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Who Are We?
​​Survivorfest wouldn't be Survivorfest without our amazing team. Learn more about us!​
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Laura Sherrer-Townsend
Race Director | rd@survivorfest24.com
Laura is a proud mom of five and the driving force behind Survivorfest. In 2017, she set out to run 50 ultramarathons by age 50 to raise funds for Saffron Centre, a cause close to her heart as a survivor. She completed her goal at River’s Edge Ultra in 2023. Along the way, she was honored with the Jack Finley Memorial Award for her passion, positivity, and generosity in the ultra community. Laura’s not the fastest, but she keeps getting stronger—and always makes friends on the trail. The team is beyond grateful to work with someone so inspiring.
Phil Townsend
Timing Coordinator
Phil has been involved with Survivorfest Running Event since Laura came home with the idea. They have been collaborating for over 25 years and married for over 20 years. He is very detailed oriented so he is a perfect match for Laura's great ideas. Phil works alongside Mike Melton from MCM Timing and Results LLC to ensure our timing is set up correctly for our athletes' goals and records are achieved. Phil loves craft beer but continually returns to his favourite Guinness when he isn't perfecting his gaming skills on Diablo.
Eva Durnan
Secretary
With Eva's infectious laugh and smile, Eva's passion is volunteering. She volunteered with Survivorfest in 2019 and couldn't stay away from joining the team when the opportunity arose. Eva loves to stay busy and has spent several years volunteering in a variety of positions with United Way, Corporate Challenge and currently volunteers with four other groups - an Ultra Volunteer! In between Eva still finds time to enjoy running, motorcycling, Pilates, golfing, OrangeTheory, walking...anything active with family and friends. Eva has a sweet tooth for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Andrea Gibson
Aid Station Coordinator
As a lover of ultramarathons, Andrea was is search of a different type of challenge and heard about Survivorfest. She decided to take on the 24hr event in 2023. So many people on the Board supported her through the race and made it even more enjoyable. She was totally hooked on the format and environment, and reached out to Laura to see how she could get more involved.
Sophy Yang
Treasurer
Sophy brings her strong financial skills and attention to detail to the Survivorfest team as Treasurer. With a background in managing budgets and keeping organizations running smoothly, she ensures that Survivorfest’s resources are carefully stewarded to support both the athletes and the cause. Passionate about community and inspired by the mission of Survivorfest, Sophy was excited to contribute her expertise in a meaningful way. She believes in the power of sport to bring people together and to make a difference beyond the race itself. As Treasurer, Sophy is committed to maintaining transparency, accountability, and a solid financial foundation that allows Survivorfest to continue growing and supporting the Saffron Centre.
Wendy Porter
Volunteer Coordinator | volunteer@survivorfest24.com
Wendy discovered Survivorfest through her love of running and the incredible community that surrounds the event. After experiencing firsthand the energy, encouragement, and resilience that defines Survivorfest, she knew she wanted to get more involved. The chance to give back by supporting both the athletes and the cause was the perfect fit, and she quickly stepped into the role of Volunteer Coordinator. Wendy believes that volunteers are the heartbeat of Survivorfest—every smile, cheer, and helping hand makes the event truly special. She is passionate about making sure every volunteer feels valued, supported, and connected to the bigger purpose of raising awareness and funds for the Saffron Centre.
Michael Bernas
Live Broadcast Coordinator
Michael joined the Survivorfest team in 2020 after a brief conversation with Laura about the potential to live-stream the event to raise awareness for the cause and increase excitement around the event. As an avid runner, Michael enjoys speaking to others about their overall experiences with running: “If there’s one thing that every runner has in common, it's that they love talking about running”. On race day, Michael hopes to bring that excitement to the live stream, not only providing updates on the race itself, but engaging in stories on what motivates us to run!