Sacramento Running Association Staff
SCOTT ABBOTT
Executive Director
ELLEN MOORE
Special Events Director
DANIELLE DOMENICHELLI
Sport Development Director
ANGIE KANDALRAFT
Course Director
MELISSA MOYA
Volunteer Coordinator
Jenn Kistler-McCoy
Partnership and Community Engagement
MEGAN AUERNIG
Marketing & Community Relations
KRIS BENACH
Participant Services Director
JENNY MATCHELL
Operations Director
GARY BLANCO
Logistics Director
The Sacramento Running Association Board of Directors
TAMARA TORLAKSON
President
Tamara joined the board in 2015. An avid runner since high school, Tamara ran cross-country in college at UC Santa Cruz where she served as team captain and qualified for the NCAA DIII National Championships in 2006. Tamara is the chapter leader for the Arete Women’s Running Club in Sacramento with over 100 people on the team. She runs many local races with her husband, Mark, and she ran a sub 3:00 marathon at CIM in 2022! Professionally, she founded Torlakson Events where she specializes in designing and producing high-impact events that help clients advance their communications goals, enhance their brands, and expand their networks. Tamara is also a Mom of two.
LEIGH RUTLEDGE
Vice President
Leigh’s first marathon was CIM in 1988. She ran another CIM along with 11 other marathons all around the country and the world. She also ran one ultramarathon, the Way Too Cool 50K. She’s a long-time board member and remains passionate about the SRA and its mission in our community. She serves on the American River Advisory Committee, loves camping and traveling with her husband, and attending vintage car events with her 1956 Porsche. She’s been a Realtor since 1981, and you can find her running around Sacramento selling homes with her real estate son, John Byers.
STEVE POLANSKY, M.D.
Treasurer
Steve, a retired OB/GYN physician and prior Chief of Staff at Mercy San Juan Hospital, has served as the board’s president previously for four years and has been a board member since 1984. He has finished all 39 CIMs. He has completed a total of 75 marathons, over 300 half marathons and the Gold Rush 50 K on his 70th birthday taking first place in his division of one deep! Steve hiked the entire 160-mile Tahoe Rim Trail for his 60th birthday to raise money for the Sacramento Eating Disorders and Outreach Program. He also hiked the John Muir Trail, raising money for Shriners Hospital. Steve also climbed Mt. Shasta for the Breast Cancer Fund and has climbed Mt. Mera in Nepal and Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina. He thanks John Mansoor, Ellen Moore and Scott Abbott who as our executive directors over the 39 years have kept a steady ship and made a great race even greater.
MUFFET MCCLENEGHAN
Secretary
Muffet, a retired elementary teacher, has been running for 33 years. She introduced her students to running, many of whom ran a cumulative 100 miles with her around the school track during their school year, and continue to run as adults. Her two daughters are also runners of note, and her seven grandchildren are showing signs of following suit. Muffet has run several CIMs, the Boston and Napa Marathons, Way to Cool 50K, and the American River 50 miler, as well as many half marathons, 10k’s, and 5k’s. She is also a swimmer, avid birder, hiker, and nature enthusiast. Her goal is to promote life-long fitness through running and making healthy choices.
DEIRDRE FITZPATRICKDeirdre joined the board in 2002. She’s an avid marathoner, ultra-runner and Ironman triathlete. Deirdre is an Emmy Award winning weekday morning anchor for KCRA-TV and has covered the last 9 Olympic Games. She has two sons who keep her running 24/7. Follow Deirdre on Twitter or Facebook.
JULIA HIMOVITZ
Julia joined the SRA board in 2017. She first started running in 2000 after a friend asked her to tag along for the Bay to Breakers 12k. She quickly found her passion for running and began training for her first marathon, CIM, in 2000 and has since completed several full and half marathons. Julia was born and raised in Carmichael, and presently works as an attorney for the State of California. When not spending time with her husband and her two boys, you can find her cheering for her kids on a sideline, drinking coffee, doing CrossFit, hanging with her dogs, Steve and Tom, and running throughout the Sacramento region.
DENIS ZILAFFDenis is an attorney who recently retired after a long career as a supervising attorney in the Sacramento County Counsel’s Office. He has served on numerous non-profit boards including the Sacramento Running Association where he is a long-term board member and currently serving his third term as president. He is a trustee of the Western States Endurance Run Foundation and currently serves as vice-president. Denis is also president of the Sacred Heart School Foundation. He ran his first marathon, CIM, in 1983 and is a “streaker” having run every CIM since 1983. He has run approximately 150 marathons and ultramarathons and has run every Way Too Cool 50K (formerly Cool Canyon Crawl) and has completed two Western States 100-Mile Endurance Runs.
BRIAN PARK
Brian joined the SRA board in 2023. He first started running after friends invited him to check out Sloppy Moose Running Club. That resulted in signing up for short races and now has turned into being a 5 time finisher of CIM and 2 two time Ironman finisher a few years later. Within the running community he is now a “Sloppy Captain” with the Sloppy Moose Running club and was a part of the development of Sacramento Running Week which started in 2021.
He was born and raised in the Sacramento area and currently is a practicing Optometrist at a private practice in the Greenhaven/Pocket area. He also is a Board member for the California Optometric Association. Outside of running he loves golf, cycling and photography.
TIFFANY MARTIN
Tiffany Martin is a health equity advocate and athlete with a 30+ year running career. She has run everything from 100m to a 50K, on the track, road and trails. Tiffany served for over nine years as a Certified Fitness Advisor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and she is a USA Track & Field Certified Coach and NFHS Certified Youth Cross Country/Track & Field Coach. As a long-time member of the running community, Tiffany is passionate about making sure the running community acknowledges and is inclusive of runner diversity, in all its forms. Tiffany has provided Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) guidance, training and support to our local running community through her work with the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, Hornet Athletics Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Council (CSUS), Sacramento Running Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee – Races & Events, Arete Women’s Running, Girls on The Run and Ainsley’s Angels. Tiffany’s passion is to share her knowledge and experience to help others become better and do better.
ROBERT CATHEY
Robert joined the board in 2023. He was inspired to run by his wife, Nadine. He began running in 2018 at age 54 and developed a passion for the sport. He completed his first marathon (CIM) in 2019. Robert is Vice President of Global Analytics Solutions and Chief Data Officer at VSP Vision, where he has worked for over 20 years. He leads the Sacramento chapter of Black Men Run (BMR), a national organization with the mission of improving health outcomes through running, and diversifying running events. As BMR Captain, Robert leads several running meetups weekly, throughout the Sacramento region. Robert’s passion for running is fueled by connecting people and improving health outcomes through exercise and nutrition. Robert is also a certified running coach. He and his wife have a blended family of 5 adult children and grandchildren.
The Sacramento Running Association is looking for community difference-makers to join the SRA Board of Directors!
Are you passionate about the running community in Sacramento? Are you someone that wants to create an impact in our community through non-profit board service?
We are actively seeking community leaders and difference-makers to join our Board of Directors and contribute to our mission of enhancing community health and the sport of running in the Sacramento region. If you are interested in becoming a part of our dedicated team, we encourage you to reach out and explore how you can help shape the future of running in Sacramento.
Board Members Emeritus
PO ADAMS
LARRY LIEB, M.D.
CYNCI CALVIN, SRA/CIM Historian