Founder: Aaron Shafer
Aaron is a full-time production scientist at St. Jude Children's GMP biotech facility where he produces medicines that will be used to treat children at St.Jude. He grew up surfing and skating and continues to skate with his boys. He received his B.S and Ph.D in Biochemistry and Molecular biology from the University of California at Davis. If you see some guy on his bike in the morning riding on North Parkway going to St. Jude give him a wave or honk!Click on the photo for a demonstration of his skate skills.

Thurman Richardson, Affiliated Computer Services ACS (an IT Outsourcing company that supports Nike Inc in Memphis as well as Nike Inc Globally) as a Sr. Systems Administrator

Without Thurman we would have never known about the Nike Back Your Block grant. Thanks Thurman! Here is Thurman's bio:
Native Memphian, University of Memphis Alumni and skateboarder since teens. Lifelong cyclist and Mt biker Found SkateLife Memphis while researching how to start up a faith based youth skating advocacy group. Now a SkateLife Memphis supporter, advocate 6x St Jude Marathon and Half marathon finisher Active participant in Nike Community Initiatives surrounding Running, Skating and Cycling Husband of 10 years to Holly, Father of 2 girl skaters, Miller 5-Greer 7 Volunteer for S.O.S and Strong Supporter of the Binghamton Community and Greenlawn Community Center fund raising efforts to build skate ramps

Detric Golden, Founder and Director of Golden Child Ministries
Detric Golden is a local basketball legend but his work with the downtown youth at Greenlaw community center is quickly eclipsing any statistics that he compiled while playing as a star for the University of Memphis. Golden's dedication to the youth is unparalled. Golden is with these kids everyday and for this reason we draw on his advice and counsel for how to best reach at-risk youth in Memphis. The model he is using to reach kids through his organization, Golden Child Ministries , is one that if carefully replicated will have a major impact on the future of Memphis city youth. Golden welcomed our partnership with open arms and was excited to have the opportunity for us to teach his participating youth how to skateboard. We have been skating with his youth for about 3 years now. Hopefully, his youth will have their own ramps in a few months if we can win the Nike back your block grant. Stay tuned!

Greg Simmons
Greg Simmons is a native Memphian skater. He works for The City of Memphis and recently retired from the Air National Guard. Greg also founded Witness Extreme Sports and Witness BMX racing. The goal of these organizations is to promote extreme sports as a positive influence and as a means of mentoring youth. Greg believes extreme sports are a great way for families to grow together. His wife Mary and children Ian, Chloe, and Chris have been instrumental in the growth of Witness Extreme Sports. They started as a family team and now have over 30 riders in several states. They set up skate and bmx demos to help raise awareness for the need of skateparks in the Memphis area. They also try to help local Churches set up their own Skate-oriented outreach events. For more information check out their website. Greg brings to our team a wealth of experience in organizing events and brainstorming new ideas.

Mark Nagle, free lance writer, UofM graduate student in Communications

Mark got back into skating in 2008 and continues to skate as well as run and cycle. He has been a big contributor for skatelife in his articles that he has written about skateboarding as well as our advocacy efforts. His first article on Skatelife was published in the July 2009 edition of Memphis Sport. He has a second article that will be published in the September 2009 edition of Memphis Health and Fitness. Mark has also provided transportation for Golden's youth to some of the skate parks we visit outside the Memphis area.

Eric Mathews, Founder of Launch Memphis and Mercury Technology Labs.

Eric currently does not skate but after doing his own thorough research of the skateboarding industry and the role of skate parks in cities that are recruting our top talent, he has become one of strongest advocates for a skate park to be built on the South Tip of Mud Island. He indicated that he will definitely pick up a board and start skating if a skate park is available on Mud Island. Eric continues to be a major advocate for the Mud Island project through the use of social media and is our major Skatelife twitter campaign person.

Mark Jannetta, Founder of Splinter Youth Inc.

Mark has been using skateboarding to reach out to youth for almost ten years. He started skateboarding related ministries in New York as well as in Orlando Florida. Mark designs his owns skate parks using wood and skatelite surfacing material. Memphis was very fortunate to have Mark and his family move to Memphis in the spring of 2009. He is now working full time at Memphis Athletic Ministries. Skateboarding provides a powerful way to connect with our youth so hopefully in a few years Mark will be able to establish and grow skateboarding based ministries at the neighborhood community centers that MAM will be running. Mark will be spearheading efforts, in the Winter of 2010, to build a small mini-halfpipe for Detric Golden's youth at Greenlaw community center. The construction will begin in January 2010.

Terry Kerr, Presidetnt and founder of Midtown Buy or Rent

Terry Kerr and his company, Midtown Buy or Rent , became our first financial sponsor. Thanks to Terry, we are able to print flyers, keep our website running, buy Sk8MUD Tees and "Cracks Kill" bumper stickers. Our operation costs are small so Terry's contribtutions go a long way. We just started the sponsorship so we hope to be able to use his donations to buy skateboards and more ramp materials for ourGreenlaw community center project .

Kris Gurley , Autocad engineer

Kris Gurley has been an outspoken written advocate for Skatelife Memphis. He was the mastermind behind the Sk8MUD logo and has designed several of our skate park designs that you will find in our photogallery. He also has put together our banners that you will see this year at the 2009 Cooper Young festival. Kris is a native lifetime Memphian skateboarder. Kris has also served as one of our key members that attended and gave input at the focus group meetings for the Mud Island Land Use studies.