MEET OUR TEAM

LEADERSHIP STAFF

Executive Director | 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

Finance & Registration Director | 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

Marketing & Partnerships Director | Tedx speaker, founder of MAHFIA.TV and Partner of the Women’s Skateboarding Alliance, Kim has over a decade of experience advocating for women in skateboarding. Finding her own strength, freedom, and self-expression through action sports, she is committed to creating accessible opportunities for everyone to participate. ​Year Joined: 2014

Seattle Chapter Director | Soph is a shredder of all boards, has a BA in Film and Sustainability and currently resides in Seattle, WA. They are passionate about creating spaces for Women, Trans and Non-binary skaters. Soph believes in using community, allyship and skateboarding to teach young people the core values of social justice, equity and self-confidence. Year Joined: 2018

SF Bay Chapter Director | Ashley is a lifelong skateboarder, youth and fitness coach and has 10 years of experience instructing skateboarding and working with youth. Sports and skateboarding has given Ashley a lifetime of freedom and joy coupled with self-discipline and confidence. Ashley has a BA in Community Studies/Education from the University of California Santa Cruz and is passionate about creating a healthy, safe and supportive environment for young girls and women to participate in skateboarding regardless of age, gender, background and ability. Year Joined: 2016

Portland Chapter Director | Terence started skateboarding in 1999 and has been working in youth development since 2005.  His belief that everyone should have equitable access to skateboarding brought him to Skate Like a Girl.  He is proud to help foster a more inclusive skateboard community. Year Joined: 2016

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PROGRAM STAFF

Skateboarding Inclusivity Cooperative (SIC) Program Manager | Sima started with Skate Like a Girl in Seattle and then transitioned to the Portland chapter. She attributes Skate Like a Girl to being the community platform that pushed her to facilitate her authentic voice. By understanding the power of skateboarding as a forward-moving social tool, she has held multiple independently organized fundraising events that brought her local skate communities together. Sima will be your number-one hype person forever, and thanks the Skate Like a Girl family, campers, and participants alike for bringing so much color into her life. Year Joined: 2014

Lead Program Staff + Up2Us Vista | Seattle | Alexa grew up with a passion for skateboarding from a young age. Not knowing if there was space in the community for her after coming out as trans, she decided to stop skating. Until she found an exclusive space for women & trans people provided by Skate Like a Girl. Inspired by a new, inclusive environment she’d never seen within skateboarding, she has since dedicated herself to empowering people from marginalized communities through skateboarding. Year Joined: 2019

Program Staff + Up2Us Coach | SF Bay | Michelle grew up skating in Santa Cruz, CA and Park City, UT. She is a graphic artist and political printmaker. Michelle focuses her spare time and energy into organizing and creating work for her political poster collective, the San Francisco Poster Syndicate. They create art and design for many different social justice movements, like labor unions and homeless rights advocacy groups. She believes art and skateboarding can be used as tools to fight for change and equity! Year Joined: 2018

Program Staff | Portland | Paige grew up skating in Southern California before moving to Portland, OR to work with youth in the education field. She believes strongly in the power of building social emotional skills through sports and play. Paige values her role with Skate Like a Girl because it allows her to hold space for youth to build confidence and leadership skills within the skateboarding community. Year Joined: 2021

Up2Us Coach | Juneau, Alaska | Sarita grew up playing soccer which drove her to pursue an education in exercise science in the Bay Area. During her time in SF, Sarita discovered a deep love for skateboarding and the community surrounding it through events put on by organizations like Skate Like a Girl! Being a witness to the power that Skate Like a Girl has in creating an inclusive space for anyone who feels like they don’t belong caused Sarita to want to combine their background in exercise science and love for skateboarding to empower others to skate smarter so they can skate harder! Year Joined: 2019

Up2Us Coach | Seattle, WA | Ruby first found skateboarding at the age of 12 when her mom signed her up for a Skate Like a Girl camp. She was instantly drawn to the empowering nature of the sport and how it can help folks build confidence and resilience. Since then, she has valued the way Skate Like a Girl has created the opportunity for her to further develop her own leadership skills through passing this empowerment to other skaters in the community. Her goal is to seek ways in which she can recreate these spaces to give people the chance to feel supported and like a part of something. You can find her crackin’ some dad jokes or skating with a crazy wig on! Year Joined: 2015

Lead Program Staff | SF Bay, CA | Jai is a former Americorp Up2Us Coach and a lead program staff for Skate Like a Girl Bay Area. Coming from a small town, Jai moved to the Bay Area to help people find their confidence through skateboarding. They truly believe in being an individual and having your own style. Jai loves skateboarding and the determination it takes to do it. Year Joined: 2018

Up2Us Vista | Media Creation & Collection | SF Bay, CA | Carlyn is a skateboarder, filmmaker and photographer. She is also the founder of Tempo SFC, a skateboard brand dedicated to uplifting athletes and artists who are otherwise underrepresented in the industry. She is passionate about helping people pursue their dreams and succeeding on and off the board. Year Joined: 2021

Up2Us VISTA | Marketing | Seattle, WA | Maya has loved skateboarding and its culture since she was a kid, however, genuinely believed she didn’t have a place in its community until she discovered, and began attending the Women & Trans skate nights, and joined a punk rock band with other women in skateboarding in her late teens. From that point on, Maya has been an advocate for inclusivity and representation in skateboarding. And with her marketing background in music & pop culture, intends on further using her platform to expand on diversity in skateboarding representation. Year Joined: 2021.

Up2Us Vista | Data & Documentation | Kristen grew up snowboarding and discovered a passion for skateboarding in her early 20s. She is especially appreciative of the inclusive communities she has found within skateboarding. She wants to continue contributing to inclusive programming so that others can share in that experience. Kristen loves using her analytical skills to tell stories with data and show community impact from programs. Year Joined: 2021

BOARD MEMBERS

Molly brings 15+ years of marketing and actions sports industry experience to Skate Like A Girl. As Board Chair, Molly’s primary responsibilities include advising on strategic focus, marketing, collaborative partnerships, fundraising, and business forecasting & development. Year Joined: 2018.

Ashley-Nicole helps facilitate conversations around public policy and rule making at the city and state levels. She works to empower the Skate Like a Girl board, staff, and skaters to advocate for an equitable, inclusive and just community by building meaningful relationships. Also she loves fundraising stuff too! Year Joined: 2019

With 10+ years of experience in the skate community, Sara helps create branded experiences for young adults across the nation while helping to provide spaces for all to individuate and express themselves as desired. Sara was first introduced to SLAG through mutual friends and through joining multiple Monday night sessions. She strives to support the Skate Like a Girl mission and build a more inclusive community within skateboarding and advocating for those without a platform. Year Joined: 2021.

Bill DeKlerk Iives in Huntington Beach, CA. 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

Will joined the board to support the amazing programs in the skateboard community. He is a parent of two avid skateboards, you can often catch him at Women and Trans sessions, weekend 12-and-unders, and many others. Will is proud to assist in creating new leaders through the incredible YES program for teens and in creating exclusive spaces to skate for everyone. Year Joined: 2018

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

Beth is an employment and civil rights attorney, strongly committed to advocating for the rights of marginalized populations including women, girls, and the LGBTQ+ community. Beth was first introduced to Skate Like a Girl as a parent of young skater who has attended day, summer sleep away camp, and special events. As someone with a strong values of social justice, Beth immediately felt at home with the values and community of Skate Like a Girl. Year Joined: 2020

Stephani Smith brings 28 years of experience in the Sneaker/Sports & Fitness industry. In a recent role, she served as the Global VP/GM of Nike SB. It was then that Stephani first partnered with and fell in love with Skate Like a Girl. She too aspires to do all she can to promote social justice, build confidence in others and stoke the fire of the incredible community Skate Like a Girl serves. 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

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