Larisa Wick Holderied has fond memories of a childhood filled with fun visits to Santa Anita, courtesy of her great-grandfather, Ray Bell Sr., who was a champion rodeo rider before becoming a successful race horse owner and bloodstock dealer. Unlike several of Bell’s other descendants who pursued racing professions, she went in a different direction, earning a B.A. degree from Pennsylvania State University and a law degree from Albany Law School in New York. She was admitted to the bar in New York State in 2005.
Coming full circle to the Thoroughbred world, Mrs. Holderied has joined the California Thoroughbred Foundation board of trustees and brings valuable experience working with non-profit organizations. Currently she is director of government relations for the Wright Group NY, where she is responsible for the creation and execution of the fiscal, educational, and government engagement lobbying strategies for approximately 60 nonprofit organizations.
Mrs. Holderied is a board member and development committee chair of LiveOn NY, a nonprofit membership association representing a network of more than 120 nonprofit organizations that help older New Yorkers thrive in their communities. Since 2020 she has been president of the Junior League of the Oranges and Short Hills, New Jersey. The Junior League is a nonprofit membership association of women committed to making a demonstrable impact in local communities through volunteer action, collaboration, and training.
She has done pro bono representation for Sauti Yetu, a New York nonprofit serving women and families from West Africa, 2011 to present; MindBuilders, a Bronx-based nonprofit providing cultural programming to Bronx residents, 2011 to present; and the Climate Museum, the first museum dedicated to climate change and climate solutions in the United States, 2016 to present.