2025 Board of Directors Election – Slate

Michael Nishi is the Chief Operating Officer for Chicago Event Management. Nishi oversees the production of all events with a particular focus in event operations, emergency response and sustainability logistics. With his extensive operational knowledge, Michael was integral in guiding a local road race of 6,000 runners to a world-class event that saw over 45,700 marathon finishers in 2019.

In addition to his work on the Chicago Marathon, Michael is a driving force in increasing the exchange of ideas and best practices among events of all size and scope. Recognizing the unique issues of the endurance sports industry, Nishi founded the Race Management Program 12 years ago to offer event organizers an intimate forum to share ideas with one another. As an active leader in the running industry, he continues to advocate for greater safety and security not only for Chicago Event Management clients but also for events around the world. Michael is currently serving as Co-Chair on the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety & Security’s (NCS4) Marathon & Endurance Events Advisory Committee.

An avid runner and cyclist, Michael sits on the board of Girls on the Run Chicago and is a committee member at City Garden Pre-School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. He and his wife Dona, and their two daughters, live in Chicago where they are active community members in their Little Italy neighborhood.

Samira Shah serves as Chief Legal Officer and Assistant Secretary to the Board of New York Road Runners, where she provides strategic legal counsel to the organization’s leadership, Board of Directors, and staff. In this role, she oversees a broad portfolio including corporate governance, risk management, compliance, sponsorships, event production, and government relations. Her work helps ensure NYRR’s mission-driven programs and world-class events operate within a strong ethical and legal framework. A dedicated runner herself, Shah brings both personal passion and professional expertise to advancing the running community.

Before joining NYRR, Shah held senior leadership roles as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Moda Operandi, Inc. At WWE, she managed legal, security, and medical teams for a global sports entertainment company; at Moda Operandi, she was the company’s first legal hire, guiding complex corporate, IP, and regulatory matters across the luxury fashion and e-commerce sectors. Earlier in her career, Samira was a litigator at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and O’Melveny & Myers LLP, representing Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits across industries ranging from technology and finance to healthcare and media.

A graduate of Columbia Law School, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Executive Editor of the Columbia Human Rights Law Review, Shah also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. She brings more than two decades of experience advising organizations on governance, compliance, and strategic growth, along with a deep belief in the power of running to build community and inclusion across diverse backgrounds.

Kathleen is the Owner/Race Director of All Fitness Events, which she founded ten years ago. She also serves as Race Director for the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend.

Kathleen was a corporate executive for more than two decades before turning her passion for running and the fitness industry into a successful business. She has a strong passion for helping our industry grow and expand. Kathleen’s background in destination marketing has allowed her to help over 100 events from small to large improve their online presence through social media, e-commerce and web, and grow participation levels as a result.

Prior to being named Race Director for the Philadelphia Marathon in 2021, Kathleen worked with the event on its marketing, PR and elite athlete management. She is actively engaged with the city’s local running clubs and charities to meet and recruit athletes, including adaptive athletes and LGBTQ+ participants.

When she’s not helping events excel, Kathleen is a certified running coach, race director and yoga instructor.