2022 PPTC Elections

Prospect Park Track Club is excited to share with a great line up of candidates to consider for the 2022 Board Elections. Please review each of them carefully. Voting will be open for two weeks beginning Monday, April 18th. Instructions will be sent via email on how to cast your votes shortly.

Candidate for President:

I humbly submit my candidacy for President, and ask for your vote if you believe PPTC is not only a running club, but also a rising tide that empowers us to lift up each other and those around us. As President, I will continue our club’s focus on creating the best possible member experience, while leveraging our social and financial influence to benefit our community. As a long time member in club leadership, I am adept at achieving alignment despite differing opinions, and I have a proven track record for getting sh*t done.

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I have chaired the Social Committee since 2017 and served on the Race Committee since 2019. In these roles, with the help of many teammates, we have achieved the following:

Social Committee Growth: I’m proud to have developed a large committee of active event organizers, who are able to share their interests and causes with the club. With a year-round calendar of social events, including pub runs, new member runs, food runs, solidarity runs, and the annual Holiday Party, Social Comm is what makes our club a family.
Race Committee Recruitment: Successful recruitment drive for the 2021 Al Goldstein Speed Series, resulting in our largest cohort of new race directors in many years
Race Communications Committee: Creation and mentorship of a subset of Race Comm members who handled marketing and promotion of our 2021 races
Pandemic Pivots: Virtual races and virtual social events were widely praised for being fun and fulfilling ways to connect in difficult times
Diversity & Inclusion Improvements: Promotion and partnership with anti-racist community events, such as Run to Protest and Chinatown Runners; improved geographic diversity of run starts and post-run venues; support for minority and female owned businesses; selection of charity partners that benefit underserved communities; addition of non-binary category for race participants in 2021.

Why do you want to run for election?

Current President Tom Meany has steered our club for over two decades through a phenomenal period of growth. I have worked closely with Tom and learned from his leadership for many years, and with his blessing and support, I am excited for the opportunity to lead us into the next era of change and challenges. My top priorities as President will include the following:

Volunteerism & Leadership: PPTC is built on the dedication of many volunteers. I will empower members to be the change they want to see in our running community, through our committees, races, and more. I will act as a mentor for those in club leadership, fostering conversations based on mutual respect and understanding.
Systems & Scalability: As the club grows, we must ensure that there are clear, easy ways for volunteers to contribute. I will implement systems that encourage strong documentation; responsive communication within the Board and committees, to club members, and to external parties; and shared knowledge and skills, held across multiple people.
Welcoming, Outreach & Partnership: Our borough has wonderful diversity which has not always been represented in the running community. While PPTC has made many strides in this area, we must remain humble and acknowledge there’s more to improve. I will support constructive and executable actions that create a welcoming environment, and outreach and partnership activities that complement the work of like-minded organizations. These measures will be implemented not only through our Diversity Committee, but through the work of all committees.
Financial Stability: PPTC has a long tradition of organizing races, which allows us to subsidize member benefits and contribute funds towards community and charitable initiatives. In addition to my work on the Race Committee, I will maintain excellent relations with Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks, our partners for our primary revenue generators.

Thank you for your time, and if you have any questions for me, please reach out via email, Facebook, Discord, or at an upcoming PPTC run.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

In my non-PPTC, muggle life, I am a product manager and ecommerce strategist at Fulton Fish Market, which means I’m experienced with project management over long timelines, and people management in situations with strong personalities. I am also the mother of Chairman Bao, my 4-year old sourdough starter, and I’m excellent at karaoke (my go-to song is Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”).

Candidates for Vice President:

Candidate for Vice President - Tom Meany

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I have served as Club President for more than 15 years. A lot of changes have taken place in how our Club has evolved from being an elitist, membership by invitation only, when I joined, to a running club that is open, inclusive, inviting, diverse and supportive of runners on all levels.

During the pandemic we evolved more into becoming a supportive family, reaching out to those in need within and outside the running community. We raised over $100K for charities, mostly to those feeding the hungry. I am extremely proud to have been part of this family.

Why do you want to run for election?

After being on the Board over 25 years, I think it's time to step back from the role of President and instead function in the role of Vice President to provide some institutional knowledge and support from the second in command position.

I have always supported leadership that is more interested in improving the quality of each member's membership than in increasing the quantity of members.I have never been prouder of our Club and its accomplishments. I humbly request the honor of your support of my candidacy for the Office of Vice President.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

A number of years ago Fred Lebow, President of NYRR and myself got in a heated argument about road race management, that led to Fred repeatedly poking me in the chest with his finger, insisting his point was correct. After repeatedly asking him not to do this he continued. I then told him one more time and he would get his lights knocked out. He did it one more time.

Candidate for Vice President - Linda Chan

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I have been a member of the club since September 2018 (I joined the day after the 5th Avenue Mile). I am currently a director on the Board and an active member of various committees of the club (including Social Committee, Grants Committee, Blog Team, Communications Committee, Membership Committee, Diversity Committee, and Training & Competing Committee).

In the past two years, I have helped to establish the club’s Diversity Committee, which works to improve the diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) of the club. This has meant working to make the club a more welcoming place for everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or running pace. The Diversity Committee together with the Board and other committees have been working to expand DEIA within the club. This work continues to this day.

As a member of the Social Committee, I have helped to lead events. I commend all the members of the Social Committee who worked together to continue holding events, even when they could only be on Zoom. During the time of Zoom only events, I taught some of our members how to knit a PPTC beanie (dare I say it’s even better than the Turkey Trot beanies), helped lead a virtual baking event, and lead a virtual group run upstate - the Upstate Escape (and back downstate for those ultra-runners in the club). I also established the relationship between Chinatown Runners and PPTC, which has resulted in PPTC partnering with Chinatown Runners and other clubs in runs to various Chinatowns throughout New York City.

You’ve probably seen my name on blog posts. The Blog Team has worked to keep our members connected while providing some entertainment and/or information. One of my favorite features of the blog has been and continues to be the member spotlights. I've had the privilege of interviewing some of our members for member spotlights. It’s always fun to learn more about our members, whether they are new members or veteran members.

As a member of the Communications Committee, I brought Discord to the club. Discord is a social media platform alternative to Facebook. This platform has helped members interconnect whether it has been finding answers to questions about training, finding homes for unwanted gear (free Garmins – you need to join our Discord server!), finding running partners, and much more. If you’re reading this, aren’t on Discord, and want to join PPTC’s server. I also regularly work to update information on the website, upload those coveted race photos taken by our wonderful volunteers, upload the strength training videos to our YouTube channel, setting up event registration pages, and other communications related tasks.

Why do you want to run for election?

The last two years have been quite challenging. While some things could perhaps have been handled a little better, I'm proud to have been a member of the Board that worked together to overcome those challenges. I have learned from my experience on the Board and hope to be able to take those lessons with me in my further service to the club as Vice President.

The Board guides the direction of the club and my work on the Board has always been in service of the club. The decisions I helped make on the Board were always in furtherance of what I believed would be in the best interest of the club and what the members of the club would want. As Vice President of the club, I would help our club in continuing to offer valuable support and training to our members while providing fun and informative events where every member can have a sense of belonging. My goal has been to always be open and honest with our members and listen to and consider what every member has to say, not just what is hollered by the loudest voice in the room. I want to continue this as Vice President of the club.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I'm an avid knitter/crafter and while I can't successfully do that while running, every now and then I incorporate PPTC into my knitting. I have some ideas for some really fun knitting/crafting, but half-marathon training (and later marathon training) is very disruptive to my knitting schedule!

Candidates for Treasurer:

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I've been a club member since 1985 and have held the position of PPTC Treasurer since 1996. I am a long-time member of the Race Committee, most recently serving as co-Race Director of the Cherry Tree in 2020 and 2021 and the inaugural PPTC 50 Miler in 2020. I also provide support to numerous Social Committee activities.

Why do you want to run for election?

I am pleased to submit my name in nomination for the position of PPTC Treasurer. I am incredibly proud to be of service to the best running club in all of NYC. It's been amazing to witness how PPTC has grown and prospered over the years. PPTC's membership now makes us one of the largest clubs in the city; we're making our presence known at races both locally and beyond; we're one of the few clubs around who organize road races for the public; and we're incredibly generous in raising and donating funds that supports running, Prospect Park, and the larger Brooklyn community. I am so glad that I happened to have played a part in all of it, and I hope to contribute during another term as Treasurer. I thank you for your continued support!

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

The oldest running t-shirt in my collection dates from 1975, when I first started running in high school. 47 years later, it's remarkably intact and best of all, it still fits!

Candidate for Secretary:

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

Group runs, membership meetings, ultramarathon training group (UMTG)

Why do you want to run for election?

I'd like to run for election as a way of committing to giving back to the club through formal leadership service. While I've participated actively as a member, I haven't yet shouldered much of the load that makes this magic happen.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

Before turning to running, I played ultimate frisbee with mixed club teams in Minneapolis and Cincinnati.

Candidates for Director:

Candidate for Director: Lauren Blackwood

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I currently do not participate in any PPTC programs outside of the races (I try to run each one).

Why do you want to run for election?

I am looking to run for election as I am interested in learning more about how the club runs overall, the interconnectivity between the committees, and managing the relationship with external players to further the club objectives. I am looking for an opportunity to participate at the board level as it seems to be an area where my work schedule and social life can intertwine. I have been a member of PPTC for the past few years - I joined when I moved to Brooklyn looking for a running community. I believe there is tremendous potential in Brooklyn to recruit newer / younger members. Few clubs within the borough offer comprehensive group running for all age/ speed groups -- a massive pull for cohesiveness if people want to join an established running group.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I just came back from running the Paris Marathon! It was my sixth one overall - and also my fastest. My first sub-four now has me 'amped' to train for Berlin.

Candidate for Director: Danielle Fagenblat

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I've been a member of PPTC since 2017, started volunteering in 2018, and joined the Race Committee in 2019. I was an AGSS Junior Race Director and since 2020 have been an RD for Turkey Trot and Harry's Handicap. In 2021, I temporarily covered Volunteer Coordinator responsibilities for Eric during AGSS, which led to me now leading the new Volunteer Sub-Committee within Race Comm. We'll refresh and promote the volunteer program and have race coordinator responsibilities more distributed throughout the year. Two things I'm proud of: (1) Initiating the Opt-Out option for Turkey Trot hats which was specifically a sustainability initiative but also reduces cost, waste, and storage needs for PPTC; (2) Suggesting and leading our technological advancements this year for race registration and volunteer management.

Why do you want to run for election?

I'm interested in having a broader view of club operations, to support club members and our extended community in a different way, and think that my general approach of pragmatism and empathy are useful, balanced qualities for a Director on the Board.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I was in a Sundance Award-Winning film when I was 19. (Uncredited, don't bother searching Google!)

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I'm currently involved in several committees: the Diversity Committee, Race Committee, and most recently the Social Committee. I find my strength is helping with communications both within and outside our club. My favorite part of being a member is having friends who come up with cool ideas for an event or a goal and helping them organize it and help make it happen. I find it really fulfills me to be a supportive teammate and help others achieve their goals or carry out their ideas.

Why do you want to run for election?

My participation in the Diversity Committee is very important to me. My original hesitation of joining was because I try to be mindful of my emotional capacity to be part of roles like this. Part of my consideration, and ultimately the reason I joined the committee, was how I feel specifically as a young runner. I joined when I was 22 and I have always been a distance runner, running since I was a kid, but I remember how nervous I was to walk into a space of people whose experience alone was more than the years I've been alive.

I've always loved my PPTC friends and I've learned so much from their experience and listening to their advice and stories. I've realized the friends I have made have really become the best relationships in my life. They're my friends because they're cool, of course, but also because they inspire me and I admire the heck outta them, which truly creates an incredible bond that I've rarely found in other areas of my life. These are friends you can grow with and they will support you to the finish line and beyond.

The more the club has grown, naturally the more people closer to my age joined. I hold these friends dear to my heart. As a young person who graduated at the end of 2019, a lot of these foundational years have felt absolutely insurmountable. I live alone and far away from any family, so I felt especially lonely at times, I could even go some days without saying a word. As a result, running became much more important to my overall health and my running goals felt like the only things I could actually achieve. I became more conscious of my position in the world and I firmly believe in advocating for accessibility and equitability in the running community. I've found that since I've joined the Diversity Committee, I've become much more confident in speaking up and will continue to do so.

Although I'd do much more running and race more if I could, right now I'm working within the parameters of my life. There's usually a little battle of passion vs. logic in my brain when planning a big goal. It's difficult to admit, but even buying a new pair of shoes is hard on my budget and the culmination of months of planning. Sometimes it feels a little cruel to have these goals with big price tags, but running has definitely taught me it's not always about time and the routes to achieving long-term goals are neither immediate nor linear.

For these reasons, the community, for myself, I believe I can be a leader in our PPTC community.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

Special Talents: Dog sitting, baking banana bread

Candidate for Director - Lisa Maya Knauer

Please describe your current involvement with the club. What aspects of the club or club committees do you participate in?

I am an active member of three committees: social committee, diversity committee, and most recently race committees. I started out organizing food runs soon after joining the club, and then worked on the holiday party. Since then I have volunteered in a variety of capacities, organized social runs; served as a junior and then senior RD; served as a pace leader for Last 10 mile runs; helped organize a variety of pandemic-era activities... I don't suppose you want a list of everything (and I probably couldn't remember).

Why do you want to run for election?

Since joining PPTC a little over six years ago, I've watched the club grow, not just in membership but in its commitment to providing a safe and welcoming space for all runners. Faced with some difficult challenges during the last few years, the club has grappled very honestly with issues of diversity and inclusivity -- and more importantly, with questions of equity. When I first joined the club, its internal workings and decision-making were much more opaque, and I appreciate how the board and other leaders in the club have worked to foster transparency, create more opportunities for members to engage, and cultivate new leadership. I am eager to be a part of that process, to help the club (in a modest way) support runners of all ages, abilities, races, ethnicities, and genders, and remain accountable to its members and the diverse Brooklyn communities around the park. I've been an active member pretty much since joining, and I'm ready to take the next step. I have a fair amount of organizational experience -- in loose-knit collectives, as a union organizer, and a member of non-profit boards -- which I hope can be of use to the club, but I'm also ready to listen and learn from others -- both other board members but especially our members.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I survived 15 hours of Michael Ring's stories and jokes while circumnavigating Manhattan Island together -- lived to tell the tale, and we're still friends (I think).

Will NgoApril 14, 2022