Sport teaches me how to be dedicated to any challenge.

As a child, Sarah loved to swim, and can’t ever remember not loving water sports. Although it took her a while to warm up to competitive swimming, she now appreciates the doors that it opened – including being able to walk onto a Division 1 crew team, and also enjoy many other water-related activities.

Sport has taught me perseverance and patience.

Debbie enjoys being in motion, which is why running suits her. After her father passed, she started running to process her grief. Over the years, she ran farther and faster, ultimately running a marathon in three hours and 28 minutes. Sports has taught Debbie to work towards goals, and also to be kind to yourself during setbacks.

Sports teaches me how to have balance.

Athleticism hasn’t always come naturally to Maryam, but that didn’t stop her from pursuing sports. Today, Maryam uses that same determination to get her through her spin classes. She understands that sports are just as much mental as they are physical and it’s just a matter of finding your balance.

Sport teaches me Connection to others and myself, and it teaches me to be present in the moment.

Chrissy became involved with the foundation after being told about a connection between MAF and De La Salle High School – another organization she is involved in. She loves finding new things to do in the Portland area: local shops and events, restaurants, and hikes!

Sport teaches me things I use in life every day.

Billy’s love for athletics started with basketball, his favorite childhood sport, which he continued to play through college. During his freshman year, he was a candidate for the NCAA Academic All-America® program, which recognizes student athletes. Billy credits sports with providing him with valuable life skills including dedication, teamwork and humility.

Sport teaches me to remain humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

As a child in Tucson, AZ, Brian began playing soccer at age six. He also paid attention to basketball, and to this day is an avid University of Arizona Wildcats fan. A man of eclectic interests, Brian enjoys gardening, travel, and collecting African art. He’s also a geography buff and can name just about every world capitol.

Brian grew up with an expansive back yard and an even bigger appreciation for the outdoors. When he wasn’t on the trails hiking, he was playing youth soccer, running track, or watching Arizona Wildcats basketball. He now seeks out every opportunity to visit new places, but he’s happy to have crossed Peru and Croatia off his list.

Sport teaches me to have a competitive spirit as well as staying positive through tough times. 

Dan was introduced to athletics at a young age. His sport of choice is Lacrosse and began playing due to the opportunities presented through scholarships and the chance to play on a division 1 sports team. In 2023 he was inducted into the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Dana grew up in the Portland/Beaverton area and earned 2 high school “athletic letters”  in alpine skiing competition in the early 60’s when women’s sports were in their infancy. In her free time, she likes walking with her dog Daphne, friends and family, and enjoying the wonders of the gardens in the neighborhood.

Sports has taught me teamwork and perseverance.

Sport has taught me discipline, fair play and connection to fellow man.

An accomplished baseball player in his youth, George was a winning pitcher in the 1957 High School Legion World Series Opener and was also inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) Sports Hall of Fame. He considers himself analytical, a good listener, and finds that he gets more tolerant as he grows older.

“Do the right thing.”

Jacob is originally from California but has lived in the Pacific Northwest most of his life. He grew up in Southern Oregon on a ranch and began playing sports with his parents’ encouragement, with his first sport being wrestling in the 2nd grade. Jacob continued his enjoyment of athletics through the years with boxing, baseball, running cross country, and rodeo.

Sport gives me confidence and gratitude.

Jacqui’s journey in athletics started at age three when she began skiing with her family and when she began racing at age seven, she never looked back. In the winter you can find her on the slopes still as a ski coach for Lakeridge High School, but the rest of the year she’s either biking, working on her new house, or spending time in Black Butte.

Sport teaches me to learn to do my personal best while having fun

Jenny grew up watching World Cup Soccer games and her love of athletics continued into her adult life. While she still watched the World Cup, her sport of choice is pilates. Jenny is a strategic, organized, and empathetic leader who brings her lived experiences and perspectives to her work every day.

It’s not what happens to you, but how you react that matters – Epictetus

Born and raised in Chico California, Jenny now resides in Portland and cherishes her love of running. An athletic achievement of Jenny’s is qualifying for and then running the Boston Marathon, no small feat indeed.

Synchronized swimming is part of who I am.

Julie’s father taught her to swim in Crescent Lake, OR, and she’s loved the water ever since. As a youth she participated in water ballet and swam during high school and college. At MAC Julie discovered synchronized swimming and has competed at the national level. She’s also musical and played oboe in the high school band and orchestra.

Athletics and movement create freedom to be the best version of yourself.

Linda grew up in Portland playing soccer through high school where her team earned third in state her senior year. She always felt soccer was about connecting to relationships and community. Linda has continued her love of the sport through coaching both of her boys’ soccer teams from kindergarten through 4th grade.

Always give people the benefit of the doubt.

Ryan enjoys doing anything creative — whether it’s artwork or just projects around the house. When he’s not chasing his kids around, he finds time to read, exercise, and utilize his creativity in all aspects of his life. Ryan holds a private pilots license and hopes to get back in the air again soon.

 Sport teaches me “It is what it is.”

As someone who participated in sports all through his youth, Tom now finds that his greatest enjoyment of in sports comes from living vicariously through his kids. When he isn’t at work or watching athletics, he is on his John Deere tractor plowing his seven acres of horse property while wearing his 1986 vintage Oregon State hat.

Everybody does, but not everybody lives

Traci was born and raised in Portland Oregon and shares her many years experience in the local philanthropic world. When asked who her favorite sport or player was she enthusiastically responded with “Michael Jordan, of course!”

Athletics makes me feel inspired.

 Lisa can best be described by three words: focused, adaptable and exuberant. She loves to travel and wander globally, has visited 38 countries, and is still counting. You can often find Lisa outdoors hiking, biking, running, climbing, diving, skiing or surfing. Her words to live by: “If not me, who? If not now, when?” – Hillel