The roster for the 2021 USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador Team Powered by Newton Running has been announced – featuring 46 age group ambassadors and three US elite athlete captains.
Team members will raise awareness for the mission of the USA Triathlon Foundation and encourage triathlon participation in their local communities, all while serving as brand representatives for Newton Running.
The ambassadors, some of the top age group athletes in the USA, hail from 23 US states and bring a diverse set of experiences and backgrounds in the sport.
‘Through local service projects, community outreach activities and beginner triathlon clinics, ambassadors will embody the mission of the USA Triathlon Foundation: to transform lives through sport by opening pathways to swim, bike and run to those for whom it might not otherwise be possible.’
The team is powered by Newton Running, the exclusive running shoe partner of USA Triathlon and the USA Triathlon Foundation, which has emphasized social responsibility and community giveback as part of its business model since its founding in 2006.
Since the Ambassador Team’s inception in 2019, the group has raised more than US$75,500 in support of the Foundation’s three focus areas — youth, paratriathletes and aspiring Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.
In 2020 alone, the Ambassador Team raised US$45,257 and generated awareness and contributions to the USA Triathlon Foundation COVID-19 Relief Fund, whose grants ultimately impacted more than 40,000 individuals in the multisport community.
“While 2020 has been challenging for all of us, the USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador Team stepped up time and time again — both through their philanthropy, and by offering their expertise and support to the multisport community through webinars, video calls and virtual events,” said Caroline Condon, Fundraising Programs Coordinator for the USA Triathlon Foundation.
“The 2021 team features many athletes continuing in their roles from 2020, as well as some eager new faces. We at the foundation look forward to doing our part to help the multisport community rebound and return stronger in 2021.”
Wendy Lee, Director of Global Sales and Philanthropy for Newton Running, said “We are excited to start a new year with this awesome team of athletes representing Newton Running on behalf of the Foundation.
“The Ambassador Team has been a wonderful opportunity for us at Newton to be involved in giving back to the multisport community, and we can’t wait to keep making a difference in 2021.”
Outreach activities will support one of the foundation’s three key focus areas: encouraging every child to participate; inspiring every paratriathlete to compete; and igniting young athletes’ dreams of competing at the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Ambassador team members will participate in service projects onsite at the Toyota Legacy Triathlon and USA Paratriathlon National Championships in Long Beach, California, on July 17; and the Toyota USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Milwaukee on August 7-8.
Service projects will support local triathlon communities and multisport-focused charities in each host city.
Additionally, ambassadors will raise a minimum of US$1,000 each for the USA Triathlon Foundation. That funding will go toward deserving individuals and organizations in the multisport community in support of the foundation’s three focus areas.
Throughout the triathlon season, ambassadors will also share the mission and vision of the foundation through personal stories on their social media channels and in multisport-focused media outlets.
Three U.S. elite triathletes will serve as captains of the ambassador team:
- Joe Maloy (San Diego, California), 2016 US Olympian and current USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program Manager;
- Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio), 2016 U.S. Paralympic gold medallist and Tokyo Paralympic hopeful; and
- US Army Sgt First Class Michael Smith (Castle Rock, Colorado), US elite paratriathlete.
Captains will help lead community service efforts while using their social media platforms to advance the foundation’s mission and vision.
2021 USA Triathlon Foundation Ambassador Team Powered by Newton Running
Age Group Ambassadors
Malek Amrami (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Kimee Armour (Auburn, Ill.)
Corey Bell (Godfrey, Ill.)
Lyndze Blosser (Canton, Mich.)
Christian Botting (Boulder, Colo.)
Susan Brashear (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
Joni Briganti (Spotsylvania, Va.)
Madeline Consuelos (Schnecksville, Pa.)
Carol Coram (Seattle, Wash.)
Khadijah Diggs (Ellenwood, Ga.)
Becky DiSorbo (Henderson, Nev.)
Samantha Forde (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Kevin Gaston (Atlanta, Ga.)
Will Gates, Jr. (Maryville, Tenn.)
Thomas A. Giannettino (Auburn, N.Y.)
Kirby Adams Grantz (Louisville, Ky.)
Chuck Graziano (Ramsey, N.J.)
Jason Henry (Midland, Mich.)
Suzanne Heffeman (Cutchogue, N.Y.)
Rosalind Jarrett Sepulveda (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Sharon Johnson (Andover, Mass.)
Kim Michael Lee (Bloomingdale, Ill.)
Dana Locken (Bath, S.D.)
Cristin McDermott (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Allen Wade McNair (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Emily Morrison (Griffith, Ind.)
Jen Myers (Chesapeake, Va.)
Nikki Newton (Chicago, Ill.)
Cheryl Perry (The Woodlands, Texas)
Guy Petruzzelli (Darien, Ill.)
Steph Popelar (Littleton, Colo.)
Sue Reynolds (Bloomington, Ind.)
Jenna Rings (Post Falls, Idaho)
Michael Salisgiver (Herndon, Va.)
Jeff Schreiber (Sandy, Utah)
Jerry Shere (Cleveland, Ohio)
Tove Shere (Cleveland, Ohio)
Gillian Staudt (Bingham Farms, Mich.)
Khem Suthiwan (Denver, Colo.)
Kim Townsend (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Steve Van Wart (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Nicole Wan (Elgin, Texas)
Chris Wodke (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Joshua Woods (Seattle, Wash.)
Kelly Worrell (Cherry Hill, N.J.)
Ross Young (Austin, Texas)
Team Captains
Joe Maloy (San Diego, Calif.), 2016 U.S. Olympian
Grace Norman (Jamestown, Ohio), 2016 U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalist and Tokyo Paralympic Hopeful
Michael Smith (Castle Rock, Colo.), U.S. Elite Paratriathlete
Team Manager
Caroline Condon (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Triathlon Foundation Fundraising Programs Coordinator
www.usatriathlonfoundation.org
www.newtonrunning.com
