Board Members & MCA Representatives
Get to know the Board Members and MCA Representatives.
MCA Board Members
Sara Gaum
President of MCA
Sara is the MCA’s President and a member of Chicago Curling Club. She has curled since 2013 and previously served as an MCA Rep. 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 Bonspiel costume contest 3
years in a row.
Barb Taube Hesterberg
Vice President of MCA
Barb is the MCA’s Vice President. She is a member of Exmoor Country Club and has curled for over 20+ years. She initially curled out of North Shore Country Club, and during that period, she was President of the Lassies. One of her curling highlights includes playing in USWCA Bonspiels for the last three years.
Jeff Warner
Treasurer of MCA
Jeff is the Treasurer of the MCA and a member of Exmoor Country Club. He has been curling at Exmoor since 1969. Jeff has been a CPA since 1977, and the CFO for BOS Holdings with headquarters outside of Chicago.
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.
Shannon Brown
Media & Communications Director
Shannon runs the social media and communications side of the MCA. Her family has a strong curling history, so she first stepped on the ice at Exmoor Country Club at 5 years old. When not creating flyers or posting blogs, Shannon lives in Seattle and works as a marine scientist.
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.
Steve Wright
MCA Representative - Exmoor
Steve is currently the MCA Rep for Exmoor Country Club. He has been curling for 16 years at Exmoor Country Club and has participated in numerous bonspiels. He also has played competitively at Club Nationals where he represented Exmoor CC. Steve is married with a 20-month-old son. He works in medical sales covering much of Illinois, and when not curling, Steve enjoys golf and boating.
Andrew Wolek
MCA Representative - Northwestern
Andrew is the MCA Rep for Northwestern and is the acting president of Northwestern University’s Curling Club, in which he has been a member since starting his Ph.D. studies at Northwestern in 2017. A transplant from the Northeast, he is thankful for how welcoming the curling community is in the area.
Steve Young
MCA Representative - St. Louis
Steve is the MCA Rep for the St. Louis Curling Club. He started curling in 2009 and is a founding member of St Louis CC. Steve just finished a three-year term on the club’s board and was vice president for the past two years. He is a legal assistant with the Social Security Hearing Office. Steve is married and has two 7-year old daughters who are excited to start curling.
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.
Walter Burns
MCA Representative - Wilmette
Walter is the MCA Rep and President of Wilmette Curling Club. He has curled for 25+ years and has been on the MCA Board for 15+ years in various capacities, including past MCA president. Walter is still active in the bonspiel circuit, and he enjoying providing guidance to all new and novice curlers.
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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