Leadership Transition Letter
from Paradox Board of Directors

After three years leading the organization to sustainable growth and a national presence, the Paradox Sports Board of Directors is announcing Michael Neustedter’s departure as Executive Director. Michael joined Paradox in February 2016 and has been pivotal in the development and success of the organization. He played a central role in rebranding our educational curriculum and in shaping Paradox’s strategic vision. Following his departure, Michael plans to stay connected to his many friends within the Paradox community as he pursues other opportunities in the outdoor and adaptive industries. We want to thank Mike for the last three years of dedicated service, which involved many significant accomplishments, including:

• Increasing staff from three in Boulder to 16 spread across the country

• Expanding program reach from 11 to 26 states, including the major metropolitan areas of New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston and Washington D.C.

• Launching the Adaptive Climbing Initiative sponsored by The North Face

• Growing the annual operating budget by 45% over three years

• Partnering with Disabled Sports USA around veteran initiatives

“Leading Paradox Sports has been my dream job and a great honor,” said Michael. “I am incredibly proud of what we achieved during the past three years and it has been incredibly gratifying to work with the participants, staff, board members, volunteers, partner climbing facilities, and sponsors within the Paradox community.”

Dave Elmore will be serving as the Interim Executive Director. Dave has served as the Director of Programs since last September and prior to that, Dave was on the board of directors for four years, serving as Board Chair. Dave brings years of non-profit leadership, program management from his prior positions with multiple Outward Bound programs, Mountain Professionals and as Associate Head of School at the Watershed School (Boulder, CO). He has been unwavering in his belief of the mission and will continue to drive us forward. This transition is a strategic step in supporting the growth of Paradox Sports and our vision of a world with access to adaptive opportunities, which empowers individuals, builds communities and honors the fact that ability should not stop opportunity.

The Board is currently convening a search committee to identify an Executive Director that will lead the organization toward the growth goals we have set in our strategic plan.

Our team has been working diligently to ensure a smooth transition and open communication with the larger Paradox Sports community. Michael will continue to consult with Paradox staff and board of directors to ensure a successful transition through June. Michael is leaving the daily operations in strong hands with the Paradox Sports team including Dave, Shelley, Becky, Amy, our board, guides, ambassadors, founders, volunteers, participants, and all our supporters who have been extremely supportive of this transition.

Again, we cannot thank Michael enough for the dedication, passion, enthusiasm and motivation he has given Paradox Sports over the past three years. Michael has taken Paradox Sports to new heights, leading the organization through tremendous growth and delivering significant results in bringing accessibility to the climbing community. Thanks to Michael and the team he cultivated, we can now set our sights on even more growth and mission impact. Please join us in thanking Michael for his dedication to adaptive sports and in wishing his continued success in his career.

If you have any questions or concerns during this transition process, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly at trinitywells84@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Trinity Wells

Board Chair
Board Member Since 2015

For other inquiries, please contact the following Paradox Staff:

ACI Courses and Trips: 
Dave Elmore, Executive Director- dave@paradoxsports.org

Corporate Partnerships:
Dave Elmore, Executive Director- dave@paradoxsports.org

Colorado Programs: 
Amy Bannon, Program Manager – amy@paradoxsports.org

Paradox Miles and Development: 
Becky Lindstrom, Development Manager – becky@paradoxsports.org

Marketing and General Inquiries: 
Shelley Brook, Operations Manager – shelley@paradoxsports.org