Staff
RRP Staff
Kirsten Green, Interim Executive Director
With a background in customer service, logistics, and business administration, Kirsten keeps RRP humming along by supervising staff, serving as Event Organizer for the Thoroughbred Makeover, and overseeing the implementation and management of all of RRP’s programs. Kirsten is a native of the Washington, DC area and now lives south of Annapolis, MD with her husband, Mike who we affectionately call Mr. RRP due to his perfect Makeover attendance record. They have two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Ari and Pippa, who come to work each day to provide comic relief and receive free scratches.
Julia Oughton, Development Manager
Julia is proud to be part of the RRP team and delighted to promote the OTTB cause far and wide. Her role is dedicated to growing our organization, increasing membership, and taking care of our wonderful sponsors. Having become a little “soft” (her words) to gallop horses she is thrilled to still be able to help. She lives in Lothian, MD with her teenage son, George, and Esra, a slightly neurotic Shitzu mix who comes to the office to socialize with Pippa and Ari. In her spare time she occasionally turns into children’s entertainer, “Arabella the Pirate”, a balloon artist, twisting weird and wonderful balloon creations.
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 is thrilled to formally join the RRP team where she can continue to advocate for an organization and industry that she is greatly impassioned by.
It was a passion for the equine industry that originally moved Rhyan from her native home in Tampa, Florida to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky in 2015. After graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management she joined the staff at the Kentucky Horse Park where she served as an Equine Events Manager. Her work at the Horse Park expanded her knowledge and experience in event operations as well as provided her first introduction to RRP. As a hobby photographer Rhyan spends much of her free time with her camera in hand, she also enjoys visiting a friend’s farm where she can be found grooming or borrowing OTTBs to ride.
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.