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Board of Directors for 2023-2024

We are pleased to announce the DC Road Runners Club Board of Directors for 2023-2024, elected at our annual meeting on Sunday, March 5, 2023. We still have open positions. If you are interested in serving on the board please contact Jonny Pellish or Ben Richter.

1. President - Ben Richter
2. VP for Operations - Steve Klug (appointed)
   
3. VP for Races - Jonny Pellish
4. VP for Training - Jill Brasky
5. Secretary - Lisa Towell
   
6. Treasurer - Eunja Rau
   
7. Webmaster - Jack Phillips
8. Director for Race Operations - Jennifer A. Vu
9. Director for Contract Races - Open
10. Director for Training Programs - Open
11. Director for Training Initiatives - Anna Staats
12. Director for Community Outreach - Mari Diaz (appointed)
13. Director for Membership - Nate Rathjen
14. Volunteer Coordinator - Delna Clark

Ben Richter, President

Ben (E-mail) started running winter track in high school as a way to avoid wrestling class, and has been on the roads ever since.

He has completed 60 marathons, including Boston, Honolulu, New York City, Marine Corps, Kilauea Volcano Trails, Big Sur and Austin.

Shortly after moving to D.C. in autumn 1999, he began regular participation in the Saturday Long Run and credits it for getting him to Boston.

Ben has directed the Larry Noel Greenbelt 15K Race since 2005 and has been a coach with the Club’s training programs for many years. He's also been the Club's VP for Races and its Treasurer.

Steve Klug, VP for Operations

Steve Klug is our Vice President for Operations.

Steve started running during COVID as a way to stay active when everything shut down and has fallen in love with the sport.
He joined DCRR in Feb 2022 after moving to DC and having already signed up for his first marathon. He co-leads our Monday Night Chill Runs, is a regular at Wednesday Night Track/Saturday Long Runs and also tries to race in as many of our Bunion and Snowball series races as possible (Can never say no to a free chip timed tempo workout with water stops).

Contact him at steve@dcroadrunners.org.

Jonny Pellish, VP for Races

Jonny (jonny@dcroadrunners.org) joined DCRRC in the spring of 2012. He has been a regular during the fall and spring training programs and coached as part of the half and full marathon and 10K training programs since he received his Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Level I certification in the spring of 2014.

Jonny grew up near Harper Ferry, WV and lived in Nashville, TN before he moved to Washington, DC in the fall of 2008. While he was active in club sports in college, he didn't discover recreational running until his wife Claire threw down a Couch-to-5K challenge in early 2012. Since that time, Jonny has run numerous races from 5K through the marathon.

Jonny previously served as the Club's VP for Training from 2017-2023.

Jill Brasky, VP for Training

Jill Brasky is our Vice President for Training. Contact her at jill@dcroadrunners.org.

Lisa Towell, Secretary

Lisa Towell is our Secretary. Contact her at lisa@dcroadrunners.org.

Eunja Rau, Treasurer

Eunja Rau is our Treasurer. Contact her at eunja@dcroadrunners.org.

Jack Phillips, Webmaster

Jack Phillips is our Webmaster. Contact him at jack@dcroadrunners.org.

Jennifer A. Vu, Director for Race Operations

Jennifer works as a software engineer for the U.S. Senate. She is a certified National Registry EMT, Wilderness Medicine WEMT and actively rides with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Medic as a first responder. Jennifer is also a volunteer at Capital Caring Health, an Advanced Home Care and Hospice for all ages at all times.

Jennifer enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities - running, biking, hiking, backpacking, traveling, as well as reflecting and checking off as many of the National and State Parks as her time allows. In 2015 and 2017 she traveled to different States to complete all the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series.

"If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.". "Mindfulness". "Divine Mercy". "You Raise Me Up To More Than I Can Be".

Anna Staats, Director for Training Initiatives

Anna Staats is our Director for Training Initiatives and Saturday Long Run leader. Contact her at annastaats@dcroadrunners.org.

Nate Rathjen, Director for Membership

Nate Rathjen is our Director for Membership. Contact him at nate@dcroadrunners.org.

Mari Diaz, Director for Community Outreach

Mari Diaz is our Director for Community Outreach.

Mari started running in 2012. She was inspired by her younger brother who is an avid runner. After a 5K and a half marathon, she ran her first marathon in 2013. She has now run more than 10 marathons and 2 ultramarathons. She likes that running can take you places you wouldn't otherwise see. It also brings together people from different backgrounds. She has run and volunteered at DCRR events since 2016. As the Director of Community Outreach, she wants to encourage participation of runners of all levels.

Contact her at mari@dcroadrunners.org.

Delna Clark, Volunteer Coordinator

Delna Clark is our Volunteer Coordinator. Contact her at delna@dcroadrunners.org.