Blake Wilsford
Director, Programs & Operations | Board Member | blake.wilsford@paladinsports.org
Blake Wilsford is a devoted husband to his wife, Lindsay, and a proud father to their three sons—Ryan, Kenny, and Easton. As a family, they enjoy playing sports, swimming, going to the movies, and reading together. For the past 13 years, they have called San Tan Valley home.
Blake’s love for sports began at the age of five and grew into a passion for baseball. By 14, he had set his sights on the sport and went on to start all four years on his high school varsity team. His senior year in 1997 was a standout season, earning All-District, All-State, and USA Today All-American honors—along with being drafted by the New York Yankees.
Choosing to pursue college, Blake spent his first two years as the starting shortstop at Volunteer State, where he earned All-Conference honors and helped lead the team to a #1 national ranking and an appearance in the 1999 Junior College World Series. He completed his collegiate career at Union University, earning All-Conference honors in both his junior and senior seasons.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, Blake is passionate about using his gifts and experiences to serve his community. He is honored to be part of Paladin Sports Outreach and is excited to help share the love of Christ through the platform of sports.
Emily Ruiz
Programs Manager – Arizona East Valley | emily.ruiz@paladinsports.org
Emily and her husband, Frank, have called San Tan Valley home since 2007, where they are raising their two daughters, Davyn and Ashlyn. Since 2012, they have also served as foster parents, continuing to open their home and hearts to young girls in the Arizona Foster Care System.
An Arizona native, Emily has loved sports from a young age, playing year-round throughout her childhood and high school years—with softball being her top sport. In high school, she helped start a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) huddle and was actively involved in FCA camps.
Before joining Paladin, Emily worked as a hairstylist and successfully ran her own business for 15 years. Her lifelong love for sports and heart for youth ultimately led her to Paladin Sports Outreach, where she is honored to serve and impact her community through faith and athletics.
E.J. Lee
Area Director – Minnesota NW Metro | ej.lee@paladinsports.org
E.J. has carried a lifelong passion for both the Lord and sports. She grew up playing and coaching softball, basketball, and tennis, and spent many summers helping lead FCA camps, offering private lessons, and umpiring fastpitch softball for eight years. In recognition of her athletic and community contributions, E.J. was inducted into the Mankato East Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
She met her husband, Matthew, while serving on the leadership team for the Navigators collegiate ministry. After nearly a decade in youth ministry, the Lord called E.J. and Matthew to reach youth and families for His Kingdom through sports. Together, they are raising five children in the NW Metro area and living out a life rooted in faith, service, and athletics.
E.J. and Matthew feel incredibly blessed to be launching Paladin Sports Outreach in Minnesota and are excited to see how God moves in their family and in the lives of those they serve.
Ron Wells
Area Director – Arizona North Phoenix / Glendale | ron.wells@paladinsports.org
Bio coming soon.
Jason Hendrix
Area Director – Arizona Southwest Valley | jason.hendrix@paladinsports.org
Jason Hendrix has spent the past 25 years serving in municipal government across Arizona and California. With a heart for youth and community, he is passionate about creating meaningful sports experiences that also lead young people toward a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Jason lives in Goodyear with his wife, their two adult children, and two energetic huskies. A die-hard Notre Dame football fan, Jason also enjoys playing pickleball (currently holding a solid 2.5 rating) and proudly maintains a double-bogey average on the golf course.
Peter Gonzales
Area Director – Arizona South Tucson | peter.gonzales@paladinsports.org
A Tucson native, Peter is a husband to Nicole and proud father to their two-year-old son, Caleb. Their family enjoys the outdoors and caring for their small animal farm of twenty chickens and three ducks.
Peter has served in education for nearly a decade and is currently an assistant principal at a local high school. A lifelong athlete, he grew up playing baseball, basketball, and soccer, and has coached at several schools throughout Tucson.
Since coming to faith thirteen years ago, Peter has been actively involved in ministry. After hearing his pastor speak about the need for more sports ministries rooted in Christ, he felt called to join Paladin. Peter is passionate about serving the Tucson community and sharing the Gospel through sports and the love of Christ.
Laura Elliott
Manager, HR & Finance | laura.elliott@paladinsports.org
Laura is the wife of Eric (affectionately known as “Hoovey”) and mom to two active kids, Caden and Chloe. Her family made the move from Illinois to sunny Arizona in 2018, and quickly found a home in the Paladin community. Her husband has loved coaching with Paladin, and their children have thrived through their involvement in sports.
Laura holds a degree in Finance from Illinois State University. She loves spending time outdoors—hiking, staying active, and enjoying Arizona’s sunshine—but her greatest passion is her family. Most weekends, you’ll find her cheering from the sidelines at a softball field, wrestling match, or football game.
Deeply moved by Paladin’s mission and the impact it’s had on her own family, Laura is excited to be part of the team and looks forward to watching the organization grow and serve even more families across the Valley.
Jason Best
Founder | Director, Brand & Communications | Board Member | jason.best@paladinsports.org
Jason is the founder of Paladin Sports Outreach, established in 2008 with a mission to use sports as a platform to impact lives for Christ. He brings over 20 years of coaching experience across all levels—from recreational leagues to collegiate athletics—and currently serves as the Head Coach for Girls Soccer at Eastmark High School in Mesa, Arizona.
A former collegiate two-sport athlete at Moorpark College and Chapman University, Jason is also a certified personal trainer with specialized credentials in Performance Enhancement and sport-specific Strength & Conditioning for Soccer Players. He holds Level 1 and 2 Coaching Certifications from FC Barcelona and is currently pursuing his USSF ‘D’ License.
In addition to his sports and coaching background, Jason earned an MBA in Marketing in 2009 and has worked in professional sports since 2004. He and his wife of 27 years, Cindy, have four children—Aaron, Hannah, Sarah, and Carson. Jason is passionate about developing young athletes, building strong communities, and sharing the love of Christ through sport.
Taytum Best
Manager, Marketing | taytum.best@paladinsports.org
Taytum loves the Lord and sports, which led her to take the role of Manager, Marketing for Paladin Sports Outreach. She and her husband Aaron reside in East Mesa with their son Judah and lively dog Georgia. Her passion for sports started at a young age playing soccer from age 4-16 years old in a variety of levels ranging from recreational, club, and school.
Taytum graduated with a health degree from ASU and has experience with coaching soccer both club and recreational. She loves the mission behind Paladin and seeks to be apart of changing the culture of sports.
Ty Schraufnagel
Director, Relationships & Revenue | Board Member | ty.schraufnagel@paladinsports.org
Ty Schraufnagel is a local small business owner with a heart for serving his community. A former college athlete, Ty brings a lifelong passion for sports, youth, and service to everything he does. He and his wife are raising two energetic boys and have found Paladin Sports Outreach to be the perfect place to lay down roots and actively engage with their local community.
Ty is grateful for the opportunity to serve through Paladin and is excited to be part of an organization that is making a lasting impact on families. He looks forward to seeing how God continues to use Paladin to grow His Kingdom through the platform of sports.
Aaron Best
Manager, Grants & Strategic Partnerships | aaron.best@paladinsports.org
Aaron’s role with Paladin combines his love for sports with a heart for community impact. A multi-sport athlete throughout his youth and college years, Aaron has played baseball, basketball, soccer, and rugby. He holds a degree in Communications from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.
Aaron lives in Mesa, AZ with his wife, Taytum and son, Judah. When he’s not supporting financial advisors at a local wealth management firm, he enjoys hiking, reading, and keeping up with the Dodgers or the latest UFC fight. He’s honored to be part of the Paladin team and to help grow its mission through strategic funding and outreach.
Jordan Engel
Administrative Assistant | jordan.engel@paladinsports.org
Jordan is a unique blend of organization and creativity—someone who genuinely loves administrative work, making lists, and bringing structure to chaos. She currently serves as an executive assistant and marketing lead for a business owner, where she thrives in helping ideas come to life behind the scenes.
With a passion for storytelling and a desire to use it as her ministry, Jordan is always looking for ways to connect hearts through words. She runs on Jesus, cold brew, and an endless stream of dog TikToks. Most days, you’ll find her tucked away in a coffee shop, perfecting her Spotify playlists, doodling on her iPad, or planning her next adventure—most likely to her favorite city: London.
Stevie Stewart
Event Coordinator | stevie.stewart@paladinsports.org
Sports and faith have always played a central role in Stevie’s life, so when the opportunity to join Paladin Sports Outreach came along, she knew it was meant to be. Her connection to Paladin began in 2018 when she attended the annual Paladin Gala with family—and she’s been a part of the community ever since.
Stevie is a graduate of Northern Arizona University and has lived in the Phoenix Valley since 2018. Outside of work, you’ll likely find her spending time with her three dogs, cheering on the Arizona Diamondbacks, or enjoying a round of golf.
Stevie is thrilled to be part of the Paladin team and looks forward to serving her community through the powerful intersection of sports and faith.
Paul Ingram
Board Chair
Austin Walker
Vice Chair
Austin was born and raised in a small town in Minnesota, where he and his wife and kids currently live. He is the founder of Apex Gathering, which exists to help kingdom leaders pursue their God-given calling. He is also the pastor of a church called Embrace, where he helps people reach their full potential in Jesus Christ. Austin joined the Paladin Board in 2018 and felt passionate about their mission of changing the culture of sports on and off the field, encouraging everyone to become active participants in defending noble causes around them. Austin is a father of 3 and loves being a dad. He loves taking his kids on adventures whenever possible and teaching them how to live out their faith. As part of his work with the Paladin Board, he loves to look for new ways to expand the reach of Paladin to new locations and expressions.
In his free time, Austin loves being outdoors, whether it be in a canoe in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area or a deer stand behind his house. He also enjoys woodworking in his workshop, specifically building tables for people because he loves thinking about the conversations and community that happens around them.
Kyndra Gillory
Secretary
I grew up in Oregon and was very blessed to be raised in a Jesus loving home. My relationship with Christ started at an early age and He has been my foundation throughout my entire life. In college I found my way to Nashville, due to my love of country music, to pursue my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. While in Nashville I met my husband, Coleman. After we got married we lived in Texas for 5 years and found ourselves moving to Arizona in 2011. We have 2 boys (currently 15 and 12) who have a huge love of sports. What started out as t-ball, flag football, and soccer through Paladin‘a recreational league turned into joining their club baseball program. We thought our kids were just playing sports, but we quickly realized Paladin was something different and had a much bigger meaning. We immediately began getting involved and sponsoring the gala because we believed so deeply in Paladin’s mission. Our boys and our family have been changed because of Paladin.
Tim Ferrara
Member
Tim has grown up in the church and has held various leadership positions both in business and in the church. Tim is currently the Executive Pastor at LifePoint Church in Arizona. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Arizona State University along with a MBA from University of Phoenix. He has had a career in business management for over 20 years and has worked as faculty for two different colleges.
Tim started the ministry of Discerning Dad (www.discerning-dad.com) in 2018 as a way to write and encourage Christians to grow in discernment and make better decisions that honor God. He has written two books: Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-Led Decision Making and Eyes on Jesus: A 90-Day Discernment Devotional. Tim also has a podcast called Eyes on Jesus which is a top ranked Christian podcast on the Edifi podcast network. Tim lives with his wife Jamie and their two children in Arizona.
Katie Darby
Member
Katie is a devoted mother of four, her journey through parenthood has spanned over two decades, navigating the diverse challenges and joys that come with raising children ranging from 17 to 24 years old. Her enduring marriage of 27 years to her high school sweetheart is a testament to the strength of love and commitment. At the age of 21, she embraced Christianity, a transformative decision that profoundly influenced both her personal and family life trajectories.
With a background as a senior financial analyst, she ventured into entrepreneurship by founding a successful drapery business. In 2015, she expanded her horizons by obtaining a real estate license, diving into sales at the end of 2017. Remarkably, her dedication and talent catapulted her into the top 5% of real estate professionals, a testament to her business acumen and passion for excellence. Katie is not just a woman of diverse talents but also an embodiment of resilience, faith, and the unwavering pursuit of success.
Tanya Baker
Member
