The people behind the program

Meet the team that makes Fight Like a Girl Happen

Box United Staff

Mary Kate Vanecko
Mary Kate Vanecko
Founder and Executive Director

Mary Kate is the Founder and Executive Director of Box United. She formerly worked as a Fulbright scholar to South Africa, a coordinator at the United Nations Foundation, and a management consultant at Accenture. Mary Kate is a current MBA student at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business and is a trained boxing and yoga instructor on a mission to bring the power of boxing to every Chicago girl.

Alexandra Foster
Alexandra Foster
Chief Operating Officer

Alexandra oversees Box United's day-to-day operations, ensuring programs run smoothly across all Chicago school and community sites. She brings expertise in organizational management and a deep commitment to expanding access to sport for girls across the city.

Claire Trinkle
Claire Trinkle
Development Director

Claire is a fundraising professional, fitness instructor, and advocate of women's health. She holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a master's degree in Public Administration and Management from DePaul University. Claire is a former Fulbright scholar to Spain with professional experience in grants management, research administration, and community engagement.

Board of Directors

Board Chair
Leadership Strategy
Lisa Nagorny
Triad Consulting Group
Lisa is the Chief Operating Officer of Triad Consulting Group, a boutique firm that helps leaders, teams, and organizations enhance collaboration through expertise in communication, conflict management, and negotiation. Previously, she served as Global Director of Client Development at Brunswick Group and as VP of Strategy and Operations at Essay101. A U.S. Navy veteran and former college athlete, Lisa holds a BA from Duke University, an MBA from Wharton, and is a certified executive coach.
Community Partnerships Strategy
Auyana Orr
Ariel Investments
Auyana S. Orr serves as Director of Community Affairs at Ariel Investments, LLC, liaising between Ariel Investments and Ariel Community Academy, leading corporate sponsorships and charitable giving, and representing the firm in various social advocacy partnerships. Before joining Ariel, Auyana worked at Chicago Public Schools for over eleven years. She received her BA from Macalester College and her MPP from the University of Chicago's Harris School.
Marketing Strategy
Joe Williams-Nelson
The Chicago Pride Organization
Joe works as a Spiritual Life Coach, is a published author, an active philanthropist, and founder of The Chicago Pride Organization, where she works to dispel negative assertions about west side communities. A Harvard alumna, she has coordinated Early College Awareness events for middle-schoolers for four years. Joe is also a member of the Garfield Park Conservatory Community Advisory Board.
Legal, Secretary
Karen Crawford
Network Funding, L.P.
Karen Crawford is a seasoned legal executive with over twenty-five years of experience in commercial contracts, regulatory matters, corporate governance, and litigation management. She serves as General Counsel for Network Funding, L.P. Previously she held CLO and CAO roles at Celink, Pacific Union Financial, and Stearns Lending, leading teams of up to 40 across legal, compliance, risk, and HR functions.

Junior Board

Treasurer
Nora Quinn
UBS Financial Services
Nora joined the Board at its founding in 2021 and works at UBS Financial Services in Chicago. A graduate of Fairfield University and former collegiate volleyball player, she continues to champion youth sports as a middle school volleyball coach. She is aiming to complete her third marathon this year.
Junior Board Member
Olga Chavez Reyes
RSM LLP
An Assurance Associate at RSM LLP, Olga earned her bachelor's in accounting from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is pursuing her master's in accountancy at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her love of boxing is rooted in family tradition, and she brings that legacy together with a lifelong passion for mentoring to empower young women through Box United.
Junior Board Member
Carolyn Schuette
Nonprofit Fundraising Software
A Northeastern University graduate in Political Science and International Affairs, Carolyn has spent over a decade working at the intersection of fundraising, political campaigns, and technology. She currently works in Account Management for a nonprofit fundraising software company. In Chicago you can find her leading tours at the Climate Action Museum and exploring the city's architectural history.
Junior Board Member
Vivian Kelly
Iowa State University
A third-year honors student at Iowa State University's Ivy College of Business, Vivian brings a global perspective shaped by studies at the University of Sydney and an IRONMAN 70.3 finish. A certified yoga instructor and nutrition coach, she grew up building resilience through soccer and boxing in Des Moines. At Box United, she aims to help young girls build confidence through mentorship and movement.