February 1-3, 2024

2024 Organizer Convention

Organizer Convention

February 1-3, 2024
Virtual sessions via Zoom

Cost:
Standard: $180 through December 31
Late-Add: $200 through January 25

Libby Cravens
Girls’ Outreach Coordinator – Colorado

Libby resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her partner/fellow ultimate player, Michael. She spent most of her adult life in the Austin ultimate community after starting out as a youth player in Houston, Texas, but spent 2017-2021 in Philadelphia/New Jersey before the move to Colorado. Libby is currently serving on the Altitude Ultimate Board as the Operations Specialist & Outreach Director. She is also on the Fort Collins Ultimate Board, coaches Colorado Cutthroat in the YCC U-20 girls’ division, and runs a middle and high school club team for Fort Collins. She has been coaching elementary-aged to adult club players and organizing ultimate for over 15 years and has worn many hats in different communities, including youth director, summer camp director, state championship tournament director, etc. She is an advocate for growing the number of girl-matching players (and spoke on this topic at the 2020 USA Ultimate Organizer Convention) and has been a long-time girls’ outreach coordinator for the Girls’ Ultimate Movement (GUM). When away from the ultimate field, she works as a pediatric speech-language pathologist.

Amelia Cuarenta
Girls’ National Outreach Director

Amelia “Forty” Cuarenta has been actively involved in ultimate for nearly 15 years and has served in virtually every role possible: captain, team president, high school coach, organizer, volunteer and USAU conference coordinator! She currently serves as USA Ultimate’s Girls’ National Outreach Director. She was also a member of the strategy committee for the Minnesota Strike of the Premier Ultimate League (PUL).

Forty holds a Ph.D. in biological psychology from the University of Wisconsin and is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Georgia State University.

Lauren DeMarco
Marketing Manager – Colorado Springs Sports Corporation

Originally from the east coast, now residing in Colorado Springs, Lauren enjoys staying active by running and going to the gym. In her spare time, you can find her at Whole Foods, Costco or frequenting a local juice bar. She loves being creative in the kitchen and hopes to one day write her own cookbook!

Stacy Fifer
President – Oak Park and River Forest Youth Ultimate

Stacy lives in Oak Park, Ill., just outside of Chicago, with her husband and three adultish/teenagish girls. Her ultimate career includes playing in grad school at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, coaching the UIUC women’s team with her husband, a 14-year hiatus from the sport when her kids were younger, and a return to both playing and coaching. Stacy is the president of the USA Ultimate affiliate Oak Park River Forest Youth Ultimate (OPRFYU) where she runs clinics, leagues, and camps for youth (4th grade – senior). She is the USA Ultimate girls’ outreach coordinator for GUM in the Chicago area and, after four years of coaching middle school ultimate, is now a high school coach. Stacy also plays on a grand masters women’s team from the Twin Cities. Outside of ultimate, Stacy is the owner and director of a French language school for adults in Oak Park.

Denise Fleming
Operations Director – Triangle Ultimate

Denise has been involved with organizing youth ultimate since 2014. A parent to a female player, she shares her daughter’s love for the game and has worked to increase the playing opportunities for youth in general, and FMPs in particular. After serving as a volunteer for many years, in 2022, she took on the role of operations director for Triangle Ultimate.

Rickey Frierson
Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion – Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University

Dr. Frierson has spent the last 15 years presenting internationally and domestically on issues of social justice, diversity and inclusion, and underrepresented student success within higher education. He is an inspirational speaker for high schools, colleges, and community organizations. Dr. Frierson is the Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion for Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. His research interest centers on institutional accountability and effectiveness in student success and completion at predominantly white public institutions. More succinctly, Dr. Frierson takes pride in assisting administrators, superintendents, principals, professors, teachers, counselors, and institutions in examining proactive strategies to create efficient and fruitful educational experiences for their diverse students, staff, and faculty. Dr. Frierson has published articles, submitted book reviews, and has written book contributions that all stem around efficiencies of education.

Rickey says “I subscribe to the belief that every individual and organization can be successful when an inclusive vision, a common goal and a united purpose is established. Because of this, I have dedicated my professional and academic studies to assist and train education leaders and institutions in examining proactive strategies to create efficient and fruitful educational experiences for their diverse students, staff, and faculty.”

Rickey has a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from University of Houston; a Masters in Organization Development from Friends University; B.S. in Business Management and a Minor in Leadership Studies and Programs from Kansas State University. He also holds a Civic Leadership Development certificate from the Kansas Leadership Center and a diversity certification from Sedgwick County Social Services.

Cari Hanrahan
Senior Program Manager – DaVita

Cari holds a BA in Psychology from Carleton College and an MA in Leadership from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. She first found her niche in the nonprofit world as a college access coach with College Possible in Milwaukee, Wis., and has continued to feel a deep connection to the mission-driven, empowering work that makes up the nonprofit sector.

Cari’s diverse work experience includes serving as the director of Colorado College’s Public Interest Fellowship Program and Nonprofit Initiatives, director of a higher-education-based startup, and managing director of a small tech company. She is currently a senior program manager at DaVita Kidney Care.

Cari also currently serves on the board of directors for Cottonwood Center for the Arts. She previously served on boards for YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Carleton Career Alumni, Jesse Kolber Foundation and more. Cari also consults for nonprofit boards to ensure that their work efficiently fulfills each mission through identifying – and filling – gaps in strategy, mission, education, and/or policy.

When not working or volunteering, Cari can be found curled up with a book, co-captaining her Colorado Springs women’s ultimate team, rock climbing, hiking, or playing with her adorable pup.

Lance Kohl
Director of Business Development and Events – Exponential Impact

Lance is a creative soul and devoted parent who has built a colorful and meaningful career by uniting his love for marketing, design and technology. As the co-founder of a flourishing marketing agency, Lance channels his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustrative Design from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design to craft stories that resonate and inspire, connecting clients with their audiences.

Lance is a proud military veteran who served in Afghanistan, and a proud parent of two extraordinary children. His passion for change sparked the creation of a crypto company, where he fuses his marketing prowess with an excitement for cutting-edge technology, designing financial solutions that empower and connect people.

Lance is dedicated to uplifting local talent, knowing that by nurturing the dreams of budding entrepreneurs, we can co-create a flourishing and compassionate future.

Coral Laski
Program Manager – Exponential Impact

Coral oversees all aspects related to Programming at Exponential Impact (XI), including curriculum development and scheduling, networking and developing relationships among community members and participants, coordinating guest speakers, organizing small and large events, along with designing and distributing surveys to collect feedback and data about the success of each program.

Coral’s background is mostly in higher education where she has been a college instructor with University of Colorado – Colorado Springs since earning her master’s degree in communication studies in 2011. She has also held a variety of administrative and program development positions within the University before embarking on her own entrepreneurial journey starting a consulting business, which ultimately led her to find Exponential Impact.

Coral’s knowledge and experience with programming, curriculum development, and public speaking, combined with her passion and enthusiasm for the entrepreneurial and small business community assists XI in scaling their offerings and creating exponential impact in their community!

Steve McCauley
Director of Donor and Program Services – USA Cycling

Steve has been with the USA Cycling Foundation since its inception in 2000, working donor development, special events and overall operations. During his tenure with USA Cycling, Steve has also managed Collegiate Cycling and Regional Athlete Development Camps, launching USA Cycling’s Junior athlete programming in Europe in 2006. He has assisted USA Cycling with international relations for the last 20 years. Steve is a graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder with a B.A. in Spanish Literature.

Karen Palus
Executive Director – Colorado Springs Leadership Institute

Karen Palus is the Executive Director of the Colorado Springs Leadership Institute. CSLI is a premiere leadership program in direct partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership which focuses on bringing significant leaders in our community together who will make meaningful impacts on our city. The program has graduated over 400 leaders since its creation in 1996.

Drawing on extensive and diverse executive management experience working with non-profits over the past 30 years, Karen is a proven strategic visionary with a clear sense of purpose and a track record of establishing operational excellence. She holds a Master of Public Administration with a focus on non-profit management from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Florida. Karen most recently served as the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Director for the City of Colorado Springs. She served nearly 500,000 residents, offering recreational, historical, and environmental programs.

Karen implemented a new park system master plan, opened the city’s first new community park in over a decade, completed a departmental economic benefits study, increased visitation across all park attractions, addressed equity through regional collaborative efforts, oversaw the acquisition of thousands of acres of open space and helped her last two departments achieve national accreditation. She also spurred the largest neighborhood park redevelopment in city history at Panorama Park.

Active in advancing professional development and leadership, Karen has been recognized by the City of Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership as a Downtown Star for Outstanding Civil Service for her efforts and support of downtown development and activation initiatives. She received the Colorado Parks and Recreation President’s Award for her tireless work on the re-authorization of Great Outdoors Colorado.

In 2019, Karen was recognized by the Colorado Springs Business Journal with the Women of Influence Award and was recently presented with the U.S. Forest Service Chief’s Award for her leadership in the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center. She has served on a variety of non-profit boards over the years. Her favorite volunteer role was Chair of the Abrahams and Jones Leadership Academy in Florida, a two-year executive leadership development program that has been expanded to include an emerging leader program as well.

When Karen is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family exploring all of Colorado’s outdoor recreation opportunities.

Angela Schreffler
Owner – Centennial Nonprofit Consulting, LLC

Angela (she/her) has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years. Angela’s passion is in helping organizations achieve their goals and strives to do so in a collaborative, iterative, practical, and approachable way. She started working in the nonprofit sector immediately after graduating college by serving two years in the AmeriCorps program and can’t imagine a world in which she isn’t helping nonprofits thrive. Growing up in a lower-income family and having to rely on nonprofits as part of a support system, Angela understands the vital role nonprofits play in ensuring families have access to needed resources.

Coach Convention

November 12-13, 2023
Virtual sessions via Zoom

Cost: Certified Coaches – $25  |  General Public – $35

November 13 sessions are free to all.

Hannah Baranes
Assistant Coach – 2023 U-24 Mixed National Team
Will Deaver
Managing Director – Competition & National Team Programs
John Groess
Head Coach – 2023 Mixed Beach National Team

FAQs

Will the Organizer Convention be held in-person or virtually in 2024?

The Organizer Convention will be virtual in 2024. All sessions will be held online via Zoom.

How do I register if I am attending on behalf of a USA Ultimate affiliate or state-based organization?

Contact Leah Dolan-Kelley, and she can get you registered.

Are registration fees refundable?

If you are no longer able to attend the Organizer Convention, we will refund your registration fee until January 18, 2024. After that, no refunds will be granted.

We can also transfer your registration to someone else who will be able to participate in your place.