Our Team

Benjamin joined The Skatepark Project in October 2020. In this role, he provides strategic vision and leadership while overseeing all operations for the organization, including: grantmaking, advocacy, education programs, communications, and fundraising.

A social impact executive with more than 20 years of experience, he has worked with community-based, national and international health, human rights, youth development and arts organizations. Benjamin served most recently as Vice President of CORE, Sean Penn's disaster relief and recovery organization, and he has worked closely with talent and influencers in the entertainment, fashion, art and sports communities in New York, Los Angeles, and across the country. Benjamin holds a BA in Communications from Emerson College.

SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE CEO & BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Colin Cook has been in love with skateboarding since he was 12 years old. Turning his passion into a career, Colin shared his talents in the skate industry for over a decade and contributed to multiple skatepark advocacy efforts in Southern California. Joining the foundation in 2016, Colin provides high-level administrative and logistical support to the CEO and Board of Directors. He serves as a key point of contact between leadership and internal or external stakeholders, helping to streamline operations & support strategic initiatives.

In June 2021, Rachel joined The Skatepark Project providing strategic oversight and execution of press relations, social media, and marketing to showcase the impact of the organization’s programmatic breadth of work. Additionally, she oversees the Ambassador Program from cultivation through activation.

Specializing in strategic communications, she is focused on the intersection of narrative-driven storytelling, marketing, events and partnerships, and how these elements drive development within the nonprofit sector. She has experience working across impact spaces such as disaster response, humanitarian aid, reproductive health, equity and access, and human rights. Rachel provides organizations and brands with media strategy, branding, talent and influencer engagement, event production and major donor cultivation. Most recently, Rachel led national and regional communications for a high-profile global crisis response organization focused on COVID-19 relief, natural disaster recovery, and crisis mitigation.

As the Chief Financial Officer, Alex is responsible for the financial management and oversight of the daily operations of The Skatepark Project. She has spent the last two decades working with and supporting non-profit organizations in achieving their missions and sharing their financial stories.

Alex received her BA in Economics from the State University of New York at Albany and an MS in Accounting from the College of Saint Rose.

Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Trevor Staples grew up skateboarding throughout the Midwest. With a lack of safe public skateboarding options in the area, he founded Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark in 2007 and recruited his friends and neighbors to advocate for a public skatepark. In 2014, the 30,000 square-foot Ann Arbor Skatepark opened at Veterans Memorial Park. Trevor’s work has offered him many opportunities to bring state, county, and local entities together to support public skateparks.

At TSP, Trevor is responsible for overseeing programs and grantmaking, including the Built To Play program in Michigan and New York in conjunction with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation. His work includes assisting in the development of additional regional grant programs, and management of TSP’s grantmaking process. Before joining TSP in 2018, Trevor taught fourth grade for twenty years.

Alec came to The Skatepark Project with a lifetime of competitive skateboarding under his belt, and a decade of advocacy work, during which he led efforts to create the Stoner Skate Plaza in Los Angeles and to legalize skateboarding at the infamous LA City Courthouse ledges. Alec ​​is often the public’s first point of contact with our organization, and is responsible for designing and implementing the provision of technical assistance, the promotion of social marketing materials, and the coordination of skatepark advocacy projects nationally, and acts as an ambassador and external relations expert on behalf of TSP. Alec is also involved in strategic park development and education materials.

As Associate Director of Marketing, Angela is responsible for managing the organization’s digital marketing and social media strategies, overseeing creative content, and developing campaigns and initiatives to raise awareness and critical funds for The Skatepark Project.

Before joining TSP, Angela worked as a Producer for 900 Films and YouTube’s RIDE Channel for over a decade, where she helped to create some of TSP’s most compelling PSAs and success stories. She brings her action sports production background and her passion for skateboarding and storytelling to the organization. Angela graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Communications, and in her free time, she enjoys hiking, yoga, live music, and world travel.

As Associate Director of Development, Gwen leads philanthropic operations and donor relations, ensuring supporters feel informed, appreciated, and connected to the mission.

She brings a strong track record in campaign planning and strategic donor engagement, with over a decade of experience advancing fundraising efforts in the nonprofit sector, focused on social impact, civic engagement, and community development. Gwen has managed donor communications, grant writing, platform administration, and events, helping mission-driven organizations build lasting relationships with their supporters. Prior to her current role, she served as Development Operations Manager at RepresentUs, a voting rights and anti-corruption nonprofit, where she built infrastructure to support daily fundraising.

Outside of work, you'll find Gwen battling invasive plants in the garden and spending as much time outside as the Northeast weather allows.

As part of TSP’s Advancement team, Mandy connects generous individuals and mission-driven brands to the transformative power of skateboarding. Her work spans individual and corporate fundraising, with a focus on building lasting relationships. She manages the national Supply the Ride program and ensures every donor and partner feels the impact of their support.

Before joining TSP in 2022, Mandy spent over a decade in Development at The University of Texas at Austin, working across various colleges and student-focused programs. She led community-driven campaigns, supported scholarship initiatives, and strengthened alumni and donor engagement across generations.

Originally from Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, Mandy now calls Denver home. Outside of work, she’s often rock climbing, chasing live music, snowboarding in the Rockies, or tending to her ever-growing jungle of houseplants.

Bringing creativity, strategy, and heart to every project, Kava is a passionate community builder and dedicated organizer working at the intersection of skateboarding, culture, and social impact. Born and raised in New York City, she discovered skateboarding in her teens and later received a global fellowship to explore how women use skateboarding as a tool for empowerment. Kava brings over 8 years of experience designing youth- and women-centered initiatives to The Skatepark Project, where she now develops programs that support healing, creativity, and transformative growth on and off the board. 

Prior to joining TSP in 2025, Kava co-founded Bronx Girls Skate and Meninanda; she also directed programming at the Harold Hunter Foundation. Outside of work, she enjoys snowboarding, live music, world travel, learning new languages, and spending time in nature.

As the Finance and Administration Coordinator, Shayna combines her background in banking and customer service with a detail-oriented and community-focused approach to her work. A proud mom of two, she loves spending time outdoors and is passionate about the power of community. While she doesn’t skateboard herself, she enjoys cheering on her kids as they give it a go. Shayna is excited to contribute to The Skatepark Project’s mission and leave a meaningful impact.

Andre has been skateboarding since 2003 and has worked with several skatepark projects and non-profit organizations. Andre began working with The Skatepark Project as a volunteer hoping to give back to a culture that he loves. He now serves as the Programs Coordinator, supporting the TSP Grantmaking and Technical Assistance Programs.

J. is a lifelong skateboarder based in New York City. He comes to the Skatepark Project with over five years of experience of using skateboarding for social impact, managing the development of multiple public skate spaces in Connecticut. J. cares deeply about creating strong, reciprocal relationships between stakeholders and mobilizing these relationships to create safe spaces in which people of all ages and backgrounds can thrive.

In his free time, J. continues to support his hometown of New Haven through his organization, Skate Haven, which works to develop public skate spaces in the Greater New Haven Area and activate them with free programs.

Pink is on a mission to carve out a more inclusive and vibrant space within the skateboarding world. Raised in the heart of the Midwest, she spent over a decade refining her craft—both on the board and behind the camera. In 2021, her passion led her to New York City, where she began her journey as a teaching artist, working closely with at-risk youth and using art as a bridge to connection. Today, Pink stands as a dynamic creative and community builder, channeling her experience and vision to bring people of all ages together through The Skatepark Project.

Leo Heinert is a professional skateboarder from NYC with Ecuadorian roots who has been skating since 2001, competing in countless contests and filming throughout the industry. When he’s not skating the streets of NYC or showing apartments in Brooklyn, he’s MCing events or working behind the scenes.

A co-founder of Skate to Elevate, Leo advocates for new skateparks in Staten Island and Manta, Ecuador, and organizes events to support their creation. He also co-founded Blitz Jam, a street contest series, and runs @Yerrcribs, a platform highlighting apartments near skateparks.

As Rider Development Program Lead for the Harold Hunter Foundation in partnership with TSP, Leo mentors youth by guiding them to NYC skate spots to film collaborative video projects. He encourages skaters to channel their creativity, explore the city, and leave their mark—blending skateboarding, architecture, and self-expression.