Captain Teams

Each Captain Team is composed of an Overall Director, Assistant Directors and Captains.

Assistant Directors are individuals who work yearlong with their respective Overall Directors to ensure steady growth and management within their Captain Team. ADs possess effective skills in responsibility, organization and leadership. The responsibilities of each AD position vary among each Captain Team. Assistant Directors are elected at the end of Spring semester.
Captains are leaders within our organization who have specific duties throughout the year depending on their teams. There are 16 Captain Teams, each having vastly different responsibilities to ensure the growth and promotion of our cause on many different fronts. Captains typically have weekly or biweekly meetings and are a vital part of the Dance Marathon family. Captains applications are released at the beginning of Fall semester.

Click each tab below to learn more about each team and its responsibilities.

Community Outreach

The Community Outreach Team seeks to grow the Dance Marathon community beyond our student body by sharing our mission to Change Kids’ Health with Dance Marathon Alumni (DMA), UF Health Shands staff, and the broader Gainesville community. The servant leaders of this team focus on creating lasting relationships with our Community Partners by engaging in regular volunteering events, planning organization-wide service days, and communicating with their assigned Community Partner. Our main service day, Giving Tuesday, takes place in the fall semester and provides an opportunity for organization members to engage in local volunteering events in collaboration with our Community Partners. Members of this team work to connect our Dance Marathon Alumni and Families to our year long engagement opportunities and organize events such as DMA Weekend and Family Appreciation Week. In an effort to bring our overlapping communities together, our Community Outreach team hosts an annual black-tie event, the Miracle Gala. Leading up to the Miracle Gala, our team actively collaborates to execute this event in which we invite our DM at UF Community to celebrate a year of achievements alongside our Miracle Families.

Overall Director

Bridget Richer

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement

Madison Woodard

Assistant Director of Community Partnerships

Jackson Jeffares

Assistant Director of Creative Events

Aria Patel

Assistant Director of Event Logistics

Katherine Borland

Captains

Dancer Relations

The Dancer Relations Team is responsible for welcoming and communicating with Dancers by hosting Check-Ins, tracking Dancer involvement and providing a year long experience for Dancers through events and other engagement throughout the year. DR Captains work alongside the Recruitment Team to help register Dancers during registration pushes. Captains will be responsible for a group of Dancers that they will communicate with to promote all DM at UF and Dancer events or opportunities. Captains are expected to attend Check-Ins on Wednesdays in Turlington, where they will Check in Dancers, log their Spirit Points, help with the Check-Ins activity, and spread the word about DM at UF on campus. Dancer Relations also plans events and other engagement specifically for Dancers, which Captains will help execute! At the Main Event, their job is to Check in Dancers, encourage and support them throughout the 26.2 hours, and run swim/shower overnight. As a DR Captain, you are also expected to be a support system for your Dancers and be a resource to them throughout their entire DM at UF experience!

Overall Director

Lily Batley

Assistant Director of Check-Ins

Marissa Northrop

Assistant Director of Dancer Engagement

Nikki Cuomo

Assistant Director of Internal Relations

Emily Lupo

Assistant Director of External Relations

Abbey Ladd

Captains

Design & Technology

The Design & Technology Team is composed of graphic designers and software developers responsible for making the Dance Marathon at UF brand come to life. Technology Captains are responsible for either the development/maintenance of the website or mobile iOS/Android applications and Design Captains are responsible for the creation of all print/web design needs (merchandise, social media graphics, newsletters, calendars, etc.). Throughout the year, Captains work together to create high-tech, portfolio-quality materials that showcase Dance Marathon as a professional student-run movement. During the Main Event, Captains run the tech booth, which includes managing multiple screens inside the O’Dome, sending app notifications, coordinating audio/visual feeds, and creating in-event graphics.

Overall Director

Brianna Barron

Assistant Director of Internal Design

Cameron Appel

Assistant Director of External Design

Jordan Corina

Assistant Director of Technology

Hailey Paek

Assistant Director of Internal Affairs

Anderson Allen

Captains

Family Relations

The Family Relations Team Captains serve as liaisons between the Dance Marathon at UF community and the Miracle Families. Captains are paired with at least one Miracle Family and their responsibilities include maintaining consistent contact with their paired Miracle Family, facilitating cause-connection between their Family and the community, coordinating the Pen Pal program between various groups, and organizing events between the Miracle Families and participating Organizations. Captains will attend monthly Family Fun Days, design and build the Family Room for the 26.2-hour Main Event, and facilitate activities and entertainment for the Miracle Families throughout the entirety of the year. Captains will build cause-connection with the entire Dance Marathon at UF community through fostering relationships between Miracle Families, Captains, Ambassadors, Emerging Leaders, Dancers, and the rest of the community.

Overall Director

Carley Smith

Assistant Director of Family Events

Rachel Nattis

Assistant Director of Family Outreach

Isabel Curtis

Assistant Director of Tracking

Caroline McMillan

Assistant Director of Community

Michael Muhlbach

Captains

Fundraising and Organization Development

The Fundraising and Organization Development Team is both responsible for financial oversight of Dance Marathon at UF and the coordination of the Ambassador Program. This program provides student Organizations at UF the opportunity to develop their involvement in Dance Marathon at UF through their chosen Ambassadors. Each Captain is assigned several Ambassadors to work with throughout the year, acting as the liaison for the Organization to engage members, increase involvement, and provide concrete ways they can improve their fundraising capabilities. These Captains play an integral role in the success of Dance Marathon at UF by ensuring that their Ambassadors have updated and accurate information regarding their finance tracking, upcoming events and deadlines. Captains will lead weekly meetings with their assigned Ambassadors and are also expected to coordinate with the Family Relations and Dancer Relations Teams in regard to their Organization(s).

Overall Director

Kellyn Murphy

Assistant Director of Organization Relations

Victoria Grande

Assistant Director of Fundraising Engagement

Molly Hubbard

Assistant Director of Internal Operations

Dilon Bruncaj

Assistant Director of External Operations

Janel Hernandez

Captains

Hospitality

The Hospitality Team works year-round with local restaurants to coordinate monthly Hospitality fundraising nights for Dance Marathon at UF. Captains spend a large portion of the year reaching out to large food corporations and local restaurants in the Gainesville area to coordinate donations and corporate sponsorships. Hospitality is responsible for all food-related needs for the 26.2-hour Main Event and all community events throughout the year. Captains will help serve food at Dance Marathon at UF events and will Check in attendees of our Hospitality Nights. The Hospitality Team also hosts an annual food-themed event for our Miracle Children, called Miracle Kitchen. Captains plan, solicit, and serve a continuous flow of food to all participants for the duration of the 26.2-hour Main Event.

Overall Director

Gwyneth Bishara

Assistant Director of Hospitality Events

Brooke Freeman

Assistant Director of Hospitality Nights

Riley Duffy

Assistant Director of Stewardship

Ava Peiser

Assistant Director of Internal Relations

Allison Burns

Captains

Leadership Development

The Leadership Development Team is responsible for overseeing and running the Emerging Leaders Program. This team will focus on developing and integrating students with minimal previous Dance Marathon experience into the Dance Marathon at UF community through tangible exposure to Dance Marathon’s various leadership roles. As a part of this team, Captains will work to cultivate the leadership skills of the newfound members of our Dance Marathon family. Captains are responsible for not only facilitating and leading their own small group meetings and attending general body meetings, but also tracking, overseeing, and organizing the involvement of the Emerging Leaders in various other Dance Marathon events. During the Main Event, Leadership Development Captains will be responsible for managing and monitoring Emerging Leader’s responsibilities in order to progress Emerging Leader’s roles within Dance Marathon as a whole.

Overall Director

Amelia Williamson

Assistant Director of Development

Darian Schneider

Assistant Director of Engagement

Alex Gruber

Assistant Director of Outreach

Emma Kate Joiner

Assistant Director of Tracking

Corinna Kuschnitzky

Captains

Marathon Relations North

The Marathon Relations North Team Captains are responsible for advising and growing Dance Marathon at UF’s high school programs, Mini Marathons. Marathon Relations is composed of two teams: Marathon Relations North and Marathon Relations South. They energize and support our “Minis” by educating students on Children’s Miracle Network and Dance Marathon at UF’s history and culture, as well as guiding them through fundraising and community involvement events throughout their school year. They do this by holding weekly meetings with the High Schoolers and communicating with Student Overalls and Advisors on a consistent basis, as well as updating the rest of the team with their progress at weekly Captain meetings. Marathon Relations North Captains focus on strengthening relationships with high schools in Gainesville and Ocala area, by helping them plan and implement their own Mini Marathons. Most importantly, the Marathon Relations North team attends all of our North Mini Marathons, as well as hosts our partnering high school programs during Dance Marathon at the University of Florida. Captains will be responsible for at least one school which they will work closely with all year in order to ensure that school’s success.

Overall Director

Harper Grabenhorst

Assistant Director of Northern Programs

Kaylin White

Assistant Director of New and Evolving Programs

Claire Weitz

Assistant Director of Finance and Sponsorships

Ryan Athay

Assistant Director of Projects and Communications

Kayla Zweben

Captains

Marathon Relations South

The Marathon Relations South Team Marathon Relations Captains are responsible for advising and growing Dance Marathon at UF’s high school programs, Mini Marathons. Marathon Relations is composed of two teams: Marathon Relations North and Marathon Relations South.They energize and support our “Minis” by educating students on Children’s Miracle Network and Dance Marathon at UF’s history and culture, as well as guiding them through fundraising and community involvement events throughout their school year. They do this by holding weekly meetings with the High Schoolers and communicating with Student Overalls and Advisors on a consistent basis, as well as updating the rest of the team with their progress at weekly Captain meetings. Marathon Relations South Captains focus on strengthening relationships with high schools in the southern region, by helping them plan and implement their own Mini Marathons. Most importantly, the Marathon Relations South team attends all of our South Mini Marathons, as well as hosts our partnering high school programs during Dance Marathon at the University of Florida. Captains will be responsible for at least one school which they will work closely with all year in order to ensure that school’s success.

Overall Director

Rebecca Brennan

Assistant Director of Southern Programs

Toni JeBailey

Assistant Director of New and Evolving Programs

Jackie Aloumanis

Assistant Director of Finance and Sponsorships

Abigail Crawford

Assistant Director of Projects and Communications

Chloe Cornett

Captains

Merchandise

The Merchandise Team The Merchandise Captain team is responsible for creating and distributing all official Dance Marathon at the University of Florida merchandise, including clothing, accessories, and fundraising incentives. Captains are responsible for running the DM at UF store in Turlington every Wednesday, at community wide DM events, online, and at Mini Marathons in the spring. Captains must interact with internal and external members to sell merchandise, pass out incentives, and share our cause. Captains are also responsible for facilitating orders with Ambassadors and organizations on campus, organizing Check-In and Event shirts, regularly tracking inventory, managing online sales by packing and shipping orders, and internally fundraising. Before the Main Event, Captains finalize merch designs, fulfill orders, organize inventory, and set up areas for store and incentives. During the Main Event, Captains are responsible for working the merchandise store and incentives booth to pass out products to the Dance Marathon at UF community.

Overall Director

McKinley Elson

Assistant Director of Inventory and Incentives

Jackie Snytte

Assistant Director of Fundraising

Bryce Brandfon

Assistant Director of Internal Operations

Kalie Wright

Assistant Director of Stores

Emily Gill

Captains

Morale

The Morale Team is responsible for keeping the spirit of Dance Marathon energetic, positive, and meaningful throughout the entire year, prior to and during the 26.2-hour Main Event. Captains do this by engaging with students and the UF community at both Dance Marathon and UF-related events, hosting fall and spring fundraisers, interacting with high school students at Mini Marathons, and much more. Morale Captains bring the Dance Marathon spirit to campus all year. They constantly work to uplift, inspire, and encourage every member of the DM at UF community. In addition, Morale is in charge of creating, planning, and executing “Theme Hours,” which are unique hours during the Main Event that include costumes and activities to entertain the Dancers. Finally, Morale Captains create the Linedance, which connects every person at the 26.2-hour Main Event. Morale then teaches and demonstrates the Linedance at the Main Event and throughout the year.

Overall Director

Victoria Leary

Assistant Director of Captain Relations

Sydney Fialkow

Assistant Director of Fundraising

Seth Kahler

Assistant Director of Mini Marathon Coordination

Julia Cesare

Assistant Director of Event Planning

Kat Polaski

Captains

Multimedia

The Multimedia Team is responsible for capturing and editing all photography and videography content for Dance Marathon at the University of Florida throughout the year and during the Main Event. The main goal of the Multimedia Team is to capture content that represents the DM at UF brand and its cause. Multimedia Captains are expected to promptly edit, sort, and upload their photos and videos to be used on our organization’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media platforms. Captains are responsible for acquiring their own camera equipment and software needed, including Adobe Lightroom and Premiere Pro. In addition, Captains are expected to attend DM at UF events, including at least three high school Mini Marathons during the spring semester. Multimedia provides many opportunities for growth, collaboration and Captains are encouraged to learn from their peers. Captains should have previous experience and interest in photography and/or videography, editing, and be willing and motivated to grow in their craft throughout the year. During the 26.2-hour Main Event, Captains take photos and videos with rapid editing turn-around times to be uploaded to DM at UF’s various social media platforms.

Overall Director

Marlee Wittner

Assistant Director of Logistics

Madison Murray

Assistant Director of Photography

Natalie Tajeddine

Assistant Director of Social Media

Anna Glass

Assistant Director of Videography

Braden Romano

Captains

Productions

The Productions Team is responsible for all logistics and entertainment throughout the year and during the 26.2-hour Main Event. Productions Captains are in charge of building and organizing the homecoming float, planning and executing campus events (including but not limited to Captain Events in fall and spring), coordinating Main Event logistics (such as set up, clean up, strike planning, and event security), helping Morale with the planning and execution of Theme Hours, and booking entertainment for all of our events. The Productions Team carries out all operational duties in the O’Connell Center and assists other teams when necessary with logistics and entertainment.

Overall Director

Kathryn Taylor

Assistant Director of External Logistics

David Brennan

Assistant Director of Internal Logistics

Dylan Goodelle

Assistant Director of Talent Relations

Samantha Flyer

Captains

Public Relations

The Public Relations Team is responsible for maintaining the external views and public reputation of Dance Marathon at UF. PR Captains work year-round to uphold the organization’s mission statement, vision, and branding. This involves forming relationships with local media sources, writing blogs to share stories and important updates, and using social media (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok) to connect and engage with our audience. Captains use creativity to construct campaigns throughout the year, write storylines for Multimedia videos, and develop innovative ways to extend DM at UF’s reach and keep the community involved and informed. During the Main Event, Captains are also responsible for escorting the media, updating social media platforms and fundraising-incentive walls, and ensuring the smooth running of the official Livestream.

Overall Director

Molly Metcalf

Assistant Director of Communications

Carlee Hontz

Assistant Director of Publications

Ashley Hearn

Assistant Director of Social Media

Jamie Knox

Assistant Director of Media Outreach

Karina Wilson

Captains

Recruitment

The Recruitment Team is responsible for the recruitment of Dancers, Kirstyn’s Krew, Captains, Emerging Leaders, and Organizations to participate in Dance Marathon at UF. Throughout the year, Captains will work with and give presentations to various external organizations, including those who are not currently a part of Dance Marathon, in order to expand our campus involvement. One of the main goals is to find new ways to support other organizations the way they support us. Captains will also utilize flyers about our cause across campus, working to convey the Miracles that Dance Marathon at UF creates and how each student can give back to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. During the Main Event, Captains will lead tours for visitors of various organizations and families to show the culmination of hard work from the year. Each Recruitment Captain will additionally connect our Faculty and Staff to our year long engagement opportunities and organize events such as Faculty Appreciation Week. Recruitment Captains are integral parts of the movement as they inspire and create leaders in our community, all while raising awareness about Dance Marathon at UF and its purpose.

Overall Director

Brandon White

Assistant Director of Campus Relations

Mary Kate Arbuckle

Assistant Director of Faculty Relations

Taryn Smith

Assistant Director of Tracking

Anna-Sophia "Sophie" Hadley

Captains

Sponsorships

The Sponsorships Team works yearlong to solicit businesses for monetary and in-kind item donations. Through reaching out to businesses, both local and national, Sponsorships Captains will build strong relationships with our sponsors, utilizing skills of leadership, communication, and stewardship. Captains are also responsible for organizing and working the Silent Auction at the Main Event as well as organizing Miracle Market in the spring.

Overall Director

Alexa Katz

Assistant Director of Logistics

Sophia Marne

Assistant Director of Outreach

Alexandra Patrascoiu

Assistant Director of Stewardship

Kate Gaucher

Captains