September 18, 2026

Dear Trusted GOTR Friends and Supporters,

For almost nine years, I have had the extraordinary privilege of helping build and lead Girls on the Run Memphis. I was one of the founders, alongside an incredible group of women who became trusted partners, dear friends and, truly, mentors for life. Together, we saw an opportunity to bring something meaningful to Memphis and created a council grounded in relationships, consistency and the belief that every girl should have access to this program. Serving as Executive Director has been the best job I could have imagined, and deciding to step down in early 2027 has been incredibly hard. Girls on the Run has humbled me, challenged me, made me laugh, kept me up at night and given me a tremendous sense of purpose.

It’s hard for me to fathom the amount of growth we’ve experienced since our inaugural season in 2018. Together, we have served close to 2,700 girls, trained more than 600 coaches, completed 18 seasons, worked across 30 different sites, provided more than $200,000 in financial assistance, hosted 14 5K celebrations and launched Camp GOTR. We made it through COVID without missing a beat and came out more creative and more committed to our mission. Y’all have been there for all of it. Your belief in this mission, and in our ability to do the work well, has propelled me forward more times than you probably know.

From the beginning, our goal was never to show up at a school for one season and move on. We wanted to become part of the fabric of our schools and communities, and to make sure that girls and families could count on us. That foundation is strong and nimble. Schools and our selfless coaches return year after year, some for five years or more. Families come back with younger sisters and cousins. Girls trust us. Volunteers champion us. GOTR Memphis has staying power and stamina - and that matters.

Now it is time for the next leader to take that foundation and move Girls on the Run Memphis forward. Our Board Chair, Tracee Ridley Pryor, will lead the Executive Director search with a committee that includes members of our board and the founders of our council. I will remain fully engaged through the transition to help ensure the next ED has the history, relationships and support needed to succeed.

There are communities that already want us and others that may not yet know how much they need what GOTR offers. I am incredibly proud of where we are, and even more excited about where this organization can go next with a new leader and with all of you continuing to stand behind it. Thank you for believing, for showing up and for helping make this the best job I ever could have had.

With Deepest Gratitude,

Joanna Lipman