Board of Directors

Ryan Tye

President

Ryan Tye has a long history with Newhart’s WeROCK team as he attended Newhart for middle school and was a member of the WeROCK team during his 7th and 8th grade years.  It had such a profound impact on his life that after graduating high school, he came back to coach during college.

His goal with every team is to change lives as WeROCK did for him as WeROCK gave him lessons that he continues to carry for the rest of his life.  WeROCK is not just a marathon training program, it is a life-changing program operating under the alias of a marathon team.

Melanie Smith

Secretary

Melanie Smith is the Executive Director of Spirit League, a non-profit sports league for children and adults with developmental disabilities in Mission Viejo. She manages all aspects of the League’s year-round sports programming for over 500 families across six sports. Over the past eight years, Melanie has combined her family experience with autism and her passion for creating a community where these athletes can thrive by doubling the number of athletes on the fields, developing an adult program, and expanding staff from two to 11 employees.

When not working, Melanie enjoys volunteering as a coach with the WeROCK team at Newhart Middle School, is a huge cheerleader for her husband of 33 years and three adult children, and is an avid listener of tunes from the 40s.

Contact: board@werunockids.org

Susan Crockett

Treasurer

Susan Long Crockett is an intellectual property attorney and principal in the firm of Crockett & Crockett. Working with high technology clients, Susan prosecutes patent applications in diverse areas of technology, and counsels on trademark and infringement issues. She has broad experience in international patent and trademark law. Susan has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Boston University, an MS in High Technology Management from National University, and a JD from Southwestern University School of Law. Susan has lived in Mission Viejo since 1998 and has been actively involved at her children’s schools, Castille Elementary, Newhart Middle School and CVHS. Susan is a CVHS Foundation Director and the CVHS Instrumental Musical Support Team Chair. Susan has run five marathons and credits WeROCK with helping her regain her passion for running.

Dr. Jon Minor

Medical Director of Training Programs

Dr. Minor is not only as avid endurance runner, but also unique in his medical training as a non-surgical Pediatric Sports Medicine physician. He has completed 19 marathons (10 states and 3x Boston Marathon), multiple half marathons, 20+ half ironman triathlons, and three full-distance ironman triathlons. He has raced multiple times at the Long Course Triathlon World Championships, representing Team USA. He recently returned to California after completing his pediatric residency (Scott & White/Texas A&M), sports medicine fellowship (Boston Children’s Hospital), and an additional year of ultrasound medicine and procedural ultrasound medicine fellowship (Boston Children’s Hospital). During his medical training in Boston he has been involved with providing medical care to runners at the various Boston Athletic Association races, including the Boston Marathon, along with other high school, college and national events. He has medical privileges at CHOC and works with Orange County’s premier pediatric orthopaedic practice, Adult & Pediatric Orthopaedic Specialists (APOS). He has combined his interest in sports medicine with endurance training, completing USA Triathlon coaching certification. One of his medical research and professional interests is injury prevention in running athletes, focusing on not only a balanced training schedule, but also developing an efficient and injury-protective running gait.

Dr. Kelly Davis

Medical Director of Injury Prevention

Dr. Davis is board-certified in both Pediatrics and Pediatric Primary Care Sports Medicine. She specializes in general sports medicine, concussion management, injury prevention, and fracture care for children, adolescents, and young adults.

Dr. Davis received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California San Diego, before attending Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia for medical school. Upon graduation, she completed a Pediatric Residency at CHOC Children’s Hospital Orange County and stayed an additional year to serve as Chief Resident of the Pediatric Program. After residency, she completed a fellowship in Pediatric Primary Care Sports Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. During her training, she has co-authored a book chapter and written several journal articles.

During her time at Vanderbilt University, she served as a team physician for a high school and for several collegiate teams including Vanderbilt football, baseball, cross country, track and field, and Belmont University men’s and women’s basketball, track and field, cross country, tennis, baseball, softball, soccer, golf, and cheer. In addition, she was one of the team physicians for the Nashville Sounds, a minor-league baseball team who are the Triple-A-affiliate Oakland A’s.

Dr. Davis remains active as an athlete.  She has played soccer and tennis since childhood, and continues to play competitive tennis today. She and her husband live in Orange county and enjoy hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors with their dog and new born son.

Andrea Kooiman

Executive Director

Andrea Kooiman “Coach K” is also the main program director and oversees the training calendar.  Within the program she is head coach and works with the kids to instill valuable lessons about goal setting along with keeping them focused on a Marathon finish line.  She is an avid runner with over 150 Marathon and Ultra finishes under her belt.

  • Some of her running accomplishments include:
  • Boston Marathon
  • Grand Slam of Ultrarunning 2016 (this is the 4 oldest trail hundreds conquered in one summer) Badwater 135 Ultra Marathon – Three times
  • Western States Endurance Run – Twice
  • HURT 100 in Hawaii
  • Mt. Gaoligong 100 in China
  • UTMB in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps
  • Vol State 500K – Taking 3rd place overall

She considers some of her greatest running accomplishments watching as the kids cross the marathon finish line year after year.

Andrea has made her passion her career and is fortunate enough to utilize her sales and marketing skills while working for Runner Sports.  In addition, she has a passion for the health and wellness industry and continues to work as a race announcer all over California.  It is her solid belief that everyone can and will achieve all of their wildest goals and aspirations if they can first visualize themselves in that position.  She is on a mission to HUG the world and assist others in becoming their own Superheroes.