The Washington DC Region Board of Directors serves to:
Establish policies and oversees the implementation for the Region.
Appoint committees and their chairpersons.
Elect the Regional Executive and other officers of the Region.
Manage the finances of the Region and oversee the functions of the Region Administrator (Heidi S. Weir).
Renew the Region's Charter, run the regional elections and establish the regional dues.
Promote the Region, both directly and with others, via marketing and outreach events.
Are responsible to ensure that the region operates within the guidelines of the SCCA and the laws governing tax exempt organizations.
Listen to complaints and arbitrate the solutions within the Region.
Select several of the regional award winners.
Represent the Region at the divisional and national level.
Individual members of the Board serve as liaisons between major committees and the BOD.
Chuck Edmonson, Region Executive
chuck.edmonson@wdcr-scca.org
Steve Martin, Chairman
WDCR member: since 2011
WDCR Involvement:
First HPDE March 2011, and have been hooked ever since. Ran HPDE's for the next 3 years, then decided it was time to step up a level.
Sat for my Competition License in 2014, and have raced in the MARRS series in various groups (ITE, T2, Bracket) for the last 8 years.
HPDE Instructor: Last 4 years
F&C: Have flagged at HPDE and MARRS events
Outside region:
Flagging at 12hrs of Sebring (2021, 2022)
Flagging at 24hrs of Daytona (2022)
Biography:
Born and raised in Wash, DC, I've worked in some form of customer service for over 40 years. From Bradlee's, K-Mart department stores, to 31 years with Verizon Telecommunications, I've learned to listen to the customer and figure out how to best work with them. After retiring from Verizon, my son and I opened In & Out Performance, a joint installation, repair, performance automotive shop in Laurel, MD. We were able to network with several other small business entities and formed several long lasting relationships with our customers. I’ve been into auto mechanics for a long time, my father would make me assist him when I was about 9 years old, and I passed this along to my son as well. While at In & Out, I took the opportunity to teach people that wanted to learn basic mechanic skills, and found that I really enjoy teaching people different things. I would like to roll that over to our SCCA world.
Taylor Hyatt, Vice Chair
SCCA Member: since 2002
Personal statement: As a 20-year member of the Region, at 30 years old, I did a lot of my growing up alongside our club. I learned the majority of what I know about motorsports from the people in this club. Most of my friends are a part of this club, and I consider many like family. Like most “track rats” my dad brought me to the racetrack at a young age and I haven’t turned back since. I started volunteering at 10 years old and have held several volunteer positions since, including presenting at the SCCA National Convention. I started competing with Rallycross in 2016, participated in HPDE for the first time in 2017, and obtained my competition racing license in 2021. I’ve competed at both regional and national levels and am working towards racing at the 2023 Runoffs at VIR.
Outside of motorsports, I have a full-time career and perform other volunteer work. I obtained an MBA from Shippensburg University in 2021. I have been working in Human Resources for WellSpan Health since 2018, currently as a Sr. Benefits Analyst and Subject Matter Expert for a project impacting over 20,000 employees. I also volunteer my time as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.
Recap:
20-year member
Racer/Participant/Volunteer in Rallycross, HPDE, & Road Racing
Volunteer – Registration, Timing & Scoring, EV, Flagging, Victory Circle, Photographer, Asst. Race Chair, Competition School Instructor, National Convention Presenter, Member Services: Straightpipe Editor, Social Media Coordinator, Region Charity Coordinator
Career in Human Resources and other Board of Directors service
Strives for a fun, safe, and collaborative environment for our members!
Kathleen (Kate) Claffie, Treasurer
SCCA MEMBER: since 2009
WDCR INVOLVEMENT (including Autocrossers, Inc., DC Region Chapter Club):
Started autocrossing with WDCR and Autocrossers Inc. in mid-2009
Joined the Autocrossers Inc Committee in late 2011, and have served as the President and the Vice President
Joined the WDCR Solo Committee in 2013, and have been the Chief of Waivers (aka “Kate at the Gate”) since then.
Promoted to Assistant Solo Chair in 2018 to further enable the region program and its events run smoothly
PERSONAL: Prior to autocrossing, I spent my weekends doing race photography for a lower-level NASCAR Division. I am “owned” by three rescue pugs, and have been involved in pug rescue with volunteer work and fundraising. My day job includes handling privacy and security concerns for my office.
Lin Toland, Secretary
SCCA MEMBER: since 1997
Personal statement: For those who don’t know me, my experience with SCCA actually dates back to the early 1970's. I started as a Solo Driver and flagger out in the San Francisco Region, but a military career got in the way and I my membership lapsed. Back in 1996 I won tickets to the Labor Day Double at Summit Point and while spectating with the family at Turn 1, I met Josh Cockey and the rest is history - three weeks later I was "in whites" cross track at Station 8. Have been around ever since. Currently I am a founding member of the Region’s HPDE Committee where I have been the Chairman of the Summit Point Program for the last 2 years. I am also a Road Racing Steward and very active in the Road Racing. I hold a Senior F&C License and have recruited and led a group of Region flaggers to be a part of the Bus Stop Chicane Crew at the Rolex-24 for the past 26 yrs.
I do have 9 years of previous service on the Board and have held the following positions Assistant RE, BoD Rep to the HPDE, Rally Cross, Solo, Road Racing Programs and the BoD Rep to the Grand Prix of Baltimore.
Professionally, I am a Retired Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer and currently work part time for Summit Point Motorsports Park as a Course Marshall.
Pam Richardson, Director
pfr@erols.com
SCCA Member: 36 years
WDCR Member: 32 years
WDCR Efforts
Club Racing Steward Program, 2000-present
CRC member/Big Bore Drivers' Rep, 2008-present
SCCA National Efforts
American Sedan Committee, 2010-2018, Chair, 2011-2018
Club Racing Board Secretary, 2012-2018
National Club Racing Competition, 2001-2005
Regional Club Racing Competition, 1992-2000, 2006-2018
Crew Chief and Chief Engineer for the AS 15 Camaro, driven by Danny Richardson, 2005-present
Licenses
Club Racing Competition, 1992-2018
Steward, 2002-present
Personal: I worked for NASA (the space people) from 1975-2008 in the Space Shuttle Orbiter Experiments Program and Aerodynamic Computational Fluid Dynamics at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. Then, in 1990, transferred to NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, as a Program Manager for various NASA Aero Research Center Programs. The last 11 years of my career, I was in Safety, Mission Assurance, and Systems Engineering at Headquarters for the Aero Research Centers. A couple of highlights for that work are: the X-43 Scramjet Accident Investigation and Return to Flight Teams, and working the Space Shuttle STS-116 Flow from launch to return, from the Safety side.
Since I retired in 2008, I have been volunteering for SCCA, and managing the Richardson Racing Team American Sedan Camaro.
Mike McKee, Director
micmckee@gmail.com
SCCA Member:
WDCR Member:
WDCR Efforts: Autocross committee since 2015
I have been participating in Solo events since 2012 and my passion for the sport led me to join the NCC Autocross Committee in 2015 and the WDCR committee in 2016 as a novice coordinator. I have a strong passion for exposing as many people to the world of amateur racing as possible. This includes entirely new members, but also exposing our existing members to the different disciplines we have to offer. While I've spent most of my 5 years racing with SCCA within the Solo Program, I am interested in all aspects of amateur racing and would like to eventually try all that the SCCA has to offer. I see the Board position as another way to give back to the DC Region SCCA community as a whole.
I am a former Project Manager who has recently returned to teaching High School Science and Robotics at the Jemicy School. I’m well aware of old line ‘He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches’ but teaching has allowed me to work in a profession where I can have face-to-face impact every day and still have time to pursue other interests and passions. This includes more recreational pursuits like racing, but it’s also allowed me to chase self-employment ventures over the years. I hope my experiences in all of these fields will help me see the overall picture and even perhaps provide some insights into making this chapter even better.
Valerie Farret, Director
SCCA Member: since 2017
Personal statement: I want to thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about me. At Summit Point I am known as one of the Twins and my partner in crime is Vanessa who also works on Grid & Pit. I have been an active member with the WDC Region SCCA since 2017 and volunteered prior to that when time permitted. Although I have never had any interest in racing, I have volunteered with Emergency Services, flagged some HPDE events and worked on Grid. My passion for the club has allowed me to take on the duties of Chief of Pit with only Grid experience and make it a successful and fun place to be. We have the best time but give 110% to the drivers, crew and fellow volunteers. I also have been a part in organizing the DC Region's yearly awards banquets the past few years.
I am proud to have received these awards:
Emergency Services Rookie of the year
Emergency Services Worker of the year
Grid Worker of the year
2023 SCCA Grid / Pit Worker of the year
Public Relations Award
My professional background is in over 20 years of customer service, sales and management. When I am not volunteering you can find me horseback riding (1 HorsePower is more my speed) and competing locally at horse shows. During the off season of racing I work retail at Dover Saddlery to keep my connection with the people that I share the same passion with.
My background may be Road Racing but I want to branch out and visit the other incredible programs that the WDCR has to offer and listen to what their wants and needs are and to let them know that I will make sure that they are heard. The DC Region is fortunate to be as strong as it is but I believe that my positive attitude can be an asset and only want the best for the club that I love so much.
want to get involved?
The BOD meets once a month. Board members typically spend an average of three hours a week on Region business, but a few spend much more. The pay for BOD members is a free meal at the monthly meeting. When things go right, you are invisible. When things go wrong, you are not. The experience and the friendship of your fellow board members are the rewards. If you love the sport and respect the club, it is all worthwhile.
