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
Mike Shea / Government Strategies
Chair Elect
Ken Selvaggi
Vice Chair
Erin Rasinen / Messer Construction Co.
Secretary
Alfonso N. Cornish
Treasurer
Natasha M. Collins / LG&E and KU Energy LLC
Immediate Past Chair
Judy Hess / Caesars Southern Indiana
President and CEO
Matt Gibson
Kathy Bingham
Merilyn Coslow
Bill Fisher / Omega Consulting
Les Fugate / Brown Forman Corporation
Barbara M. Porter / Truist
Nancy Jo Trafton / Indiana University Southeast
David A. Vogel / Louisville Water Co.
Brian Walters/ Citibank
Louis Waterman/Goldberg & Simpson
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
Jill Joseph Bell/Molina Healthcare
David Bingham/Business First
Paula Bishop/The Fillies Inc.
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.
Ronna Corrente/WAVE 3 TV
J.P. DeLaney/Logan Lavelle Hunt Insurance & Wealth Management
Dr. Barry D. Denton/The Denton Group
William Donaldson/DPR Enterprises, LLC
Eric Fow/Summit Media Louisville
Gary Friedman/Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana
Mike Gandolfo/RE Solutions LLC
Cynthia B. Goldsberry/Ford Motor Company
Marian Gonzalez
Erin Grant/Kroger
Jo Graves
Robert L. Hecht/Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company
Bob Herre/HMS Global Maritime
Darren Hobbs/ZirMed
Charles F. Hoffman
Cassidy Hyde/YPAL
Mary Irby-Jones/The Courier Journal
Dana Kasler/Louisville Parks & Recreation
Briana Nicole Lathon
Janet Lively McCauley/Schmidt Associates
Hank Mangeot/AT&T
Mike Mangeot/Office of the Governor
Lynnie Meyer/Norton Healthcare
Dillon Miles/University of Louisville
/WHAS TV
Sarah Neff/University of Louisville
Carol Nord
Nancy O’Hearn/Galt House Hotel & Suites
Mike Parrino/Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated
Ashley Parrott/James Graham Brown Foundation
Taylor Powers/Zoeller Company
Debbie Prewitt/Citizens Union Bank
Leslie Raeber Eberle/Liberty Financial
Debbie Roberson/WLKY TV
Donna Salas/Parade Chair
Bruce Salyer/Meijer
Jean Scott/PNC
Maria Smith/Harbor House of Louisville
Joey Wagner/J. Wagner Group
Kellie Stallard Watson/MSD
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
2020/2021 – Judy Hess
Michael E. Berry
Gov. Andy Beshear
Martha Layne Collins
Barbara Price Cordery*
Hon. Greg Fischer
John R. Guthrie
Earl Ruby* (F)
Willard Scott
Ray Wimberg* (F)
Mike Ziemianski*
* Deceased
(F) Kentucky Derby Festival Founder
Matt Gibson – President & CEO
Aimee Boyd – Vice President of Communications & Media Relations
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
Jennifer Morgan – Merchandising 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
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.
