Stephanie Hronis of Hronis Racing chairs the planning committee for the inaugural Horse Racing Women's Summit, to be held Sept. 28-30 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Hronis is joined on the committee by Jordyn Egan, executive director of Thoroughbred Owners of California; Kellie Hill of MedWest Realty and Stay Classy Horse Racing; Jodie Vella-Gregory, director, of 1/ST Racing's office of innovation; Shona Rotondo, co-founder of Grand Slam Social; and Equestricon co-founder Kathryn Sharp, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder. Amy Zimmerman, Santa Anita's senior vice president and executive producer for the track's broadcasts, served as a special advisor to the committee. University of Southern California Marshall School of Business student Sophia Eggert was summer intern.
The event begins Sept. 28 with a 4:30 p.m. PT welcome reception at the 100-1 Club at Santa Anita overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains, with broadcaster Michelle Yu serving as MC.
Thursday morning's keynote from Susan Packard – the first woman to join the Churchill Downs Inc. board and co-founder of HGTV and other networks and interactive platforms – begins a full day of activities. Following Packard will be a discussion on “thriving through challenges,” with afternoon panels focusing on “looking ahead – opportunities for the industry,” and “integrity – a brighter future.” A closing reception that evening will be followed the morning of Sept. 30 with a handicapping seminar led by FanDuel/TVG analyst Christina Blacker.
Visit womeninracingsummit.com for further information or to purchase tickets.
Hronis took time out of her busy schedule of putting on the finishing touches for the gathering to explain the origin, purpose, and goals of the Horse Racing Women's Summit and touch on some of what she anticipates will be the highlights for attendees.
Questions for Hronis were submitted in writing by Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick.
What are the goals for the Horse Racing Women's Summit?
Early on in this process, the committee came together and established five pillars to guide the Horse Racing Women's Summit planning process. The pillars are: remove barriers, empower, build inclusivity and leadership, mentor, and develop and grow the sport.
With those pillars in mind, the goal for this summit is to connect and empower women in horse racing. We have worked hard to create an event where women can network, be inspired, and formulate strategies to achieve their goals.
Finally, we expect attendees to actively do the following things at the event and beyond:
- Engage – with those familiar to them and new
- Innovate – think big! Personally and professionally
- Invest – in themselves, their careers, and the sport
Is this designed more for people who want to find careers in the racing and breeding industry or who already are involved?
The Horse Racing Women's Summit is designed for people currently in the industry and those interested in engaging in the industry. The attendee list includes well-established professionals from all facets of the industry – horsemen, racetrack executives, regulators, media, aftercare professionals. Additionally, we have executives from other industries that are planning to attend for the high quality professional development and networking opportunities. Our keynote speaker and panelists were thoughtfully chosen to speak to growth opportunities for women and the industry as a whole; those messages resonate beyond horse racing.
Who should attend?
Individuals from any and all aspects of the racing and breeding industries should attend the Horse Racing Women's Summit. This is a very inclusive event and prime opportunity to network with others within and outside of existing roles. In our daily roles, we do not often have the opportunity to connect beyond a 3-5 minute chat in the paddock, at a meeting, etc. This multi-day event is the perfect opportunity to establish long-lasting, valuable relationships. It is important that people from all facets of the industry (and beyond) attend in order to ensure maximum productivity in the areas of individual and industry growth.
Where are the greatest growth opportunities for women in racing (i.e., racetrack management, trainers/hands-on work with horses, associations, bloodstock and auctions, regulatory, veterinary, aftercare, etc.)?
The opportunities are equal between each of all sectors of racing; but we all know, growth takes effort and support. Potential for growth is exponentially increased by mindfully attending the events such as the Horse Racing Women's Summit. The act of purchasing a ticket and taking time to attend is a commitment, and we have built an event that will honor that commitment.
The concentration of talented professionals will be second-to-none and the summit format will facilitate meaningful connections that will go far beyond September. We are cognizant that thriving and engaged individuals in all facets of the horse racing industry improve the health of the industry as a whole.
Is this exclusively for women, or should men also consider attending?
Men are encouraged and invited to attend the summit and any subsequent events. This is a great opportunity for men to step outside of their comfort zone and hear about the contributions and experiences of our women panelists. There will be honest discussion about the challenges women experience in the workplace and it will be an opportunity for men to gain a glimpse of what it is like to be in an industry that is dominated by the opposite gender. The Horse Racing Women's Summit will be a safe and welcoming event; it is an ideal opportunity for men to honestly consider their own biases and actions regarding women in the industry and/or workplace.
What would you say are the “don't miss” speakers or panels?
All of them! Susan Packard, our keynote speaker, is an author, co-founder of HGTV, and served on the board of Churchill Downs, Inc. for several years; that's just the start. We have three incredible panels and Amy Howe (CEO of FanDuel) is the luncheon speaker. Each panelist has important and compelling experiences and wisdom to share.
Our topics were designed to facilitate relevant and thought-provoking conversations – catalysts for broad discussion that will address issues pertaining to women and the industry as a whole. Our team is working with panelists to be sure we meaningfully address key issues – human and equine welfare, growth opportunities for the industry, personal development, mentorship.
What led to its creation?
The summit concept started after a Thoroughbred Owners of California's women's luncheon at Del Mar last summer. The sold out attendance, gratitude, and positive responses after that gathering led the committee to discuss what should be next. Our first thought was to do a similar social event at Santa Anita Park in the spring, but a luncheon series didn't seem robust enough to address the need we were sensing.
Discussion continued and we sent out a survey to all of our connections in the industry to gather more information. The survey results showed a strong desire to gather on a larger scale in an impactful way – connecting women across the country from all facets of racing to share experiences and grow. The committee has been working on this event in earnest since May, and we are committed to answering the call.
How will you judge whether or not the Summit is a success?
Measuring the success of the Horse Racing Women's Summit will be a multi-faceted, long-term process. To begin, we have been intentional about distributing surveys about the needs and wants of our audience. We will solicit feedback from participants immediately after the summit to gauge whether or not we met those needs. Beyond that traditional feedback, mid-term success will be measured by engagement in our follow up events through the country and additional activities that arise from those. We are aware that one small committee can only do so much, so we plan to connect and empower women in the industry that will carry the torch far beyond Santa Anita Park.
Will the Summit be an annual or semi-regular event?
We are planning nationwide pop-up events throughout the year to keep the momentum and networking going. After the inaugural summit we will solicit feedback from attendees to determine whether it should be annual or every couple of years.
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