President

As the corporate and tactical architect behind Apex Para Athletics, Mark Braun holds executive command as President while simultaneously anchoring the track lines as Head Coach. Rather than separating administrative oversight from active coaching, Mark bridges both worlds to protect the integrity of the program. On the corporate side, he commands the day-to-day nonprofit operations, strategic facility partnerships, and Chapter 317A statutory compliance tracks required to sustain the organization. On the track, his executive leadership is backed by concrete credentials as a background-screened, certified adaptive sports coach operating under strict USATF, Move United, and SafeSport protection mandates. This unique dual-lens—forged by his own history as a pioneering Team USA T54 wheelchair sprinter and multi-time IPC World Championship competitor—allows Mark to run a highly disciplined, professionalized pipeline that delivers elite training structures to adaptive athletes completely free of financial charge.

Vice President

Bio coming soon…

Treasurer

Bio coming soon…

Secretary

Bio coming soon…

Development Chair

Peyton brings a strategic, growth-oriented mindset to the Apex Para Athletics Board of Directors as the Development Chair. As a graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in Retailing & Consumer Sciences, Peyton leverages a deep understanding of market positioning and consumer behavior to drive the organization’s long-term sustainability.

Peyton’s background is rooted in high-stakes sports marketing and revenue growth. During a nearly three-year tenure as a Marketing & Fan Engagement intern with the University of Arizona athletics department, Peyton achieved record ticket revenue for the Track & Field and Cross Country program through targeted engagement initiatives and promotional restructuring. This expertise fostering community partnerships and donor engagement is central to Peyton’s work in defining Apex’s mission and securing the resources necessary to empower adaptive athletes. As a former student-athlete with the Arizona Adaptive Track and Road Racing team, Peyton offers a unique dual perspective that bridges the gap between organizational needs and the lived experience of the athletes Apex serves.

National Athlete Representative

Bio coming soon…

Executive Director

Mark Braun serves as the Executive Director of Apex Para Athletics, anchoring the organization's high-performance training pipelines with elite, certified coaching credentials and comprehensive corporate governance oversight. Operating under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 317A nonprofit regulations, Mark directs the day-to-day high-performance operations, administrative compliance tracks, and strategic facility partnerships necessary to sustain a permanent competitive team roster. He is a fully background-screened, certified adaptive sports coach with strict compliance credentials natively aligned with USATF, Move United, and federal SafeSport Act welfare frameworks. His professional credentials as an executive are profoundly reinforced by his athletic background as a pioneering Team USA T54 wheelchair sprinter, a two-time IPC Athletics World Championship competitor, and a four-time wheelchair basketball national champion. By seamlessly bridging elite international competition experience with certified instruction and executive command, Mark directly steers adaptive sports programming and athlete assistance tracks completely free of charge to competitors.

Director, Marketing & Communications

As the Director of Marketing & Communications, Peyton serves as the primary architect of the Apex Para Athletics brand. Peyton specializes in high-level brand development and the creation of cohesive communication strategies that resonate iwth both donors and the para athletics community.

Peyton’s professional portfolio is defined by a mastery of grame presentation and large-scale event production. Having served as the Game Presentation Director for the NWBA Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball National Championships, Peyton is adept at managing complex “run-of-show” operations and coordinating cross-departmental efforts with national sports leadership. From managing complex budgets to producing creative visual assets, Peyton ensures that every touchpoint of the Apex brand reflects excellence and inclusivity. Peyton’s leadership is focused on building a marketing infrastructure that elevates the visibility of adaptive athletics on a national stage

Director, Events

Director, Contracts & Negotiations

Director, Athlete Development

Director, Para Track & Field

Bio coming soon…

Director, Para Basketball Operations

Jayden Stafford brings elite collegiate experience, professional certifications, and a passion for high-performance training to the Apex Para Athletics team. Jayden’s journey in adaptive sports began in the fifth grade when he joined the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). His talent and dedication to the game ultimately led him to play at the collegiate level for the powerhouse adaptive athletics program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Committed to athletic excellence and competitor safety, Jayden is fully certified in sports coaching and CPR. Recognizing that elite performance is as much mental as it is physical, he has also earned a specialized certification in mental health awareness. This enables him to support para-athletes holistically, fostering emotional resilience alongside physical skill.

Jayden is entirely dedicated to helping adaptive athletes train, compete, and excel at the highest possible level. he is incredibly excited to get to know his athletes personally, mentor them through their athletic journeys, and watch them unlock their absolute full potential both on and off the court.

Associate Director, Para Basketball Operations

Lilly Stiernagle brings a lifetime of first hand adaptive sports experience and deep community passion to Apex Para Athletics. Having fallen in love with wheelchair basketball at just five years old, Lilly has spent over a decade mastering the court, developing a profound understanding of the dedication, strategy, and resilience required to excel in para-sports.

Driven by a lifelong desire to empower others, Lilly holds a certificate in education and is currently pursuing her college degree in psychology. This unique academic combination allows her to approach adaptive sports coaching through a deeply holistic lens—understanding not just the physical mechanics of the game, but the mental components of athletic growth and team building.

Lilly is entirely dedicated to passing down her extensive knowledge of wheelchair basketball to the next generation of athletes. Known for her patient, highly empathetic, and encouraging coaching style, she creates an inclusive training environment where athletes of all skill levels feel seen, supported, and challenged. Lilly is incredibly excited to share her technical skills and love for the game with the Apex team, helping every athlete discover the fun, community, and power of adaptive sports.

Director, Para Ski & Snowbording

Bio coming soon…

Para Track & Field Head Coach

Mark Braun serves as Head Coach of Apex Para Athletics, anchoring the organization’s high-performance training pipeline with elite, certified coaching credentials. A certified adaptive sports coach with background-screened clearance , Mark formally structures event-specific technical development and personalized strength regimens natively aligned with USATF, Move United, and federal SafeSport Act welfare frameworks. His elite professional credentials are deeply reinforced by his background as a pioneering Team USA T54 wheelchair sprinter, a two-time IPC Athletics World Championship competitor, and a four-time wheelchair basketball national champion. By seamlessly bridging elite international competition experience with certified instruction, Coach Mark directly steers youth and adult competitive athletes from local recreation to regional and international athletic pipelines.

Para Track & Field Assistant Head Coach

Bio coming soon…

Para Track & Field Assistant Coach - Sprints

Peyton joins the Apex Para Athletics coaching staff as an assistant sprints coach, bringing more than 10 years of elite-level competitive experience to the track, including a 4 year stint with the University of Arizona’s premier Adaptive Track & Road Racing team.

This firsthand experience as a wheelchair racer provides Peyton with a deep technical understanding of sprint mechanics and the drive required to succeed in competitive racing. Beyond technical instruction, Grounded in an athlete-first coaching philosophy, Peyton focuses on developing the whole individual, ensuring that the discipline and resilience built during training prepares athletes for success far beyond the track. At Apex, Peyton focuses on building a tradition of excellence that empowers athletes to push their physical limits and translate their hard work into elite level performances.

Assistant Coach - Lifestyle/ Nutrition

From good to great, and from great to world class, Craig Blanchette helps himself and others find and obtain the vibrant lives everyone desires. Through intense passion, hard work, and focus, Craig brought home an Olympic Bronze medal from the Seoul, Korea Olympic Games (’88) and earned 21 World Records in road and track racing. With a personal mission set on supporting the success of others, Craig Blanchette assists people in achieving not just temporary health gains, but sustainable health. And in the process, Craig has been instrumental in moving thousands of people toward massive personal success.

• C.O.P.E. Certified Optimal Health Coach

• 21 time World Record holder

• 8 Time World Champion

• 88' Olympic Bronze Medalist (The Actual Olympics)

• Licensed Massage Therapist

• Father of 2

• Happily Married to my first wife, Anita

Para Track & Field Assistant Coach - Throws

Bio coming soon…

Para Track & Field Assistant Coach - Support

Bio coming soon…