2026 NTP leadership team

Kyoko is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach and Certified Official. She joined the DC Tri Club in 2011 as a member of NTP. After she completed her first sprint distance triathlon (NTP graduation race), she has raced and finished wide range of triathlon races including Ironman 140.6 distance. She has qualified to be a member of Team USA Triathlon to represent USA Triathlon Age Group and has competed Draft-Legal Sprint World Championship races since 2018. She believes that NTP provided her a solid foundation and wants to give back to the program. 2025 NTP is her 4th year to coach and manage the New Triathlete Program. She also coaches DC Tri Club weekly track workout in Arlington, VA.

David is a recent graduate of the NTP class of 2023. After completing the 2023 NTP goal race, things escalated quickly—he competed in over 11 races, including finishing his first Ironman within 15 months of joining DC Tri. Outside of triathlons, David is working toward completing all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors (fingers crossed for Boston in 2026). He credits the NTP 2023 co-leads for helping him choose the right biking gear and transition from short-distance swimming to open water. David considers himself a ‘passenger princess’ that will readily sign up for any race as long as there is a ride. He is a member of both the DC Tri Elite Team and TriOUT.

Julie is a USA Triathlon coach and masters swim coach.  She was a collegiate swimmer who went on to start racing triathlons approximately a million years ago.  She has a new goal of completing a triathlon in every state — which will take several more years to accomplish.  Julie joined the DC Tri Elite team last year and acts as liaison between NTP and the Elite team.  One of her favorite spots is on a pool deck helping triathletes become relaxed and efficient swimmers.

Lauren Jee joined DC Tri Club in 2023 as a member of NTP. She first attempted a triathlon in 2013 at the Nation’s Tri, which became a duathlon due to a sewage spill in the Potomac- very D.C. After a 10 year hiatus, Lauren decided to “tri” again completing 3 Sprint triathlons and 1 Olympic relay in her first season. An avid traveler and unenthusiastic runner, Lauren has found joy in long, slow runs in new cities and foreign countries. She is also passionate about open water swimming and yoga and is part of the DCAC Masters Swim Team.

Anne Ellyse (pronounced “An Elise”) is a NTP graduate from the class of 2022. With a ballet and yoga background, she was not your typical triathlete- but thanks to DC Tri Club she has now completed several olympic and half-ironman distance triathlons. She is happiest when moving, and also thoroughly enjoys all of the time in green spaces that triathlon training affords her. While she is not the first to cross the finish line, she IS the first one to point out wildlife to her friends on long rides and runs! Having recently gone through the NTP program herself, she is thrilled to be supporting an incoming class of athletes!

Rebecca joined triathlon through the NTP in 2022 and continues to return as a lead for the club in different roles because of her love for helping athletes build confidence and feel at home in the sport. Her favorite discipline is the bike, and she enjoys supporting athletes not just physically, but mentally, helping them see endurance as something that can be built sustainably at any distance. Outside of triathlon, Rebecca works a corporate job, is a devoted cat mom to Finnegan, and wishes she could bike for a living. She is currently training for Eagleman 70.3 and Ironman Lake Placid 140.6 in 2026 and looks forward to supporting new triathletes as they begin their journey.

John-Anthony, initially a cyclist, joined the DC Tri Club in 2010 as a member of NTP and completed his inaugural half ironman in Costa Rica in Oct of 2012. Then he and his husband adopted three kids and life changed! Now, more than a decade later, with no triathlons or open water swimming in over 10 years, he rejoined DC Tri and NTP in 2023 and enjoyed a season with multiple sprints including placing for the first time ever! He is excited to pay it forward for everything NTP and DC Tri has done for him.

Catharine joined the DC Tri Club in 2011 as a member of NTP. She also became a level 2 US Master swim coach because the level of swimming she did before NTP was on par with swimming up to the pool bar and not dying when someone threw her into the pool. While Catharine has done marathons and half ironmans – she’s still chasing completing that elusive full ironman.  But lately she is more likely to be skiing, training for a running race, or hanging out with her dog on the sofa.