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 / Horseshoe 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
Steve Conrad / Louisville Metro Police Department
Merilyn Coslow
Harry Dennery
Bill Fisher / Omega Consulting
Barbara M. Porter / BB&T
Nancy Jo Trafton / Indiana University Southeast
David A. Vogel / Louisville Water Co.
Brian Walters
Col. John E. Aubrey / Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
Tracey Ballard / Fifth Third Bank
David Beck/Kentucky Venues
Jill J. Bell / Passport Health Plan
David Bingham / Business First
Kristen Branscum / Kentucky Department of Travel & Tourism
Shawna Burton / Greater Louisville, Inc.
Paul Carroll
Patrick Cason / Liberty Financial/ETFCU
Janice Cates / Office of the Mayor
Wendy Dant Chesser / One Southern Indiana
Natasha Collins / LG&E and KU Energy LLC
Mike Coomes / Papa John’s International
Merilyn Coslow
J.P. DeLaney / Logan Lavelle Hunt
Barry Denton / American Heart Association
William Donaldson / DRP Enterprises, LLC
Joe Elliott / University of Louisville
Bill Fisher / Omega Consulting
Gary Friedman / St. Joseph Children’s Home
Les Fugate / RunSwitch PR
Mike Gandolfo / RE Solutions LLC
Cynthia Goldsberry / Ford Motor Company
Glenn Haygood / WLKY-TV
Marti Hazel / WDRB Media
Robert Hecht / Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company
Darren Hobbs / Zirmed
Charles Hoffman
Sarah Jordan / Alpha Media Louisville
James O. King, III / King Southern Bank
Janet Lively / Schaefer General Contracting
Ann Marie Maldini / Y.P.A.L.
Hank Mangeot / AT&T Kentucky
Rebecca Matheny / Louisville Downtown Partnership
Tim McGurk / Kroger
Christy Moreno / WHAS 11-TV
Carol Nord / Nativity Academy At St. Bonafice
Nancy O’Hearn / Galt House Hotel & Suites
Brian Outland / Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated
Barbara Porter / BB&T
Debbie Prewitt / Citizens Union Bank
Debra Rayman / The Fillies, Inc.
Michael Sadofsky / Republic Bank & Trust Co.
Bruce Salyer / Meijer
Jean G. Scott / PNC Bank
Stacy Serad / Humana
Mike Sewell / Gresham, Smith & Partners
Maria Smith / Harbor House of Louisville
Rick Smith / Kentucky College of Art and Design
Colleen Truman/ Courier-Journal Media
Lani Vandertoll / KentuckyOne Health
David Vogel / Louisville Water Company
John Waggoner / HMS Global Maritime
Joey Wagner / J. Wagner Group
Brian Walters / KDF Pegasus Parade Chair
Kristin Warfield / Churchill Downs Inc.
Stacey Yates / Louisville Convention & Visitor’s 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
Matt Bevin
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 of Staff
Jeff English – Sr. Vice President of General Counsel/Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation President
Aimee Boyd – Vice President of Communications
Jennifer Bray – Ticketing & Promotions Coordinator
Jenn Churik – Event Manager
Zach Fisher – Event Manager
Dodie Howlett – Director of Advertising & Promotions
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
Tricia Siegwald – Director of Event Production & Volunteers
Katherine Steponovich – Merchandising Manager
Shanna Ward – Event Manager
Clare White – Digital Content Specialist
Tim Whitten – Director of Finance
April Zik – Director of Sponsorship Sales
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.
