Our Team

Susan is the mother and survivor of Grace Holt and founder of Grace & Kindness Foundation. After losing Grace, Susan wanted a way to honor the life of her beautiful daughter and also leave a legacy of something positive for kids. That was the start of Grace & Kindness and Run With Grace. Susan has also found herself in the role of helping other parents who have lost a child. As she says, “There could be no worse pain and it feels un-survivable.” She desperately needed to find other parents who lost their child and were able to find a way to live with meaning. Susan is also the proud mother of Jill Rosie Holt. Jill Rosie is attending the Honors College at Oregon State University and majoring in psychology. Susan’s passion is working with kids – she has been teaching health and physical education at Hedrick Middle School for more than 28 years. She also coaches track and cross Country. Susan has always been an avid runner, loves the outdoors, whether working in her yard or hiking in the mountains, and homes as many pets as she can find space. She is a graduate of Oregon State University.

Susan sincerely appreciates your participation and support of the Grace & Kindness Foundation and Run With Grace. She knows, together, we are impacting the lives of youth.

Lisa is the Director of Run With Grace and a board member of Grace & Kindness. She has been a part of the organization since the beginning. She has a Master of Education and has taught and coached at the high school level. Lisa has also owned a small business in the Rogue Valley and has been involved in our community in a variety of ways. She is passionate about helping youth realize their potential. Most recently, Lisa has held a few different positions at Kids Unlimited, an organization that caters to low income, Hispanic youth. Her knowledge of nonprofits, the ability to raise money and experience with directing events is critical to our board. Lisa identifies as a “soccer mom” and “wrestling mom.” In her free time, she enjoys golfing and wake surfing with her husband Rick, and three kids Talia, Carmen and Joey. You will often find her with family and friends at their cabin at Lake of the Woods. Ironically, she is not a runner.

Misty is a Utah native that moved to Medford 16 years ago. She has a Master of Education with a Bachelor of Science in special education and physical education. Misty has been teaching for 23 years and currently works at Hedrick Middle School. She has also spent many years coaching multiple sports at the high school and middle school level. Misty loves working with kids and pushing them to reach their fullest potential. She feels very fortunate to be a member of the Grace & Kindness board, honoring Grace Holt and her legacy of kindness and compassion for all. Misty is dedicated to helping raise awareness of the importance of mental health and suicide prevention. She knows intimately what losing a loved one feels like having lost her father who also died as a result of suicide. Misty is happily married and has three wonderful boys. She loves spending time with her family, camping, paddle boarding and bike riding.

Melissa is the treasurer of the Grace & Kindness Foundation. She teaches seventh grade math at Hanby Middle School for Central Point School District and loves her job. In her free time, Melissa loves to hike, run and spend time outdoors. She has two daughters, Lindsey and Ashley, and her family has been friends with the Holt family for over 25 years. Melissa is so proud of her friend Susan, who has turned a tragic loss into a legacy for Grace through an incredible fundraiser that supports underprivileged youth. She is extremely proud to be a part of this foundation.