U.S. Equestrian Named Sonja Keating as New CEO
The national governing body has selected its long-time general counsel and COO to lead the organization starting next year.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in People
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The U.S. Equestrian board has appointed current general counsel and COO Sonja Keating as the organization's next CEO. She is set to replace Bill Moroney, who will retire at the end of 2026.
Why it matters
The transition maintains internal leadership continuity for the governing body, with the search process led by board president Tom O'Mara and facilitated by Korn Ferry.
Keating has served as general counsel since 2006 and added the COO role in 2022, while Moroney has led the organization as CEO since 2016. The board officially approved the transition on Oct. 5, 2026.
The players
Sonja Keating
The incoming CEO of U.S. Equestrian who has served as the organization's general counsel since 2006 and COO since 2022.
Bill Moroney
The outgoing CEO of U.S. Equestrian who has led the national governing body since 2016 and plans to retire at the end of 2026.
Tom O'Mara
The board president of U.S. Equestrian who chaired the search committee for the new chief executive.
Korn Ferry
An international organizational consulting and executive search firm that facilitated the CEO recruitment process.
The details
The board-led search process utilized the executive search firm Korn Ferry to manage the transition. Keating will officially move into the CEO position on Jan. 1, 2027, following a handover period with Moroney. This shift follows nearly two decades of Keating's involvement in the organization's legal and operational oversight.
Timeline
Keating began as general counsel in 2006.
Moroney was hired as CEO in 2016.
Keating added the COO role in 2022.
The board approved the hire on Oct. 5, 2026.
Keating assumes the CEO position on Jan. 1, 2027.
Market Landscape
This transition marks the first change in the CEO role since the 2016 appointment of Bill Moroney. It signals a move toward internal succession planning for the national governing body.
Operators should watch for potential policy shifts or changes in regulatory enforcement during the upcoming transition of power. Maintaining stable communication channels with the governing body remains essential as the leadership handover commences in early 2027.
The takeaway
The appointment highlights the value of deep internal institutional knowledge in organizational succession planning. Stakeholders should monitor the incoming CEO's initial statements after Jan. 1, 2027, to identify early indicators of shifts in organizational priority.
What happens next
Sonja Keating will formally assume the role of CEO on Jan. 1, 2027, following the retirement of Bill Moroney at the end of 2026.
Further reading
For more on shifts in governing body leadership, see People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sportsbusinessjournal.
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