The RRCA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes long distance running in America. The organization is represented at the national, regional, and state level. The RRCA maintains a full-time office staff at its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, to administer this grassroots running organization.
For any questions, please contact the Road Runners Club of America's headquarters:

Road Runners Club of America
1501 Lee Hwy
Suite 140
Arlington, Va., 22209

Phone: 703-525-3890
Fax: 703-525-3891

Profiles of RRCA Officers, Directors and Staff

Executive Director:
Arlington, VA

Jean Knaack is the Executive Director of the Road Runners Club of America. She brings over twelve 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. In 2000, she earned a Master's of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from George Mason University. Since that time, Jean has actively participated on the GMU Nonprofit Studies Advisory Committee. More recently, Jean has completed the Certificate in Human Resources Management from George Mason University. Since, locating to the Washington, DC area in 1997, Jean has developed broad skills in the nonprofit management arena by working in senior- level positions for 501(c)3 organizations that include a world renowned arts organization, an international conservation organization, and a grass-roots activist organization. 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. Jean is an avid runner, masters swimmer, and competitive triathlete and occasionally places in her age group. She completed the inaugural Ford Ironman Kentucky race in 2007. She has been married for twelve wonderful years and is the proud mother of two young children, Jena and James. Everyone in the Knaack household runs including the family dog, Isabelle.

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Phone: 703-525-3890
Fax: 703-525-3890

President:
Frederick, MD

Brent has been active in the sport of running for over 35 years. He served on the RRCA Board of Directors from 1987 to 1990 as Treasurer and again from 2004 to 2008 as Eastern Region Director. He was also on the Kids Run the Nation Grant Selection Committee in 2007 and was given a special President.s Award for Service in 1991 and again in 2006. In 2007 he interviewed all living RRCA presidents for the 50th Anniversary report. He was a founding member of the Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club while still in college in 1975. He was their club president from 2000-2003. Brent is an RRCA Certified coach, and he holds USATF Level I & Level II coaching certifications. For the last eight years, he has coached the Frederick Striders Youth Track & Field Club. Five years ago, he launched the Hood College Cross Country program with ten athletes. Track & Field was recently added and this program currently features forty athletes. He has been recognized as a Maryland AAU Track Outstanding Coach in 2004 and as the Hood College Coach of the Year in 2005. Brent holds an MBA and serves as Finance Administrator to seven different members of the United States House of Representatives where he has worked for over 29 years. He and his wife Mary Catherine and their three teenage children reside in Frederick, Maryland.

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Vice President:
South Lake Tahoe, CA

David Cotter is a California native and forty-seven year resident of South Lake Tahoe, California where he resides with his wife Sharlee. Sharlee and David founded the RRCA Kids Run the Nation Fund. He has been running since 1990 and his passion is running the trails of the High Sierra within the Lake Tahoe Basin and the trails of Hawaii. David is the President of both the Tahoe Mountain Milers (Lake Tahoe) and Sagebrush Stompers (Carson City, Nevada) Running Club. David was appointed as the RRCA Nevada State Rep in 1998 and as the RRCA Northern California State Rep in 2002. He is the city organizer and head coach of the USA Fit for the Lake Tahoe Marathon Training Program. In 2004 he served as the Convention Director for the RRCA National Convention and was awarded as the 2003 RRCA State Rep of the Year. He is the race director for a variety of running events at Lake Tahoe including the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M Endurance Runs, the Lake Tahoe Kokanee 5K, 10K and Half Marathon Trail Runs and the Lake Tahoe .Fresh Tracks. 5K Snowshoe Race. The Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M Endurance Runs has been selected as the RRCA National Ultra Championship. David has served on numerous RRCA committees including the Executive Director Performance Review Committee. He organized the State Reps Silent Auction at the 2007 RRCA National Convention, and he currently leads the State Reps Working Group.

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Treasurer:
New Berlin, WI

Dennis has been a certified public accountant for over thirty-five years and retired from practice in 2004. As a member of the Badgerland Striders since 1978, he has served in several leadership roles including the treasurer and president position. He is currently the chair of their finance committee. Dennis has been a long time supporter of the RRCA National Convention by attending nine out of the past eleven years. In addition, Dennis is currently serving as the State Rep for Wisconsin and has been active in the RRCA for many years.

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Regional Directors

Eastern Director:
Portland, ME

Mark was in the Coast Guard for over twenty years and was decorated for his accomplishments. He is currently a Compliance Specialist and Auditor for the largest hospital system in Maine. Mark holds a bachelors degree from Regents College in New York. Mark is a member of the Maine Track Club where he has served as a board member-at-large, vice president, and Mark was elected president in 2005. During his tenure as the Maine Track Club president, Mark has been noted for his organizational, communication, fund-raising and recruiting skill. Under his guidance, the Maine Track Club has donated over $300,000 to local charities and schools in Maine. Mark has been the RRCA Maine State Representative since 2006, and he has awarded several RRCA State Championships to area races. He has also been a member of the RRCA Audit Committee for two years. Mark has also been a race director for over eight years and is a member of the Beach to Beacon 10k organizing committee. He has two children, and he has completed hundreds of races of all lengths including 20 marathons. He is training for his first Ironman Triathlon at Lake Placid this July. Mark resides in Portland Maine.

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Central Director:
Ann Arbor, MI

Mitch is very active with the Ann Arbor Track Club where he serves as vice president and is on his club.s executive committee of the board. He is also a committee member of two mid-sized races in Ann Arbor, Michigan: the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run, and the Burns Park Run. Mitch has attended the RRCA Conventions since 2005. In 2007, he assisted with the RRCA Board of Directors. election as an official vote counter and election monitor. In 2007, he reviewed the RRCA bylaws and recommended clarifications to the Bylaws Task Force. He has actively promoted the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run as an RRCA Regional and State Championship race. In 2005, Mitch was a United States Track and Field Association All-American Masters Runner, 1500 meters and 5000 meters (males 55-59). He was ranked #2 runner in 2006 in the US for males 55-59 based on points tallied by Active.com. Mitch is an attorney with the law firm Allotta, Farley & Widman Co. He graduated cum laude from Yale University with a major in economics. He received his Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. Mitch credits his wife Ellen and daughter Kasia for putting up with his fanaticism about running.

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Southern Director:
Cary, NC

Lena has been the RRCA North Carolina State Rep since 2005, and received the 2007 Outstanding State Rep of the Year Award. She has been an active athlete for over 40 years, starting as a track runner in her native Sweden. In 1971 she was the Swedish National Champion in the 1500m. Since her move to the US in the mid-1970s she has completed 25 marathons, with the highlight being a 10th place finish in the 1984 Boston Marathon. Currently Lena is active in two local running clubs, North Carolina Roadrunners Club and Carolina Godiva Track Club. Lena is also an RRCA Certified Running Coach. She has two Masters Degrees, in Public Health from University of California, Berkeley, and in Management from North Carolina State University. She resides in Cary, North Carolina, and works as a Senior Programmer for a Contract Research Organization serving the Pharmaceutical Industry.

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Western Director :
Juneau, AK

A native of York, Pennsylvania, David Epstein began running in 1992, and has completed nine marathons. He has served as Secretary, Webmaster, and President of the Anchorage Running Club. In 1996, he helped to establish the 5-Miler for Men.s Cancer Research, a benefit run for prostate and testicular cancer research, education, and awareness in Alaska. David served as the 5-Miler.s Race Director and President of the Board of Directors for ten years. David served as the Alaska State Representative before starting his RRCA Board service. He was the appointed Secretary for the RRCA in addition to being an At-Large Director. He holds a bachelor.s degree in engineering from Duke University, a master.s degree in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a registered professional engineer in Alaska and Colorado. David works for the Federal Aviation Administration, where he serves as Business Services Group Manager for the Western Service Area of the Air Traffic Organization.

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Director at Large:
Grapevine, TX

Kelly began running on July 4, 1997. Her long-term running goal is to run a marathon in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Kelly served as President of the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers (RAW) for five years. During that time RAW donated over $73K to charities, profitability increased from a negative figure to several thousand dollars net profit, and club membership doubled. She became the RRCA North Texas State Representative in March 2006. Kelly has actively promoted RRCA programs and services to her clubs in Texas, which is evident by the number of State and Regional Championships held in Texas and the number of National Award Winners from Texas. Kelly has volunteered her time nationally by serving on several national award selection panels, the State Reps Working Group and the Strategic Planning Task Force. She was also instrumental in the development of the Road Race of the Year Award. Kelly received the 2008 Outstanding State Representative of the Year award.

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Director at Large:
Virginia Beach, VA

Dan Edwards has been a Tidewater Strider for the past 21 years, has been a board member for the past 19 years, treasurer for 15 years, and race committee co-chair for the past 5 years. Dan served on the RRCA Strategic Planning Task Force. He was the recipient of RRCA.s Rod Steele Memorial national club volunteer of the year award in 1993. He has attended many of the RRCA.s annual conventions and has assisted with parliamentary processes at four. Dan also helped establish the Greater Hampton Roads Association of Road Running Clubs for the region.s three major RRCA member clubs to coordinate schedules, inter-club competitions, and mutual support. He has served on the Virginia Beach School Board for the past 11 years and has also been elected to serve as Chairman of this 11-member board annually for the past 10 years.

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Serving on the Board of Directors

If you are interested in serving on the RRCA Board of Directors, please take a moment to read the RRCA Board Nominating Procedure. This document outlines the nomination process as well as the responsibilities and expectations of an RRCA Board Member. For more information about serving on the RRCA Board, schedule time to talk with the President or the Executive Director to learn more.

• Board of Directors Nominating Procedure (pdf)

National Staff

RRCA Office and Responsibilities

Road Runners Club of America
1501 Lee Hwy
Suite 140
Arlington, Va., 22209

Phone: 703-525-3890
Fax: 703-525-3891

Dorothy Commock: Office Manager

Eve Mills: Director of Membership and Program Services

Eve Mills as the Director of Membership and Program Services at the Road Runners Club of America. Eve served as the first Executive Director of Girls on the Run of Montgomery County, and introduced hundreds of girls to the joy of running. Eve is an RRCA Certified Coach and volunteers with the Experienced Marathon group of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. Eve has a degree in finance from the University of Massachusetts, a Masters in Taxation from the George Washington University and is a CPA in the state of Maryland. She runs with and after her three children along with her supremely supportive husband of fifteen years.

Webmaster:
Kailua-Kona, HI / Portland, OR

Warren is responsible for management of the RRCA web site and online advertising.

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