2012 Athlete Ambassadors

Tony Azevedo

Sport: Water Polo

Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Five-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
• 2008 Olympic silver medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Conejo Valley YMCA Childcare Site at MATES Elementary School in Thousand Oaks, California, to speak to young people about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Richard Browne

Sport: Para Track and field

Hometown: Jackson, Miss.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• 2012 Paralympian
• 2012 Paralympic silver medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA in Orlando, Florida, to share his story, speak to young people about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and lead physical activities with the participants.

Donn Cabral

Sport: Track and field

Hometown: Glastonbury, Conn.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2012, 2016)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Ferndale YMCA in Ferndale, Washington, to share his story, speak to young people about the importance of living an active lifestyle, and lead physical activities with the participants.

Rachel Dawson

Sport: Field Hockey

Hometown: Berlin, N.J.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the South Bay Family YMCA in Chula Vista, California, where she shared her personal story with more than 100 young athletes and conducted a field hockey demonstration.

Heather Erickson

Sport: Sitting volleyball

Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Three-time Paralympian (2008, 2012, 2016)
• Three-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 2 silvers)

 

Community engagement:

• Along with teammate Kaleo Kanahele, Heather visited the Edmond YMCA in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she shared her story and participated in a sitting volleyball demonstration.

Anjali Forber-Pratt

Sport: Para track and field

Hometown: Natick, Mass.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Two-time Paralympian (2008, 2012)
• Two-time Paralympic medalist (2 bronzes)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Stephens Family YMCA in Champaign, Illinois, to share her personal story with young athletes.

Rudy Garcia-Tolson

Sport: Para swimming

Hometown: Bloomington, Calif.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Four-time Paralympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
• Five-time Paralympic medalist (2 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze)

Jessica Hardy

Sport: Swimming

Hometown: Long Beach, Calif.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2012 Olympian
• Two-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center in Los Angeles, California, to share her personal story with young athletes.

Trevon Jenifer

Sport: Wheelchair basketball

Hometown: Edinboro, Pa.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• Two-time Paralympian (2012, 2016)
• Two-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the County Branch of the YMCA of Greater Erie in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, where he shared his story, spoke about the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, and led the participants in a demonstration of wheelchair basketball.

Carmelita Jeter

Sport: Track and field

Hometown: Torrance, Calif.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2012 Olympian
• Three-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Torrance-South Bay YMCA in Torrance, California, where she shared her story and led the participants in physical activities.

Gwen Jorgensen

Sport: Triathlon

Hometown: Waukesha, Wis.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2012, 2016)
• 2016 Olympic champion

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shared her personal story with young athletes.

Kaleo Kanahele Maclay

Sport: Sitting volleyball

Hometown: Edmond, Okla.

Paralympic Highlights:

• Two-time Paralympian (2012, 2016)
• Two-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)

 

Community engagement:

• Along with teammate Heather Erickson, Kaleo visited the Edmond YMCA in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she shared her story and participated in a sitting volleyball demonstration.

Leo Manzano

Sport: Track and field

Hometown: Marble Falls, Texas

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2008, 2012)
• Olympic silver medalist (2012)

 

Community engagement:

• With teammate David Oliver, Leo visited the Eugene Family YMCA in Eugene, Oregon, to share his personal story with young athletes.

 LaShawn Merritt

Sport: Track and field

Hometown: Portsmouth, Va.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016)
• Four-time Olympic medalist (3 golds, 1 bronze)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the YMCA of Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Virginia where he shared his story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, and led the participants in physical activities.

Heather Mitts

Sport: Soccer

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012)
• Three-time Olympic gold medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Christian Street YMCA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she shared her story, spoke about the importance of living an active lifestyle, and led the participants in physical activities.

Tim Morehouse

Sport: Fencing

Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2008, 2012)
• 2008 Olympic silver medalist

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Vanderbilt YMCA in New York City, where he shared his personal story and conducted a fencing demonstration.

David Oliver

Sport: Track & Field

Hometown: Denver, Colo.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• 2008 Olympian
• 2008 Olympic bronze medalist

 

Community engagement:

• With teammate Leo Manzano, David visited the Eugene Family YMCA in Eugene, Oregon, to share his personal story with young athletes.

Heather O'Reilly

Sport: Soccer

Hometown: East Brunswick, N.J.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012)
• Three-time Olympic champion

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the Wang YMCA of Chinatown in Boston, Massachusetts, where she shared her personal story with young athletes and has consistently returned to visit.

Ileana Rodriguez

Sport: Para swimming

Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

Paralympic Highlights:

• 2012 Paralympian

 

Community engagement:

• Visited the North Pointe YMCA Family Center in Miami, Florida, where she shared her story, spoke about the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, and led a physical activity with the participants.

Alice Schmidt

Sport: Track and field

Hometown: Elkhorn, Neb.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Two-time Olympian (2008, 2012)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited Carson Elementary in San Diego, California, as a special guest of the Mission Valley YMCA where she shared her story and participated in a physical activity with the attendees.

Mary Whipple

Sport: Rowing

Hometown: Orangevale, Calif.

 

Olympic Highlights:

• Three-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012)
• Three-time Olympic medalist (2 golds, 1 silver)

 

Community engagement:

• Visited both the Lake Heights Valley YMCA in Bellevue, Washington, and the Wenatchee YMCA in Wenatchee, Washington, where she shared her personal story with young people and led the participants in various physical activities.