Our Team - All Kids Play

The All Kids Play team is a diverse, thoughtful, and energetic set of leaders that are passionate about youth sports. We have all had sports experiences that have helped shape us into who we are today. It’s important to all of us that any kid who wants to play, gets to play, and also has access to a positive, character-building experience.

Board of Directors

Jason Schmitz

Founder and Executive Director

Ron Rochester

Treasurer

Ryanne Bumps

Board Member

Jody Cooper

Board Member

Matthew Winstanley

Board Member

Founder and Executive Director

Jason Schmitz

Jason has been in and around sports his whole life as a player, coach, referee and now parent to youth athletes. He credits much of his academic and professional success to the life lessons he learned growing up as a youth athlete. Jason is very well aware of the challenges that many families face to keep their kids involved in youth sports. Jason is on a mission with All Kids Play to transform the lives of the next generation of youth athletes by providing access to high-quality youth sports opportunities.

Jason has been an attorney for over 20 years. In addition to founding All Kids Play and serving as its Executive Director, Jason has represented some of the world’s largest brands in sports. Jason has significant experience representing sports organizations in connection with all aspects of their management and legal affairs. Jason graduated from Michigan State University and DePaul University College of Law. He currently lives in Northbrook, Illinois and enjoys playing soccer, basketball and baseball with his wife and two kids.

Treasurer

Ron Rochester

Ron attributes much of his development and character to sports, and he strongly believes that lessons learned on the field translate well into the business world and life. As Treasurer of All Kids Play, Ron is helping to expand the gift of sports and the life lessons they provide to kids that may not otherwise have such an opportunity.

Ron brings tremendous finance and accounting experience to All Kids Play. He is the owner of R Rochester Business Services, LLC, and he primarily works with small business owners on developing and implementing strategic plans that align with their business and personal goals. He has experience in commercial lending, real estate, financial planning and analysis, and corporate finance. Ron enjoys the challenge of working in different industries and with a variety of personalities on a daily basis.

Board Member

Ryanne Bumps

Growing up, sports were an integral part in Ryanne’s life, both on and off the field, teaching her many life skills such as teamwork, determination, and commitment that makes her the person she is today. She attributes these experiences to helping her become “an athlete in life” and is passionate about finding ways to pay it forward so others can access and enjoy the same opportunities.

Ryanne excelled at team sports and earned a spot on the U17 US National Soccer Team. She played Division I soccer at Southern Methodist University where she captained the Lady Mustangs to their first Final Four appearance. She finished her soccer career playing professionally in Munich, Germany on the International stage.

Ryanne is a successful and reputable Senior Real Estate Broker with At Properties. She balances work while being an active parent in her community and sideline cheerleader for her two children. She and her family reside in Northbrook, Illinois with their Labrador, Rosie.

Board Member

Jody Cooper

Growing up in New York City, sports played an important outlet and role in Jody’s life. After competing in high school tennis, volleyball and softball, Jody played Intermural tennis at Northwestern University and league tennis while earning her MBA at Vanderbilt University.

Jody has built a successful career in executive search – first at Korn/Ferry International and currently as Senior Client Partner with North Line Partners. She has a proven track record of recruiting executives to consumer-facing public, private, and founder-led companies as well as to non-profit organizations and Boards of Directors.

She and her family live in Northbrook, Illinois and log many hours at the pool cheering on their daughter and her Glenbrook North High School Swimming, Diving and Water Polo teammates. Jody strongly believes that sports provide young adults with a foundation in discipline, dedication and teamwork, and she is enthusiastic about helping extend the privilege of playing sports.

Board Member

Matthew Winstanley

Throughout his life, being active, playing sports, and simply being able to move about was essential to Matt’s well-being. As a young child, Matt’s mom would often say “you need to go run around the block” as a means to let out some excess energy and feel better. This desire and need to be active led Matt to play basketball, baseball, and football through high school. Later in college, he enjoyed intramural sports including flag football, basketball and boxing. In his mid 20’s and early 30’s Matt got involved with triathlons. With each phase of life, physical activity and sports were a means to be healthy and meet many amazing friends and mentors.

Currently, as a clinical psychologist with 18 years of experience working with children, adults and families, Matt has come to realize the significant emotional, social, and existential benefits sports can bring to one’s life. From the clinical evidence that supports this notion, to the personal observations he’s made as a parent watching his three kids play sports, Matt came to deeply realize the importance of physical activity on one’s well being. Matt has felt grateful for the opportunities he’s had to play sports, yet realized that not all have equal access to athletics. He is eager to help get all kids involved so they stay healthy and reap the benefits sports have to offer.

Advisory Board

NBA Coach Bob Ociepka All Kids Play Advisory Board Member

Peter Ripmaster Ultra Marathoner, Motivational Speaker, and Advisory Board Member for All Kids Play

Katey Collins LCSW Advisory Board Member of All Kids Play

Dr. Christopher Hicks Orthopaedist University of Chicago and All Kids Play Advisory Board Member

Adam Arbogast baseball and basketball coach and warfare analyst project manager and All Kids Play Advisory Board Member

Donnell Thomas

As a former professional basketball player, Donnell Thomas has experienced firsthand the benefits of sports and competition, and now he works tirelessly to pass down these lessons through youth coaching. During his playing career, Donnell earned a spot in the Northern Illinois University Hall of Fame where he played college basketball, was named to the Chicago Public League Hall of Fame and two-time MVP in Europe (Holland and New Zealand).

Donnell is currently a full-time youth basketball coach in the Chicagoland area, focusing on developing student-athletes into outstanding people through the game of basketball. He prioritizes player enjoyment of the game and player development over winning through his philosophy of encourage, teach, challenge. Donnell is proud to continue working on these priorities with All Kids Play.

Lindsey Wander

In 2008 Lindsey Wander obtained a Teaching Credential from National University. From 2005 to 2011, Lindsey has been involved in various education-based positions, both domestic and abroad, including: Environmental Educator, private tutor, long-term substitute teacher, 7th-grade science and math teacher, Academic Consultant for Chicago Public Schools, and Adjunct Math Professor at Tribeca Academy. Since 2005, she has personally worked with thousands of students from ages 0 to 25 from various backgrounds, with diverse abilities, in a wide range of subjects. She has formal training in: gang intervention, teaching culturally diverse students, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Executive Functioning, Auditory and Visual Processing Difficulties, ESL, high school and college entrance exams, and college essays and applications.

In 2011, she unofficially began her tutoring company which later became WorldWise Tutoring. In 2020, she founded the nonprofit Educate. Radiate. Elevate. to provide high-quality tutoring to low-income students of color. In all of her experience as an educator, Lindsey focuses on bringing the fun back to learning as well as on “teaching the underlying learning and life skills so that students are in the powerful position to manage their own learning, find their exceptional voice, and forge a path that is uniquely theirs.” In her experience working with students of various backgrounds, she believes that “race and income are not destiny; large steps forward are possible.”

Bob Ociepka

Bob Ociepka grew up in Chicago, Illinois and played basketball at St. Mel High School and Quincy College. After serving as an assistant at Gordon Tech High School, he had a successful run as the school’s head coach before moving on to the same position at York High School in Elmhurst. In 1989, in a rare career move, Bob made the jump from high school coach to NBA assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers. Coach Ociepka served as an assistant coach in the NBA for 10 different teams for 25 years. He has authored two books on basketball strategies and has been inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame, the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame for Quincy University.

Coach Ociepka has significant experience with the coach, player and parent dynamic and a deep understanding of the challenges that student-athletes and their families face. He is excited to help All Kids Play level the playing field in youth sports through access to safe, healthy and high-quality play.

Pete Ripmaster

Pete Ripmaster is an ultra-marathoner and motivational speaker with a penchant for chasing adventure. Despite growing up with sports and being naturally athletic, Pete did not like running. It wasn’t until Pete lost his mother to breast cancer at the age of twenty-four that he found himself searching for something, his next adventure, which has led him to a career full of breaking barriers and inspiring others.

In addition to becoming an Iditarod Trail Invitational Champion, Pete has run fifty marathons in fifty states and raised over sixty thousand dollars for breast cancer, in honor of his mother. Through his motivational speaking endeavors, he inspires others to chase their passions through determination and grit, and speaks on a number of topics including setting and achieving audacious goals, running 50 Marathons in 50 States, depression and its vices, bullying, finding faith, and mindfulness. Pete is excited to bring his expertise and knowledge to the All Kids Play team!

Katey Collins

Katey Collins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Life Coach with a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She has years of experience as a Therapist, Life Coach, Adjunct Professor, Executive Director, and Founder of non-profit organizations, as well as a Swim Coach. She currently owns and operates two businesses, Tri Life Coach and Bee Happy Therapy in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Katey believes in seeing the best in everyone she interacts with and thrives on the opportunity to help people challenge themselves in ways they never thought possible. She loves working with people on a therapeutic level, one in which dreams are solidified and put into action, and she has extensive experience working with youth and their families in a variety of settings.

Katey also believes wholeheartedly in the power of sports and the life lessons for which they can provide. She competed through college in swimming and now enjoys endurance racing: Ironman Triathlon, Running (5k – 50K) and open water swimming. When Katey is not with her family, (husband, son, daughter and 4-legged furry friends) or working, she loves to be outside preparing for a new challenge with her training buddies.

Dr. Christopher Hicks

Christopher Hicks, MD, is a board-certified orthopaedist who specializes in non-operative sports medicine and provides comprehensive medical care for athletes and active patients alike. Dr. Hicks diagnoses and treats a wide range of sports related injuries, including concussions, tendonitis and more. He is also a member of the medical team for the WNBA Chicago Sky.

Before beginning a successful orthopaedic career, Dr. Hicks, a Chicago native, was an athlete in both high school and college, excelling at basketball and track and field. His athletic background gives Dr. Hicks a unique understanding of the challenges an athlete faces when injured, and he is always determined to help his patients return to sports at their peak performance. He brings a valuable perspective to the All Kids Play Advisory Board with a focus on health and safety in sports.

Yann van Geertruyden

Yann van Geertruyden is a real estate lawyer who focuses on real estate development and joint ventures, including public-private partnership transactions.

He also counsels developers in connection with a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, development (residential, mixed-use, retail and office development), construction, leasing (ground, retail, office and residential leasing) and finance.

Yann has advised developers in more than $4B worth of real estate joint venture transactions between the United States Government and private developers, including privatization of more than 40,000 housing units, as well as the ongoing development, leasing, construction, financing and operation of these portfolios.

Prior to joining his current firm of Goulston & Storrs, Yann served as a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Connie Mack, handling issues related to defense, transportation, international trade and governmental affairs.

Adam Arbogast

Adam Arbogast is a U.S Naval Academy graduate with a lifelong military and Department of Defense contractor career. He has spent decades in and around the military and has a deep understanding of the veteran, reserve, national guard and active-duty communities including both the rewards and challenges military families face. As a former athlete, he believes sports can have an enormously positive impact on kids, especially kids of military and veteran families.

Adam is also a key leader and coach in a local baseball association as well as an assistant coach for middle school basketball. Through his extensive experience both on and off the field, he knows well the importance of positive coaching, keeping joy in the game, and making sure all kids have access to sports. Adam is also very involved in his Chesapeake Bay area community. He serves as the Vice President of his HOA and sits on the Citizens Advisory Board to the Chesapeake Land Bank Authority. When he’s not at the field running a league or coaching, he spends time with his wife Christine, daughter Jordyn and son Aidyn bike-riding or going to the beach.

Chris Foster

Chris Foster is a senior multi-asset trader and portfolio manager at Magnetar Capital, an alternative asset manager fund based in Evanston, Illinois.

Chris played professional soccer in Munich for TSV 1860 München, and for the Minnesota Thunder from 1992-1998.

Chris has significant experience and has built relationships at every level of soccer from youth to college as well as the professional level. He also has strong relationships in the area of sports philanthropy. Chris brings great value to the All Kids Play Advisory Board.

John Eichelberger

John Eichelberger is a Vice President and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. He brings extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for youth sports to the All Kids Play Advisory Board, especially from his hockey experience.

John was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2000 NHL Draft and was a member of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Varsity Hockey team. Prior to UW-Madison, John played for the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and was selected to be part of the inaugural season of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.

John grew up playing hockey in the Chicago suburbs and has returned to his roots as a hockey coach for The Wilmette Hockey Association (WHA), a non-profit, volunteer run hockey organization dedicated to providing opportunities for area youth and young adults to learn and play the sport of hockey.

John is committed to supporting young athletes in their pursuit of learning and thriving in sports, and is a firm believer in the All Kids Play mission and the power of sports to transform lives.

Teri Shigeno

Teri Shigeno, PhD, CMPC, is an assistant professor in the Sport and Human Performance program at Adler University. She earned her PhD in Kinesiology and Sport Studies (specialization in Sport Psychology and Motor Behavior) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2017. Her primary role is training and preparing graduate students to provide mental skills training to performers taking a holistic approach.

Teri is passionate about utilizing sport as a mechanism for social change and social justice. She trains her students with this perspective in mind and hopes they are able to also create change through the performers with whom they work.