Team Behind the Teams
The people behind Sisters in Sports Foundation keep us going. Our team consists of our Founders, Board of Directors, Mentors and consultants that help support our athletes!
Danelle Umstead
Founder, President, CEO & Mentor
My life is a testament to resilience. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the tender age of 13, I encountered a world where disabilities were often misunderstood. Despite this, I persevered, securing a corporate job by 18 and rising through the ranks with kindness and dedication.
However, at 27, everything changed when I lost all usable vision. Forced to resign from my job, I faced uncertainty about my future. Yet, from this setback emerged a new path—one fueled by the transformative power of sports.
Becoming a four-time Paralympian, I defied the odds and inspired others on a global scale. Beyond sports, I found my voice as a motivational speaker, sharing my story with esteemed clients like Google, Amazon, Deloitte, Pfizer and many more. In 2018, I made history as the first blind contestant on Dancing With The Stars, showcasing resilience and determination.
My experiences led me to found Sisters in Sports Foundation, recognizing the crucial need for a supportive community for women and girls with disabilities. Through mentorship, wellness programs, and grant opportunities, we empower each other to thrive.
My journey embodies hope, showing that with resilience and determination, one can overcome any obstacle. From hiding my disability to empowering others, I am committed to creating a more inclusive and supportive world for all.
Oksana Masters
Co-Founder, Vice President & Mentor
I‘m a coffee drinker, animal lover, and world traveler with a passion for sports. I truly believe that if we dream, we can achieve... Especially when there’s a good cup of coffee in your hand. I lived the first seven and a half years of my life in orphanages, imagining how it would feel to achieve the success I always knew I could reach.
As a multi-medalist in World Cups, World Championships and Paralympic summer and winter sports, I love new challenges and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I truly believe with the right amount of support, hard work, dedication and belief in one’s self, anyone can make anything happen and make their dreams come to reality.
Because I am so competitive and hate losing, I believe sports was always in my blood. I am so thankful I have been given a “second chance” in life through my amazing family and the opportunity to fulfill my passion and hunger for racing and competing.
Kendall Gretsch
Co-Founder, Secretary & Mentor Leader
I grew up competing in sports, but didn‘t consider myself an athlete until I was introduced to adaptive sports in my early twenties. Suddenly a whole new world of competitive sport was introduced to me. Through sports, I have found a way to continuously challenge myself and find new limits. More importantly, I’ve found a supportive community of friends and mentors. I am now a multi-time Paralympic medalist competing in cross country skiing and biathlon during the winter and paratriathlon in the summer.
Throughout my career as an athlete, I’ve experienced that the network of female para athletes can feel small, but powerful. I am so grateful for the women who have supported me throughout my sporting career and hope to pay it forward through Sisters in Sports. My vision for Sisters in Sports is that we can grow the field of female para athletes by creating a community for disabled women and girls where we empower and uplift one another through sport.
Melanie Schwartz
Bookkeeping & Mentor
Growing up with one leg, Melanie quickly fell in love with the speed, and freedom of alpine skiing without a prosthetic. She became a ski instructor before trying a season of ski racing "just for fun". That single season evolved into four years on the Canadian national team, followed by six years on Team USA (owing to her dual-citizenship). After competing in 3 Paralympics as well as countless other races, Melanie decided to hang up her race skis. Although she is no longer competing, Melanie remains passionate about the sport and gets out on the mountain as often as possible and enjoys skiing outside of the gates. She is excited to support the next generation of female athletes with disabilities as they conquer the world!
"Work on your weaknesses until they become your strengths " - Sean Ramsden
Alana Nichols
Mentor
Alana Nichols is a world-class, multi-sport Paralympian and advocate, known for her resilience and passion for adaptive sports. After a spinal cord injury at 17, she transitioned to adaptive athletics, becoming the first American female to win gold medals at both the Summer (Wheelchair Basketball) and Winter (Alpine Skiing) Paralympic Games. A five-time Paralympian and six-time medalist, she also competed in Paracanoe at Rio 2016. Beyond sports, Alana is a professional keynote speaker, a mother and an advocate for women in sports and disability inclusion, serving on the Women’s Sports Foundation board. She currently excels in adaptive surfing, securing three gold medals in the ISA World Para Surfing Championships.
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right” -Henry Ford
“Pressure is a Privilege” - Billie Jean King
Beth Armstrong
Board Member
I bring over 25 years of leadership experience across the healthcare and golf industries. My career began in hospital administration with institutions like Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center and the Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles. After relocating to Park City, I helped develop Promontory Club, serving as VP of Membership and Business Development for 15 years, before leading People’s Health Clinic as CEO for over six years. I currently serve as Managing Director of Marcella and VP of Membership for Reef Capital Partners. I’ve been fortunate to serve on numerous boards and advisory councils and hold a BS in Accounting from McNeese State and an MBA from the University of New Orleans. I live in Park City with my husband, Roger, and love spending time outdoors skiing, hiking, biking, and golfing—and am proud mom to a physician and an actress.
Steve Scruton
Board Member
Steve is a CEO and investor with substantial software, data, database and analytics experience. Steve’s career has been spent successfully creating and growing organizations and developing strategic relationships with some of the largest players in the marketing industry across Direct Marketers, Data Providers, Database Vendors, Software Providers, Analytic Companies and Credit Providers. He has a strong background in credit card, retail banking, high tech, finance, franchise and insurance database marketing applications. Most of his career has been developing large scale prospecting and customer solutions for some of the largest High-Tech, Financial, Telecommunications, Insurance and Banking companies in the direct marketing space.
Jeannie Goldstein
Board Member
Jeannie has led the sports and entertainment discipline at agencies Ogilvy and Arc. From developing strategic partnerships to creating award-winning programs, she has overseen marketing/sponsorship strategy for United Airlines, VISA, McDonald’s, Kraft, Sara Lee, Kellogg’s, AT&T Wireless, Coca-Cola and others. Jeannie has negotiated and executed partnerships with the Olympics, NFL (teams: Bears, Broncos, Redskins, 49ers), MLB, MiLB, NASCAR, ESPN, Olympians, Pro Athletes, grassroots programs and many more.
After graduating Denison University, Jeannie managed pro sporting events at ProServ and the Nuveen Senior Tennis Tour., Inc. While at ProServ, she worked with agents executing programs for athletes such as Michael Jordan, Nancy Kerrigan and Janet Evans. Her Senior Tennis Tour responsibilities included building the Jimmy Connors brand through events, appearances, activation of programs and more.
Susan Cattozzo
Board Member
I am a mom of twin girls, a wife, a sports enthusiast, and a business professional by day. Communities of women lifting each other up bring me joy. When I met Danelle in 2023, I was inspired by her bravery, resilience, and positivity. As a I learned more about Danelle and her mission for Sisters in Sports, I knew I wanted to be part of the journey. I’m honored to join the Board and look forward to working with the incredible team to advance the mission.
Gil Mandelzis
Board Member
Gil is the CEO & Founder of Capitolis, a financial technology company that helps create safer, healthier, and more vibrant capital markets. A serial entrepreneur with a successful record of creating disruptive products and companies and leading them through global scaling, Gil is recognized for bold innovation, clear strategy, and inspiring leadership. His ability to transform industries and empower people makes him a strong advocate for the foundation’s mission.
Consultants
Staci Mannella
Mental Performance Consultant
Staci is a 2x visually impaired Paralympic alpine skier (Sochi, 2014: PyeongChang, 2018) under current doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Ball State University. Her athletic experiences coupled with her education positions her well to support Sisters and Sports Foundation athletes. Staci’s work focuses on sport psychology and supporting high performance athletes with disabilities through research and clinical practice. In her free time, Staci enjoys spending time outside whether it be skiing, hiking, playing with her dogs, or enjoying a good book in her hammock.
I love the mission of the Sisters in Sports Foundation. Danelle was a mentor of mine as an athlete, but I never had a community of women while I was competing. I love playing a part in creating that for the next generation of athletes.
Nicole Holley
Web Designer
Nicole Holley, a seasoned web designer with a decade of experience, is dedicated to helping inspiring women and entrepreneurs. Her expertise spans online marketing, website development, social media tactics, email campaigns, video production, and copywriting.
Beyond digital realms, Nicole, a passionate traveler spending 6 months in Europe annually, drawing inspiration from diverse cultures for her work. Her love for nature seamlessly integrates with her designs, blending creativity with functionality.
Her adaptability and dedication to staying current in the fast-paced online world showcase her professional acumen.
Devon Jay
Monarque Experiences
Devon Jay is the founder of Monarque Experiences, where she brings her love of bringing people together to life through memorable events and experiences. With more than 15 years of experience leading executive programs, customer experiences, and global events, Devon
combines creative thinking, strategic planning, and hands-on execution to bring ideas to life.
As a woman business owner and longtime event leader, Devon is passionate about supporting organizations and causes she believes in, especially those creating opportunities for women to
lead, grow, and have their voices heard. She is proud to support Sisters in Sports and its mission to empower women in the sports industry.