Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Staff
Meet the dedicated team working to bring life lessons through baseball and softball themed programming to underprivileged children across the country.
Steve Salem
Executive Director
Steve Salem joined the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation as its Executive Director in March of 2006. In this capacity Steve has helped to build the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation into a truly impactful national organization. He has overseen the development of a significantly expanded National Board of Directors; the growth of the organization’s staff infrastructure; the creation of a broad program direction including the development of the CRSF National Youth Development Park initiative; and the creation of a sustainable, comprehensive resource development plan.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Steve served as Vice President of Government Relations for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where he helped to raise more than $500 Million for local Clubs serving our country’s most at-risk communities. In addition, he has worked closely with leading youth advocates including John Walsh and Robbie Callaway to help pass critical child safety legislation including, the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act of 2006, and the National Amber Alert program in 2003.
In his volunteer capacity, Steve serves on the Board of Directors of the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Research in Mystic, CT, and Super Leaders, an organization founded by the NFL Alumni Association that provides a school-based youth leadership and mentoring program for at-risk middle and senior high school students in the Washington, D.C. area. Steve is also on the national Policy Board of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the nation’s leading youth safety organization.
Steve and his wife Gregg have twin sons, Alex and Jake, and reside in Damascus, MD.
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Charles M. Brady
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
Chuck Brady serves as the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, and has been instrumental in the growth of the organization since joining in August of 2006. Prior to joining the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Chuck served as the Senior Director of Government Relations for Boys & Girls Clubs of America from May 2003 thru July 2006 where he provided leadership to Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s State-wide Government Funding Initiative in 25 states.
Chuck began his career in helping children in 1981 as the Athletic Director of the Salvation Army Boys Club in Gastonia, North Carolina, and was promoted to the Club’s Program Director in 1982. In 1983 he became the Unit Director of the Salvation Army Boys Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chuck accepted his first position as a Boys & Girls Club Executive Director with the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1985, and held that position until accepting the position of President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, VA in 1992.
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Jeff Breslin
Director of Programs and Grants
Jeffrey Breslin began his career with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation after a college internship brought him to the Foundation. Over his time here, Jeff has been instrumental in the development of the Healthy Choices, Healthy Children program, as well as various other programs designed to bring joy and learning to the lives of youth. Jeff continues to grow with the Foundation and was recently promoted to the position of Director of Programs and Grants. When not traveling or at the office, Jeff resides in Baltimore.
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Adam Callaway
Director of Development
Adam Callaway joined the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation full time in August of 2006. Having grown up with parents who instilled the value of reaching out to disadvantaged youth, Adam takes pride in contributing to the mission of the Foundation and carrying on the legend of Cal, Sr. Adam serves as the Director of Development for the Foundation.
Adam graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2004 with a degree in Marketing. He has lived in Maryland his entire life.
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Janice Chan
Donor Relations Coordinator
Janice joined the Foundation in January 2007 as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Born and raised in Queens, NY, she attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she graduated in December 2006 with a B.A. in English. During college she was actively involved in community service, both as a volunteer and as a program coordinator. She decided to become a VISTA because service has provided so many interesting experiences—from giving tours of a historic farmhouse, to painting houses, to giving EKGs—that she wanted to see what else it had to offer. Janice loves kids, enjoys watching baseball, and is excited to help the Foundation in its mission.
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Cassie Clemente
Assistant Director of Programs
Cassie joined the Foundation staff in October 2007 as a Program Coordinator. Originally from Rockville, MD, she graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a B.A. in English and Human Studies in 2006. Following graduation, Cassie spent a year in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps serving in Milwaukee, WI. As a part of the Foundation staff, she is excited to help bring the sport of baseball and the character values instilled in the game to those young people most in need.
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Chad Conrad
Program Coordinator
Chad joined the Foundation in December 2008 as a Program Coordinator. A graduate from Towson University, Chad is active in the community volunteering his time with different organizations. He coordinated a fundraising campaign for his cousin Mark Ivory who suffers from Cerebral Palsy titled “Running for Mark.” Chad has a passion for road racing and defines success as achieving an equal balance between work, family/friends, and faith. He is excited to join the Foundation and is motivated towards helping the youth in America.
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Jessica Gappa
Director of Marketing and Communications
Jessica originally joined the Foundation staff in January of 2006 as an AmeriCorps VISTA and was excited to continue her work with the Foundation after her year of national service. Originally from Emmetsburg, IA, Jessica attended Creighton University in Omaha, NE, and received a B.A. in Organizational Communication and a Certificate in Human Resources Administration. At Creighton, she was actively involved as the President of the Birdcage student spirit section and Chair of School Spirit and Athletics.
Prior to joining the Foundation team, Jessica interned for the Midwestern Governors Association in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit, bipartisan organization to foster regional development and facilitate cooperation among Midwestern states. She comes to the Foundation with an incredible passion for sports and youth leadership development.
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Darlene Hicks
Accounting Assistant
Darlene joined the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in March 2009 as Accounting Assistant. Prior to joining the Foundation, Darlene served as Financial Manager and then as Director of Finance for Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc. Her career there spanned 17 ½ years where she was responsible for all accounting and payroll functions, grants management and reporting, human resources and benefit management, and insurance management. Overall Darlene has over 25 years experience in bookkeeping and accounting. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Towson University with a double major in Business Administration and Sociology.
Darlene is a native Baltimorean and is very happy to be able to utilize her skills and knowledge to benefit the important mission of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. She resides in Towson, Maryland, with her husband and 2 dogs.
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Carrie LeBow
Vice President of Resource Development
In April 2008, Carrie brought her extensive development experience and high energy to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation as the Sr. Director of Development. She now serves as the Vice President of Resource Development.
Carrie came to the Foundation from The Park School in Brooklandville, MD, where she served as the Director of Major Gifts, Planned Giving & Development Outreach. There she developed a planned giving program and major gifts/centennial campaign effort focused on building the endowment at Park. Carrie also enjoyed a 9-year tenure defined by effectiveness with the United Way of Central Maryland. As Associate Vice President, Major Gifts & Annual Campaign, her department generated more than $13 million annually in individual gifts representing 45% of the private sector campaign.
Carrie’s proudest accomplishment is being the mother of her son, Benjamin, and daughter, Jamie.
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Joellen Malstrom
Human Resources Coordinator
Joellen joined the Foundation in 2008 and has fifteen years of progressive Human Resources experience in Employee Relations, Performance Management, Training and Development, Strategic Planning, Benefit Design and Administration, Policy and Procedure Development and Career Development. She received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Shippensburg University and her Masters in Human Resources Development from Towson University. She is very excited to be working with an organization that is so passionate about serving children.
Joellen grew up in the Baltimore area and currently lives in Baldwin, MD with her husband and twins Hannah and Hayden.
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Kate Manchester
Special Events Coordinator
Kate joined the Foundation in March 2009. Originally from Newark, DE, Kate attended the University of Delaware and received a B.S. in Sports Management with a certificate in Business Fundamentals. Previously she worked for Ironclad Authentics LLC, an affiliate of Ripken Baseball, Inc. for five years, most recently as the Marketing Manager, and worked at Schult Sports Marketing as the Marketing Coordinator prior to that.
Some of Kate’s notable career achievements include; the planning and execution of the Roberto Clemente Celebrity Golf Weekend presented by American Airlines, an annual international event that included a gala awards dinner and golf tournament, the planning and execution of the Inaugural Baseball's Best, one of the largest sports collectible and memorabilia event in the country that featured 60 players and a baseball collectibles trade show, and the management of Cal Ripken, Jr.'s licensing opportunities throughout his Hall of Fame induction year that included 32 product licensees.
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Bobby McCaffrey
Development Associate
Bobby McCaffrey joined the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation in March of 2010. Prior to his time at the Foundation, he was a caddie for 11 years at Caves Valley Golf Club, a privately owned and managed golf club in Owings Mills, Maryland. Bobby played baseball in college for both Old Dominion University and Towson State University in the early 90’s. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family. Bobby resides in Reisterstown with his wife, Amy, and daughters, Madison and Kelsey.
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Mike McDonald
Director of State Initiatives
Mike McDonald joined the Foundation staff in March 2009 as the Director of State Initiatives. Before coming to the Foundation, Mike had been with a consulting firm that specialized in feasibility studies, capital campaign execution, and strategic planning for nonprofit organizations.
Prior to that, Mike served ten years in a number of positions within the Boys & Girls Club Movement including Regional Service Director where he was responsible for building community and organizational capacity for local Boys & Girls Clubs.
Mike resides in Greenville, North Carolina.
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Will Murdoch
Development Associate
Will Murdoch joined the Foundation staff in August 2008 as a Development Associate. While pursuing a B.S. in Management at Salisbury University, Will ran track and cross country for the school and eventually served as an assistant coach during graduate school. Will looks forward to using his business knowledge and love of sports to fulfill the Foundation’s mission of helping youth nationwide.
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John Naylor
Resource Development Intern
John is a Resource Development Intern for the Summer of 2010. He obtained an Associates degree from Penn State University in Business Administration and upon completion of his internship with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation he will have obtained his B.S. in Sport Management with a minor in International Business from York College of Pennsylvania. John has a passion for both baseball and the community and is excited about the opportunity to support and assist the Foundation and its mission.
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Jane Rodgers
Vice President of Operations
Jane Rodgers joined the Foundation staff in August 2007 as Director of Strategic Initiatives, and now serves as the Vice President of Operations. Prior to joining the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Jane had been with Boys & Girls Clubs of America since July 2000, most recently serving as Senior Director of Government Relations and previously as a Regional Service Director responsible for building community and organizational capacity for local Boys & Girls Clubs.
Jane began her career working for the Department of the Navy’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department. During her 14-year career with the Navy, Jane held a variety of positions including Head of Community Recreation for Navy programs worldwide.
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Jennifer Schiller
Development Intern
Jen is a Development Intern for the fall of 2010. She is currently a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Politics. Originally from Highland Park, Ill., she has worked for several different sporting organizations including Joy of the Game, Inc. and the University of Maryland athletic department, where she currently also serves as a student worker for the media relations department. For the past three summers she has worked for Joy of the Game, Inc. assisting in day-to-day operations at the basketball facility, coaching camp, and planning events such as the Academic All-American Showcase. She also does occasional freelance writing for TheWolverine.com.
Jen is looking forward to putting her passion for sports towards a great cause and learning more about non-profit work.
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Brian Wentz
Director of Accounting
Brian Wentz joined the Foundation in July 2008 as the Director of Accounting after holding the Controller position for Ripken Baseball since January 2007. Bringing more than 17 years of progressive public and corporate accounting experience to this position, Brian manages the Financial Accounting and Reporting for the Foundation. After beginning his career as an auditor with the Baltimore division of Arthur Andersen & Co. from 1989 to 1991, Brian spent the next 2 years as the Assistant Controller at National Credit Management Coproration, a financial services company located in Central Maryland. From 1993 to 2007, Brian was employed in various roles by Hanover Direct, Inc., an international mail order catalog/internet retailer in Hanover, PA. Brian held the position of Accounting Manager for 9 of those years, having responsibility for all catalog divisions for the last 7 years of his employment. A graduate of Shippensburg University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting, Brian obtained his license as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 1991.
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