Announcing the 2026 GGRC Board
GGRC President
Hello GGRC!
It comes with great joy to announce that the nomination period for the 2026 Golden Gate Running Club (GGRC) Board has officially concluded, and we have all positions filled! All positions were uncontested, so no member voting is required this year.
I’m thrilled to present our 2026 GGRC Board. A big congratulations to the 2026 board members! GGRC thrives because of members like you who step up to volunteer your time and energy.
Your 2026 GGRC Board:
· President: Nishi Waghray
· Coach: Lena O’Grady
· Social Chair: Victoria Nordquist
· Race Coordinator: Tom Leach
· Communications Chair: Connor Schmitt
· Merchandise Coordinator: Anup Navare
· Treasurer: Zoe Ambe
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Below you’ll find all the submitted platforms for our 2026 board candidates:
President, Nishi Waghray
I’d love to be GGRC President because it’s been such a great experience for me as a long-time runner to build more community in SF and gain really fun running buddies! Since joining in April, I’ve met so many new people, pushed myself at track workouts, and finally explored the Presidio at GGRC Sunday runs (despite living in SF for several years). GGRC is such a welcoming group, and I’ve especially appreciated how friendly everyone is, both when I first joined and at every run I attend now. I hope to continue to bring that energy and atmosphere to the club as President. Although I’ve run for years and competed in races, I’ve been more inspired to push myself at track workouts and consider more races in the Bay Area thanks to GGRC! It would be an honor to pay that forward to more runners in SF, whether they’re just starting out or need the encouragement to see how strong they are. The community aspect of the club has introduced me to so many events around the city that I wouldn’t have known about, and I’ve heard from several club members that they would love to do more of this. As President, I would want to work with the board to keep the momentum around finding fun social and volunteer events for GGRC members.
Coach, Lena O’Grady
I’ve really enjoyed being a member of GGRC for the past 3 years and serving as Coach for the past year! As Coach I’ve tried to maintain an exciting variety of workouts and to encourage our club members to challenge themselves. It’s been wonderful to observe everyone’s improvement and accomplishments over the past year, and I’ve loved the opportunity to get to know both new and current club members better. I hope to maintain the positive atmosphere and continue introducing new workouts at Wednesday track as Coach next year!
Social Chair, Victoria Nordquist
I’d like to nominate myself for the Social Chair position because this club has been one of the main reasons I’ve found such great friends and connections since moving to San Francisco. I’d love to help continue building that same sense of community beyond our weekly runs. I’m an outgoing person who makes an effort to talk with both new and returning members, quickly learning names and details to connect with them on future runs. Outside of the run club, I’m highly organized and love planning events, I even started a book club at my current job. With my combination of enthusiasm and organization, I’m confident I can plan social events that appeal to a wide range of members. Living in a city with endless opportunities, I’ve explored volunteering, meetup groups, and local activities, giving me plenty of ideas to bring our community together.
Race Coordinator, Tom Leach
Hello fellow runners!
I’m running for race coordinator this year. While I only moved to SF last May in no small part thanks to the club the time has flown by, with so many good friends, races and running already. I’m very much a planner - can’t stop coming up with new ideas of things to do, big and small - and I’d love to direct that energy into planning our race calendar for the year ahead.
I’ll have big (running) shoes to fill from Michael, but I’ve got a few ideas - including a Point Reyes running weekend in the Spring. I’d like to keep our tradition of a blend of ‘classic’ city races but with a few new things thrown in. And it’s very much your calendar as much as mine - very open to suggestions and ideas, however different or creative. Just come find me after track, Sunday run or beer in hand at Fireside!
Communications Chair, Connor Schmitt
GGRC has become such a wonderful part of my life - it’s not just a running club, it’s a group of genuinely kind, supportive, and fun people. I’ve gotten so much out of being part of this community, and I’d love the chance to give back by serving as Communications Chair. I want to help make sure everyone - whether they’ve been here for years or just joined - feels welcomed, included, and encouraged to get whatever they want out of the club (I started 'Couch to 5K' myself).
In this role, I’d focus on keeping our updates positive and inclusive across all channels - celebrating the club, sharing upcoming events, and highlighting what makes GGRC awesome. I’d work with the board to keep things organized and make sure communication feels approachable and genuine.
Merchandise Coordinator, Anup Navare
I’d love to nominate myself and be considered for the Merchandise Coordinator board position for 2026. Having been part of the running club for over two years now, I’ve gained a good understanding of the community’s preferences when it comes to Merch—and I’m genuinely excited about the opportunity to contribute in this area.
This role really speaks to my personal interest in the retail and direct-to-consumer space, and I also bring some relevant experience. Back in college at Santa Clara University, I served as an event promoter for a year, leading 3 events and working closely with Merch vendors. More recently, due to my personal interest, I volunteered at work to drive FY25 merchandise, and designed "Lets Freaking Go" t-shirts and hats—something I truly enjoyed from both a creative and branding standpoint.
More than just taking on a role, I really want to give back to this amazing club that has given me so much—most notably the motivation to complete my first trail race this year. I have a few fun ideas I’d love to bring to the merch side of things, and I’m excited to contribute however I can.
Best,
Anup
Treasurer, Zoe Ambe
Hi GGRC! As a newcomer to SF, GGRC was the first community where I felt comfortable, thanks to everyone who warmly welcomed me. With the club's long history of bringing runners together, I’d love to give back by serving as your Treasury.
I might not know everyone yet, but I’m excited to know more of you, and I believe this role would be a great opportunity to do that! I’m a good listener and observer, so I’d love to reflect on the club's opinions on managing our budget effectively.
Thanks for considering me—I’d be thrilled to support the club and keep running with you!
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Congratulations 2026 Board Members!!
We’ll raise a toast and celebrate the official handoff from the 2025 to the 2026 Board at the Post–Christmas Relays Party on December 14th!
It’s been an absolute pleasure serving as your leader this year.
With Miles of Gratitude,
Eric
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