Festival fun and safety for the community. In addition, many serve on one-day events performing duties such as handing out water at the Marathon/miniMarathon, hosting a marching band for the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade or selling buckets of golf balls at the $1 Million Dollar Hole-in-One Contest.
If you are interested in volunteering for the Derby Festival, please register here.
