The 2022 Executive Board is proud to serve the Miracle Network Dance Marathon movement,
please feel free to contact a member of the Executive Board with any questions!
Oksana
Campus Advisor of UNI Dance Marathon
Mikaela Elenz
Executive Co-Director
Mikaela graduated from UNI with degrees in Biology and Public Health & Education. Mikaela is now at Allen in their Accelerated BSN program. This is her second year being in UNI Dance Marathon, and fifth year in Dance Marathon in general!
Favorite DM Memory: "My favorite DM memory was having my grandma cut my hair for donation at the 2021 big event."
DM Why: "I dance to serve the kids and families that shape our community. No one should have a childhood of hospital visits, surgeries, treatments, needles, or pokes. Beyond the monetary donations, our cause supports some of the most vulnerable populations by facilitating amazing emotional and physical connection. Everyone does have the power to make an impact on future generations. To me, Dance Marathon is all about inspiring and empowering others to join the movement, and becoming equipped to change kids' health and changing the future."
Fun Fact: Mikaela has eaten ice cream every day since April 16th, 2021!
Contact Mikaela with any questions you may have about UNI Dance Marathon.
Payton Hall
Director of Campus Relations
campusrelations@unidancemarathon.com
Payton is a junior at UNI studying Biology. This will be her third year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Performing the morale dance on stage every hour at the Big Event my freshmen year."
DM Why: "I dance so that kiddos are able to go to sleep in their bed at home and enjoy being a kid!"
Fun Fact: Payton is on the UNI Swim and Dive team, and has been swimming for 13 years!
Contact Payton with any questions involving DM's partnership with student organizations, athletics, faculty and greek life.
Ava Rowe
Director of Corporate Partnerships
corporatepartnerships@unidancemarathon.com
Ava is a first year graduate student studying Speech-Language Pathology and graduated from UNI Spring of 2021. This will be Ava's third year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Being a morale captain last year! It was so fun to dive further into this organization. I loved getting to know more people and making the morale dance."
DM Why: "Being a part of Dance Marathon has allowed me to be included in something bigger than myself. If my efforts through this organization in any way can allow a child or family's life to be better, it is worth it. I'm especially passionate about this because my sister has received life-changing care in the U of I clinics that my family will forever be grateful for. I hope that we can help our kiddos have the same experience."
Fun Fact: Ava could eat pickles for every meal!
Contact Ava for sponsorship and giveback opportunities.
Emily Churchill
Director of Design
Emily is a senior at UNI studying RTNL (Recreation, Tourism, and Nonprofit Leadership. This will be her first year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Reaching my summer fundraising goal just minutes after creating my Facebook fundraiser!"
DM Why: "I participate in DM because I know how scary it can be to have a serious medical diagnosis, so I want to be a part of an organization that not only raises funds so that the hospitals can get the medical resources needed, but also to be in an organization that acts as a support system so that the families and kiddos never feel alone."
Fun fact: Emily played the cello for 8 years.
Contact Emily for design information.
Toni Fortman
Director of Media
Toni is a senior at UNI studying Communication Sciences and Disorders on a pre Speech Pathology track. This will be Toni's first year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "I'd have to say my favorite memory with DM has been working with our miracle families during family photo shoots. It's been such a fun way to connect with families and kiddos."
DM Why: "I wanted to be a part of Dance Marathon to help the cause. No child should ever have to go through the battles that our miracle kiddos do. Dance Marathon is truly for the kids and that's why I love the organization so much."
Fun Fact: Toni got her first camera when she was just 8 years old!
Contact Toni for photo and videography information.
Madi Barnhardt
Director of Internal Logistics
logistics@unidancemarathon.com
Madi is a junior at UNI studying Family Services with an emphasis in Biology. This will be Madi's third year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Standing silent and ready for the final reveal at my first big event, and then seeing the numbers of how many miracles we made!"
DM Why: "Dance Marathon is larger than myself and these kiddos are stronger than any comic book superhero. I joined Dance Marathon with the passion of becoming a hero to miracle children...little did I know that they would become MY heroes."
Fun Fact: Madi is learning American Sign Language to one day become fluent!
Contact Madi for any entertainment ideas that you would like to see at the Big Event.
Brooke Vry
Director of Event Planning
Brooke is a senior at UNI studying Marketing: Advertising and Digital Media. This will be her fourth year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "My favorite DM memory is power hour 2019."
DM Why: "To make a difference in something that is much bigger than myself. The impact this organization has made on myself has allowed me to grow and gain relationships with many miracle families."
Fun Fact: Brooke has swam with and kissed turtles and stingrays.
Contact Brooke for event information and planning.
Hannah Dash
Director of Family Relations
familyrelations@unidancemarathon.com
Hannah is a senior at UNI studying Accounting. This will be her fourth year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "My favorite part of UNI DM is building relationships with our miracle kiddos, families, and other members!
DM Why: "I'm involved in Dance Marathon because no one should have to endure what our miracle families and kiddos go through. I want to do whatever I can to help make their lives a little easier and let them know that we are here for them. Our families are the most important part of our organization and I want to do everything in my power to make sure they get the support they need and deserve."
Fun Fact: Hannah donated over two feet of her hair at the 2021 Big Event when she shaved her hair for the kiddos!
Contact Hannah for any information or questions that involve the Miracle Families.
Abigail Tentinger
Director of Finance
Abigail is a senior at UNI studying Finance. This will be her fourth year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Getting to be a part of the big reveal of my sophomore year and looking out into the sea of college students, giving up their Saturday, fighting for something that is so much bigger than themselves. It is an experience I will never forget."
DM Why: "When I was younger I had surgery to fix a part of my heart at the Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. Before the surgery I was limited on the things that I could do and it was never fun to see my friends or other kids able to do those things that I couldn't. Then I had the surgery and I was able to do all those things I wasn't able to do before! I fight for the kiddos that have limitations and have to watch their friends do things they can't. I fight in hopes someday those kiddos won't have limitations. I fight for those kiddos so that they can have a normal life like you and I get to do everyday."
Fun Fact: Abigail has ridden a pig before!
Contact Abigail for donation and registration questions and employer matching donations.
Mackenzie O'Neil
Director of Outreach
Mackenzie is a senior at UNI studying Athletic Training. This is her third year in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "My first Big Event Power Hour and getting to work with CC and Annalee for the 2021 Big Event."
DM Why: "Two boys in my hometown have had to fight more than anyone should in their life. Sadly, one of them lost their fight with cancer this spring. But, the other received a heart transplant! Fighting for kiddos like these is why I'm so involved. Kids should get to be kids."
Fun Fact: Mackenzie danced for 14 years and was a part of a competitive dance team.
Contact Mackenzie for Mini Marathon information.
Riley Fridinger
Director of Marketing
marketing@unidancemarathon.com
Riley is a senior at UNI studying Public Relations and Marketing. This will be her fourth year being involved in UNI Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Cutting her best friend, Sarah's hair at the 2020 Big Event. It was something so special because you could tell it meant so much to the kiddos receiving it."
DM Why: "I have never known a life of constantly battling illness. I was very fortunate that the worst sickness I dealt with was the common cold. However, this is not the case for many kiddos at the U of I Stead Children's Family Hospital. They might not get easy days often and battle for their lives daily. I know what a childhood of playdates, days in school, playing every sport known to a person, and gathering with my family feels like and some of these kiddos don't. I will continue to fight for these kiddos to see that kind of childhood. A childhood without hospital beds and needle pokes so they can make it through the night. If there is anything I can do to help these families and their children out, I want to do that for them. I want to continue fighting for kids' health so that they can have a better tomorrow, a better future and a family of their own someday."
Fun Fact: Riley is terrified of spiders and will not even attempt to kill them by herself.
Contact Riley for press releases and media information.
Annalee Workman
Director of Morale
Annalee is a senior at UNI studying RTLC and minors in both Spanish and Coaching. This will be her fourth year in Dance Marathon.
Favorite DM Memory: "Doing the morale dance on stage my sophomore year and looking out into the crowd seeing all the smiles on everyone's faces."