Our Culture

Sports Commission. Sports Council. Sports Authority. Yuck.

Yes, that is essentially what we are and those are the names that many of our peers in the industry are known by. But those names are boring. Bureaucratic. Sterile. 

 

We’re the Sports Backers. Consider us the team that’s always organizing something cool that you and your friends, family and neighbors can (and want to!) take part in.

Producing quality events will always remain at our core, but transforming Greater Richmond into the nation’s most physically active community is now the top priority for the Sports Backers. It’s become our true passion, an organizational vision that every staffer is excited to stand behind.

Ask anyone on staff what their proudest moment is and you won’t hear about being named “Sports Commission of the Year” three times (although it is pretty cool!).

We’ll tell you about a training team member who conquered obstacles to walk their first 10k – then ran their first marathon a year later. Or that you can’t walk down Monument Avenue on a Saturday morning without seeing a Sports Backers event shirt. And everyone loves to tell the story about… well… just dig around this website and you’ll see.

 

Meet the Sports Backers Team

Alison Burnette
Retail Manager
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Alison Burnette
“Buzz”
  • Loves pugs and penguins.
  • Wearing stripes makes her happy.
  • Maintains one heckuva snack drawer that could feed an army but keeps her from getting cranky.

Alison’s rockin’ personal style made a great first impression when we were looking for a new Retail Manager. But aside from an expert fashion sense, she’s also in the know on all things running from her three years as second-in-command at Roadrunner Running Store. Her eye for design is perfect for overseeing our apparel and merchandise, coordinating the design process for participant shirts and even picking out swatches for our workspace redesign. As the official “t-shirt fairy,” she brings Christmas to the office by hooking up our staff and committees with awesome event schwag.

Cindy DiCello
Development Manager
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Cindy DiCello
“Cindy Lou ”
  • Met her hubby, Lou, on the slopes of Wintergreen where they both spent time as weekend ski instructors.
  • A total ski bum, her dogs are named after the Wasatch mountains (Satch) and Solitude (Soli) Ski Resort in Utah. And, her husband “claims” that their son Jackson Henry is named after Jackson Hole, WY, although she doesn't remember it exactly that way...
  • She’ll respond when spoken to in Russian (thanks to a Masters in Russian from the University of Arizona!)

This Development Manager traveled the United States and the world before coming to Richmond. She’s spent time in North Carolina, Arizona, Texas, and even Russia. But, according to Cindy, Richmond feels like home, as she grew up right down the road in Charlottesville. We’re hoping she’s settled here because we won’t be able to fulfill our mission of making Richmond the most active community in the country without her help raising the funds. She’s always busy writing grants, formulating case statements and researching foundations to strengthen our development efforts. We already know she’s a hard worker and she knows how to have a good time, too. When she’s not in the office, she’s likely spending time with her family and friends, running, traveling, or… you guessed it… skiing!

Dona Lawson
Accounting Manager
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Dona Lawson
“D-Money”
  • Manages a full house of two kids, two dogs and her hubby.
  • Happiest when on the water.
  • Loves the colors maroon and orange.

We love Dona. And not just because she cuts our paychecks every month. Armed with a degree from VT (go Hokies!) and loads of experience, this Accounting Manager can zip through spreadsheets that would leave most people dizzy. She’s always striving to keep us fiscally fit, managing budgets for our events, programs, and the organization as a whole. She’s also considered the sweetest person in the office – unless, of course, you procrastinate on your expenses (Ray!), in which case you don’t want to mess with her.

Faith Hecht
Youth Programs Coordinator
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Faith Hecht
“Coach”
  • Is an identical twin.
  • Was a White House intern for a year during the Clinton years… No, she did not know Monica.
  • Can speak fluently in English, Spanish and French.

An active person herself, Faith not only sets a good example for her own two kids, but she’s making strides to impact kids throughout the entire community. As our Youth Programs Coordinator, she takes care of… wait for it… our youth programs! From the Richmond Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholarship program to the Sports Backers Youth Running program and from the Virginia 529 Kids Run to the 10k Healthy School Challenge, Faith does it all. She’s also the first Sports Backers staffer to make the switch from a regular old workstation to a walking desk. But walking while she works is no big deal for this 10-year volunteer Marathon Training Team coach. She’s got incredible endurance (wink, wink O). On a side note: She’s known to bring in killer potato leek soup from time to time.

Jackie Holt
PR and Communications Manager
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Jackie Holt
“Jack Attack”
  • Keeps a scrapbook for every year of her life.
  • Still takes Mom to the doctor’s office because she hits the floor any time shots are involved.
  • Was heartbroken when Jolly Ranchers discontinued their lemon flavor. Really? Whose fave flave is lemon??

Whether she’s captaining her dodge ball team to the championship or working tirelessly to get our events’ and sponsors’ names up in lights, you can always count on Jackie to bring her A-game. One of the most creative and organized people we know, this PR and Communications Manager really can do it all: from designing collateral materials to writing killer news pieces, planning media events, and more! She also happens to be the official meeting wrapper-upper (“allllllright, great job guys!”) and the owner of the office candy jar… we seriously couldn’t function without her.

Jeff Fitch
Director of Sponsorship and Development
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Jeff Fitch
“Finch”
  • Taught high school social studies for 9 years at Hopewell High School.
  • Secretly looks forward to intense staff competitions in dodge ball, go-kart racing and rock climbing.
  • Mastered the Cotillion scene as a 6th grader, dancing in mall exhibitions in the former Walnut Mall in Petersburg. You’d never know it if you saw him dance today.

It’s a good thing Jeff would rather be in running shoes than sitting behind a desk, because as Director of Sponsorship and Development, he’s constantly on the go. Whether he’s courting the local business community or forming partnerships on a national level, Jeff has a way with people and a knack for building relationships. If he’s not training for his latest triathlon, he’s working around the clock to secure sponsors for our events and programs, so it’s no wonder he’s rarely seen without a coffee in hand! He might humbly say that our events can sell themselves, but we all know he’s just good at what he does. Extreeemely good.

John Raigins
Event Operations Manager
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John Raigins
“Dan McGirt”
  • Spends all his disposable income on concerts and Mississippi State athletics.
  • Convinced his 3rd grade class that his dad, Ronald, was the president of the United States.
  • Grew up playing football with his pet cow on the family farm in Prairie, Mississippi.

From instructing us on the proper packing method for event trucks to leading us in fiercely competitive rounds of Trivial Pursuit, this Event Operations Manager is always willing to fill any necessary role. He not only works tirelessly to keep our warehouse and equipment in mint condition, but he also researches new events and manages rentals of our Indoor Sports Tournament Center, which supplies equipment to tons of local tourneys. Most importantly, his alter ego Dan McGirt keeps us abreast of local weather forecasts for upcoming events.

Jon Lugbill
Executive Director
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Jon Lugbill
“River King”
  • Paddled the Falls of the James in a kayak as a 12 year old.
  • Likes cherries, cherry jam, cherry ice cream, cherry milk shakes, cherry pie. Did we mention he likes cherries?
  • Five-time individual world champion in whitewater canoeing and a member of the 1992 Olympic Team… no biggie, right?

Jon says he’s the Chief Urgency Creator. We’d just call him the Fire Starter… because that’s what he’s constantly lighting under our you-know-whats. As Executive Director, he motivates us to create, support and produce events and programs that keep the community physically active. And while this goes hand-in-hand with traditional ED duties of monitoring our finances, integrity and strategic direction, what we all love about Jon is his willingness to get his hands dirty. So don’t be surprised if you see him standing knee-deep in canal muck or hauling barricade in Monroe Park. He may be the boss man, but he has no problem hanging with the rest of us Sports Backers peeps.

Kelly Carr
Training Team Coordinator
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Kelly Carr
“Crash”
  • Constantly entertains us with her take on suburban life and her role as a “minivan momma.”
  • Stays loyal to her Boilermaker roots, despite a hubby who’s a former Notre Dame wrestler.
  • Is living proof that running is a contact sport (hence the nickname, Crash).

This mom of two literally works to get Richmond up and running as our Training Team Coordinator for the Sports Backers’ marathon, half marathon, 10k and 8k training programs. From recruiting enthusiastic volunteer coaches (and showering them with gifts to keep ‘em coming back!) and securing meeting locations for the groups to ordering the training guides and participant shirts, she’s the go to girl for everything training team related. She’s even been known to put signs in her yard to promote the programs – now that’s dedication! As a training team coach and former training team member, Kelly is the team’s biggest fan and can make just about anyone a believer in the program.

Lisa Randolph
Event Director
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Lisa Randolph
“Carol Brady”
  • Much like the Energizer Bunny, she can keep going and going and going...
  • Loves the outdoors and running so much that she ran a 100-Mile stage race through the Himalayas. Beat that!
  • When she’s not sitting on the sidelines of one of her kid’s soccer games, she loves spending time traveling and exploring new cultures.

Raising four teenagers has forced Lisa to get comfortable with a fast-paced lifestyle. It’s a good thing because we count on her as Event Director to manage the “controlled” chaos at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k, SunTrust Richmond Marathon and Connects Federal Credit Union Corporate 4-Miler. She’s gotten reallllly good at reverting to Plan B when Plan A doesn’t come together as planned, and trust us when we say – this happens pretty frequently in the event planning world! Either way, it takes an organized person to pull together the logistical and operational details of events, and we couldn’t be happier to have Lisa on our team.

Mary Marshall Graeber
Volunteer Coordinator
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Mary Marshall Graeber
“MM”
  • Her kids say she’s sappy. But she only cries over movies, commercials, the news……
  • Walks 15 miles a week with her sweet pup, Toby.
  • Hails from Suffolk, Virginia, also known as the Peanut Capital of the World.

A true Southern belle (notice the double name?), this Volunteer Coordinator uses her charm and grace to recruit fun and energetic helpers for all of our events. But Mary Marshall doesn’t just recruit helping hands; her expertise in Southern hospitality keeps them coming back year after year – even if they had to sort through muddy shoes in total darkness or work water stops in a hurricane. And for an organization that relies on the time and talents of over 4,500 volunteers, that’s a big deal, y’all!

Megan Schultz
Event Director
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Megan Schultz
“Schultzie”
  • Eats ketchup as an entrée, not a condiment.
  • Ultra-competitive, even in dodge ball and especially in basketball.
  • Saves every single marshmallow in her Lucky Charms for the last bite.

As Event Director for our field hockey tourneys, Henricus Dauber Dash and Dominion Riverrock, Megan has a way of keeping us on top of our game. It must come from her competitive days as Randolph-Macon’s star point guard and the 2006 Division III Player of the Year. But don’t be too intimidated; she’s extremely humble and would much rather put our events in the spotlight than be in it herself. She does a great job mentoring our interns, and her dynamic and energetic attitude has landed her the leadership role for our new ActiveRVA initiative.

Meghan Keogh
Event Director
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Meghan Keogh
“Keelo”
  • Probably responsible for a few charred couches from her undergrad days at WVU.
  • Grew up four blocks from the beach but doesn’t eat fish.
  • Was so proud of her pup, Slaton, when he brought straight-A’s home from doggie daycare. (She’s gonna be a great mom!)

Growing up, Meghan lettered in softball, basketball, soccer and indoor track. These days, she remains a multi-sport threat by serving as Event Director for the Times-Dispatch Go! Discover Richmond, the WhatIfCreditUnions.com Dragon Boat Festival and the Anthem Moonlight Ride. And if she’s not swamped with work managing the expos and finish festivals for our two largest events, you can find this passionate Mountaineer in the stands of a WVU football or basketball game.

Pete Woody
Event Production Assistant
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Pete Woody
“Woodbag ”
  • His bucket list includes attending a World Cup and learning to surf
  • Recently kicked a 38-yard field goal and earned his forklift driving certification (not at the same time)
  • Draws an excellent stick figure person and finds a way to work it into every one of his Pictionary drawings

After interning for the Sports Backers in 2009, Pete is back for more. He’s taken on the role of Event Production Assistant, coordinating all of the entertainment for our events (and that’s no small task considering we have more than 30 bands on our 10k course!). He is pretty good at thinking on his feet and we like to think that’s because he’s an accomplished soccer player from Virginia Tech. He also has stellar writing skills, so you can frequently find him contributing to PULSE and other community publications. With a Master’s degree in Sports Administration from the VCU Center for Sport Leadership under his belt, Pete is a valuable addition to the team.

Ray Patterson
Manager of Community Affairs
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Ray Patterson
“Ray-Ray”
  • Subconsciously counts useless things – light poles, steps, lines on the pavement, trees, people standing on a corner. (Hmm, isn’t there a medical term for that?)
  • Loves chocolate and is probably addicted.
  • Stocks his wardrobe with Armani suits and Dickies coveralls.

Ray isn’t called the Manager of Community Affairs for nothing! He has ties to just about everyone in Richmond, including police officers, government officials, business owners, and even operators of all the local coffee shops (where you can likely find him hiding out on event days!). He knows the city like the back of his hand, so when we need permission to shut down the streets, he doesn’t just make it happen – he helps you navigate through the chaos. Ray works hard to keep the people happy, so if it means taking flowers to a disgruntled neighbor who woke up to a port-a-john in her front yard on 10k morning, he’s all over it. And while he might not be the first one to turn in his monthly timesheet, we can count on him to submit our insurance forms in plenty of time.

Scott Schricker
Marketing Director
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Scott Schricker
“Cav Man”
  • Was the Cavalier mascot during his undergrad days at the University of Virginia.
  • Will work for Yankees tickets.
  • Self-proclaimed neat freak.

Scott may live and breathe registration numbers, but his livelihood depends on it. Okay, not really – he’s an 18-year Sports Backers vet, so it doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere anytime soon. As Marketing Director, Scott is responsible for the integrated marketing campaigns of the entire organization and all of its events. Scott also oversees our communications program and manages our ever-changing website. This family man is a big fan of the holidays. During the Christmas season, he invites the staff to his neighborhood for a tacky light run. On New Year’s Eve, you’ll find him hanging on his couch refreshing the RaceIt website, tracking the 10k registration rate by the minute. And on Halloween, look for him in Chipotle wrapped up like a burrito in one of our marathon heat sheets to win a free lunch. Anything for freebies, right?

Tiffany Sy
Sponsorship and Development Manager
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Tiffany Sy
“Tiff”
  • Loves to travel and shop.
  • Can’t resist chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.
  • Is a lefty and a righty.

It is pretty rare to find someone who is naturally ambidextrous. It’s also rare to find someone who can juggle 20 different tasks at once. Maybe the two qualities go hand in hand because as Sponsorship and Development Manager, Tiffany seems to have no problem wearing many hats. She organizes and oversees the execution of all things sponsor-related at Sports Backers events, including signage (she has our print companies on speed-dial!), hospitality and promotions. Whether she’s crunching numbers for sponsor evaluations or designing proposals and presentations, Tiffany always puts our sponsors first – even when it means waking up early on a Saturday morning for a training team promotion!

Townley Goldsmith-Ray
Director of Event Development
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Townley Goldsmith-Ray
“Super T”
  • Has an ACC Championship ring from her days with the University of Virginia Women’s Softball team.
  • As the “short one” on the Richmond Braves staff, she experienced life in Diamond Duck’s webbed feet more than she’d like to admit.
  • Attended the Notre Dame vs. Rutgers football game in November 1996 -- Lou Holtz’s last home game as the coach of Notre Dame. Long live Dr. Lou!

Maybe the fact that Townley is part of a huuuuge extended family (over 80 first and second cousins!) is the reason she’s able to build and maintain relationships with so many folks in the community. As Director of Event Development, she's the main point of contact for local entities involved in sports tourism including the RMCVB, Parks & Recreation departments, the counties, and other major partners. She’s the brains behind developing and recruiting new events for Richmond – both Sports Backers owned and outside events. Her thoroughness and attention to detail often land her the lead on major office projects, which is why she's in charge of managing the Sports Tourism Grant Program. We just know we can trust her to get the job done! And as if all her duties in the office don’t occupy enough of her time, her home is ruled by a high-energy toddler. . . who may or may not be more proficient with an iPad than she is.

Will Dixon
Event Manager
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Will Dixon
“Wilbur”
  • Proud Parrothead who’s been to over 20 Jimmy Buffett shows in nine different states.
  • Has a strong aversion to pandas.
  • Eats Skittles in a very particular order: yellow, green, orange, purple then red, saving the best for last.

So Will has never been a mascot, competed in the Olympics, run 100 miles through the Himalayas, or played football with a cow. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a jack of all trades. As our Event Manager, Will oversees tons of details for all of our events. In addition to researching new events and managing logistics for our existing ones, he’s also the hotel hookup, the registration guru, and (is it safe to say?) the face behind info@sportsbackers.org. So aside from having the patience of a saint, Will’s solid work ethic and incessantly sunny disposition make him the perfect fit for our team.