Betsy Janes
Senior Vice President
Betsy Janes serves as a Senior Vice President with RunSwitch PR helping the firm’s clients navigate the critical link between business and policy. Hardwired for problem solving and consensus building, Betsy has a history of leading winning legislative campaigns with a particular interest in activating grassroots networks and coalition building. She brings nearly two decades of government and communications experience in health, gaming and nonprofit advocacy to the table for a wide range of clients. Betsy was selected as Louisville Business First’s 20 People to Know: New Executives list in 2023, and has held board positions with Greater Louisville Inc., the Kentucky Equine Education Project, and the Kenton County Planning Commission.
Background
Betsy’s advocacy career began at the local and state level, serving in leadership roles on legislative issue campaigns for the American Lung Association and its partners. She wore many hats including media spokesperson, public relations director, lobbyist, grassroots relationship manager, policy analyst and development director. She then ascended to a national role covering all 50 states for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, mainly focused on cancer prevention and patient access-to-care policies. There, she acted as a policy analyst and campaign manager, helping state teams advance laws around the country for the benefit of cancer patients. She oversaw the production of key reports, secured earned media, developed collateral and ensured quality materials and messaging.
The opportunity to join the government relations team at Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) combined her passions for horse racing and good public policy. During her tenure with CDI, she worked through hundreds of legislative proposals in 40 states to open new markets for CDI, restrict illegal gaming and tackle complicated gaming, taxation and compliance issues. She quickly rose to Senior Vice President of Government Relations for CDI, where she assisted the Corporate Development Team in expanding the company’s national portfolio and footprint.
Among Betsy’s proudest professional accomplishments is the passage of Kentucky Senate Bill 120 in 2021, which preserved the successful economic model for horseracing and enabled the state’s signature industry to continue to thrive as a national leader.
Betsy was born and raised in Northern Kentucky, moved to Louisville for college and stayed for more than 20 years. She recently moved back to Northern Kentucky with her husband, Justin and two sons, where she enjoys reuniting with her extensive family and watching her kids play sports. She is happy to represent RunSwitch in a new geographic area, where she hopes to grow its strong regional presence.
Education
MA in Public Administration – University of Louisville
BA in Political Science – University of Louisville
Experience
- Senior Vice President, RunSwitch PR (Present)
- Churchill Downs Inc.
- American Cancer Society Network
- American Lung Association
Civic Involvement
- Louisville Business First’s 20 People to Know: New Executives List – 2023
- Current Commissioner on Kenton County Planning Commission
- Fmr. Board Member Greater Louisville Inc.
- Fmr. Board Member Kentucky Equine Education Project
