Meet the PE4life Team

Brenda VanLengen, Interim President and CEO

Words to live by: We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

Hobbies: Bike riding, golfing, playing board games, playing basketball in driveway with my kids, checking out “Facebook” to catch up with old friends.

Role models: I have had many over the course of my career ... Mostly strong, intelligent, passionate women.

PE experience: Always enjoyed PE because I was an athlete, but remember some fierce competitive dodge ball games that got out of hand. Earned the Presidential Physical Fitness patch.

Why PE4life: Physical education should be inclusive of everyone and encourage all children to be physically active and make positive choices about their health and well being. A quality physical education program can have a strong impact on many aspects of children’s lives — from the obvious -- improving their health -- to increasing their success in the classroom and improving social behavior. Most importantly, it should be fun and provide motivation for kids to be healthy and active the rest of their lives ... It’s great to be involved in an organization that is making a positive impact on children throughout the country, and the world.

National Program Support

Teresa Dilley, Program Support Manager

Words to live by: "It’s about the journey, not the destination." "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Hobbies: Backpacking, hiking, fishing, motorcycling, playing softball, working out & traveling.

Role models: My parents and grandparents.

PE experience: I love playing sports and working out but PE was NOT my favorite class...

Why PE4life: I have spent the majority of my career in the fitness field encouraging individuals to be physically active and educating people on the connection between physical activity and improved quality of life. The mission and core values of PE4life echo my passion. Working at PE4life has allowed me to join a team of talented, passionate people driven to create a positive change in physical education. Combined with an organizational structure that facilitates success and promotes professional development we work toward greater impact on the health and fitness of our youth.

Kim Mason, Program Development Advocate

Words to live by: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye" --The Little Prince

Hobbies: Videography, Travel, Outdoor activities, Family and Friends

Role models: Parents, Grandparents, Apostle Paul

PE experience: 30 years experience with primarily elementary PE, some secondary, alternative school and coaching. Administrative degree and experience as a K-12 Health/PE curriculum coordinator.

Rachelle Gardner, Program Support Coordinator

Words to live by: Anyone who claims to have all the answers is surely a fool.

Hobbies: The fine arts, though that’s a bit more than a hobby, including media such as drawing, ceramics, fibers and even woodworking. Otherwise, hobbies include playing the piano, tilling the earth, swimming, & yoga.

Role models: My parents, a couple of city kids who moved to the country to raise their own kids and dedicated their lives to professions that made a social contribution.

PE experience: Definitely not my favorite class growing up. For the most part, I dreaded PE and was not gifted (at all) in traditional team sports. However, later in life I discovered that I was a yoga nut and love a good swim.

Why PE4life: Too often we hear of societal problems associated with declining public schools, childhood obesity and healthcare costs, and too rarely do we have a chance to actually have a positive impact on these issues as an individual. PE4life positively and meaningfully affects all of those issues.

Brent Akright, National Project Manager

bio coming soon!

Kansas City, MO Regional Office

Nathaniel Francis, Program Support Specialist

Words to live by: LIVE

Hobbies: Cooking, watching the history channel, Sports, Working with At Risk Youth, Projects around the house, and trying to be fit.

Role models: High School football coach/PE teacher Curtis Parnell or Coach Pee, and My Uncle James Gooden.

PE experience: Enjoying PE daily from 3 grade to 12th grade. Watching the clock waiting for that PE period to begin.

Why PE4life: This company and I share the same belief, promoting daily physical activity for all children and adults.

Arkansas Regional Office

Sherry Lloyd, Northwest Arkansas Regional Project Manager

Words to live by: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” Barbara Bush

Hobbies: I enjoy my family and their activities which are high school sports, sorority events and weekend excursions for antiques and flea market finds.

Role models: My mother, Carolyn Crockett who raised two children as a single mom working multiple jobs, My great Aunt, Jean Galloway, who always told me I could do and be what I wanted, My Jr. High Coach, Juanita Birdsong who gave me a pair of spikes and told me I was running the 110 yard hurdles for the first time, the day before the meet…I got first place and ended up setting the school record that year.

PE experience: The only PE experience I have is as an athlete from 9th to 12th grade. I was introduced to basketball and track in 9th grade and continued to enjoy that until my senior year when I injured my right knee with an ACL tear. I still enjoy being physically active and instilling in my children the importance of being physically fit for life.

Why PE4life: The thing I most love about PE4life is that its principles and mission are life changing for children and communities. The program actually changes their perception of what it means to be healthy. After seeing PE4life in action, it makes sense that we would start with children, equipping them with the knowledge and desire to be healthy for a lifetime. I believe that children who are physically fit and feel confident about themselves through their accomplishments make more productive adults.

Iowa Regional Office

Mark Yontz, Iowa Regional Project Manager

Jen Neubauer, Program Support Specialist

Operations and Resource Development

Laurie Welty, Administrative Assistant

Words to live by: The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. ~Jimmy Johnson

Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. ~Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Hobbies: Spending time with my daughters, road trips, research (yes, it’s geeky, but I can’t help myself), playing the flute, trying new recipes, volunteering in my community

Role models: Sister Laurina (my 1st grade teacher), Mrs. Toon (my 3rd grade teacher), my grandma (Marion Tucker), Amelia Earhart and Mother Teresa.

PE experience: Not an athlete therefore, not much fun: had to choreograph a gymnastic floor routine and perform it in front of the whole class, had to see how many sit ups I could do in a minute, ran around the track over and over again. At that time, my gym class experience did not foster a love of physical education.

Why PE4life: I was impressed with the reduction of disciplinary incidents and positive impact of academic scores as a result of PE4life’s role in the physical education programs. I was also drawn to their approach to inspire active, healthy lifestyles in children through quality, health-related school physical education programs. How often do you come across a group of individuals that love what they are doing, truly care and can positively impact the youth of our community and the country? This is what we have at PE4life.

Shanna Goodman, Director of Operations

Words to live by: Thomas Edison discovered 1500 ways not to make a lightbulb.

Hobbies: Spending time with my daughter and husband, shopping for bargains, bicycling, running, writing screenplays and reading. I love motivational self help books whether it’s on professional skills, personal finance, organization, etc.

Role models: Anyone who has faced adversity and has come out on top. My dad has always been that way.

PE experience: I came from old school PE and hated it. I used to fake injuries to get out of class. As long as I wrote a report on whatever sport we were learning about I got my A for the day.

Why PE4life: I love the new approach to PE. I think it’s important to give kids individualized fitness goals and skills to use for a lifetime.

Carrie Gibson, Event Manager

Words to live by: "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight - but never stop fighting!" - e.e. cummings

Hobbies: Play with Jeff, Theo and Max, follow the Jayhawks in any sport - Rock Chalk! Golf, catch up with TiVo, read, wander through Target.

Role models: My dad - He has a self assurance that is far from arrogant. He doesn’t worry if others might judge him and he thinks that his family is the absolute coolest - even if we may be the biggest dorks around.

PE experience: A lot of typical sports related skills – which was fun for me because I was an athlete and my friends were all athletes. It was very sports oriented. Looking back I can see how it couldn’t of been much fun for those who didn’t enjoy sports or who weren’t athletically inclined.

Why PE4life: The passion of the PE4life team is undeniable. Each person on the team motivates and inspires me to do a better job. Plus, I can honestly say that PE4life makes a difference!

Carla Marchetti, Marketing and Partnership Specialist

Words to live by: Treat people the way you want to be treated. I believe in the law of attraction and that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of the day, therefore I feel that you control your destiny.

Hobbies: Spend time with my family, cook, play slow pitch softball

Role models: My mother, father and high school Softball Coach.

PE experience: I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and we had PE everyday K-12. I absolutely loved the time I spent in PE, but being a jock it was the best place to be. :)

Why PE4life: I have embraced the PE4life philosophy and believe the mission is not only worthwhile but critical to the future of all children. I know that it is only a matter of time before the PE4life philosophy will be adopted by every school in the country and I want to be a part of this historical movement.

Melanie Sheppard, Communications Coordinator

Words to live by: "Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead." - Scottish Proverb

Hobbies: hang out with Nick and Parker, read memoirs and vampire stories, experiment with vegetarian cooking, play fetch with Frodo (the Shi Tzu, not the hobbit)

Role models: my mom - she’s completely selfless and has an extremely unique sense of humor

PE experience: Two words: mile day. Huffing and puffing around the baseball field for a miserable 18 laps almost ruined my love of running.

Why PE4life: An organization comprised of such a passionate, devoted, mission-driven team seldom comes along… who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?!

Finance

Jason Robinson, Development Coordinator & Federal Grant Manager

Words to live by: "On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key"

"The school is the last expenditure upon which America should be willing to economize." -- FDR

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." – MLK JR

Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and being active personally and in my community.

Role models: My mother and Bo Jackson

PE experience: Loved it!!!!

Why PE4life: worthy cause, great staff!

Kate Jackson, Finance Specialist

Words to live by: “The truth is never plain and hardly simple.” – Oscar Wilde or “The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall” – Vince Lombardi.

Role models: Any strong women……. women that fix cars, run companies and speak their minds. We rock!

PE experience: My PE experience was not that fulfilling, I was not coordinated and being that it focused on team sports I was always picked last. That’s the reason PE4life was so appealing to work for, their dedication to including kids like I was.