Annise Montplaisir is the co-founder and executive director of Amplify Horse Racing, a U.S.-based nonprofit established in 2019 to address a critical gap in youth engagement in the American Thoroughbred industry. Serving as a national youth education and outreach arm for the sport, Amplify has developed programs in mentorship, curriculum, immersive learning, and career exploration to introduce young people to racing and breeding and build pathways to future industry involvement. The organization works in collaboration with major racing and breeding institutions to strengthen the industry’s long-term workforce and fan pipeline by meeting youth where they are, regardless of geographic location or prior horse experience.
Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Annise developed Amplify’s business plan while completing the Godolphin Flying Start international leadership program. Her professional background includes project management for the global racing network Together for Racing International (TfRI); co-hosting Hípica TV’s Spanish-language coverage of the Breeders’ Cup in 2021 and 2022; producing and co-hosting the Spanish-language online racing program La Trifecta with America’s Best Racing; and serving for two years as equine education coordinator for the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Science in management communication, international studies, and Spanish from North Dakota State University, graduating summa cum laude.