Kirsten joined the RRP in 2014 as the organization’s administrator after volunteering at the first two Thoroughbred Makeovers at Pimlico Race Course. With a background in customer service, logistics, and business administration, Kirsten has done pretty much every possible job in her time with the RRP from stuffing envelopes and ordering logowear to writing budgets and the Thoroughbred Makeover rulebook
Julia Oughton
Development Manager
Julia joined the RRP in March of 2017 as Development Manager to promote and contribute to the growth of the RRP and OTTBs far and wide, working with our sponsors, advertisers and supporters and representing the RRP at events. A native of Great Britain, Julia grew up around horses, and immediately after school was a working student for Olympic medalists
Rhyan Banas
Operations Manager
Rhyan joined the RRP team as our Operations Manager in June of 2021 after extensive volunteerism at the Thoroughbred Makeover. With a background in both equine and corporate event management as well as a love of process improvement and organization, Rhyan enjoys supporting the RRP team through event and operations management. It was a passion for the equine industry that
Kristen Kovatch Bentley
Communications Manager
Kristen joined the RRP team in November of 2018 as Communications Manager, coming on board to continue telling the story of the Retired Racehorse Project, the Thoroughbred Makeover and the horses and riders who make it all happen. She was one of those riders herself in 2018, competing with her first OTTB Jobber Bill. First a professional trainer and coach
Rayna Erasmus
Program Assistant
Rayna joined the RRP Staff in February of 2020 as the Program Assistant and serves as the Thoroughbred Makeover show secretary. Rayna grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Maryland. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2018 with a bachelor’s in social work, and completed her masters degree in social work with a concentration in community
Jenn Crowl
Programmer
Jennifer joined the RRP team as our Web Developer in May of 2017 to bring the Makeover online. She calls Kentucky her home and has a background in equine events and web development, plus a business degree from Mount Union College. Jennifer started out as a scorer at age twelve, when people still did it by hand. As technology advanced,
Sallie Roberts
Administrative Assistant
Sallie joined the RRP in July 2018 as an administrative assistant, now taking care of data entry and horse information across the RRP’s wide-ranging databases. After a 33-year career at the U.S. Department of Defense, she finds this work to be the perfect complement to her duties as a grandmother, chorister, and of course, OTTB owner! Sallie has followed horse
Mare Distler
Graphic Designer
Mare became the RRP’s Graphic Designer in January of 2022 to serve as brand ambassador and creator of all things visual. Throughout her 16-year career as a designer, she has worked with several non-profits and small businesses on a large variety of projects including logo and identity development, community outreach initiatives, event promotion, and environmental and exhibit design. A Maryland
Erin O’Keefe
Development Director
Erin joined the RRP team in March of 2022 as Development Director, coming on to help bridge the gap between aftercare and the Thoroughbred industry. Originally from Michigan, Erin followed her love of Thoroughbreds to Lexington, Kentucky to attend the University of Kentucky’s Equine Science and Management Program, and has subsequently worked in most facets of the Thoroughbred industry from