Board Members & MCA Representatives
Get to know the Board Members and MCA Representatives.
MCA Board Members
Chris Longee
President of MCA
Chris is the MCA President and a current member of Chicago Curling Club. He started curling in 2012, and since that time has served in multiple roles including Board Member,
Membership Director, and Director of Corporate Events. Chris is recently retired, and he and his wife Laurie have five children and currently live in Northbrook, Illinois.
Kevin Burns
Vice President of MCA
Kevin is the MCA’s Vice President, and he has been a curler at Exmoor Country Club since 2018. He and his wife Elaine (also a curler) live in Lake Forest and have two grown children. Kevin is VP of Merger Integration at Wesco International in Glenview. When not curling, he enjoys golf, travel, rooting for the Buffalo Bills and walking his dog Carly.
Ryan Koralik
Treasurer of MCA
Ryan is the MCA Treasurer and a current member of the Chicago Curling Club. He started curling in 2018, after watching curling for several Olympics. Ryan is a Data Scientist by trade for NielsenIQ in Chicago, though he works from home all the way out in Algonquin. When not curling, or thinking about curling, he spends quality family time with his wife and two children and occasionally speedrunning some old time NES games.
Kerry Dickson
Secretary of MCA
Kerry is the Secretary of the MCA. Kerry’s curling journey began with what is known in his house as the “Best Christmas Present Ever” in December 2012. His wife, Ellen, unable to find an open Learn to Curl opted to purchase memberships at Chicago CC. From that “both feet in” start, Kerry and Ellen have curled throughout the US and in Europe. Their friendships created through curling are immeasurable.
Kate Hagenbuch
Media & Communications Director
Kate is the MCA Media & Communications Director and a member of Waltham Curling Club.
Sara Gaum
Past President of MCA
Sara is the MCA’s Past President and a member of Chicago Curling Club. She has curled since 2013. Sara enjoys long walks down the sheet, broomstacking, and take-outs. Her curling highlights include representing the MCA at Mixed Nationals, placing 4th at Women’s Club Nationals as a first-time skip, trying out for the 2018 Israeli Olympic Team, and winning the Kettle Moraine Mixed costume contest 3 years in a row.
MCA Representatives
Lon Peper
MCA Representative - Cedar Rapids
Lon is the MCA Rep and Vice President of Cedar Rapids Curling. Lon began curling in 2010, and is a founding member of Cedar Rapids Curling. He is a Level 1 Instructor, Level 2 Official, and Level 1 Ice Tech. His curling highlights include helping start Cedar Rapids Curling, winning the MCA 5 & Under, and scoring an 8-ender at The Big Spiel. Lon supports his curling habit as a Software Engineer in the life insurance and annuities industry.
Adam Miller
MCA Representative - Chicago
Adam is an MCA Representative for Chicago Curling Club. Adam is a high school theatre and English teacher and lover of curling. He joined the Chicago Curling Club on a whim after watching the sport at the Olympics, and has found not only a passion in the community and camaraderie of the sport itself, but he fell in love with a fellow curler, Sara Gaum. They got married at the Chicago Curling Club and have competed at Mixed Nationals multiple times in addition to bringing home multiple wins of the Kettle Moraine Mixed Bonspiel Costume Contest.
Matt Sherry
MCA Representative - Chicago
Matthew is an MCA Representative for Chicago Curling Club. He started curling in 2011, and he has bottled his passion for the sport by leading the junior curling program at CCC with fellow curler and partner, Lorna Cagann. Matt is active on the Bonspiel circuit and contrary to popular belief has made a shot before.
Christa Lautner
MCA Representative - Des Moines
Christa is an MCA Rep for Des Moines Curling Club, she is also the current president. Originally from Atlanta, GA Christa started curling in 2018 as a way to get out of the house and stay active in the long Iowa winters. After a year, her husband joined the team, and they’ve been curling together ever since. When not on the ice, Christa is a freelance artist/graduate of SCAD, substitute teacher, and mother to 4 wonderful children.
Sandy Stevenson
MCA Representative - Exmoor
Sandy is currently the MCA Rep for Exmoor Country Club and serves as the chairman of men’s curling. He has been a member of Exmoor since 1999 and served as its 59th President in 2015 and 2016. He started curling in 2006 and has participated in numerous bonspiels including the USCA Senior Men’s Nationals. Sandy’s rink won Exmoor’s Club Championship in 2023. During the day he is an architect who advises non-profit organizations on the design and construction of their facilities.
Josh Labadie
MCA Representative - St. Louis
Josh is the MCA MCA Rep for the St. Louis Curling Club. He is new to curling as of 2023 but became immediately hooked at his first Learn to Curl, after which he was immediately thrown into a bonspiel at Waltham where he only fell once. When not curling, he enjoys landscape photography, hiking, traveling, and chess. Josh works as a bank auditor and lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Annie and their two dogs.
Jane Vahle
Co-MCA Representative - Waltham
Jane is a co-MCA Rep with her husband Larry for Waltham Curling Club. She began curling in 2010 and has enjoyed both league play and traveling to bonspiels. She has curled at two Senior Women’s Nationals with gals from Waltham. Jane retired from teaching high school Physical Education and Driver Education for 45 years in 2010. Her retirement interests include, traveling, hiking and skiing out west.
Larry Vahle
Co-MCA Representative - Waltham
Larry is a co-MCA Rep with his wife, Jane, for the Waltham Curling Club. He started curling in 2010 after trying with a snow skiing group and watching Jane’s dad, a past member of Wauwatosa Curling Club. He taught mathematics in HS for 37 years and at a community college for 10 years. He was an IHSA official in baseball and softball for over 30 years. He enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and rooting for his favorite baseball, football, and hockey teams in retirement.
Nels Leutwiler
MCA Representative - Wilmette
Nels is the MCA Rep and President of Wilmette Curling Club. He began curling in 1981 at Anchorage Curling Club (he was the 1981 “Cheechako Curler of the Year—just sayin.’). Nels curled for many years at North Shore, and is now a dual member of Wilmette and Chicago curling clubs.
Eric Reithel
MCA Representative - Windy City
Eric Reithel is the new MCA REp for Windy City CC. He’s been a member of Windy City Curling since 2014 and currently serves as its Secretary. One of Eric’s favorite curling memories was representing (and offering Streamline™ commentary for) WCC at the USCA Arena Nationals in 2019, the last year Windy City was eligible, before it became a dedicated-ice club.
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