WOMEN'S RUNNING COACHES COLLECTIVE
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Nikki Rafie - Portland, Oregon
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  • Winner of Portland Marathon -1995
  • Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier 1996 and 2000
  • Regional level road racing competitor  (ran 20 sub 3hr marathons) 
  • Coached and grew Team Athena  to over 100 women (2008-2014)
  • Highly Experienced Adult  Distance running coach (14yrs of personal and team coaching)
  • Currently running and racing in the community to stay connected
  • With a corporate career as a Director at Nike, she coaches selectively as a hobby


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Helene Hutchinson - Portland, Oregon
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  • Passionate runner from road/trail and cross country to team relays and crazy running adventures (R2R2R Grand Canyon)
  • Assistant middle school coach (with Melissa) for several years while my children attended
  • Volunteered at high school cross country and track & field events for many years
  • Active supporter of empowering women through sport, business, and life
  • An extensive corporate career at Nike and earlier at Runner's World Magazine where she focused on elevating the voice of the athlete to innovate, created clear strategies and plans as well as empowered the individual and team for long term personal and business success

Laura Caldwell - Greenville, SC
  • Currently coaches the ASICS GTC-Elite athletes in Greenville, SC
  • Former 800m record holder while at Florida State University
  • Qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials in '84 and '88
  • Began coaching track and field, cross country while a graduate assistant at FSU in 1978
  • Has coached at the high school, collegiate, professional, and recreational level
  • Former editor and publisher of Racing South magazine
  • Joined Women's Running Coaches Collective in 2018​​
Kathy Mills Parker – Portland, Oregon
  • World Record holder in the 5000 meters on the track in 1978
  • Winner of the first New York State Girls HS Cross Country Championships
  • AIAW 1977 National Cross Country Champion while at Penn State
  • Veteran Distance Coach of 14 years at Lincoln High School, Portland, Oregon
 
Robyn McGillis – Portland, Oregon
  • Head Girls Cross Country Coach at Central Catholic High School, Portland, Oregon
  • Director of Track and Field Operations at Central Catholic High School
  • Girls Distance Coach for Track and Field at Central Catholic High School
  • Nationally ranked as a competitor at University of California, San Diego, in the 800m and Mile Relay
  • Successful Cross Country and Road Race Competitor in Portland, Oregon
 
Amy Yoder Begley – Atlanta, Georgia
  • 15-time All American and two time NCAA Champion at University of Arkansas
  • 2008 Olympic Team member in the 10,000 meters
  • Trained and competed with the Nike Oregon Project
  • 2013 Head Cross Country Coach at the University of Connecticut
  • Currently the coach of the 21,000 strong Atlanta T.C.

Christina Whitney - Oregon City, OR
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  • Oregon State University, Bachelor of Science, Human Development & Family Science w/minor in Photography
  • ISSA certified, Strength & Conditioning Specialty Certification
  • ISSA certified, Personal Trainer
  • Zumba licensed instructor
  • USATF Level 1 Certification
  • Certified AQx Sports Instructor
  • Consultant, rehabilitation specialist
  • Hurdles/sprints coach (Lake Oswego HS/2005-15,Stars & Stripes Camp/2014-present, Tualatin HS/2017-2020
  • Step Ur Game Up Track Club (SGU) -Head Coach & Co-founder-  2008-2020
  • Resolute Track Club/2020) - Head Coach & Founder
  • Oregon City HS Hurdle Coach - 2020
  • Numerous Oregon state qualifiers & champions in 110HH & 300IM

Tania Fischer - Santa Monica, CA
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  • Age Group Runner with Rialto Road Runners - Chaminade High School Hall of Fame 
  • UCLA scholarship athlete 1983- 1987, XC and Track 
  • Santa Monica Track Club athlete and Olympic Qualifier 5,000m 1996
  • President and Founder of the Janes Elite Racing club
  • Head track and XC coach Santa Monica High School Boys & Girls
  • Art teacher Santa Monica High School
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Marie Davis Markham - Portland, OR
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  • Began running at age 8; won 6 National Junior Olympic titles; won 6 state titles while at Lincoln HS (OR); competed in 3 Kinney/Footlocker XC Championships and 2 World Junior XC Championships
  • Was a 6-time All-American while at the Univ​ersity of Oregon
  • Competed with the Nike Farm Team as a professional runner
  • Currently an assistant coach at her alma mater, Lincoln HS
  • Developed a program for athletic teams called "Girls Talk" where HS girls meet to discuss topics such as body image, nutrition, and more
  • Co-founder of Wildwood Running, a group of coaches helping to educate coaches who are working with young female distance runners while they navigate puberty
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Christi Smith-Ryan - Portland, OR

  • Was a 4-time All-American while at University of Akron
  • Won 11 Mid-American Conference indoor and outdoor titles; won All-MAC honors 7 times
  • In 1999, finished runnerup in the NCAA Heptathlon
  • In 2000, won the NCAA Heptathlon National Championship and was ranked 5th at the Olympic Trials that year
  • Holds title of Greatest Female Athlete of All-Time at Akron
  • Has coached from the USATF grass roots level up to the Big 10 Conference
  • Assistant coach at Ohio University, Kent State University, and University of Iowa
  • Was Strength and Conditioning intern at University of Oregon; coached at South Eugene (OR) High School
  • Currently head track and field coach at Central Catholic HS (Portland, OR)
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  • Home
  • What's New
  • WRCC Chapters
  • Ask a Coach
    • Ask a Coach Videos
    • Ask a Coach Questionnaire
  • Resources
    • Video Interviews
    • Prehab Videos
    • Print Interviews >
      • Athlete Interviews
      • Coach Interviews
      • Coaching
      • Coaching Youth Sports
    • Speaker Series
    • Links
    • Films
  • Membership
  • About Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Mission
    • Social Posts
    • Contact Us
  • Merchandise
  • Blog Posts