Martin Joins Zenner, LaMarra on TPA Board

The Turf Publicists of America has elected two vice presidents and re-elected its secretary-treasurer to serve the organization for 2022 and 2023, it was announced Dec. 7 as part of the TPA's Big Sport of Turfdom award luncheon at the Global Symposium on Racing conducted by the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program.

Dave Zenner, a freelance publicist, was re-elected as secretary-treasurer. LaMarra, communications director for the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, managing editor of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association website, and coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships, will remain on the board as vice president for another two-year term for 2022-23.

Ryan Martin, a racing communications specialist for the New York Racing Association, was elected to the board for the first time and will serve a two-year term for 2022-23. LaMarra, Zenner, and Martin join TPA president Wendy Davis and vice presidents Najja Thompson from the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Kevin Kerstein from Churchill Downs, and Clare Crawford from Del Mar—each of whom was elected last year to serve a two-year term for 2021-22. The new slate of officers was installed immediately.

The TPA, founded in 1951, comprises approximately 130 Thoroughbred racing publicists and marketing executives at racetracks throughout North America with the shared goal of promoting the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

Each year at the Symposium, the TPA organizes the Mark Kaufman Workshop on a topic relevant to publicists and marketers, awards the Big Sport of Turfdom to recognize an individual or individuals who enhanced the sport of Thoroughbred racing through their cooperation with the media and racetrack personnel, and sponsors an annual scholarship for a RTIP student with a strong record of academic achievement and an interest in journalism or publicity.