LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville native Mike Shea will chair the 2022 Kentucky Derby Festival. Shea, who has served on the Festival’s board for 20 years, was elected by the Festival’s Board of Directors at its annual meeting today.
Shea is a partner in the government relations firm Government Strategies LLC. He follows the leadership of Judy Hess, who will continue serving as immediate past chair of the Derby Festival.
Shea, who has served as a senior policy advisor and associate to members of the U.S. Senate and Congress, was raised in Louisville. He addresses federal issues management, coalition-building and grassroots/grasstops programs for some of the nation’s largest corporations and associations. Shea studied at Bellarmine College and the University of Kentucky and is a St. Xavier High alum.
He was first elected to the Derby Festival Board in 2001. He became a member of the KDF Executive Board in 2003. He has also served on committees for several Derby Festival events and programs, including Great Bed Races, Great Steamboat Race, New Event and Review Committee, Finance Committee, Spelling Bee, $1 Million Dollar Hole-in-One Golf Contest, Nominating Committee, WineFest and others. Shea’s proudest achievements are his five children and ten grandchildren.
The final event of the 2021 Derby Festival, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County FamFest, is scheduled for next Thursday, June 24, in New Albany from 4-8 p.m. More details can be found on the Festival’s website at KDF.org.
