AWTCF : Staff and Partners
Sarah Hammer
AWTCF Founder
Southern California native Sarah Hammer has established herself as a star of the international cycling scene. With a World Championship, four World Cup
titles, a National pursuit record, and twenty national titles, Sarah is quickly growing her legend within US cycling, and as the gold medal favorite for the
2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Sarah has been competing internationally since the age of sixteen, and exhibits a unique maturity both on and off the bicycle. At just twenty three years of
age, Hammer has been a professional both on the road and track, a member of the US National Team, a resident athlete at the US Olympic Training Center, and a
top collegiate student. Perhaps most impressive among her accomplishments is the ten-year drought she ended when she won the World Pursuit Track title in 2006.
Building on her 2006 on-the-bike success, Sarah founded the American Women’s Track Cycling Fund, an organization devoted to supportting and mentoring America’s
future crop of female Olympic track cycling champions.
Andy Sparks
Director
Andy Sparks operates as head coach and manager to World Champion cyclist Sarah Hammer. A former national team track rider and Olympic Training Center resident athlete himself, Andy stresses the importance of detail in every regard of training, planning and management.
With an undergraduate degree in philosophy Andy brings a critical eye to all operations at the American Women's Track Cycling Fund.
Dr. Kent Menzel
Assistant Director
Kent E. Menzel, Ph.D., is Professor of Communication & Theatre at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. A talented teacher and researcher, Dr. Menzel is a nationally recognized expert in classroom communication and the processes of promoting and supporting undergraduate research.
Over the last ten years, serving as Team Director and Coach, he has built the DePauw Cycling Team into one of the top Division II programs in the nation. Dr. Menzel has consistently focused on the development of women for the DePauw program, placing more women on the line, per capita, than any other collegiate program in the Midwest. In addition to the practical aspects of team management, Dr. Menzel has done research on the critical factors of attrition and retention for female cyclists.
Dr. Brent Kay
Team Partner
Dr. Brent W. Kay, MD is Board Certified in Sports Medicine and Internal Medicine. Dr. Kay is now the Executive Director of the OUCH Sports Medical Center which he co-founded with San Diego Chargers Team Physician Dr. Jerry Hizon.
As a former All-American and professional triathlete, Dr. Kay brings a combination of business know-how, practical sports knowledge and medical experience to the American Women's Track Cycling Fund.
Marion Clignet
Team Consultant
With over 180 victories, including six World Championship titles and two Olympic silver medals, Marion Clignet is a true legend of the cycling world. What’s even more remarkable then Marion’s palmares is that she conquered the cycling world while dealing with epilepsy. Marion’s book, TENACIOUS, chronicles her journey of how epilepsy forged her into a World Champion cyclist. (www.fondation-epilepsie.fr: All proceeds go to research)
“One of life’s detours for me was the diagnosis of epilepsy. Something I used to forge ahead, faster, stronger, harder, more. Through trial and error with various medications over the years and loads of hard training, I ended up making my way to the winner’s circle.”
Marion comes to the AWTCF with an unmatched wealth of experience in all aspects of cycling. She now divides her time between being a world-class cycling commentator, author, and coach. As the current Director Sportif of the Didier Rous men’s elite team, and a UCB Epilepsy Ambassador Program, Marion brings her personal and business expertise to the AWTCF team.
Sean Scott
Development Team Partner
Sean Scott is the CEO of Argentive Inc., a technology consulting firm that provides database expertise to clients in the manufacturing, financial, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the US military's global war on terror.
Sean comes to the AWTCF team with a strong history of community leadership with local non-profits such as the Friends of the Temecula Library, the Women's Cycling Challenge, the California Inland Empire Council and the Boy Scouts of America. In addition to being a community leader, Sean has also been a long-time supporter of women's and youth cycling in the Southern California area.