MEET OUR TEAM

DIRECTORS

After facing her own hardships growing up as a female skater, Kristin has dedicated her life to creating a radically inclusive skate community. Kristin’s experience working for the YMCA and as an Up2Us Sports AmeriCorps Coach informs her youth-driven approach to Skate Like a Girl’s programs. Year Joined: 2005

After two years in Skate Like a Girl's YES program, Kwame continued to work for Skate Like a Girl while earning a BS in Commerce from Santa Clara University. He enjoys philosophy podcasts, spreadsheets, and working to create a more accessible skate community. Year Joined: 2013

Spirit (Huŋkpapa Lakota/Sāmoan) started skating in 2016 after finding a Mini Logo complete abandoned in her front yard. Shortly after, they began skateboarding and found community through Skate Like A Girl. Spirit is passionate about sharing resources and opportunities for youth to experience the joy of skateboarding as a source of empowerment and wellness. They have over 5 years of experience working with diverse youth across Washington State through unique arts, culture, and skateboarding-based programming in collaboration with schools, universities, Indigenous communities, non-profits, and more.

Tori is an avid skateboarder and community advocate whose journey on a board began during the pandemic. As her passion grew, so did her desire to share the joy of skating with others. In Honolulu, she took on the role of a skateboard coach for youth, and also founded The Skate Garden, an inclusive skateboarding group that aimed to break barriers and inspire individuals from all walks of life to pursue their passion for skateboarding. When she's not skateboarding, Tori can be found exploring hiking trails with her loyal companion, Ollie. Keeping up with her physical fitness in the gym, and spending quality time with loved ones. Tori comes to Skate Like a Girl’s Portland chapter with a degree in Religious Studies from St. Lawrence University, and a Masters degree in Education with 5 years of experience as a teacher, working with school age youth and community partners. Year joined: 2023

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PROGRAM MANAGERS

In 2017, after experiencing a week of repetitive dreams in which Selma was skating through urban spaces, she decided to pick up a board and hasn’t looked back since. In 2019, Selma became a mother and re established her relationship with skateboarding with a more disciplined, compassionate, and loving approach to her body and intention. Selma is very honored to have the opportunity to play a role in helping others cultivate their relationship with their bodies and minds through skateboarding thanks to Skate Like a Girl. When Selma isn’t using skateboarding as a method of creative expression, you can find her painting, sculpting, dancing, hiking, or adventuring with her son.

Carlee discovered her passion for skateboarding as a teenager, and it quickly became an integral part of her identity. Through skateboarding, she found a lifelong community and connections, which sparked her desire to share this transformative experience with others. Over the past 6 years, Carlee has worked with youth in various settings, including nonprofits, schools, and skateboarding organizations. Carlee is dedicated to promoting experiential learning and play for both youth and adults and believes deeply in the positive impact of skateboarding. Year Joined: 2024

Coming from a background of music, art, and D.I.Y. organizing and volunteering, Patricia attended her first Skate Like a Girl WT session in 2018 and fell in love with the community and support that SLAG offered. For her, skateboarding has been a consistent resource for positivity, both physically and mentally, and she strives to impart that feeling to others.

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SENIOR LEADS

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PROGRAM STAFF

Collin started skateboarding in 2018. At 51, they were struggling to find a skate community. Their first Women and/or Trans session was life-changing, and immediately they began volunteering and spreading the word about Skate Like a Girl to every non-traditional skater they met. A longtime Portlander, they are thankful for the opportunity to help make the city they love a better place for everyone — one skateboard at a time.

Gabe is just stoked to be here! They started skating as an adult, and found their way to Skate Like A Girl first as an interested observer, then as a participant at Women and Trans sessions. Having almost no athletic background, they are excited to have found a sport and community through which they can learn and better themselves. When they’re not skating, they enjoy singing karaoke, playing video games, and trying their hand at any crafting project they can think of. A lifelong passion for developing and expanding community drives their passion for everything Skate Like A Girl stands for.

When Jacque began skateboarding during the pandemic she would only skate in the early morning when the park was empty. The skate community was intimidating and she didn’t feel like she had a place there despite her passion to learn. Jacque pursued a position with SkateLikeAGirl because she wanted to help other non-traditional skaters feel welcomed and empowered in skateboarding. Joined: 2023

Maxine got into skating with the encouragement of her sibling, and has been at it for almost 2 years. With Skate Like a Girl, Maxine has been able to learn how to skate in an inclusive, intimidation-free environment and now skating is part of her everyday routine.

Bug has been skating her whole life and grew up going to Skate Like a Girl’s women and trans sessions. Bug has plenty of child care experience and loves giving back to the community. Skateboarding has given Bug confidence, friendship, and community.

Jo is a skateboarder and roller skater who loves connecting to creativity, community, and nature. Skating for Jo is as much about creativity as it is about fun, empowerment, and connecting with others. When they aren’t on wheels, Jo makes music and enjoys studying herbalism.

- From Venezuela - Love board sports - Co founder of Patineta Pa Rato and Boom Balm - 35 years old - 20+ skateboarding Love to be part of this organization since day #1

During the pandemic, Rayann reignited her passion for skating, discovering a vibrant and inclusive community along the way. Rayann has extensive experience working with youth in both celebratory and educational settings. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from SF State University, and currently works in the event production industry. Rayann is deeply committed to fostering safe spaces for marginalized communities and is dedicated to making skating as inclusive as possible. Joined in 2025

Yejun started skating in college as a means to sit outside in fresh air with friends. After lots of scary time learning alone, she found amazing friends in Chicago through skateboarding, learning about confidence, community, and having a good time. Yejun moved to Seattle to start graduate school at UW, and is so happy to get to support spaces for new and non-traditional skaters.

Janna’s experience with skateboarding has been a journey since she was 11 years old. When she moved from Oklahoma to Oregon in 2020 she visited her first skatepark and saw a new side of skateboarding she had never seen before. As she developed a growing love for skateboarding, she discovered Skate Like a Girl in the PDX area and found a community in which she felt was inspirational and supportive for all. Joined: 2023

Avery learned about Skate Like A Girl through Nike and has been involved either it ever since. Skating since she was 10, she loves expressing herself and sharing who she is. She volunteered with the program in 2024 after attending summer camps previously, and is now a Summer Camp Assistant. She is excited for her first summer job and looks forward to improving her skills, while also contributing to building an inclusive space for all skaters.

Diana has been with Skate Like a Girl for about a year now and has loved being involved in the community it has brought them. It has taught them that skateboarding is so much more than a sport/hobby but an outlet to express yourself, and show up as the most righteous version you can. Skate Like a Girl has also been a safe space for Diana to connect with fellow poc and queer individuals since their move here. They also claim it’s their favorite Portland find to date <3

Gezel-Jan loves to express herself through the art of skateboarding. She attended California State University of San Bernardino and obtained her BA in Psychology. Her deep interest in psychology resonates with her passion for people and self expression. Mental health awareness is something she will always advocate. She plans to embody compassion and acknowledge resilience in others, in and out of her role as a Lead for Skate Like A Girl.

Kaitlyn's skateboarding journey began in 2016 at a Skate Like a Girl camp, where she first experienced the joy of skateboarding. The camp ignited a passion that stayed with her, and as soon as she was old enough, Kaitlyn eagerly signed up to be a Y.E.S. member, deepening her involvement with the organization. Now, Kaitlyn is thrilled to come full circle, ready to share her love for skateboarding and empower the next generation.

Soni is a student at the university of Washington, and has been skateboarding for over a decade! Skateboarding is his greatest passion, and he also enjoys riding bikes, playing the drums, listening to surf music, and enjoying the sunshine! Soni loves giving others the opportunity to have as much fun on a skateboard as he does, with the goal to share the joys of skateboarding with all who are down to ride.Soni is a student at the university of Washington, and has been skateboarding for over a decade! Skateboarding is his greatest passion, and he also enjoys riding bikes, playing the drums, listening to surf music, and enjoying the sunshine! Soni loves giving others the opportunity to have as much fun on a skateboard as he does, with the goal to share the joys of skateboarding with all who are down to ride.

Jessica has been skating since she was a teenager and has a lifelong passion for teaching and coaching. The opportunities and life lessons she has received through skateboarding have impacted her greatly, she she’s extremely happy to be passing those along to other skaters, especially to fellow transgender skaters.

8 years ago, Izzi was a YES member in highschool and quickly transitioned to a staff member, leading WT nights. Now graduating with a masters degree in counseling psychology, Izzi will be helping out throughout the summer before she enters the therapy field. Skate Like a Girl means a lot to Izzi as it connected her to a beautiful community but also because it is a place that so many people are celebrated for who they are!

Kelsey is from Portland and currently studies engineering at the University of Washington. She has been skateboarding since covid. She loves teaching self-expression through skating and also volunteers as a snowboard coach at Snoqualmie in the winter. Kelsey's current favorite trick is fakie kickflip.

Keonni is a first generation skateboarder. Starting at 12 years old, he believes that skating was made by kids for kids. After four years of coaching, he is grateful the kids still let him participate, and help them learn. Thank you to Skate Like a Girl for the opportunity.

Kevin is has been skating since he was 5 years old. Skateboarding offered everything he needed throughout his life: community, joy, expression, collaboration, creation, and passion. Kevin is now a high school teacher in Seattle. He cares deeply for the shared liberation of all peoples.

Besides loving skateboarding, Lukas enjoys salmon, playing music and being creative whenever possible. His favorite quote is, "“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”– by Mark Van Doren

Charlie has been skateboarding for over 6 years in the Seattle area and has lots of experience working with youth. Skateboarding has helped him find a community of supportive, inclusive and fun individuals. Charlie currently lives in West Seattle and skates Delridge all the time.

Ella is a student at Montana State University and has been skateboarding for over three years. She’s passionate about creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for all skaters and loves helping others build confidence through skating.

Stig was first introduced to skating by his older brother and has been skating non stop ever since. Stig is passionate about many activities like snowboarding, golf, art, and skateboarding. He is especially passionate about skating, with building a half pipe in his backyard and going on international trips with his skateboard. He is also on the Project Advisory Committee for the steel bridge skatepark in Portland Oregon. Stig found out about skate like a girl and found it to be the perfect outlet to bring the joy he gets from skating to others.

Brian started skating at age 24 and has over a decade of coaching experience both in skateboarding, disc golf and music. Super passionate about youth education through sports, Brian is a strong believer in the life skills you can learn through skateboarding and hopes to create a inclusive, supportive environment for anybody to learn how to skate.

Michelle first picked up a skateboard as a teenager, and what started as an experiment turned into a passion.Through her curiosity, she searched for a community and found Skate Like A Girl. Wanting to get involved she joined the Youth Employee Skateboarding Program. Which Sparked her joy for working with youth and providing a safe space for all. Skate Like A Girl has provided her with countless opportunities and led her to meet amazing people.

Cristiano has been skateboarding for about 5 years now and it has been his fuel ever since. Besides skating he enjoys playing and listening to music, building legos, and hanging out with friends and family. This summer will be his 2nd one with Skate Like A Girl! His favorite thing about last summer was snack breaks and game time in the big pool at Greenlake.

Mateo is from Los Angeles, but goes to UW for Environmental Science at UW. He has skated on and off for 4-5 years now and has enjoyed spreading the love of the sport and meeting great people through Skate Like a Girl. Mateo is outdoors and loves doing any sort of physical activity.

Philly started skating during covid as a way to get out of the house in a safe way and quickly fell in love with the process and creative values of skateboarding. They moved to portland to major in psychology as well as minor in graphic design & Gender and sexuality studies. Outside of school and skateboarding philly is also a screen printer and brand owner of 3 years. A space like skate like a girl wasn’t available for them in their hometown so they are passionate about creating inclusive and diverse spaces to help support women, gender expansive, and trans skaters.

Kadence has been skateboarding for four years, she started learning how to skateboard in a Skate Like a Girl summer camp. After that she knew that she wanted to become a part of Skate Like a Girl, so the next summer she volunteered as a YES member. Now she is an Assistant. She found that the environment that Skate Like a Girl has is truly amazing, and being able to help and support younger kids as they learn how to skateboard has been an amazing experience.

Anja began skating in 2022 when her dad signed her up for a SLAG summer camp, and has loved it ever since. She became a YES member in 2023 and then staff in 2024. Skate Like a Girl has given her an inclusive space to make friends, try tricks and help others. When she's not skating, she likes to act, sing, play guitar, and DJ.

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BOARD MEMBERS & EMERITUS

Alex White is a former professional skateboarder, commentator, consultant and all around busy body in the global skateboarding community. She is the mother of two amazing kids and strives to make this world a better place for the next generation. “Over the last 15+ years I have witnessed first hand the impact of Skate Like a Girl’s mission to create the next generation of leaders and create a welcoming environment for skateboarders of all ages, abilities and identities. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be on the board for Skate Like a Girl and to contribute to their cause.”

Stafford is a lifelong skateboarder and proud dad to two young skater girls. Skateboarding has brought Stafford a lifetime of friendships and community and joining Skate Like A Girl has been the best opportunity to stay involved yet. Stafford brings a background in Corporate Accounting and joined as Board Treasurer in 2024.

Paz has loved skateboarding since childhood – and when each of her three kids wanted to try it out, she was all for it. It wasn’t until her husband convinced her to go to a Skate Like a Girl meetup that she thought getting fully back into skating was a possibility. SLAG reminded Paz of all the things she cherished about skateboarding in her youth – community, camaraderie, and the possibility of adventure. Paz has spent the past 14 years proudly providing reproductive healthcare and advocating for reproductive justice in the Bay Area as the lead clinician of the Oakland Planned Parenthood. Paz also sits on two local non-profit boards: the Berkeley Free Clinic and the Berkeley Parents Network.

Andrew fell in love with skateboarding at the age of 12 and has spent the last 17 years producing digital content and branded social media campaigns within the skateboarding industry. He was introduced to Skate Like A Girl through a mutual friend and is passionate about SLAG’s mission to create a more inclusive and diverse environment within skateboarding. Andrew hopes that through unique and engaging TikTok and YouTube content he can help SLAG build a more equitable skateboarding community.

Jen has been deeply immersed in skate and snowboard culture most of her life. She discovered Skate Like A Girl and started attending WT Sessions in the SF Bay Area to get back into skating. Soon her own kid started skating participating on youth programs. As a parent and program participant, volunteer and board member, Jen hopes to widen Skate Like A Girls impact.

Skateboarding has been one of the most important things in George's life. Skating for over 30 years has sparked many friendships, brought travel opportunities, and built a far-reaching and supportive community of connections. George has hoped that his work with Skate Like A Girl can bring more folks into the world of skateboarding so they can share in the support that he has experienced. Year Joined: 2020

Zack joined Skate Like a Girl's Board in 2024 but has long been a big fan of Skate Like a Girl and its mission. A lifelong public interest advocate and organizer, Zack currently lives with his family in Portland, where he works an employment attorney and serves on the Board of his neighborhood association.

Elizabeth is a lifelong labor organizer and passionate advocate for solidarity, who first became involved with Skate Like a Girl at the age of 15 in 2004 by teaching skate clinics. With over twenty years of love for Skate Like A Girl, she now proudly supports her four kiddos as they learn to skate through the same organization that helped shape her youth. Elizabeth is excited to serve on the board, witnessing firsthand how skateboarding fosters confidence and community. “Being part of Skate Like a Girl means nurturing a space where folks can discover their strength, organize and build solidarity with each other. Joined: 2024

Devon is a Colorado-based fundraiser with experience in higher education, where she supports donor engagement and strategy. She’s been skateboarding for four years and quickly found a sense of home in the skate community, drawn to its creativity, grit, and strong sense of belonging. Devon is especially passionate about creating more space for women and gender-diverse skaters and is honored to support that mission as a board member. She rides for Yew Skateboards and is excited to help create real change in a community that has given her so much. Year Joined: 2025

Branden is an advocate for Skate Like A Girl, for positive social change, and for the wonders that the right tech can bring to an organization. Branden brings a wealth of knowledge regarding software and technology that allows SLAG to run smoothly and have capacity to grow in safe and efficient ways as an organization.

Bill is a CPA who was introduced to skateboarding in Seattle when his child, Sage, kept bringing home a skateboard, sleeping with it, and boarding for hours daily. Sage had a lifetime love of skating, in many ways it was Sage’s life’s primary passion right up until the day in October 2017 when they lost a fight with cancer. Sage had a deep commitment and love for Skate Like A Girl and its mission. Sage did not like competitions and instead just loved shredding and being non-conventional in performing tricks, laughing, and staying positive with skateboarders at the park. Bill wants to honor Sage by continuing the work of Skate Like a Girl to promote inclusion, love, positivity centered around a deck, wheels, and trucks, while having fun and growing the skating community. Year Joined: 2021

Lauren is a 3rd year law student at Seattle University School of Law. She will be graduating in May of 2022 and has primarily worked for legal aid organizations serving marginalized communities. Lauren began learning how to skateboard after leaving the military in 2019 and found Skate Like a Girl on Instagram. After attending Get on Board 2020, she immediately knew she wanted to get more involved with Skate Like a Girl. Year Joined: 2021

Ripley has been a part of the SLAG community long before she joined the board as a avid volunteer in the bay area. Ripley is passionate about community outreach, fundraising, and beginner instruction for all ages and abilities. She enjoy sharing Skate Like a Girl’s mission with new community members and partners. Year Joined: 2018

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