Somerville Road Runners Annual Elections
SRR's 2025 annual elections will be held by electronic vote, and results will be announced at our Board Meeting on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 8 p.m. The elected officers will then appoint several additional positions critical to club leadership. Final results will be posted to SRR channels following the meeting.
Elected Positions
The following positions are elected each year by members the club:
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Members-at-Large
Appointed Positions
The following positions are appointed each year by the elected officers:
Webmaster
Membership Director
Marketing Coordinator
Community Involvement Coordinator
IDEA Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator
Merchandise Coordinator
Long-Run Coordinator
Marathon Coordinator
Grand Prix Coordinator
SRR Kids Coordinator
Casey's Coordinator
Bur-run Coordinator
Squirrel Scramble Coordinator
Wednesday Morning Run Coordinator
Race Committees
Click here to see detailed descriptions of the positions
Are there other opportunities to get involved?
There are many other ways to become involved with SRR, beyond elected and appointed positions. Here are a few suggestions:
Join the committee of one of the club's annual races
Help organize the club's weekly runs
Host a long run
Participate in track workouts
Attend a board meeting and learn about our several initiatives, or help plan non-running related activities
Race in SRR's Grand Prix, New England Runner's Pub Series Races, or USATF's Grand Prix Series
Meet the Candidates
The 2025 Election Candidates details will be posted here on February 24. Please consider running for a position or nominating someone else to run by contacting srrboard@srr.org by February 24! No application materials are required, but most candidates will provide a photo and a description of their history with the club, why they’re running, and what they want to bring to the Board.
President
Ben Spaulding
Hello SRR. My name is Ben Spaulding and I am running for President of the Somerville Road Runners.
I have been on the board for the past four years, first as a member at large, then Vice President for two years, and currently as President for the past year. I have also served the club as the Bur-Run coordinator since April 2021, founded the WMRC, been a Mill Cities co-captain, race director for the MOM’s Run, and have been a co-assistant race director for the Gobble the past three years.
I feel that over the past four years SRR has elevated itself into one of the top running clubs in New England, if not the country. Not only have we grown membership year over year and are now one of the largest clubs in New England, we have expanded our offerings to the running community with new running events, new volunteer opportunities, and new community events. We have done all of this while making sure the cornerstones of our club - our weekly runs and annual races - are some of the best around. We have been a growing presence in not only local running, but also regional races. The black and yellow of SRR is running proudly throughout Somerville, Boston, and all of New England. Members of SRR are proud to wear their gear on a run around town, at races, or wherever they are traveling around the world!
I am running for President in 2025, and if elected as President I will to work with the board and the club on ways we can continuously improve the club and local running community for all types of runners including:
Help the club be really good at what we do - be a top notch community running group that has something for everyone and that is welcoming to all. I believe that this is our greatest asset. Generations of SRR have made this possible, and it will be our responsibility to make sure it continues.
Continuing to grow participation in club activities that are welcoming and exciting for all types of runners, and work with the board to expand membership value for SRR club members.
Continue to improve the management of the club, working with board members to regularly evaluate our day to day operations. As the club grows and diversifies, we have made this a priority to make sure the organization can operate efficiently and scale effectively.
Expanding our presence in the larger New England running community as a leading club, working with club members to have large and competitive teams at USATF NE events, club events (Mill Cities, 26x1, etc), and putting on top-notch running events in the region. I am also motivated to have the very knowledgeable members of SRR become involved in leadership roles across the region, including the USATF NE.
Recruit and train the next generation of SRR leaders. There are many talented and motivated people in the club who can help keep SRR an amazing organization. I hope to encourage those people to step up into coordinator and leadership roles throughout 2025.
Finally, work with the board and SRR community to provide events and running opportunities for all levels of runners, and demonstrate that the club is open and welcome to runners of all types and from all communities.
With members of SRR and alumni of SRR, plan for the 30th anniversary of the club in 2026!
I can’t tell all of you how much I have loved being a part of this club and community. It has been an honor to help carry on the traditions of SRR and help make new ones with all of you. As President of SRR, I will work my hardest to continue to make our running community one that welcomes all, and is one that we are all proud to be a part of.
Thank you for your consideration.
Vice President
Jess Petersen
Hi SRR, I’m Jess Petersen, and I’m running for re-election to the role of Vice President. I’ve served on the board for the past two years, first as Member at Large and this past year as Vice President.
My vision for the club is pretty simple: I want SRR to be a place where everyone feels welcome and supported in their running goals, whatever they are. I want to make it easy and fun for you to find and connect with “your people” – your tribe-within-the-tribe at SRR – to help you get inspired, stay motivated, reach your goals, enjoy being part of an amazing, supportive team, and make awesome friends along the way.
I have gotten so much out of being part of SRR these past 5 years, and I want nothing more than to help you benefit from the club as much as I have. (Or even more!!)
Here's some of what I did for the club in 2024:
Served on the board as Vice President
Updated our email signup process to encourage people to connect with our long run groups, resulting in over 300 new folks joining our pace groups since the launch in late August
Led an overhaul of the club’s operating budget to help us do a better job of spending money on the things that are highest priority for our membership
Served as race director of the Gobble 2024, working with co-directors Bradley, Ben and the rest of the Gobble Race Committee to put on the largest-ever Gobble in terms of participation, donations granted to local charities and proceeds to the club.
Volunteered with SRR kids
Served as one of the 3hr marathon crew long run organizers
Hosted the Boo-Run and Holiday Lights run
Here's some of what I plan to do for the club this year:
Help represent your ideas and interests to the board. Let’s make fun stuff happen!
Continue to do my best to make everyone feel welcome at SRR, help you connect with your new best running buddies AND find ways to make sure we support members through good times and bad times (aka, injuries, bouts of Covid, etc.)
Keep doing that thankless behind-the-scenes stuff that somehow translates into everyone having more fun and cooler experiences
So please vote for me for Vice President, and feel free to reach out if there’s any feedback you’d like to share about events, activities, changes, etc. that you’d like to see in the club. I’d love to hear your great ideas and work together to make them happen!
Secretary
Elena Doty
Hi SRR!
I've been a member of the club since 2022 but have become much more active as a volunteer in the past year, supporting club events whenever possible (including MOM's Run, 26x1, Wintah Challenge, etc) and helping to coordinate SRR's presence at the USATF Grand Prix. I've really enjoyed getting involved in the initiatives and programs we provide to our members and local community, and am running for secretary or member at large because I'd love to do even more to contribute to the club's success. If elected, I would work with the club and board to expand the variety and reach of our events and initiatives, and to continue to make the club the welcoming and supportive community it is today.
Sam Aleksanyan
Hello SRR, my name is Sam Aleksanyan -
While I’ve only been a part of the club for a few years, I’ve seen it grow immensely and have really enjoyed being part of it.
In 2023, I started a summer nighttime run called the Night Noodle, giving us a chance to run in the later, cooler hours of the hot summer - and, of course, get ice cream.
I also served as one of the volunteer coordinators last year, helping out with the 30K water stop and Gobble x3. I really enjoy SRR, and while life sometimes keeps me away from participating in the running part of our running club, I love contributing behind the scenes to help keep things moving.
If elected as secretary, I’d be an extension of the club’s leadership team, helping to drive things forward. I also solemnly swear to uphold the venerable and time-honored tradition of comic relief and levity, a responsibility I do not take lightly (except when it’s funnier that way).
Treasurer
Ewa Zaborowska
(elected in 2024 to a two-year term)
Member-At-Large (3 positions)
Elena Doty
(see bio above)
Sam Aleksanyan
(see bio above)
Dennis Shay
Dennis has been a member of SRR since 2016, when he decided to pick up running to impress club veteran (and Dennis' partner) Victor Gonzalez. During his time with SRR, he has been Membership Coordinator (2016 - 2018), hosted several SRR IDEA discussions and cookouts, and volunteered at numerous SRR-hosted events. If elected to the SRR Board, Dennis would love to work towards establishing an ambassador / mentorship program for new members and those wishing to improve their running and fitness, streamline board meeting agendas to maximize the voices of all who want to be heard, and grow our membership even further with fun new events and ideas! In his non-running life, Dennis holds an executive position at a medical device company and is the Co-Chair of a local biomedical discussion group, so he has some experience in this kind of stuff.
Doug Lipinski
I've been a member of SRR since 2017 and have served on the board since March of 2019, holding the following positions:
Secretary: March 2019-2021
President: March 2021-2024
Member-at-large: March 2024-present
Over the past several years SRR has grown tremendously and I believe we have also become more inclusive and broadened our offerings (more weekly runs, more social events, more programs for our members). As we continue to grow, I want to ensure that the club stays true to our mission, continues to improve in how we support our members, and finds new ways to welcome and include newer participants. I will continue to work to keep the club running smoothly, to support SRR Board initiatives, and to provide my opinions on how we can continue improving SRR in 2025 and beyond.
Derek Lo
Hi SRR! My name is Derek Lo, and I’m running for Member at Large.
I joined SRR in September 2023 and like many of you, quickly fell in love with the club. I found myself coming to the Bur-Run and Casey’s early on, later adding on the Squirrel Scramble and Weekend Long Runs to the mix, where I’ve had the pleasure to run with and get to know many of you.
During my time in SRR, I’ve served as a team captain at 26x1, a member of the Gobble Race Committee, and now as one of the race directors for the 2025 Gobble. I’ve also volunteered as a coach for SRR Kids, in addition to several other volunteer opportunities, including the BAA Half Marathon, Boston Marathon 30K Cheer Zone, and tabling at the Tufts Community and Arlington Town Days.
Some goals and plans I have if you elect me include continuing to foster a welcoming community for all members, regardless of whether you are running for the first time, trying for your first 5K to a marathon and beyond. Based on some feedback I’ve received from you all, I’d like to create a Beginners to Track session, in order to make track more inclusive for members of all paces and less intimidating for those of you new to track. I’d also like to add an additional position on the board, a New Member at Large, reserved for someone who has been in SRR for less than 2 years. As our club has grown significantly in the last few years, I believe it's essential that the perspectives of you who are new to the club are at the table.
I’m excited for what the next year brings for SRR, and I hope you’ll join me on this journey with your vote for Member at Large! Thank you!