ROAP elects officers, appoints two new board members

Posted: April 3, 2018

The Racing Officials Accreditation Program Board of Directors elected its 2018-20 officers during its March 27 meeting and appointed two new board members.

Dan Fick, a ROAP-accredited steward and previously ROAP vice chairman, was elected ROAP chairman; Wendy Davis, director at the University of Arizona and previously ROAP secretary, was elected vice chairman; Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, ROAP-accredited steward and New York Racing Association chief examining veterinarian, was elected secretary; and Kristin Leshney, senior counsel at The Jockey Club, was re-elected treasurer.

Fick, the newly appointed chair, thanked Hugh Gallagher, who serves as safety steward for NYRA, for his service to ROAP as chairman over the past six years. Gallagher will remain as a ROAP director.

“I look forward to focusing my efforts on helping fulfill our mission to provide educational opportunities and resources for horseracing officials for all breeds,” Fick said.

Two new board members were appointed: John Campbell as an at-large director and Dr. Camie Heleski representing the University of Kentucky Ag Equine Department.

Campbell, president and chief executive officer of the Hambletonian Society and member of the United States Harness Racing Hall of Fame, brings a strong Standardbred background to the board.

“The board is excited to have more harness input, and Mr. Campbell’s depth in the industry in unmatched,” Fick said.

At the meeting, the University of Kentucky Ag Equine Department was added as a member organization on the ROAP board and selected Heleski as its representative. Heleski brings a strong education background to the board, including distance learning expertise, to further ROAP’s mission to provide quality education to horseracing officials.

ROAP also offered condolences to the family of board member Ned Bonnie, who dies in March. Bonnie, an equine law attorney, was a long-standing ROAP board member with a strong passion for and advocated for qualified and well-compensated officials.