Mindy McGrath
Mindy played college volleyball for Mary Ann, and then became her assistant coach for several years before taking over her own programs. Mindy has been teaching Physical Education and coaching for the past 20 years at independent schools in the northwest.
Through teaching she hopes to encourage confidence in students through physical activity and create a space where all individuals feel supported to explore their own abilities regarding health and wellness.
From Mindy, “I have two amazing teenagers that have been my best teammates. They have put up with my crazy coaching schedules and have become extended family to whatever community I am a part of.
My daughter Gracia was born with Hydrocephalus. While this is not the only part of our story it is certainly a big piece of it. She had brain surgery when she was 6 months old and had a VP shunt placed. For the past 13 years of her life, she has battled many challenges and continues to face adversity with a smile. My son and I have been along for the ride and have learned a great deal more about patience, kindness, empathy, and resilience.”
Mary Ann has this to say about Mindy, “Mindy is a true character educator. She has a way of immediately getting through to kids (and adults) with her creative ability to pivot and find a better way. Mindy traveled to British Columbia with me to be a part of the camp team to lead a camp for Ukrainian refugee children, and Mindy became passionate about Active Discovery’s mission and was brimming with ideas. She has always been a consultant for me, and I’m grateful to have her on the Board now!"
Other Team Members
Mary Ann Sprague-Denison
Mary Ann feels right at home at the helm of Active Discovery as her coaching career of over thirty years has been dedicated to promoting strong lives on and off the court, and strong efforts in the classroom as well. Coaching NCAA college volleyball, developing youth sport programs and running fitness classes for seniors have kept Mary Ann busy, but through it all, her greatest passion is found in building community and culture through sport (play!). Mary Ann’s college teams regularly earned AVCA’s highest national academic award and won the conference Sportsmanship Award nine times. Her players have graduated and gone into the world as business leaders, professional athletes and loyal family members. Mary Ann received her MBA from University of Missouri and is a USAV CAP Certified Coach and ACE Group Fitness Instructor. Relocating to California was an easy decision for Mary Ann, as it brought her closer to her daughters and has been the perfect location to begin her non-profit work. Mary Ann believes that everyone is more prepared to prosper with regular activity in their lives. She shares that “every product we give has activity included, because research shows students who are physically active (even for just 10 minutes a day) tend to have better grades, school attendance, memory, and on-task behavior”. Our products lead kids and families in the right direction with toys, equipment, games, videos and snack-sized workouts, all of which foster a higher and more regular level of activity. Mary Ann shares, “I feel confident that every child or adult that has incorporated regular activity in their lives is happier for doing so.
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Amanda Weitman
Ms. Weitman is a wealth advisor located in the Corte Madera Wells Fargo Private Bank office. She is responsible for working with high-net-worth clients to effectively manage their wealth, first by identifying each client’s unique goals then coordinating a team of specialists to implement custom, comprehensive wealth plans to help accomplish those goals. Ms. Weitman began her career with and has been with the firm since July, 1983. Ms. Weitman earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Principia College. She received her MBA from Golden Gate University and she earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from American College. Ms. Weitman received a Masters in Philanthropy from the Lily Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University in 2020. Ms. Weitman is a native of Marin County. She serves on several local non-profit boards.
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Jamie Williams Sloan
Jamie is a midwestern gal who currently lives in IL with her family. Her life work has been in human development through a Montessori lens. Working with students (and adults) of all ages and backgrounds, and perhaps most notably as a mother to two, now 17-year-old daughters, Jamie has gained a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and the gift of opportunity. Her daughters, one of whom was born in China, have both attended Montessori school, been home-schooled, attended an International IB school in China, and attended public and private high school in the US. Jamie’s involvement along the way has taught her that human development is a journey unique to every individual, and one key is passion. Active Discovery has found a way to open the door to passionate engagement for kids who may not have the same opportunities afforded to others. It is her privilege to champion the mission of Active Discovery.
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