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

Kris Gurley , Autocad engineer

Kris Gurley has been an outspoken written advocate for Skatelife Memphis. 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 2009 Mud Island Land Use studies. Most recently, Kris created the banner for our 1st Memphis Food Grind food drive that Skatelife did for to provide food for the Midsouth Food bank.

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.

Mike Lasiter, Operations Manager of Mid south Homebuyers inc.

Mike graduated from Southwest Tennessee Community College with an Associate in Applied Science specializing in Mechanical Engineering Technology and AUTOCAD. Midsouth Homebuyers is one of Skatelife's key sponsors and has renovated over 800 houses and rentals providing completely renovated homes for Memphis families. Mike has skated for over 28 years has been an integral part of buidling The Edge Skatepark in 1989, Badlands Skatepark with Shelton in 1999, Darkside skatepark in 2000, Skatepark of Memphis(SPOM) in 2002 as well as countless backyard ramps. We are honored to have Mike as one of the Skatelife crew given Mike's leadership in the skate community and his playing a major part in helping design Tobey skate park.

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.

Troy McEachron, PhD., Scientist.

Troy is a postdoctoral fellow at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in a lab that researches malignancies of the central nervous system. He earned his BS in Microbiology from Arizona State University and his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He grew up in New York where he started skating at the age of 14 and rode for a local skateboard shop during high school. He continues to skate and is an outspoken advocate for skateboarding. He is passionate about the activity because it provides people a creative outlet as well as forms a community of individuals that transcends racial, ethnic, and socio-economic barriers.
Troy will tell you that a lot of his personal success is owed to what he learned in skateboarding. In his words “skating imparts discipline and a sense of work ethic I've been able to apply to all of my academic and professional successes.” Troy brings to Skatelife his dedication to promoting and teaching skateboarding as well as a willingness to share his message with the youth of Memphis.

Hannah Busbee Shipley, Founder of the Bee's Nest

Hannah Shipley is a longboard skater with passon for health and well being, as well as a love for the city of Memphis. She is also a loving wife to Derek Shipley and a stay at home mom to their son Noah, who was born in 2010. She makes custom handbags, jewelry and accessories for her company, the Bee's Nest. For every order purchased, a donation is made to the Shelby County Department of Human Services. She was born and raised in Memphis but moved to Orlando, FL in 2001 where she learned how to surf and skate at the age of 23. Hannah got "On Board" with Skatelife Memphis because she loved the idea of volunteering time towards something she felt would affect the lives of so many, and be a benefit to The City, itself. As part of the Skatelife crew Hannah helps kids and adults learn to skate at our learn-to-skate clinics. She also bake's some killer chocolate chip cookies for clinic participants. Hannah sees Skatelife's role as very unique because it enables the skate community to help promote, advocate and participate in the Memphis community; not JUST skate it!

Terry Kerr, President 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.

Lindsey Rowland , Grocer at Miss Cordelia's

Lindsey grew up in Brighton,Tn, and lives and works in Memphis. When she's not working she's cultivating her artistic talents and enjoys photography.
Here’s what Lindsey has to say about her experience with skateboarding: “I can not deny my attraction to skateboarding and the culture surrounding it. I got my first skateboard when I was 17, but didn't get very far with it. At 22 I felt the urge, once again, to. skate. Taking the advice of a friend, I invested in a long-board. Cruising my long-board has become one of my favorite activities and has led me to some great friends. In celebration of the opening of our city's brand new public skate park, I have gotten a hand-me-down short board set up to attempt to learn a little bit. So, if you're lucky you may get to see me there falling down (with my helmet on).”
Lindsey has generously taken many pictures at Skatelife events and like Hannah has a talent for baking some tasty confections- her specialty is chocolate cupcakes which turned up at the 2011 Memphis Food Grind event. Look for Lindsey to become one of the local Tobey skate divas!