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City Club of Eugene: TrackTown Meets the World: What Oregon22 Can Mean For Eugene

Oregon Athletics

Program Date: Oct. 29, 2021
Air Date: Nov. 1, 2021

From The City Club of Eugene:

There is no other place in sports quite like Hayward Field, and no city more in love with the human drama of track and field than Eugene…Every morning it seems this town awakens, puts on its running shoes and heads for the trails that wind through and past the city.

Seattle Times,  June 29, 2008                     

Bill Hayward. Bill Bowerman. Steve Prefontaine. Raevyn Rogers. Ashton Eaton. Otis Davis.

The list of legendary coaches and competitors who have called Eugene home goes on and on.

But Eugene’s status as TrackTown USA isn’t just about the fastest and strongest, who bring record after record to the cathedral of Hayward Field. It is about you and me—the everyday Eugenians who lace up worn down Nikes (the local shoe brand) and head out for a mile or two alongAmazon Trail (recently improved, thanks to the voters) or around our neighborhood, with echoes of Hayward’s famous fans pushing us onward.

As Eugene prepares to welcome the world for the 2022 World Athletics Championships–an event traditionally held in cities such as Moscow, Beijing, London, and Doha—City Club welcomes an expert panel to discuss what track and field means to our city and region and how every member of our community can be part of this extraordinary opportunity.

Speakers

Sarah Massey is the CEO of World Athletics Championships Oregon22. Sarah has extensive experience in event management—from the Commonwealth Games and the Cricket World Cup to the Olympics—and has held positions in a number of international sports federations, including field hockey and tennis.

Stephanie Scafa is the City of Eugene’s liaison to the statewide World Athletics Championships Oregon22 event. Recognizing the power of sport and the impact of visitors on the community, Stephanie connects projects in Eugene with this large-scale track and field event to ensure the event has a positive impact on and overall net gain for the Eugene community, with the ultimate goal of leaving a lasting legacy. She leverages larger initiatives that drive community well being, recovery, sustainability, and education. She finds ways to connect these projects with goals associated with this sporting event, realizing that this opportunity provides the community a stage to both welcome and inspire the world in the summer of 2022.

Sasha Spencer is the Athlete and Teams Experience Manager for World Athletics Championships Oregon22, where she is also responsible for developing their comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy. Sasha has spent the last 20 years working in professional running. A 9-time NCAA All-American at Georgetown University, Sasha spent the first 10 years of her professional career as an elite athlete for Nike, and the next 10 years organizing national and international championships for TrackTown USA and World Athletics.

Kari Westlund has served as President and CEO of Travel Lane County for 25 years, after leading destination marketing organizations in four Alaska communities. She has served on the US Travel board of directors and is a past chair of the Oregon Tourism Commission, Oregon Tourism & Hospitality Consortium, Oregon Destination Association, Oregon Track Club and the Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene. Travel Lane County operates the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission, growing our reputation as a vibrant sports destination and supporting a cohesive sports community of venues and events.

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