When Mackenzie Kirker-Head joined the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority last summer as its communications manager, she arrived with a strong desire to support and strengthen the industry that she has loved since she was a child. The 31-year-old native of Massachusetts, now living in Lexington since 2015, previously worked as a marketing manager at MyRacehorse, the microshare platform that caters to more than 50,000 owners. Prior to joining MRH, the graduate of Tufts University held jobs at Trakus, Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, and Spendthrift Farm. Kirker-Head is also a graduate of the Godolphin Flying Start program.

Kirker-Head was interviewed March 15, and her answers are edited for clarity and space.

BloodHorse: How were you introduced to racing?

Mackenzie Kirker-Head: My (late) grandpa, Romaldo Roscioli, had a small racing and breeding operation named Ross Haven Farm. He ran his horses predominantly at Suffolk Downs and Rockingham Park. When I was young, I would go to the races with my mom, my cousins, and my grandpa – my cousins were the same age as me. We grew up running around Suffolk and Rockingham, having a blast and loving the horses. I lived a mile down the street from my grandparents’ farm where they had their foaling and breeding operation. I also rode at the farm with my own pony.

BH: What are your earliest and fondest memories of going to the races?

MKH: We would vacation in Seabrook, N.H., and that was close to Rockingham. We would go to Seabrook for two weeks and we would make sure we always had a runner there during that time. All of us kids, at least five of us, and our parents would go to Rockingham and it was just the most beautiful place, and so much fun. The summers at Rockingham were just magical.

Courtesy of Mackenzie Kirker-Head

BH: Why and at what point did you decide to pursue a career in racing?

MKH: My cousins and I would create little fantasy worlds where I was the breeder, one of my cousins was the trainer, my sister was the owner, and another cousin was the jockey. Honestly, I knew from then that I wanted to be involved. When I was about 9, I became really obsessed with Storm Cat. My grandpa would get the BloodHorse and Daily Racing Form, and I have an entire binder of clippings of Storm Cat’s offspring that I curated as a child. It was also when I was 9 that I told my mom that I was going to move to Kentucky when I grew up.

I have to share how big of an influence my mom, Romona, was in getting me involved in racing. Growing up, she loved it more than anyone I knew. I inherited that obsession from her.

BH: Had you not attended the Godolphin Flying Start program, do you think it would have been more difficult for you to get a foothold in racing?

MKH: I don’t necessarily think so. I think the program was an amazing opportunity and experience that opened many doors for me, and it probably expedited the process. But I think that as an individual, I was and am incredibly driven. Regardless of whether I was accepted into the program, I was going to control my own destiny. I think that is reflective of how I got my initial jobs in racing with Trakus and Spendthrift. They were both jobs that I actively sought out and worked hard to get.

BH: What motivated you to accept a job at HISA, and how is this position different from the others you held in the industry? What are your duties and challenges?

MKH: I strongly believe that racing is an absolutely wonderful sport that I would like future generations to be able to enjoy as much as I and my peers do. I don’t really see a way forward for horse racing without uniform governing rules. Prior to HISA, the structure was so siloed and differentiated from each jurisdiction; it just wasn’t going to cut it. I thought HISA was a wonderful opportunity for me to get involved on the ground floor of protecting this industry and making sure that it thrives for many years to come.

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Working for HISA has been different for me because I’ve never worked for a governing body, and especially one that is so new to an industry. Being able to get in on the ground floor and be part of the conversation regarding rules and regulations based on industry feedback, and educate stakeholders on those things, is so unique to what I had been doing, which predominantly was marketing roles that affected some people, but didn’t affect the larger ecosystem of people like HISA does. It’s such a serious role that I want to make sure that I show up every day while considering the weight of the job and how important it is that we get it right and that we’re flexible and agile with taking in industry feedback. It’s about maintaining and enforcing a standard of safety and integrity that guarantees racing’s social license to operate for future generations to come.

In my communications role, I work with Mandy Minger (director of communications) and every single department at HISA. I’m also a touch point for people who have questions. The nature of communications is that we will get inquiries; whether they are from the media or from an owner or a trainer. That has made my role very rewarding because not only do I get to interface with the day-to-day inquiries we receive, I get to work with all aspects of what HISA touches. I work with racetrack safety, anti-doping and medication control, and various departments, such as legal and operations.

It’s such a great way to see how much HISA is working to accomplish in such a short period of time since its inception. There are so many communications that need to go out regularly about our rules and regulations. It’s certainly challenging, but it’s so rewarding because I have such confidence in the team that I work with. I feel like I eat, sleep, and breathe HISA, but it doesn’t feel like a burden. It’s something that excites me every day.

BH: You are the co-chair with Brandon Badgett on HISA’s Next Generation Advisory Group. Why was this initiated?

MKH: Through internal discussions, in addition to Brandon reaching out to (HISA CEO) Lisa Lazarus, we felt it was time for the younger generation to have a stronger voice in racing. As far as I am aware, this is the first initiative of its kind in American racing. It’s going to give that next generation, the ones who will be inheriting the industry, a say in what happens and to control their own destiny.

It can be difficult in horse racing, especially when you’re younger, to have a voice. This industry seems to skew a bit older in terms of when people come of age, if you will, into positions of power. We thought this was really a great way to get that younger group of people to provide feedback, ideas, and engage in discussion on what HISA is doing.

Courtesy of Mackenzie Kirker-Head

BH: The deadline for submitting applications indicating interest in membership to the Next Generation Advisory Group closed in early February. What was the interest level and when will you announce the members?

MKH: We all were absolutely blown away by the interest level and the number of applicants we got and from really serious people. We had nearly 200 applicants. It was incredibly reassuring that so many people applied and want to serve on this committee. It really excites me because I think, occasionally, there is a doom-and-gloom view in the industry that not many people are entering it and there might not be a future in it if we don’t actively encourage younger people to get involved. The resounding interest in this group proves to me otherwise. Racing, given the opportunity, has a brilliant future. There are so many young people who are passionate about preserving its future and making sure it thrives.

We intend on announcing the inaugural membership group in April.

BH: When you’re not working, what are the things you enjoy doing?

MKH: About a year ago, I took up road cycling. I’m crazy passionate about it now. I decided to buy a bike and the next thing I knew, I signed up for a 100-mile ride. I would say there is not a prettier place on the planet to cycle than Central Kentucky. Riding a bike alongside these beautiful rolling fields that are full of horses is incredible and such a freeing experience.

Very recently, I decided to sign up for a triathlon, so I’ve incorporated running and swimming into my routine and I’m really enjoying that as well.

In completely the opposite direction, I love playing video games; I’m a huge gamer.