About Us > Who Makes CityKicks Happen?

Anne Strong - Executive Director

Anne Strong launched the pilot of CityKicks in the spring of 1999, and has been running the program since. She is a former attorney who has also been active in urban youth soccer start-ups, management and coaching since 1980. Strong has been concentrating her efforts on involving under-served inner-city youth in "the world's favorite game" since the mid 90's.

Missy Elwell - Program Manager

Melissa (Missy) Elwell has three years’ experience running an afterschool program for underserved urban youth in Ithaca, NY. During the fall of 2007 she served as an instructional coach for the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association conducting both player and coach education sessions. Earlier, she spent three years coaching women’s college soccer (assistant at Wagner College for 1 year and head coach at Wilkes University for 2 years). She has a “C” national coaching license and a B.S degree in exercise science, a B.S. in athletic training, and a Masters in Kinesiology.

Caroline Doctor - Program Assistant (AmeriCorps)

Ms. Doctor, the 2007-2008 Massachusetts Promise Fellow, is excited to share her love of athletics with the youth throughout her year of service. Her main responsibility is helping CityKicks with programming and developing an alumnae community that will serve to better connect the present CityKicks girls with those who have moved onto high school. Ms. Doctor recently graduated from Williams College where she was a member of the Track and Field team. She grew up playing soccer in Winchester, MA and was a member of the 2002 Massachusetts Division I State Championship team.

Board of Directors

Bob McGaughey, Chair

Heather Egan Sussman, Vice Chair

Sarah Levendusky, clerk

Monne Williams

Kathryn Auger

The CityKicks Community

Nearly all of our coaches are teachers at the participating schools. Other coaches and our referees come from the community, mostly local companies or universities. Nearly all of our coaches are women, prodiving positive role-modeling.

Many volunteer 'angels' have added value to CityKicks in so many different ways over the years, and we welcome inquiries from everyone interested in contributing their talents, on or off the field. If you would like to learn more about volunteering for CityKicks, please visit our Support section.