2008 LIVESTRONG Challenge Mentors

John Ohnstad

This marks John’s 4th year as a participant in LAF events. He is a Group Exercise Instructor and the Lead Master Trainer for Bally Total Fitness’ Reaction Cycling Program and on the Presenter Team for Schwinn® Cycling.  He currently is on the Board of Directors and is the Director of Operations for the Portland Velo Cycling Club. He is hoping to help make this year’s event in Portland the best one yet!

Ellen Cirigliano

Ellen has been involved with the LAF for coming up on 5 years as a grassroots fundraiser, LIVESTRONG Summit Delegate, & Army Leader. She's participated in the LIVESTRONG Challenge every year since it began and will be running the NYC Marathon with the LIVESTRONG Army Runners for the third time this November. She is a 2 year brain cancer survivor, an athlete, and an avid supporter of the LAF. She's here to make your Challenge experience a memorable one and looks forward to talking to you all soon!

Geoff Moulton

A third year participant, Geoff started his riding ‘career’ soon after he was diagnosed with diabetes as a method of controlling the disease. Aside from being on the bike, collecting donations and raising funds, Geoff relishes the ability to help others reach their best potential. He encourages everyone to come and enjoy the beauty of Pennsylvania!

Amy is committed to the mission of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Her support includes serving as a participant and fundraiser, a mentor for participants and a steering committee member for the Livestrong Challenge for the past three years. Through the Best of 7 an annual food and fundriasing event created and managed by Payton, she has raised approximately $20,000 for the fight against cancer.

Inspired to accept “the obligation of the cured” following surgery for testicular cancer in 2003, which recurred in 2005, Scott’s experience with the Lance Armstrong Foundation includes the Ride for the Roses each year since 2004, the LIVESTRONG Challenge Philadelphia since 2006, LIVESTRONG Day events in Washington, D.C., and at home, and the fledgling LIVESTRONG Army New Hampshire Seacoast. Scott received the Messenger Award in Philly last year, and is thrilled to be serving as a mentor for the New England area for his second year. 

Michael has been raising funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation since year 2000 and mentoring since 2005. Over the past eight years, he has raised over $150,000 for the LAF and mentored hundreds of inspiring, brave, and magnificent volunteers. His family untouched by cancer when he started with the LAF in 2000, Michael has since lost his father-in-law, a dear aunt, and way too many friends to cancer. He invites NY and NJ mentees to join him on his countless laps of central park.

Ann celebrates her 5^th year of cancer survivorship this year! “After treatment, I felt a need to give back. Through the Lance Armstrong Foundation, I have found a way to pay it forward by supporting other cancer survivors. And through my cancer experience, I believe my life has become far richer. No day goes by that I am not thankful for the second chance at life I have been given.”

After being diagnosed with cancer almost 2 years ago, Russ discovered the LAF and found that the stories on livestrong.org inspired him. He finished his degree, started running, bought a bike and looked for ways to get more involved with the cancer community. This year marks his second LIVESTRONG Challenge and you can bet that he’s fired up about it! Russ is looking forward to training for the ride, figuring out creative ways to fundraise and spreading the excitement of the event to others.

Actively involved with LAF since 2004 when his father-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer, Marc is a second year mentor and an avid cyclist. He is also a certified spin instructor, licensed attorney and pretty decent carpenter. Personal mantra... RideOn LIVESTRONG.

Jennifer has been involved with LAF for many years riding in the Ride for the Roses and LIVESTRONG Challenge as well as organizing LIVESTRONG Day events, advocating for the LAF and encouraging others to stay active and healthy in her role as an assistant professor at Southeastern Louisiana University. She is a proud native Texan, and now resides in Louisiana.

Matt grew up in New Hampshire and went to Bentley College outside Boston.  He has worked for General Electric for 17 years and has traveled extensively, including living in China for 8 years. Matt's mother died in 2005 after a 17 year battle with breast cancer. To honor her fight, he rode a bicycle from Seattle, WA to Bar Harbor, ME, raising over $90,000 for the LAF. Matt lives in Milwaukee, WI with his wife Rachel (a dog and two cats).

Michael and his wife Patricia have been involved with the Lance Armstrong Foundation since 2003.  This will be his second year as a mentor, and he considers it an honor to again work with the LIVESTRONG Challenge runners, cyclists, and fundraisers. For Michael, the "team spirit," camaraderie, and collective goal to raise money and awareness for cancer survivorship and research are what makes the Lance Armstrong Foundation and LIVESTRONG Challenges so special.

Originally from Louisiana, Carla relocated to Austin in 2003. She became involved in the LIVESTRONG Challenge as a means of honoring the memory of her parents, both of whom lost their battles with cancer, and as a way to show support for friends and their families who are fighting their own cancer battles. She is honored to serve as the Region 9 mentor this year and looks forward to helping all Region 9 participants achieve their goals.

An 8-year cancer survivor currently fighting Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Steve has been an active participant with the Ride for the Roses and the LIVESTRONG Challenge since 2004. He is also an active member of Cyclists Combating Cancer, and is very excited to be a part of the  mentor program this year.

Patrick Chatfield is an avid cyclist and longtime supporter of the LAF and LIVESTRONG Challenge events. Hailing from Seattle, Patrick has been a LSC participant since 2005 and a mentor since 2006, and enjoys providing fundraising, training and support for participants in the northwest.  Patrick's energy (and wit...!?) and commitment to the LAF are inspired by the memory of his father, Ken Chatfield, who passed away in 1993 due to cancer, as well as all those people he has met through his association with the LAF who have been touched by cancer in their lives.