Volunteer Team Captains

Section A Team Captain: Rachelle Pegg

Profile: Rachelle has been an avid adventure and sports junky since she was a little girl enjoying all of nature’s elements. Rachelle looks forward to being a part of the success that SBIM will have, not only on participants physically and mentally, but on the community as well!

Geographic Area: Start at Dos Pueblos High School to Los Carneros down to El Colegio

Section B Team Captain: Kristina Kiefer

Profile: Kristina Kiefer has lived in Santa Barbara area for 10 years and works in Human Resources at ABC-CLIO a local publishing company. She has participated in 3 marathons in the US and one in Ireland, as a walker and jog-walker, and continues to enjoy walking, hiking, and exploring the world. Kristina has been supporting the SBIM as a team captain for the last three years in the Goleta section of the course near her home.

Geographic Area: El Colegio to Ellwood School

Section C Team Captain: Joe Kremer

Profile: Joe Kremer is a Senior Student at the University of California, Santa Barbara majoring in Global and International Studies. During his tenure studying at UCSB, he has spent every quarter on the Dean’s List, and is recognized as a Chancellor’s Scholar. He is currently the President of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at UCSB, and bringing his fraternity along with two other Sororities on campus to serve as volunteers for the marathon. Joe spent much of his Junior year studying Spanish in Madrid, Spain, and attributes much of his motivation and success at this point to his time abroad. His future plans are to work in Real Estate Development and Property Management, and is planning to move to San Francisco upon graduating. In his free time, Joe enjoys working out, swimming, and playing Beach Volleyball.

Geographic Area: Ellwood School to Winchester Canyon

Section D Team Captain: Trevor Scoggins

Profile:

Geographic Area: Winchestor Canyon to Los Carneros/Cathedral Oaks Road

Section E Team Captain: Marilyn Hansen

Profile: Marilyn has lived in Santa Barbara for 33 years and is an avid runner. She was a team captain for the first Santa Barbara International Marathon and decided to run it the next year. It was a great experience – but it’s much easier to be a team captain, so she’s been back as a volunteer ever since. Marilyn has worked as a programmer for Yardi Systems for 17 years and loves her job! She has been married 48 years and has two daughters and two grandkids who live in Santa Barbara.

Geographic Area: Los Carneros to Patterson

Section F Team Captains: Jerry Siesel, Heidi Heitkamp & Karen Boris

Profile: Heidi and Karen both trained with Rusty Snow and Mike Swan's group to run in the inaugural SBIM. They returned the following year to volunteer and had a great time cheering on their fellow runners - so inspiring! Heidi went on to run the Boston Marathon and the SBIM again in 2011. When not running marathons, Heidi and Karen can usually be found running on the trails around Santa Barbara.

Geographic Area: Los Carneros to Patterson

Section G Team Captain: Vida Strong

Profile: Vida Strong has been a running enthusiast for more years than she wants to admit. With eight marathons and numerous 1/2 marathons and 10K and 5K's under her belt, her goal is to instill the love of running into everyone she meets, but especially kids. As part of this effort, Vida is Secretary for Club West Youth Track, a local youth running organization in Santa Barbara. Her running enthusiasm has also worn off onto her husband and two boys.

Geographic Area: Modoc to Las Positas to Olive

Section H Team Captain: Kara Osborne

Profile: Kara has lived in Santa Barbara for 10 years. She is a Registered MFT Intern who provides mental health therapy for children and families who have experienced trauma and/or loss. Her personal therapy is running. As a frequent event participant she knows a well-supported race when she sees one. She was so impressed while running the Inaugural SBIM with the positive energy of the course supporters, spectators, and participants; she decided to volunteer to assist in keeping this great new tradition going. Kara has been greatly inspired by the Santa Barbara/Goleta community and members of Santa Barbara Running and Racing, and hopes the same will happen for each SBIM participant. You may see her running with her foxy husband and foxlike dog on the Santa Barbara coastline most mornings.

Geographic Area: Elise Way to SBCC

Section I Team Captain: Debbie Kovanda

Profile: Debbie Kovanda Gillett has lived in Santa Barbara for many years. She is an active member of Santa Barbara Running & Racing and has completed 3 marathons (1st marathon was inaugural SBIM in 2009). Being active and part of a supportive group is what makes my world go round. Running buddies are a big part of my life. Outside of running I help people with their financial affairs. My other activities include skiing and mountain biking in Mammoth with husband Ted Gillett.

Geographic Area: Page Center to Bike Path (Half Marathon)

Section I Team Captain: Paul "Tony" Tonkin

Profile: Tony is semi- retired and has a non profit video production business called Santa Barbara Documentaries, Inc. Prior to that Tony was a Probation Officer in Santa Barbara. Tony has never run a marathon, but became involved in the SBIM the first year when my youngest son decided to run in it.