People Behind 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
Ken Selvaggi/ESPN Louisville Radio Group
Chair Elect
Erin Rasinen / Messer Construction Co.
Vice Chair
Alfonso N. Cornish
Secretary
Natasha M. Collins / LG&E and KU Energy LLC
Treasurer
Louis Waterman/Goldberg & Simpson
Immediate Past Chair
Mike Shea/Government Strategies
President and CEO
Matt Gibson
Jill Joseph Bell/Molina Healthcare
Bill Fisher / Omega Consulting
Cynthia B. Goldsberry/Ford Motor Company
Robert L. Hecht/Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company
Les Fugate / Brown Forman Corporation
Barbara M. Porter / Truist
Nancy Jo Trafton / Indiana University Southeast
David A. Vogel / Louisville Water Co.
Rebecca Wood/GLI
Steve Andriot/Dri-View
John Aubrey/Jefferson Co. Sheriff’s Office
Phillip Baker/JCPS
Tracey M. Ballard/Fifth Third Private Bank
David S. Beck/Kentucky Venues
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
Jason Chin/Humana
Carolle Jones Clay/Republic Bank & Trust Co.
Lisa Columbia/WHAS TV
Merilyn Coslow
Derek Cowherd/University of Louisville
J.P. DeLaney/Logan Lavelle Hunt Insurance & Wealth Management
William Donaldson/DPR Enterprises, LLC
Gary Friedman/Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana
Mike Gandolfo/RE Solutions LLC
Lance George/Galt House Hotel
Marina Gonzalez
Allison Gousha/Kroger
Jo Graves
Darren Hobbs/ZirMed
Charles F. Hoffman
Cassidy Hyde/YPAL
Mary Irby-Jones/The Courier Journal
Briana Lathon Bluford/Kentucky Lottery
Janet Lively McCauley/ERDMAN
Mike Mangeot/Office of the Governor
Andy Murphy
Sarah Neff/University of Louisville
Dwight Newton/Zoeller Company
Carol Nord
John O’Brien/WAVE TV
Mike Parrino/Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated
Leslie Raeber Eberle/Liberty Financial
Casey Ramage/Churchill Downs Inc.
Debbie Roberson/WLKY TV
Donna Salas/Parade Chair
Jean Scott/PNC
Ryan Sienkowski/Caesars Southern Indiana
Maria Smith/Harbor House of Louisville
Megan Thoban/Louisville Regional Airport Authority
Joey Wagner/J. Wagner Group
Barb Wainwright/The Fillies Inc.
Justin Walker/Hornblower Group Inc.
Brian Walters/ Citibank
Kellie Stallard Watson/MSD
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
2020/2021 – Judy Hess
2022 – Mike Shea
Michael E. Berry
Gov. Andy Beshear
Martha Layne Collins
Barbara Price Cordery*
Hon. Craig Greenberg
John R. Guthrie
Earl Ruby* (F)
Ray Wimberg* (F)
Mike Ziemianski*
* Deceased
(F) Kentucky Derby Festival Founder
Matt Gibson – President & CEO
Maeve Armstrong – Digital Content Specialist
Aimee Boyd – Vice President of Communications & Media Relations
Jennifer Bray – Customer Experience Manager
Elexus Buie – Event Manager
Jenn Churik – Event Manager
Zach Fisher – Director of Event Operations
Joanie Lepping Gillis – Sponsorship Sales Manager
Cadeja Hays – Event Manager
Dodie Howlett – Vice President of Marketing & Creative Strategy
Cynthia Jackson – Customer Service Representative
Chris Martini – Event Manager
Carl Mittelsten – Executive Assistant/Board Liaison
Jennifer Morgan – Merchandising Manager
Jayme Perez – Sponsorship Sales Manager
Jessica Pollio – Senior Sponsorship Sales Manager
Christa Ritchie – Communications Manager
Leah Shaeffer – Advertising Coordinator
Katherine Steponovich – Pin Merchandise Manager
Catherine Vish – Event Manager
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.
