OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Chairman
Ray Markunas
Having initially connected with BaseCamp in 2018 through the Pro-Activity side of the house, Ray quickly immersed himself in the community, re-engaging in many activities important to him; running, biking, hiking, cleaning up and building additional outdoor community spaces. Having run several marathons on road and trail, raced in amateur mountain biking, hiked countless mountains, repaired a few homes and raised a good deal for charity in his tenure - BaseCamp is a natural second home. A graduate of Charter Oak State College in Ct., with a Degree in Engineering Management, Ray has worked in the Electric Utility Industry throughout the U.S. over the past 37 years. With two adult daughters now off on their own, he and his wife Donna have settled in to make NJ and Hunterdon County their home, and he is eager to pay forward the blessings he's received to help others on the journey to the best versions of themselves.
Vice Chair
Dr. Kristen
Prendergast
Dr. Kristen Prendergast is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical school. Following medical school she completed her residency training in pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Colorado in Aurora, CO. She went on to specialize in Pediatric Hospitalist Medicine and currently works at the Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital in Allentown, PA.
Kristen has been pounding the pavement in Hunterdon County since high school. After competing in middle-distance and cross-county for the University of Virginia she went on to coach briefly for NHHS and compete in local races. She is still an avid runner and enjoys training for distances from the mile to the marathon. She lives in Annandale, NJ with her 3 crazy children and her very patient and understanding husband.
Treasurer
Teresa Meisner
Teresa is an outdoor enthusiast, and enjoys hiking, cycling and now running. She has lived in
Hunterdon County for 25 years, raising 4 children with her husband Rich and is a proud new
grandparent! Looking for likeminded community, she joined the Basecamp Saturday morning walking group and soon decided to try running, working her way up to completing the Main Street Half Marathon. Her motto is to “step outside of your comfort zone” and try new things. Teresa is a graduate of Ramapo College and worked for nearly 20 years primarily for the not-for-profit sector, and currently serves as controller in a closely held pharma design company. Taking on the role of Treasurer feels like a natural extension of her professional life as she seeks to support and expand the mission of Basecamp by leveraging her progressive experience.
Executive Director
Michelle LeGrand
Michelle, a consultant for business & community development, holds a professional degree in social work from the U of Texas at Austin. With a non-linear path from counselor, to teacher, to program developer, and business owner, her career has noticeably been tied to education and health arenas. Passion for connecting with and helping others to achieve their best has been a common thread at each turn. A resident of Hunterdon since 2007, she is deeply committed to and proud of the mission of removing barriers to greater physical, mental and social well being in the community.
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Endowment Chair
Eric Eisenhart
A founding board member and former Chairman and Treasurer, Eric currently serves BaseCamp 31 as Endowment Chair. With professional experience in entrepreneurship, management and finance, Eric, a Cornell University alumni, is the Managing Partner of Pro-Activity, allowing for seamless communication transfer and support between the sister organizations. An endurance athlete, Eric can often be found running... on the roads, to the next meeting, or after his three kids.
APHPT Chair
Perry Brubaker
Perry Brubaker is a physical therapist in the metro Atlanta area and has a prevention and health promotion consulting practice. As a founding member of the professional community arm of BaseCamp 31, the Academy of Prevention and Health Promotion Therapies, Perry leads and consults with healthcare providers across the country to integrate "health-facing" strategies and the "BaseCamp model" into their practice. She measures health more from a well-being lens these days so you may see her walking instead of running, laughing instead of lecturing, and kissing her husband in public to totally embarrass the other love of her life...her teenage daughter.
Secretary
Chris Gartlgruber
A firm believer in the “power of the tribe” and BaseCamp’s mission, Chris joined the board in 2021. Prior to his board appointment, Chris supported his son Nate along with the BaseCamp community in completing an Eagle Scout project that installed a trail on the BaseCamp grounds. Always an avid athlete, Chris discovered his real passion of running roughly 7 years ago, and quickly became engaged in the local scene. With endless support and encouragement from his tribe, he has successfully completed distances up to the marathon. Chris and his wife Margaret are proud parents of 4 children and have resided in Hunterdon County since 2004. With a background in finance and an eye for detail, Chris brings countless years of corporate experience and leadership to the organization.
Service Corps Coordinator
Taylor Patterson
Taylor joined the BaseCamp community in 2019, having linked up through various endurance and philanthropic efforts. A graduate of West Virginia University, Taylor is a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual serving clients on both coasts. With a passion for community service, his personal mission is to help individuals accomplish their goals through a personalized planning process - knowing that life's accomplishment are most often measured by what one gives.
Endurance Club Coordinator
Mark Cawley
Mark is a founding member of BaseCamp Athletic Club and has previously served as the Treasurer of the BaseCamp 31 Board. With 25+ years in Information Technology, Mark also provides the data management for BaseCamp including the Wall of Champions and Race Series. Although coming to Endurance Racing late, Mark has completed 7 marathons, including Philadelphia and NYC, 20+ half marathons and many local 5k and 10k's. Mark is a graduate of Villanova University and currently works as an IT Infrastructure Manager at Bristol Myers Squibb. He currently resides in the Town of Clinton. When not running with the BaseCamp Community, Mark enjoys golfing as often as possible.
Clubhouse Coordinator
DON ECKEL
Don joined based camp in June of 2019, and has been actively involved ever since. He has participated in 2018 and 2019 Main Street Half Marathons and continues to work hard at improving his running ability through the support of Base Camp. Don starting running in 2017 and ran his first 5k. Since then, he has participated in 5 Half Marathons, numerous 5, 10 and 15K races, culminating with the completion of his first full marathon in Rehoboth, DE in Dec of 2019. In addition to his passion for running, Don has dedicated his life to public service in both his professional and personal life. Don is honored to be part of this incredible team.
Scholarship Coordinator
Alysia Puma
Alysia Puma has been a member of Basecamp 31 since its inception. As a year-round athlete in high school and a field hockey player at Swarthmore College, she has thrived in this local community where she is able to connect with like minded individuals who are still looking to live their best lives and find new avenues of growth. Inspired by others at various points in their journey, Basecamp and ProActivity have provided a fountain of support as Alysia ran ultra distances, the Grand Canyon, and various marathons including New York, Chicago, the Marine Corps, Rome, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Steamtown, and Boston, among others. Alysia teaches eleventh and twelfth-grade English at Hillsborough High School where she also serves as the assistant boys' cross country coach. She is proud of her commitment to public education which began in 1994. Alysia and her husband Eric, a competitive runner and the Hillsborough High School head soccer coach, live in Flemington.