HISA welcomes feedback and engagement from racing participants and the general public. Please feel free to submit any questions, comments, or requests for assistance to the email address below.
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<a href="mailto:support@hisaus.org">feedback@hisaus.org</a>
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For assistance with registration or HISA’s portal, please call our dedicated help desk at 1-877-513-2919, open 24/7.

Erin's journey into the equine world began at Ridley Creek State Park, where she worked and rode, and ultimately fell in love with Thoroughbreds. Her passion led her to Centenary University, where Erin was a member of the IHSA and Hunter Jumper show teams. Graduating with a BS in Equine Studies, focusing on Equine Business Management and Equine Science, Erin's commitment extended to completing both sessions of the Kentucky Equine Management Internship at Margaux Farm (Fall) and Lane’s End, Oak Tree Division (Spring).
Continuing her academic pursuits, Erin attended Widener University Delaware Law School, where she served as the External Managing Editor of the Delaware Law Review. Graduating Cum Laude, she also received a Public Interest Award at graduation.
Erin's diverse journey extended to the Godolphin Flying Start program, with impactful internships at Jessica Harrington Racing, Spendthrift Farm, and Kick Collective. Post-graduation, she served as a Racing Official for the New York Racing Association before joining the HISA team in September 2023.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Erin resides in the Philadelphia suburbs with her two Labrador Retrievers and her retired off the track Thoroughbred, the equine companion who started it all.

Erin McLaughlin

Field Support

Brenda joined the HISA Field Support Team with more than two decades of experience in racing, having started out as a hot walker before holding the roles of foreman followed by assistant trainer. Brenda served as the Stewards Assistant at Delaware Park from 2008 to 2018 and the Claims Clerk and Stewards Assistant at Tampa Bay Downs from 2012 to 2023. Brenda was born in Costa Rica and is a native Spanish-speaker.

Brenda Jones

Linda brings a lifetime of involvement with animal rescues and 20 years of customer engagement and support to HISA. She has served on the board of a not-for-profit animal rescue, is an active member of a rescue group and personally supports several animal sanctuaries including a horse aftercare farm. Linda has implemented and trained users on office automation products, provided on demand support to customers and assisted in the implementation of customer engagement activities. Her commitment to the welfare of animals, empathy for users learning new technology and desire for resolving issues is accretive to HISA’s success. Linda has been with HISA since June 2022.

Linda Lankester

Tracy provides field support to HISA registrants and has worked in the world of racing and horses for more than three decades. She started out training and galloping racehorses throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Chicago before serving as Arlington Park’s Horsemen’s Liaison, including when the track hosted the 2002 Breeders’ Cup. Tracy lives in Versailles, Kentucky, and has been with HISA since November 2022.

Tracy Gilman

HISA Team

HISA Board

HISA Support

As HISA’s Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Lazarus oversees the Authority’s full operations, including the implementation of the Racetrack Safety Program and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program. Lazarus works with stakeholders inside and outside the racing industry to evaluate and improve both programs on an ongoing basis.
Lazarus has a strong background in sports business and law, having established and led the Equestrian Practice at Morgan Sports Law, where she represented athletes, owners and trainers in disputes before national and international governing bodies. Before joining Morgan Sports Law, she served as General Counsel and later Chief of Business Development &amp; Strategy at the Fédération Equestre Internationale, the international governing body for equestrian sports. Prior to that position, Lazarus spent a decade at the National Football League where she served as the league’s Labor Relations Counsel and Senior Legal Counsel. Lazarus began her legal career working as an associate at Akin Gump after clerking for a Federal District Court Judge in Memphis, Tennessee, following her graduation from Fordham University School of Law.
In 2024, Lazarus was honored as a Game Changer by Sports Business Journal for her exemplary work as a woman in sports.

Lisa Lazarus

Chief Executive Officer

As the Chief Financial Officer, Jim Gates manages the finances, including financial planning and reporting, for the Authority. His 25-year career in the Thoroughbred industry includes a variety of roles in multiple aspects of the business. As a result, he has in-depth knowledge and experience in track operations and finance, horsemen and customer relations, safety and integrity pursuits, trainer and broodmare farm operations and finance, and regulatory and legislative matters.  
Gates spent 14 years at Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), including seven years as General Manager of Churchill Downs Racetrack and three years as Vice President of Development, during which he oversaw mergers and acquisitions. Subsequent to his time at CDI, Gates spent several years as the CFO/COO of Dale Romans Racing Stable. He has also served on the Boards of Directors of the Racing Medication &amp; Testing Consortium, Racing Officials Accreditation Program, Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory and Thoroughbred Racing Associations.
For the last decade, Gates has performed safety accreditations for the Safety &amp; Integrity Alliance at racetracks around the country, learning and espousing best practices in all areas of equine and human safety. During this time, as a principal of Gates Consulting LLC, Gates also served several clients in finance and business development roles. 
Gates is a CPA with a B.S. from the University of Dayton and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
Contact Jim at <a href="mailto:jim.gates@hisaus.org">jim.gates@hisaus.org</a>.

Jim Gates, Jr., CPA

Chief Financial Officer

As HISA’s Director of Data Usage and Technology Innovation, Steve oversees all of HISA’s internal and industry-facing technology systems and products. Steve comes to HISA with extensive experience in IT solutions and operations for a variety of industries including but not limited to financial services, technology, and gambling &amp; entertainment. He has served in a number of notable positions during his career including President of AmTote International and Executive Vice President of Business Development and Acquisitions for The Stronach Group. Steve holds an MBA with a focus in Information Technology from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Steve Keech

Chief Technology Officer

John Roach is an Attorney at Law at Ransdell Roach &amp; Royse PLLC and a former Kentucky Supreme Court Justice who also served as General Counsel to Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher. In addition to a vigorous trial practice, John has successfully argued cases before the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Kentucky Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. John is an avid horseracing fan with a genuine passion for the sport and Kentucky’s role as the epicenter of the Thoroughbred world.  He has represented a number of domestic and foreign clients in all aspects of Thoroughbred breeding and racing. John is the former Vice Chairman of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Among the many equine transactions and litigation matters in which Mr. Roach has participated, he is proud to have served as lead counsel in the stallion syndication of PIONEER OF THE NILE, sire of Triple Crown Winner and Breeders’ Cup Champion AMERICAN PHAROAH. 
After obtaining his undergraduate degree at Washington &amp; Lee University, John graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was the recipient of The Faculty Cup for most outstanding student. John’s legal career began shortly after he graduated from law school. After first serving as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Senior Judge Pierce Lively, John moved to Washington, D.C., to join Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer &amp; Feld, L.L.P. He focused on the area of Corporate and Securities Practice as an attorney with the firm. After his return to Kentucky, he became a partner at Ransdell, Roach &amp; Wier, PLLC, based in Lexington. During his five years with the firm, John had a diverse legal practice, with an emphasis in civil rights and commercial litigation. He also appeared as counsel in 14 jury trials.
In 2003, John became General Counsel to Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher. He was later appointed by Governor Fletcher to the Kentucky Supreme Court, serving on the high court from June 2005 to November 2006. During his time on the Supreme Court, John authored more than 20 published majority opinions. After his tenure on the Kentucky Supreme Court, John returned to private practice at Ransdell &amp; Roach, PLLC. He now practices law at Ransdell Roach &amp; Royse PLLC. Currently, his practice primarily focuses on appellate advocacy, equine law, and corporate transactions for businesses and entrepreneurs.  Over the last several years, John has devoted more time to serving as a mediator and an arbitrator. John is an American Arbitration Association Panel Member and has been serving as an arbitrator through the AAA and privately by mutual agreement of the parties.          
John, a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, now lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife Maria. His daughter, Catherine, graduated from Washington &amp; Lee University and is an accountant with Delta Airlines in Atlanta and his son, Bennett, graduated from Washington &amp; Lee University and works with Mooring Financial Corporation in the Washington, D.C. area.

John C. Roach

Outside General Counsel

Peter Hester, M.D., is HISA’s National Medical Director.
An Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery, Dr. Hester currently practices at Lexington Clinic in Lexington, Kentucky, where he serves as the Director of Sports Medicine and Head Team Physician for numerous colleges, high schools, and club teams in Kentucky.
As National Medical Director for HISA, Dr. Hester focuses on jockey health and welfare, including mitigating risk of injury, securing elite medical care, improving and optimizing health care services, and developing and sourcing affordable medical insurance for these athletes and their families.
He previously served on HISA’s Racetrack Safety Standing Committee as an independent member.
Dr. Hester completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania before attending medical school and completing his Orthopedic Surgery residency at the University of Kentucky. He pursued a Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery Fellowship at The Hughston Clinic and has practiced at Lexington Clinic since 2002.
Dr. Hester grew up in Garden City, New York. His passion for the sport of Thoroughbred racing developed while working at Belmont Racetrack for Dr. William O. Reed, a renowned Equine Veterinary Surgeon. During medical school, he worked as a night watchman and farm hand at Ballindaggin Horse Farm.

Peter W. Hester, MD

National Medical Director

Dr. Jennifer Durenberger advises HISA’s leadership and Standing Committees on equine health and welfare strategies and oversees HISA’s relationships with industry veterinarians and other key stakeholders to ensure consistency in the implementation of HISA’s equine safety and welfare policies nationwide.
Dr. Durenberger is an accredited senior steward with more than 30 years of experience in Thoroughbred racing, most recently serving as the Jockey Club Steward for the New York Racing Association (NYRA). She is a member of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s (NTRA) Safety and Integrity Alliance, where she serves as Senior Veterinary and Regulatory Consultant, and a board member of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP).
Dr. Durenberger previously worked as the Chief Examining Veterinarian for NYRA, a Commission Veterinarian for the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), an Association Steward at Delta Downs in Louisiana, a Steward at Canterbury Park for the Minnesota Racing Commission and as Director of Racing for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Dr. Durenberger received a veterinary degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Western State University College of Law at Fullerton.

Jennifer Durenberger, DVM

Director of Equine Safety & Welfare

As the Director of Public Affairs for HISA, Erb oversees the organization's interactions with policymakers and stakeholders nationwide, including the Federal Trade Commission and advocacy groups within and beyond horseracing. Erb brings 20 years of Washington, DC policy and political experience to HISA. Prior to her role at HISA, Erb served as the Director of Government Affairs at Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, where she led national advocacy, policy, and communications efforts. Erb has also had roles at U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, and the Land Trust Alliance. Erb grew up on a cattle ranch in southwest Montana and graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a degree in agribusiness. She currently resides in northern Virginia with her family.

Bethany Erb

Director of Public Affairs

As HISA’s Director of IT, Mr. Gallinger oversees HISA’s software development, IT operations, and business process teams. 
Mr. Gallinger is an accomplished technology and finance executive. Throughout his career, he has served as a CEO, SVP IT, Board Director, and Management Consultant.  He has extensive leadership experience in the horse racing industry; having worked as head of IT for Magna Entertainment Corp (1st Racing), CEO for Standardbred Canada, and as a technology consultant for Amtote.  Mr. Gallinger has been an integral member of the HISA team since March 2022, working as a technology and business process consultant.
Previously, Mr. Gallinger was a Managing Director and Head of the Business Solutions Group for BentallGreenOak. He was responsible for developing and delivering upon BentallGeenOak’s digital transformation strategy while overseeing the firm’s:  IT, Data Governance, Project Management, Business Process, and Cybersecurity teams. BentallGreenOak is a real estate investment management firm, with 28 global offices and $83 billion USD of assets under management.   In this role and previously as a senior advisor to the firm, Mr. Gallinger led teams responsible for M&amp;A due diligences and post-merger integration work.
Mr. Gallinger is a CPA, ICD.D, and has a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Waterloo.

John Gallinger

IT Director

Marc A. Guilfoil manages outreach to and collaboration with state racing commissions on the implementation of HISA’s Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control Programs.
Guilfoil is the former Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), having previously worked in various capacities as an official with the KHRC and Kentucky Harness Racing Commission dating back to 1988. During his 33-year career at the KHRC, Guilfoil was involved all facets of the Commission, including licensing, medication and personnel. While at the KHRC, Guilfoil also served as a liaison between the Kentucky General Assembly, the eight racing associations and the respective horsemen’s breed organizations on all racing-related matters. He served on the KHRC under the administrations of seven consecutive governors.
Guilfoil was born and raised in Glasgow, Kentucky, and has called central Kentucky home since 1981. A 1987 graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Agriculture and emphasis in Communications, he is also an accredited Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse steward with the University of Louisville Stewards/Judges Accreditation Program as well as the U.S. Trotting Association Officials School. He currently lives in Lexington and owns and operates Evans Mill Cattle Company with his wife, Elisabeth Jensen.
Contact Marc at <a href="mailto:marc.guilfoil@hisaus.org">marc.guilfoil@hisaus.org</a>.

Marc A. Guilfoil

Director of Stewarding & State Racing Commission Relations

Ann McGovern oversees HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program as well as reporting related to its enforcement. McGovern has several decades of experience in horseracing, including racetrack management roles at Remington Park in Oklahoma, Sam Houston Race Park in Texas and Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino in New Mexico. She began her career at Louisiana Downs, where she eventually became the track’s Assistant Director of Public Relations and Marketing and oversaw ownership’s development of Remington Park, where she was named Director of Operations.
Later, while serving as Vice President of Operations at Sam Houston Race Park, McGovern also served on the board of the National Chaplaincy Program and was instrumental in the development of the Groom Elite Program. After becoming President and General Manager of Ruidoso Downs in 2008, McGovern oversaw the ownership company’s public golf course, community newspaper and multiple radio stations, in addition to managing the racetrack and casino.
Following her tenure at Ruidoso Downs, she retired from fulltime racetrack management and has since worked on select projects including Kentucky Downs’ HHR casino expansion and the oversight of the track’s unique, 15-day all turf racing program. McGovern also managed the multimillion-dollar renovation and reopening of Arizona Downs, which, after falling out of use for 10 years, now operates a modernized, first-class facility year-round.
McGovern graduated from West Virginia University with a B.S. in Agriculture and completed the Race Track Industry Program at the University of Arizona.
Contact Ann at <a href="mailto:ann.mcgovern@hisaus.org">ann.mcgovern@hisaus.org</a>.

Ann McGovern

Director of Racetrack Safety & Liaison to Racetrack Safety Committee

Mandy Minger oversees HISA’s communications to all stakeholders to educate about new regulations, ensure transparency of HISA’s operations and serve as a resource for all those seeking to better understand HISA and its mission.
Minger has a strong and diverse background in horseracing, having most recently managed Harrah’s Philadelphia standardbred track for the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission where she directed the licensing, investigation and enforcement program at Chester Downs Racetrack in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Prior to that, Minger spent 27 years at Daily Racing Form and directed all aspects of marketing and Thoroughbred industry relations for the 128-year-old multi-media brand, also known as DRF.com. She partnered with U.S. tracks, managed public relations and collaborated with industry organizations to promote the sport. Minger began her career at Daily Racing Form in 1992 and was named Vice President of Marketing in 2001.
Straight out of college, Minger was hired by Steven Crist’s start-up handicapping newspaper, The Racing Times. Based in New York City, this cutting-edge media company introduced Beyer Speed Figures to the industry. During college, she worked in the publicity department at the Atlantic City Race Course.
Minger’s love of racing began when she adopted an off-track Thoroughbred as a teenager and worked as a groom/hotwalker at Keystone Racetrack – now Parx Racing – on weekends to pay his board. She remains active in aftercare as a board member of New Vocations, based in Lexington, Kentucky – the oldest and largest 501 (c)(3) racehorse adoption organization in the U.S. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), is a previous president of the Turf Publicists of America and served for over a decade on the Eclipse Awards Steering Committee.
Minger is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. She currently resides in the suburbs of Philadelphia with her family.
Contact Mandy at <a href="mailto:mandy.minger@hisaus.org">mandy.minger@hisaus.org</a>.

Mandy Minger

Director of Communications

As the Director of Operations and Compliance, Anjali Salooja oversees all compliance systems and procedures for the organization, ensuring HISA remains compliant with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. She also provides daily operational and long-term planning support for new initiatives designed to promote equine and jockey health and safety.
Prior to joining HISA, Salooja served as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at the National Basketball Association, where she oversaw the Anti-Drug Program, implemented player health and safety protocols and provided advice on labor, sponsorship and governance matters to its affiliate leagues. Salooja began her legal career as a corporate associate at Debevoise &amp; Plimpton, following her graduation from Harvard Law School.

Anjali Salooja

Director of Operations and Compliance

Dr. Karen A Hassan supports the Director of Equine Safety and Welfare in the uniform implementation of HISA's safety and welfare policies nationwide.   She assists in veterinary outreach, medical record auditing and stakeholder equine safety and welfare questions. She is part of the on site track accreditation team focusing on racetrack veterinary protocols.
Dr. Hassan is a Board-Certified surgeon with 26 years of experience in referral lameness and surgery.  She worked for 1ST racing in California as a regulatory veterinarian and also worked the California State Fairs prior to joining HISA. Her work in regulatory veterinary medicine includes FEI and Tevis Cup endurance events. She has been an American Endurance Ride Conference Control Judge and treatment veterinarian for over 18 years. Dr. Hassan has been involved in research, education, outreach and mentoring throughout her career.
Dr. Hassan graduated from University of California, Davis, completed a surgical internship at Tufts University and returned to Davis, California for her residency in surgery.

Karen A. Hassan, DVM, DACVS

Compliance Veterinarian

Sam Reinhardt joined HISA in March 2023 as Assistant General Counsel and is based out of the Lexington office.  Reinhardt works alongside General Counsel John Roach to support the day-to-day operations of HISA and to provide legal counsel on a wide range of issues.
Prior to joining HISA, Reinhardt was a member at Kentucky-based law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC, where he maintained a general litigation practice, working on a variety of state and federal litigation matters, including a number of equine-related cases.
A native Kentuckian, Reinhardt holds two degrees from the University of Kentucky: Bachelor of Business Administration from the Gatton College of Business and Economics, graduating magna cum laude and a Juris Doctorate from the College of Law, graduating “Order of the Coif” and magna cum laude.

Sam Reinhardt

Assistant General Counsel

Dr. Shari C. Silverman supports the Director of Equine Safety and Welfare in implementing HISA’s safety and welfare policies nationwide. As Veterinary Liaison, she focuses on veterinary outreach, medical record auditing and addressing stakeholder equine safety and welfare questions. She also works with the IT department to develop tools for Regulatory Veterinarians and horsemen. 
Dr. Silverman is a lifelong equestrian who began competing at an early age, eventually progressing to training young horses and show jumpers in Italy. A decade after high school, she returned to the United States and resumed her education. As a pre-vet and veterinary student, she assisted with and conducted independent research in Equine Exercise Physiology and developed computer-assisted learning programs for veterinary students. 
After working in private practice, Dr. Silverman joined the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) as a State Veterinarian, where she worked on livestock and equine humane investigations, infectious disease control and mitigation and served as the state animal health veterinary liaison for Animal Emergency Preparedness and Response. While with the NJDA, she began working part-time as a regulatory veterinarian at New Jersey and Pennsylvania racetracks and eventually joined the Pennsylvania Commission full-time at PARX near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In recent years, she has led the PARX veterinary team as the PA Commission Chief Veterinary Medical Field Officer.  
Dr. Silverman attended Middlesex County College, graduating with a full transfer grant to Rutgers University. She obtained early admittance to veterinary medical school and graduated as a Veterinary Medical Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania. Currently living on a farm with her husband, she enjoys trail riding in her spare time.

Shari Silverman, VMD

Veterinary Liaison

As HISA’s Rider Safety &amp; Welfare Manager, Jeff Johnston works with jockeys and other riders to ensure compliance with the Racetrack Safety Program, supports continuing education programs, provides uniform first responder training, works with providers to improve safety equipment, and facilitates communication with local medical facilities. He also works alongside Dr. Peter Hester, HISA’s National Medical Director, to enhance rider access to mental health support and resources as part of HISA’s jockey mental wellness initiative.
Prior to joining HISA, Johnston spent sixteen years representing jockeys in the Midwest region and nationally through the Jockeys’ Guild as a regional manager. Before that, he enjoyed an acclaimed career as a jockey, competing in more than 11,000 Thoroughbred races and amassing 1,375 victories. An accredited steward through the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) and previous Chairman of the Jockey Club’s Rider and Driver Safety Committee, Jeff has been a strong advocate for jockey safety throughout his career and continues to work toward safer racing conditions and equipment for all riders. 
Jeff now lives near Verona, Kentucky, where he manages a small farm and temporary sanctuary for foster animals alongside his wife JoLynn. He is a graduate of University of Louisville with a B.A. in Equine Administration.

Jeff Johnston

Rider Safety & Welfare Manager

As HISA’s Product Manager, Michelle Lefkowitz works with internal and external user groups and stakeholders in the design, creation, and improvement of HISA’s growing suite of capabilities. Michelle assists with identifying unmet needs of the user base and developing a multifaceted plan for creation and launch of a capability that will fulfill those needs.  As a part of her duties, she is leading the implementation of HISA’s third party integration capability as well as managing the early adopter initiatives for newly launched technology. Michelle is particularly excited to assist in HISA’s most recent area of focus, the development of AI products that will give stakeholders groundbreaking tools to identify horses at risk for injury.
Contact Michelle at <a href="mailto:michelle.lefkowitz@hisaus.org">michelle.lefkowitz@hisaus.org</a>

Michelle Lefkowitz

Product Manager

Greg Stiles is HISA’s Racetrack Accreditation Manager and the liaison to all tracks in completing their Racetrack Safety Accreditation Audits.
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Stiles was first introduced to horse racing at his home track Ak-Sar-Ben. During high school summers, he worked as a hotwalker and groom and quickly found a love for the backside community.  
Most recently, Stiles served as the Racing Enforcement Manager for the Arizona Department of Gaming Racing Division from 2014 through 2021.  Responsible for the state of Arizona’s enforcement of horse and dog racing rules and regulations, he supervised the regulatory team at Arizona racetracks, which included stewards, investigation teams, licensing personnel and veterinarian staff. He was the key contact and liaison to the Arizona Racing Commission and to national and local horse racing constituent groups including the Association of Racing Commissioners International, the Arizona HPBA and the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association.
Prior to that, Stiles was publisher of several free circulation magazines in the Phoenix area, one of which was Arizona Parenting Magazine, a 70,000 circulation magazine for raising families. He also consulted with small-to-medium-sized businesses, providing marketing and public relations strategic plans to support revenue growth.
In 2016, he attended the Racing Officials Accreditation Program (ROAP) and continues to maintain his credentials as an accredited steward.  Stiles joined HISA in June of 2022, and is based out of Phoenix, Arizona when he’s not working trackside.

Greg Stiles

Racetrack Accreditation Manager

Mackenzie Kirker-Head joined HISA in August 2023 as Communication and Design Manager and is based in our Lexington office. Mackenzie works alongside Director of Communications Mandy Minger to facilitate daily communication efforts for HISA. Their collective goal is to inform various stakeholders about new regulations, enhance transparency in HISA's operations, and provide a valuable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of HISA and its mission.
Prior to joining HISA, Kirker-Head worked for three years in the marketing department of fractional-ownership platform MyRacehorse. Prior to that, she worked as a Project Manager at the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, a role she began after graduating from the prestigious Godolphin Flying Start program. During the Godolphin Flying Start program, she lived and worked in Australia, England, Ireland, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Her first full-time role out of college was working under the leadership of B. Wayne Hughes and Ned Toffey at Spendthrift Farm.
Hailing from Massachusetts, Kirker-Head graduated from Tufts University with a B.A. in International Relations. During college, Kirker-Head interned with the New York Racing Association in the Communications Department.

Mackenzie Kirker-Head

Communications Manager

Patterson hails from Delhi, Louisiana in Richland Parish.  His roots in horse racing can be traced to his Grandfather, J. E. Patterson Sr.  Patterson Sr. was a long-time trainer who spent his summers in the Boston area and winters racing at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Patterson began his career in racing in 1984 at Louisiana Downs.  His experience brought him to racetracks in Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.  He served as racing secretary at Remington Park, Louisiana Downs and Lone Star Park.  In 2008, Patterson was recruited by the Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association.  He served as their Executive Director from 2014 - 2019.  As Executive Director, Tony was instrumental in transitioning the LQHBA to an InCompass Solutions based system for its members and their breeder awards.
Patterson graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a B.S. in Business Administration.  He joined HISA in April of 2023 and is based out of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Tony Patterson

Niki Robb is the executive assistant to the CEO and is always happy to help any of the Senior Leadership Team with projects or travel arrangements.  Niki enjoys staying busy and loves the variety of her job.
Niki has worked in the Thoroughbred Industry for over 30 years at various breeding farms and sales companies in the Lexington area.  Prior to working at HISA she was the personal assistant and office manager to former Kentucky Governor and leading thoroughbred owner/breeder Brereton C. Jones at historic Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky.  She has also worked at Vinery, Hopewell Farm and Bluewater Sales.
Niki holds a bachelor’s degree from Midway University where she majored in business administration and minored in equine management.
When she’s not organizing the HISA Senior Leadership Team, Niki can be found in her sewing room crafting handmade quilts, enjoying time with her husband, Phillip, and their four dogs or trail riding the beautiful Kentucky countryside.

WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

SUPPORT TEAM

Linda Lankester

Tracy Gilman

Brenda Jones

Erin McLaughlin