Meet Ashley Herendon-Weeks: Championing Inclusion in the North Georgia Mountain

The Kyle Pease Foundation is thrilled to introduce Ashley Herendon-Weeks as our Community Outreach Coordinator for the North Georgia Region! With her passion for inclusion, deep community ties, and personal experience in adaptive sports, Ashley is the perfect fit to lead KPF’s mission in the tri-state area and North Georgia mountains.

Ashley’s journey with The Kyle Pease Foundation began in 2022, but the seeds were planted even earlier. “I first heard about KPF during a seating appointment for my son, Brady, at Scottish Rite,” she recalls. “But everything truly changed when one of our cross country coaches, Mike Cosentino, brought a KPF buggy for us to try. The rest is history!”

That history includes a powerful story of perseverance and possibility. When Brady was in 6th grade, he set a bold goal: to run cross country for his middle school. Not only did he follow through—he stuck with it all the way through high school, capping his senior season by competing in the Georgia High School Cross Country State Championship in Carrollton.

The impact of inclusion in sport has been transformative for both Ashley and Brady. “I played team sports my whole life and I know how meaningful it is to be a part of something bigger than yourself. But I quickly realized that doesn’t happen as often as it should especially in rural areas like North Georgia,” Ashley shares.

Now, as Community Outreach Coordinator, she’s on a mission to change that. Ashley brings her fire, faith, and family spirit to every effort. “We’ve known for a long time that we wanted to bring the same energy and opportunity KPF offers in Atlanta to our community in North Georgia and the surrounding tri-state area,” she says.

Ashley is especially excited to witness the joy and pride families will feel as they see their athletes cross finish lines and shine on race days. “Seeing a parent watch their child from the sidelines, most for the first time, and watching each athlete become the most important part of our team during a race. It explodes my heart.”

So far, her favorite part has been the team building. “So many people and families are excited for this new adventure. The athletes, parents, volunteers, and pushers are primed and ready to push beyond limits!”

Outside of KPF, Ashley runs Refuge Fitness, a fitness center in Blue Ridge. When she’s not training or planning KPF events, you’ll find her spending time with her husband Stacey and their two boys, Brady and Boyd. And if you're ever looking for a laugh—ask her about her very real fear of brown crickets and crawly critters!

Please join us in welcoming Ashley to her new role! With her leadership, North Georgia is about to experience the joy, power, and life-changing impact of inclusion in sport.

Spreading Joy Through Motion: Meet KPF Utah

In 2014, a spark was lit in the heart of Utah — and it all started with a conversation. Michelle and Joe Guttenplan met Brent Pease while training at Dynamo Multisport in Atlanta. There, they first heard the inspiring story of Brent and Kyle Pease.

“We knew we wanted to work with Brent as our coach first,” Joe said. “As our relationship grew, we asked how we could help the foundation.” Knowing that Joe and Michelle were moving to Utah, Brent suggested launching a KPF chapter there.

Inspired by Kyle and Brent’s mission, Joe and Michelle set out to bring something powerful and lasting to their new home state.

KPF Utah comprises six push-assist athletes and a dedicated group of volunteer runners. While the overall roster includes 50–80 runners, a core team of approximately 25 consistently supports and races alongside adaptive athletes.

“We loved hearing Kyle and Brent's story, and we were excited to create a similar community in Utah,” says Freyja Robinson, Race Coordinator for KPF Utah.

As an extension of the Atlanta-based KPF, KPF Utah shares a simple but powerful mission: to give assisted athletes the chance to feel the wind on their faces, experience the excitement of the starting line, and celebrate the joy of crossing the finish line — side by side with their teammates and able-bodied participants.

Built on grit, heart, and a strong sense of community, KPF Utah may be small, but its spirit is immense. Joe and Michelle serve as Team Captains, while Freyja manages nearly every aspect of operations — race coordination, athlete-runner pairings, scheduling, logistics, and relationships with local race organizers. Her husband, Shad Robison — lovingly dubbed the “Equipment King” — keeps the gear in top shape and leads race-day setup with help from dedicated team parents.

“We were grateful to meet Freyja and Shad,” Joe said. “They’ve been essential to the Utah chapter, managing races, working with families and volunteers, and really driving everything forward.”

With a state covering 84,899 square miles, Utah ranks as the 11th largest in the country. That geography presents a unique challenge — athletes are spread far and wide, but it hasn’t slowed the team down. Instead, it’s become part of their identity. KPF Utah brings races to all corners of the state, ensuring no athlete is left behind.

“In Utah, we have a huge running community, and we love how willing they are to donate their bodies and hearts to our in-chair athletes,” Freyja says. “The running community has embraced our team, and it’s the best feeling ever.”

KPF Utah thrives through visibility and word of mouth. They grow by showing up at races, spreading joy in action, and sharing their story. The energy, the smiles, the cheers on race day are infectious, but getting to this point took determination.

“Lots of conversations with parents and running groups. We always share our events on Facebook,” Freyja says. “We’re working to attend even more events, so we can tell our team’s story and help more families commit to racing and having fun.”

KPF Utah may be small, but their impact is growing every day. If you’re in Utah and want to be part of something life-changing — whether you're an athlete, runner, volunteer, or just someone who wants to make a difference, reach out. There’s always room on the team because … together, we race as one.

Fun Run for the Community, Everlasting Impact for Inclusion

Spark 5K 2025 with The Kyle Pease Foundation

On the evening of May 8, 2025, nearly 700 individuals gathered in Piedmont Park for the Spark 5K—a high-energy event hosted by Roark Capital and directed by The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF). What began as a fun community run quickly transformed into a powerful celebration of inclusion, movement, and connection.

As the sun set over the Atlanta skyline, athletes of all abilities took to the course. More than 500 participants crossed the finish line, many alongside KPF’s 25 Athletes—filling the park with cheers, laughter, and inspiring moments.

All race proceeds will benefit two incredible organizations: The Kyle Pease Foundation, which creates opportunities for inclusion through sports for athletes with disabilities, and Malcolm Mitchell’s Share the Magic Foundation, which promotes literacy and inspires a love of reading among underserved youth.

Thank you to Roark Capital, the passionate volunteers, and every participant who helped make the Spark 5K more than a race—it was a movement toward a more inclusive and empowered future.

Pictures Coming Soon!

High School Athletes Run for Inclusion

Student-led Fun Run Supports Kyle Pease Kids and The Kyle Pease Foundation

On a beautiful morning filled with energy and purpose, student-athletes from four Atlanta-area schools laced up their sneakers for more than just a race—they ran for inclusion.

The event, a student-organized Fun Run, was the vision of Gavin Miles, a junior at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, who coordinated the run in support of Kyle Pease Kids and The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF). Gavin’s goal was simple but powerful: bring together young athletes to support an organization that creates opportunities for athletes with disabilities to participate in sports.

Representing a united front from across the community, students from The Mount Vernon School, Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, The Lovett School, and Whitefield Academy showed up with enthusiasm and heart. Together, they ran to raise awareness and celebrate the values KPF stands for—inclusion, teamwork, and shared finish lines.

Events like this reflect the growing impact of youth leadership in the movement for inclusive sports. The Kyle Pease Foundation is grateful for students like Gavin and all the participants who are helping create a more inclusive future, one stride at a time.

Inclusion Celebration Shines Bright with Support from Primis Bank

The Kyle Pease Foundation’s annual Inclusion Celebration, presented by Primis Bank, lit up Atlanta on Saturday, April 26 with an unforgettable evening of connection, gratitude, and purpose.

Hosted at the Distillery of Modern Art, the event brought together athletes, families, volunteers, and community partners to honor the impact of inclusive sport and the transformative power of racing together. With heartfelt speeches, athlete stories, and a look back at a year full of milestones, the night celebrated everything The Kyle Pease Foundation stands for — and everything it’s still working to achieve.

KPF Co-Founders Brent and Kyle Pease led a powerful program, highlighting key achievements, honoring standout supporters, and previewing what's to come in 2025. The energy in the room was undeniable as guests united under the shared mission of inclusion for athletes of all abilities.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters and the presenting sponsorship of Primis Bank, the Inclusion Celebration raised funds to support the mission of The Kyle Pease Foundation.

A special thank you to Dennis Zember, CEO of Primis Bank for reminding us to keep talking about inclusion, keep sharing our mission, and keep inviting others into the KPF community. Your encouragement continues to inspire us to spread the message far and wide.

From emotional reflections to standing ovations, the night reminded us all that when we race together, we rise together.

To everyone who showed up, donated, shared their story, or simply cheered from the sidelines — thank you for helping us move the mission forward. We can’t wait to continue the momentum in 2025