USA TRIATHLON 2015 GENERAL ELECTION Welcome to USA Triathlon s 2015 election coverage. Please use the following information to learn about the candidates nominated in your region for the al Council. We hope this will assist you with your voting decision. CANDIDATES FOR THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL COUNCIL Please vote for up to six (6) of the following candidates: REGION Mid-Atlantic (includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C. and West Virginia) CANDIDATE Brenda Barrera Cory Churches (incumbent) Todd Lippin Ken Modica (incumbent) Robert Vigorito (incumbent) JoAnna Younts (incumbent)
BRENDA BARRERA Williamsburg, VA Triathlon is the fastest growing sport and what an exciting time to be involved in this healthy lifestyle we all share. As an advocate for our sport I d like to expand outreach efforts to attract more participants military families, women, challenged athletes, and minorities. My goals include supporting the council and membership programs to foster and grow regional participation, plus work with all media platforms to shine a light on the accomplishments of our region. A triathlete since 1986, I have more than 20 years experience working in communications and sports media, including covering triathlons and triathletes (pros, age groupers, and beginners). After moving from Chicago to Virginia in 2009, a career highlight was my job as Editorial Director of Washington Running Report (now RunWashington) where we featured a triathlon and military sports column. More recently, I ve been a contributor to the USAT Mid-Atlantic Region enewsletter. Since 2013, I have served on the USA Triathlon Women s Committee, and I am a contributor to The Women s Guide to Triathlon (Human Kinetics). If elected, you can count on me to bring my experience and let s-get-it-done energy to the al Council.
CORY CHURCHES Washington, DC I d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your time, commitment, and energy for making multisport part of your life. I d like to continue to serve you as a representative on the regional council. I see my role as a steward of your investment. Do you know for every adult annual member, nearly $3 comes back to the region? And with the largest membership in the country, this allows us to invest in a variety of programs that support and engage new and developing members. A few of our recent achievements include: The Youth and Jr committee launched the first regional triathlon series, engaging more than 1,000 kids. The members of this committee include Zach Britton, JoAnna Younts, Christy Lausch, Melissa Merson, and Robert Vigorito. A new coaches committee connects coaches to resources, one another, and athletes. Chad Latino is chair. Our paratriathlon committee will host two clinics this year. Kim Romanchuk, David Richardson, Nate DeWalt, and Leslie Knibb are all leading this charge. These are just some of the recent returns on your investment. I encourage you to get involved as they have and continue our tradition of actively engaging and leading the multisport community.
TODD LIPPIN Philadelphia, PA I have been an endurance athlete for over 30 years, coached running for 22 years, and multisport for 7 years. 4 years ago I launched of the Breakaway Racing Team. In this time, Breakaway membership has quadrupled and received numerous accolades. Breakaway won the Division IV title at the Regional Club Championships in 2014 and 2015, and in the WTC Club rankings (Division 5), finished top ten in the United States in 2013 and 2014. My focus with the team has been to foster a true TEAM environment, where members motivate each other in training and racing, and through their combined efforts reap greater rewards for themselves and the team. As a council member, I am interested in deploying systematic training principles to keep our membership safe and training effectively, and support clinics for coaches and athletes. I want to promote the idea of TEAM in multisport, because this type of positive experience will increase the enjoyment of and help grow our membership. It is my hope that my experience as a coach, multisport team director, and athlete will make me a viable candidate for a council position in the. I would be honored to be your representative.
KEN MODICA East Norriton, PA Becoming involved with Team in Training (TNT) in November 2004, Ken continues to participate in triathlons from Sprint to Ironman distances around the country. He is a USA Triathlon and TNT certified coach and an experienced USA Triathlon Head official working local, regional and Age Group National Championships including Ford Ironman events and the Ironman World Championships in Kona. Elected to serve on the Regional Council in 2008, Ken started his first term in January 2009. Since that time he has served as the Officials Liaison to race officials covering over 100 events throughout the region. He started the first Regional Paratriathlon committee whose mission was to create awareness, expand participation and introduce new paratriathletes to the sport. Ken serves on the National Age Group Committee whose mission is to represent interests of the Age Group Athlete in matters that come before the National Board. He leads the Grants Program sub-committee whose purpose is to support awareness, understanding and safety for the sport of triathlon. Ken is involved and making a difference. He asks for your vote and thanks you for being an active part of the election process and for considering him for re-election to the Regional Council.
ROBERT VIGORITO Columbia, MD I was a co-founder of USAT-Mid Atlantic Region in 1992, and since that time have been an active member of our regional council, having served as President/Chair of the council for 20 years. Additionally, I served on the USAT National Board for two terms and remain an active member on USAT Age Group Commission. I am a USAT Level 2 Race Director, and Certified Coach. My primary motivation for our region is to support, broaden and inspire current and future multisport participation by adults, youths, junior and paratriathletes. Our USAT-MA region can boast of having continually achieved the largest annual membership across all 10 regions. Likewise, our membership drives have also brought us among the highest youth membership. I want to continue to support our members with funding for camps and clinics for Youth, Junior and Paratriathletes, broaden our regional club and collegiate support, and continue to encourage and fund women s multisport initiatives. Most important, we must hear and support our race directors who are the engine of our sport. Triathlon has become a key component of my life over 33 years and I continue to live it every day. Thank you for your continued support and vote.
JOANNA YOUNTS Chapel Hill, NC I am from Chapel Hill, NC and my husband and I have two teenage daughters. I graduated from UNC- Chapel Hill and earned an MBA from The George Washington University. I am a partner in a management consulting firm. I got hooked on triathlon in 1994. Since then, I ve completed almost 100 multisport races from sprints to iron distance. I have competed at USAT Age Group Nationals multiple times and have been a member of Team USA at several ITU World Championships. In addition to being a USAT Level I coach, I am also the founder of Kids Tri NC, a not-for-profit organization that produces clinics, camps and races for youth, including the Tar Heel Youth Triathlon series. I would like to continue to serve on the Council in order to promote and expand the programs that we provide for our members, particularly programs for youth such as the Mid-Atlantic Youth Series, which was launched in 2015. I would also like to expand our support for coaches and race directors through educational programming opportunities.