Staff Bios

Jean Knaack is the Executive Director of the Road Runners Club of America where she has served in the role since 2005, bringing over fifteen years of nonprofit management experience to the position. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay with a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Nutrition. She earned a Master’s of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from George Mason University. She regularly counsels running club and event leaders around the country on various topics of importance to the running community. Through her work with the RRCA she is a fitness advocate promoting running as healthy exercise and a competitive sport on a national scale. She served on the coordinating committee that developed the first National Physical Activity Plan for the United States. She has experience managing the financial operations of organizations ranging in size from $100,000 to $10 million. Jean has extensive skills in organizational and financial development, board and member relations, and program planning and implementation. She is an avid runner and has completed several marathons and countless road races and triathlons. She was a finisher at the inaugural Ironman Louisville race in 2007 and finished Ironman France in 2009 and Ironman Coeur D’Alen in 2010. She is the proud mother of two young children and she has been married to Jim Knaack for seventeen years.

David Morgan is the Membership Coordinator of the RRCA. Morgan is an Annapolis, Maryland native who graduated from Millersville University in 2010 with an undergraduate degree in Communications. Before taking the Membership Coordinator position with the RRCA, David was working at a local charity that helped bring impoverished families off the streets and into new homes. An avid Washington sports fan, David tries to get to every football and hockey game that he can. Morgan is responsible for responding to all general membership and insurance inquiries from running clubs and running events.  He coordinates the day-to-day interface with RRCA members (clubs, events, individuals, coaches, and corporate supporters).  He counsels prospective members on proper membership classification, fees, insurance coverage, and benefits.  He counsels new members on how to correctly form a nonprofit organization and other membership issues that need special attention.  Morgan is responsible for maintaining the nonprofit group list with the IRS and providing members with letters verifying their exempt status. He maintains records for all members in the group by reviewing, scanning and filing bylaws and sharing copies with members as requested.  Morgan manages the annual renewal process including reviewing applications for accuracy, following-up with late payments, maintaining the online database, roster submission and initiating renewal notices.

Alyssa Evering - Alyssa Evering is a Bel Air, Maryland native who graduated from the University of Connecticut with her Bachelor of Science in Sports Management in 2009 and her Master of Arts in Social Science of Sport in 2011. Before taking the Programs Coordinator position with the RRCA, Alyssa was the Community Outreach Coordinator for the University of Connecticut in the Division of Athletics. Alyssa is a former UConn Husky Track and Field Athlete. She competed in the sprints where she was a 400 meter Big East Champion, 4x400 4x100 ECAC Champion, 200 meter New England Champion and School Record Holder. Alyssa was also an academic All-American. Alyssa is excited to be working for the RRCA and to continue to promote the sport of running. Evering is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the implementation of the activities associated with all RRCA programs and services including the Championship Event Series, the State Reps Program, the Kids Run the Nation Program, Runner Friendly Community, National Awards, Roads Scholars, Run@Work Day, etc. She is also responsible for promotion and public relations for all RRCA programs.

Randy Accetta is an accomplished educator and runner taht brings a wealth of experience to the RRCA coaching program.  He is the Communications Mentor for the top-ranked McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona, where he has twice received Teacher of the Year honors.  Additionally, he has co-authored two continuing education courses on how to coach runners, and he has written running-based articles that have been published in Running Times, Runners World and the New York Times.  Randy is the current RRCA State Representative for Arizona and is the immediate past president of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners.  A former 2:19 marathoner who competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, Randy has a long history of coaching runners, including as the Program Director for Craftsbury Running Camps, the Arizona Coach for Team in Training, and The Workout Group in Tucson, Arizona. A graduate of Wesleyan University (CT), Randy credits his fellow Wesleyan alumni as inspiring him.  Randy Accetta, Ph.D. has been hired as the Director of Coaching Education, tasked with updating and expanding the RRCA Coaching Certification program.  Please refer to the coaching information pages about instructions for scheduling courses.

Dorothy Commock joined the RRCA in 2001 and celebrated her 10th year with the organization in 2011. She has had the unique experience of working on all locations three locations of the RRCA national office from the first office in Old Town Alexandria, VA to Columbia, MD to our current location in Arlington, VA. Like all staff, Dorothy wears many hats for the RRCA. She is the voice of the national office as she routes phone calls to the appropriate staff person and assists members with questions. She ensures the office is well organized and well stocked, including our bottomless jar of M&M‘s. She manages the event calendar on the website, assists with important accounting and fundraising functions, fulfills online orders for Kids Run the Nation materials, circulates all RRCA Championship supplies to event hosts, and much more.