The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) has announced the promotion of Jessica Hein to senior director of MemberCare and publications. Serving as director of publications and editor-in-chief of APHA’s award-winning magazines since 2012, Jessica has also been leading the association’s MemberCare team since September 2016.

Hein joined APHA in March 2006 as a staff writer for the Paint Horse Journal. Promoted to associate editor in 2008 and managing editor in 2010, Jessica helped integrate a family of Paint-specific publications under a single content-development team and helped cultivate visions for each magazine that help them standout individually yet unite through their spotlights on the Paint Horse breed. An award-winning writer and photographer, Jessica was named editor of the Paint Horse Journal in 2012 and soon took over the leadership of Chromemagazine as well when she became director of publications in 2013. In that role, she’s helped APHA’s publications earn countless national awards of excellence from American Horse Publications, Livestock Publications Council, APEX and Folio.

In her new position as senior director of MemberCare, Hein is helping enhance the efficiency of APHA’s customer-service department while also streamlining procedures and enhancing member education about APHA procedures, genetics and more. This includes reviewing registration policies, integrating technology to improve processing speed and employing targeted marketing strategies for Paint owners and breeders.

“Through my role on the APHA publications team, sharing news and information with Paint Horse owners and breeders is second nature, and I look forward to using those same communication skills to assist our members as part of the MemberCare team as well,” Hein said. “Continuing education, especially as it relates to Paint Horse genetics, is vital to the success of our organization and the preservation of the Paint breed. Our association’s role as an educator will only continue to increase with APHA’s future move to the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, where our breed will be in front of millions of visitors annually.”

Hein earned her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communication and master’s degree in Agricultural Education from Texas Tech University. A lifelong horsewoman, Hein has more than 25 years experience in the horse industry as an owner and exhibitor; she’s been an APHA member and Paint Horse owner since 2005. Along with her 1998 bay overo gelding Float Trip, Hein enjoys competing in Western dressage, hunter-jumper events and APHA’s Paint Alternative Competition program, and together they’ve earned a number of national championship titles.

Outside of APHA, Jessica serves on the Executive Committee for North American Western Dressage and enjoys spending time with her husband, Levi, and their Labradors, Ava and Amos.