Founders
ABOUT | WHY RUNGRL | FOUNDERS | CONTRIBUTORS
Ashlee Green
Chief Executive Officer,
RRCA-certified Running Coach
Ann Arbor, MI
As co-founder and CEO of RUNGRL, a District Running Collective crew leader and an RRCA certified running coach, Ashlee has found herself at the forefront of a movement to transform running culture, with a specific focus on creating safe spaces and experiences for black women runners to connect and thrive.
Since lacing up for her first race in 2012, Ashlee has participated in two World Major Marathons and countless half-marathons, 10-milers and more. Through running, Ashlee is able to foster community and inspire others to be their best selves.
Why RUNGRL? Representation matters. Black voices matter. Black women matter.
Read latest posts from Ashlee
Jasmine Nesi
Chief Operating Officer,
USATF Certified Running Coach
Greensboro, NC
In 2014, on a dare from friends, Jasmine went from couch to her first half marathon in just 10 weeks. Since then, she’s run three marathons and completed countless road and trail races, from 5Ks to The Speed Project, an ultra-marathon relay race from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Running has brought an incredible sense of community, discipline, accountability and support that she never imagined. She’s dedicated to supporting other runners on their own journeys through the RUNGRL community and as a run coach at Mile High Run Club in NYC.
Why RUNGRL? RUNGRL is the platform Jasmine wishes she saw when she started running; an honest safe space to learn, grow, be inspired and feel a sense of community in a sport where Black women are largely unexpected and underrepresented. By telling these stories, she looks forward to changing the face of running and encouraging other Black women to confidently call themselves runners, too.
Read latest posts from Jasmine
Dominique Burton
Chief Experience Officer
Port Washington, NY
Dominique’s passion is to create opportunities to showcase wellness in different forms and to especially encourage those in the community who look like her to live healthier lifestyles through running and swimming. Running had always been a part of Dominique’s fitness routine, but prior to co-founding RUNGRL, her focus was on shorter distances to complement her regime as a swimmer. In 2014, a new friendship with a group of runners pushed her to train and complete her first long-distance race. Since then, she’s run three marathons, and a collection of half marathons and 10-milers.
Why RUNGRL? RUNGRL was created as a space that allows Black women who run to be seen and heard. It fills a void in representation of Black women runners and is enhanced through the sharing of stories, empowering more Black women to live healthier lifestyles with running as the entrypoint.
Read latest posts from Dominique
Stephani Franklin
Chief Creative Officer
Detroit, MI
For Stephani, running has become a way to give back to herself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. While she may not have control over the stereotypes placed on her as a Black woman and her community, she knows that she can control her own health and wellness and uses that power as motivation. My goal is simple, to inspire the women that look just like me to believe in and prioritize themselves.
Why RUNGRL? RUNGRL is a space Black women never knew they wanted but everything they need to commit to becoming their best selves, every day.
Read latest posts from Stephani
Na’Tasha Jones
Chief Content Officer
Richmond, VA
As an integrated content and marketing strategist, Na’Tasha is passionate about creating a health and fitness community platform that is both inclusive and authentic to Black women. Showing through storytelling that there are many different types of runners is just one way she helps RUNGRL serve and advocate for the health of our communities.
Na’Tasha got into running to lose a few pounds but ended up finding a passion, losing a few fears and gaining a ton of friends. To date, she’s run four half-marathons, three ten-milers and several 10Ks and 5Ks.
Why RUNGRL? You only need two things to be a runner: a pair of sneakers and a commitment. RUNGRL is here to help with everything else—information, inspiration and celebration for the Black woman distance runner.
Read latest posts from Na'Tasha
Natalie Robinson
Chief Digital Officer
Burtonsville, MD
In 2014, after the death of a close friend who was an avid runner, an invitation to a local weekly run crew seemed like divine timing for Natalie. Since she’d wanted to change up her fitness routine for some time, she made the leap to try running and hasn’t looked back since. Since then, she’s run four half marathons and countless 10-milers, 10Ks and 5Ks. Natalie believes we all can harness the power of running by simply taking the first step. The hardest part is just getting started.
Why RUNGRL? RUNGRL is here to share the stories of the Black women, celebrate them, champion wellness and healthy living, and change the narrative on what it means to be a distance runner.