High Uinta Athletics Association
Board of Directors
Nathan Prete - Board Member and Trustee
Nathan grew up in Evanston, WY where he spent his childhood with friends causing trouble and otherwise enjoying as many outdoor activities as possible. He participated in wrestling through high school and was better at physical conditioning than actual wrestling. Nathan started running after finding a good deal on a treadmill. He heard a rumor that running 6 miles was basically the same as running a half marathon so he signed up for one. Since then he has found for himself the physical and mental benefits of endurance exercise. He is also a firm believer in negative splits. Nathan enjoys being outdoors and spending time with his beautiful wife and three amazing kids.
Laura Prete - Board Member
Laura was raised in Evanston Wyoming and loves the peace and openness that comes with living in a small town. She has a love of health and fitness along with the outdoors. This is where her love for running began. As weekly miles increased, so did Laura’s passion for long distance running. She has completed half and full marathons and enjoys triathlon training. Laura also enjoys cycling, hiking, cross-country skiing and spending time with her husband and three kids. Laura first tried her hand at race hosting when Covid-19 took away the opportunity for her 11-year-old son to complete his first half marathon. This was the first Runners High Half Marathon. With help from Lindsey and others, the race was a success and something everyone involved wanted to continue.
Lindsey Kennedy - Board Member
Born and raised in Wyoming Lindsey’s passion for running began when her husband signed her up for a marathon without her consent. Fourteen years and four children later she has run 8 marathons (one being the iconic 2020 virtual Boston Marathon), countless half-marathons, and two half Ironman’s. She was part of the 2018 Doxa and 2019 Wasatch back ultra Ragnar championship teams. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with her BSN in 2007. Currently she enjoys staying home with her four daughters.
Jason Kennedy - Board Member and Trustee​
Raised in Wyoming, Jason comes with loads of experience running one marathon. He highly recommends running further than 15 miles if marathon training. He has also run many half-marathons and other races. He was part of the 2018 Doxa and 2019 Wasatch back ultra Ragnar championship teams. Jason resides in Evanston where he works as a Financial Advisor. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his wife and four daughters as well as enjoying anything in the great outdoors.
Todd Pendleton - Board Member
Todd, as native to Wyoming, was born and raised on a ranch just north of Evanston. He graduated from Evanston High School in 2004 where he lettered in both track and wrestling. He is an executive at a regional wholesale distribution company. Prior to his current position, Todd worked at a Washington DC based law firm with a focus on complex trade issues including economic sanctions, export controls, anti-corruption regulations, and compliance. Todd is a graduate of the University of Utah economics and political science (2010) and of The Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University, JD (2014). While not a runner, Todd enjoys being active in the outdoors and stays busying spending time with his family wake surfing, mountain biking, and snow skiing.
Rocco O'Neill - Board Member and Trustee
I am the Director of Community Development for the City of Evanston. I enjoy participating in community events and find any excuse to be outside in the great Wyoming outdoors. I’m new to endurance running but have been involved in athletics my whole life. This passion for athletics began at a young age, I grew up playing basketball, football, baseball, and running track. Athletics formed the foundation of my personality, teaching me how to work hard, collaborate, and to hold myself and others accountable. We grew up in the mountains so snowboarding and mountain biking have become standard weekend activities. When I’m not on the mountain, I’m wandering around in search of the best burger or street tacos. I look forward to learning more about endurance running, and supporting HUAA.
Robert McKay Douglas - Board Member
Evanston is one of the best and most beautiful places we’ve ever lived. In the last 10 years I’ve hiked, hunted, fished, camped, ridden horses, traveled all over Wyoming, and have the most beautiful view of the High Uinta Mountains from our neighborhood. We’re at approximately 7000 feet where the mountain air is cool, clear, & clean! It's here that I get to live and do my work as Pastor of Aspen Church. As well as serve the community as a police chaplain, hospital chaplain, and serve on the board of the High Uinta Athletic Association.
My wife, Sylvia, taught music at Aspen Elementary for six years and we have have four children and four grandchildren. We were married over 40 years before she died in March of 2020 after her own half marathon of 13.5 years battling cancer.
I've always been inspired by people around me who have set high goals for and made long journeys.
I knew a man Bill Irwin who was the first blind thru-hiker to walk the Appalachian Trail, 2300 miles with the aid of his seeing eye dog, Orient. I had a friend named Ray and his wife who road across the United States to raise money to build a habitat for humanity home. And I knew a nurse, John Johansson, in Australia who became a pilot, built his own plane, and flew around the world circumnavigating the equator and the poles to set the record of such a flight.
Come run with us in the Runners High Half Marathon and 5K. Whether it's to meet personal goals conditioning and running, or if you have a higher purpose. Make this Race your own "Runners High" race.
Devon Parks - Board Member
Devon Parks is a graduate of Cody high school in 2002. He loves participating in all sports and enjoys the outdoors. He is a secondary math teacher and a coach of multiple sports. He participated in nine Ragnar relay‘s, three of which were ultra coed championship teams, and a Doxa Threelay race. Devon now enjoys mountain bike races and going out for long rides. Devon’s favorite competitions are relays and team events. The joy of being on a team and camaraderie is the best. Devon also loves hiking, hunting, fishing, backpacking, and kayaking.
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Holly Slade-West - Board Member
Just an Arizona girl living in a Wyoming world, Holly Slade-West found a love of health, including running, after the birth of her three children. During this time, Holly was also starting an out-of-school youth program aimed at helping teens reach their full potential. Holly quickly realized that youth needed physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health to truly succeed, so she started a personal journey in these areas too. Holly’s joys include doing anything with her husband and three children, working with amazing youth, fitness, and supporting others in accomplishing greatness. Although Holly has a number of heroes, her first is her mother.