Member since 2014, Eric prepared for his first Ironman in Lake Tahoe in 2015 and has since raced all distances. With a background in sports medicine and leadership, he brings professional experience working with athletes from special needs to Olympic gold medalists. Eric is committed to fostering the welcoming environment and community that drew him to STC.
vicepresident@sactriclub.com or sponsorship@sactriclub.com
Hi, I’m Michael Gates, currently the Vice-President and Sponsorship Director for STC. I love riding bikes and am currently trying to love swimming all over again. I really love the Triathlon community – great events, lots of energy, and really good people. I try to attend as many race events as possible, even though I don’t race anymore. My wife, KC, still races and I’m her forever-sherpa. It’s always a great way to take a vacation. I also really love the Sacramento Triathlon Club. I’ve been involved in the club for over 15 years now. Things have changed with the club since 2010, but one thing remains constant – we are a community of people trying to do our best and training our hearts out! Technology has changed things, but the people are still what drives the club. As Vice-President, I hope to keep and drive forward our community spirit with more events and more engagement with the club. One of my initiatives is to have more beginner-friendly training events and educational seminars for 2026. The memberships let us know that in the surveys and I want to do all I can to make it happen. As Sponsorship Director, I hope to bring the best discounts and freebies to the members as I can. The economy is tough for a lot of our current sponsors, but they always find a way to deliver the goods to us when we ask. I’ll keep trying to acquire the best and most relevant sponsors for our club as possible in 2026. Here’s to a great year in triathlon for 2026!
Debra returned to triathlon after retiring, with a background in cross country, track, and swimming. She loves cheering for athletes of all paces and enjoys snowshoeing, skiing, and cross-country adventures in the off-season.
Josh has been racing triathlons since age 15. When not swimming, biking, or running, he enjoys skiing and sharing the fun of triathlon with others.
Reed began triathlon in middle school and later competed with UC Davis. A water resources engineer, he also enjoys kayaking and backpacking. Reed looks forward to connecting with members at workouts, social events, and races.
LisaMarie didn’t know triathlon existed until 2018. With the help of her children, she learned how to swim and (sort-of) ride a bike in order to complete her first triathlon in Tempe, AZ – the 70.3, not the 140.6. She would later complete the full iron distance in 2022. While LisaMarie mostly competes in triathlons, she’s always willing to try a new way to move, so long as it does not include projectiles. LisaMarie hopes to increase the participation of in-person workouts with STC.
Valerie has been an athlete all her life, but found her calling in triathlon just 5 years ago. From the first awkward Olympic distance, to this year’s Ironman California, the joy of racing with this incredible community just keeps growing. In the off-season, she can be found skiing in the mountains, or grumbling about how quickly the end of the pool comes – missing the open water. She is looking forward to sharing all of the activities, accomplishments and FUN with STC in the coming year!
Kristin has held multiple STC board positions and is looking forward to another year as the Workout Coordinator. With a background in equestrian sports, biking, and running, she began triathlons 10 years ago and has completed multiple full distance and half distance races, the half distance being her favorite. She will see you at the next workout!