Our roots are in Athletic Performance training and today we remain very active working with Marin County athletes. If you are curious about our Athletic Performance program, please visit that section of our website or contact Julie Shepherd julie@equipsports.org. 

The Equip program has grown beyond athletic training. We sponsor a variety of community-based health and wellness initiatives. Some of our recent work includes partnering with local teachers and counselors developing curriculum and assisting with program instruction. Equip supports local clubs, teams, first responders and individuals in need of athletic training or equipment. We provide health coaching services to athletes, non-athletes, their families and at-risk youth. We are growing our list of affiliate partners including other nonprofit organizations who share our mission. If you have questions about our programs or are interested in partnering with us, please contact Katie Stafford katie@equipsports.org

Katie Stafford, Executive Director was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin and earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. She previously served as a Sports Manager for US Sports Camps (San Rafael, California), overseeing all of the Nike Volleyball camps across the country. She has coached and volunteered for numerous youth sports organizations over the years, including basketball, soccer, lacrosse and ice hockey. She holds a certification from the University of Notre Dame in Nonprofit Leadership Principles, Fundraising Strategies and Effective Grant Proposal Writing. She and her husband, Jim, live in Novato, California with their 3 kids Teddy, Molly and Ben.

Lena Strickling, Marketing Director

Brittanie Williamson, Equip Outdoors Director leads our Equip Outdoors programming.  Britt’s experience outdoors and understanding of Mother Nature helps create big value for Outdoors participants. In 2017, Britt set off on a 5-month adventure hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile trail from Mexico to Canada. Britt and a friend became the first American women to thru hike the Via Dinarica trail, an 800-mile trail that goes from Slovenia to Albania. Brittanie then headed to France and completed the Camino de Santiago, hiking across Spain to the ocean. Currently a trainer at CrossFit Novato and a surf instructor for Marin Outdoor Academy, Brittanie shares her love for the outdoors through organizing trips and spending time with others. Brittanie has a BA degree in Exercise Science, is CF Level 1 certified, CPR certified, and Wilderness First Aid Certified.

Karen Boone formerly served as Chief Financial and Administrative Office of Restoration Hardware. Prior to that, she worked as an Audit Partner for Deloitte & Touche. She currently serves as a Board Member and Audit Committee Chair for Peloton Interactive, Sonos, Inc., Tory Burch and Collective Health. She is also a Board Advisor for VSCO.

Andy Boone is a retired teacher and school administrator. He has an undergraduate degree from UC Davis and holds a Masters in Educational Administration. Andy finds great joy in meeting and supporting others as we all navigate the speed and complexities of this great life. He’s particularly proud of Equip’s growing staff and community of clients becoming more and more interested in taking charge of their health. Andy formerly owned CrossFit Novato which provided the safe space to craft health and wellness programs for our community.

Josh Chassman has a B.A. from Lawrence University and currently works in San Francisco as a liability insurance broker for corporate clients.  Josh coached youth basketball in Marin County for many years and also played in an ongoing men’s basketball league himself. He previously served as a Board Member for the Novato Youth Center. Josh has lived in Novato, California for over 17 years and is married to Kate Chassman, a public school teacher. The couple has two teenage daughters.

Emma Mesenburg has been running her own bookkeeping business for more than 15 years. She has enjoyed working with a wide variety of clients, including large and small service firms and product driven businesses. Emma is the former Finance Director for The Dailey Method, a franchising company locally headquartered in Fairfax, California. She enjoys working in an environment and with folks who support individuals, their wellness and continually connecting to a balanced mindset for better alignment in one's life, and a brighter sense of joy! She resides in Novato, California with her husband, Erich, and their three kids.

Mark Moyer grew up in Novato, California and is currently a partner in a produce distribution company called Mt Tam Fresh, Inc. He is a graduate of the University of San Diego, where he met his wife Julie, and was a first baseman on the USD baseball team. He is also a licensed California attorney, receiving a law degree from San Francisco Law School. Mark is a longstanding volunteer and youth sports supporter in the local community.  He has volunteered for Marin Advocates for Children, Novato Youth Soccer, CYO, Novato Park & Rec and Novato Little League to name a few. In what little free time he has left, Mark enjoys CrossFit and being outdoors.  He also looks forward to spending time with his kids, Madison and Matthew.

Bob Scheppler and his wife, Michelle, live in Novato, California with their two teenage children, Kaley and Anthony. Bob just completed his 21st year with the San Francisco Fire Department. He works as a Lieutenant on the only two Rescue Squads in the City. Bob has been coaching baseball since 2002 at all levels from high school to little league. He’s passionate about volunteering his time with youth athletics and looks forward to continuing to grow strong baseball players through our Equip Sports Program. 

Julie Shepherd also serves as Equip's Training Director. Julie always wanted to be a trainer and loves working with kids. As her two daughters were getting older, her passion to train teen athletes grew. She really wanted to make a difference in injury reduction for teens after hearing about the increased knee injuries kids, girls in particular, were sustaining in sports. Julie is a Certified CrossFit Coach, CrossFit Kids Coach and a Functional Strength Coach. When Equip was formed, Julie began to focus on teen athletics strength and conditioning.  Her commitment to teen training led her to research and educational opportunities at Stanford University, shadowing their strength sessions on campus. She continues to bring her knowledge and passion to local athletes and schools including San Marin High School, Novato High, Sonoma Academy, Santa Rosa United and MarinFC. Julie earned a B.A. from Illinois State University. She and her husband, Geoff, reside in Novato, California with their two girls.