Chicago Area Runners Association
1540 S. Ashland Ave. #201
Chicago, IL 60608
312.666.9836
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CHICAGO – We are excited to welcome Whitney Siehl and Elise Awwad to the 2025 Board of Directors and acknowledge the continued dedication and advancement of its current board members. The volunteer Board is integral to shaping the strategic direction and ensuring effective governance of our non-profit organization. Whitney and Elise bring a wealth of expertise and energy to the Board. Both are deeply involved in CARA’s programs, and their professional backgrounds in education and advocacy, coupled with their unwavering passion for CARA’s mission, make them invaluable additions to our dedicated team.
Whitney Siehl has been a volunteer marathon group leader with CARA since 2017, driven by her passion for guiding first-time marathoners to achieve what they once thought was impossible. In 2021, she received the CARA Lincoln Park training location’s Service Award for her outstanding contributions. Beyond her involvement in running, Whitney served as the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois President from 2023 to 2024 and was a member of the PAWS professional board from 2015 to 2020.
Elise Awwad has been a long-time participant at CARA’s Wheaton training site and a frequent racer. She deeply values the collective spirit of CARA’s training groups which provide both support and motivation. Elise is dedicated to introducing new runners to the community, often encouraging friends and fellow runners to join CARA. With 17 years of leadership experience in higher education, she currently serves on the advisory boards at Get Set Learning, which fosters educational communities at the college and university level, and CuraLinc, which supports mental healthcare for organizations and academic institutions.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to departing board members Kerl LaJeune and Jill Ciminillo. A board member since 2015 and Board president from 2020 to 2023, Kerl played a pivotal role in leading the organization through the challenges of the pandemic and driving the growth of CARA’s programming and relationships throughout the running community. Jill, who served as Vice President, brought expertise in social media and marketing, strongly advocating for effective communication and operational excellence throughout her tenure.
“We are excited to welcome new voices to the Board as we continue to strengthen our organization and expand our impact. The dedication and expertise of our incoming members will help us build on the strong foundation laid by our departing leaders. Over the past few years, our organization has experienced incredible growth, from expanding programming to welcoming more participants into our community. We look forward to building on this momentum and achieving even greater success together.” - Erika Edmonson, President of CARA’s Board of Directors
As we enter 2025, we are excited to leverage the talents of our Board to further our mission and continue driving positive change in the community.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Erika Edmonson: President
Darren DeMatoff: Vice President
Anthony “Tony” Fiore: Treasurer
Jennifer Courtney: Secretary
Jeff Zidell
Dana Anderson
Brace Clement
Jennifer Foil
Brett Geschke
Steven Levine
Nicholas ‘Niko’ Nicholson
Ann Marie Phaneuf
Alexandrea Yeung
Whitney Siehl
Elise Awwad
The Chicago Area Runners Association, CARA, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to serving and advocating for the local running community. We are Chicagoland’s running club, providing accessible opportunities for all runners to train, race, learn, be social and volunteer.
CARA is the nation’s third-largest running club, serving as the voice of local runners, as well as providing over 1,300 dates of programming and events per year. Learn more at www.cararuns.org.