Board of Directors

Michele Laye has been a part of AZDBA for over 8 years as a paddler, steer, and coach. She previously served on the Board as the Secretary for 5 years. Currently Michele coaches Team Blue, Gilas, and SunGi. Michele has also volunteered as the in-state and corporate team coordinator for the AZDBA festival for the last 6 years.

Michele also helps fundraise for AZDBA. She volunteers as an Ironman and RnR captain and volunteer coordinator. She also leads corporate team builders for AZDBA.

Michele is looking forward to growing the sport and the organization during her term.

Patrick Counihan brings 28 years of experience from Intel Corporation, where he most recently served as Principal Consultant and Service Line Lead within Flex, Intel’s embedded consulting group. His career has centered on navigating complex organizations, translating data into clear strategy, and delivering on commitments — strengths he now applies directly to the paddling community.

Since entering the sport just over a year ago, Patrick’s involvement has expanded quickly. He paddles with Arizona Gila Dragons, Sunsoon—competing at CCNC 2025 in Sarasota—and supports the SunGi women’s team in a training capacity. Regionally, he races with the Killer Guppies and SouthBreeze, a composite Southern California team. He also paddles outrigger canoe and currently serves on the board of Team Arizona (TAZ) Outrigger Canoe Club.

Off the water, Patrick builds SpeedCoach GPS performance reports and analysis for coaching staffs, providing actionable insights while respecting the decision-making role of coaches. This reflects the consulting mindset he brings to board service: ask the right questions, surface meaningful data, and support strong decisions without overstepping.

At 57, with the time, energy, and commitment to give back fully, Patrick is ready to serve the AZDBA as an athlete, volunteer, and invested community member. He brings professional rigor, a collaborative approach, and a genuine passion for helping the organization continue to grow and thrive.

Binal Patel was first introduced to the Arizona Dragon Boat Association (AZDBA) through the Mayo Clinic Corporate Dragon Boat Team in 2007. She served on the AZDBA Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012 and has held several leadership roles throughout her involvement with the organization. As Treasurer, she helped strengthen AZDBA’s financial management processes and introduced greater use of electronic tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and internal controls. She has also contributed as Festival Chair, Vendor Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator, supporting the continued growth and success of the annual festival.

Professionally, Binal holds an MBA and has been with Mayo Clinic for 25 years, where she currently serves as a Senior IT Application Analyst. She took a break from paddling in 2016 to focus on raising her two children and is now excited to re-engage with the dragon boat community.

As she returns to active involvement with AZDBA, Binal is passionate about growing the sport of dragon boating throughout Arizona, strengthening community engagement, and mentoring future leaders. Her goal is to help ensure the long-term sustainability and success of AZDBA for years to come.

Justin Choi has been part of AZDBA for eight years, paddling dragon boat and outrigger canoe across multiple Arizona clubs and building relationships throughout the national dragon boat scene. He paddles day-to-day at Tempe Town Lake and has previously served AZDBA as a Vendor Coordinator for the festival committee.

Beyond the water, Justin enjoys managing a book club, and participating in recreational endurance sports.

Professionally, Justin works in financial crimes compliance data management for a national bank, bringing strong organizational, administrative, and analytical skills to the causes he supports.

Justin is looking forward to continuing his involvement with the AZDBA community and helping grow the sport of dragon boating throughout Arizona.

Kevin Hornsby is a proud and dedicated member of the AZDBA Board of Directors, serving with a deep commitment to strengthening the Arizona dragon boat community. Being part of this organization has been one of the most meaningful experiences of his life, and he is honored to support its continued growth, connection, and long‑term success through his leadership role.

Kevin’s dedication to service began early. Raised by a single mother who worked in a retirement home, he spent much of his childhood volunteering—helping with activities, engaging with residents, and learning the importance of compassion, inclusion, and community. These experiences shaped his belief in creating environments where people feel welcomed, valued, and supported.

He found those same values within dragon boating. As both a paddler and steerer, Kevin has seen firsthand how AZDBA teams build trust, teamwork, and shared purpose. Through practices, races, volunteer efforts, and team events, he has experienced how the sport brings people together and fosters family‑oriented communities that encourage personal growth and wellness.

In his role on the board, Kevin is committed to strengthening member engagement, improving communication, supporting recruitment, and helping ensure the organization’s long‑term stability. He brings a strong work ethic, a creative mindset, and a genuine passion for community building. He values listening to diverse perspectives, collaborating to solve challenges, and supporting every team within AZDBA.

Above all, Kevin is dedicated to fostering connection and growth—preserving the sense of belonging and camaraderie that defines the sport while helping AZDBA thrive for future generations of paddlers.

Desiree Simmons has been elected to the AZDBA Board of Directors at least ten times, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to the organization. As Equipment Manager for thirteen years, she led efforts to acquire 20 new boats with the support of AZDBA members and coordinated the design and construction enhancements to AZDBA’s trailer, including the addition of a winch.

For the past ten years, Desiree has served as Director of Operations/Festival for the AZDBA Dragon Boat Festival and looks forward to continuing in this role for the upcoming year. She has automated all festival and organizational forms, streamlining operations and improving efficiency.

In 2020, Desiree was elected President of both PacDBA and AZDBA, and Vice President of Na Leo ‘O Ke Kia. Under her leadership, all three organizations remained active and engaged during the pandemic, keeping members informed and making meaningful improvements to prepare for the return of water sports. She facilitated a Team USA meet-and-greet and knowledge-sharing session for potential candidates, and collaborated on upgrading the PacDBA website and digitizing membership forms.

Desiree is passionate about leveraging technology to empower volunteers and modernize operations across PacDBA and AZDBA. She looks forward to continuing her service and helping AZDBA thrive.

Logan Cameron is an accomplished Dragon Boat enthusiast and a founding member of the AZ Blaze Canoe team. He is a data scientist and the owner of Data Wranglers, LLC. Logan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Informatics with a minor in Statistics from Arizona State University. Since 2019, he has worked with ASU and the state of Arizona conducting data analytics and providing actionable recommendations to work toward addressing critical issues. Currently, he is a Security Officer and Database Manager for the Arizona Homeless Response Initiative which requires him to complete data analytics with internal teams and multiple stakeholders to improve outcomes for the state.

Logan first became enthralled with Dragon Boat in 2022 when he realized he was motivated to exercise when part of a united team. Dragon Boat has become a significant aspect of his life because of the community, rich culture, the addictive fitness, and overall fun.

Ronda Carlson is a founding member of AZDBA and has served as a paddler, certified steer, coach, and steer trainer. She has planned and volunteered at every festival since its inception, most notably serving as the long-time parking coordinator. Inspired by her daughter Kim, Ronda co-founded the Komodo Dragons, AZDBA’s first Special Athlete team, and coached various iterations of the team for over a decade.

Organizationally, she helped develop and establish AZDBA’s safety protocols and steer training program. She has also transported boats across the Southwest, supporting the growth of dragon boat programs in other communities. Since AZDBA’s inception, Ronda has coached and steered for numerous community and corporate teams, and remains dedicated to creating safe, fun, and successful race experiences—especially for the corporate crews that help sustain AZDBA’s mission of growing dragon boating in Arizona.

 

Laura Rasmussen has been a member of AZDBA since 2012. A breast cancer diagnosis introduced her to the sport of dragon boating.  She paddles with Phoenix Desert Dragons, SunGi, and occasionally Gila Dragons. She is currently the Gila treasurer. Laura has previously served on the board for two terms, is a member of the Festival Committee, has volunteered for the festival, and assisted with Team Blue.

As a professional bookkeeper, Laura does paid consultancy for two non-profit entities and donates her time to other non-profit organizations.  Laura is no stranger to giving back to the community. Raised by parents who shared that belief paved the way. Laura loves to volunteer her time for good causes and has been involved in various capacities with other organizations including Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, Colorado Aids Project, Safehouse for Battered Women, Ironman, Bikers for Boobies, and Casting for Recovery.

Melinda Mulholland started Dragon Boating in 2024 and immediately fell in love with the sport and the AZDBA community. Melinda paddles with Team Blue, SunGi, Gilas, and Sunsoon and this is her first team based sport. She recently served on the Festival Committee for the 19th Annual AZDBA DB Festival and saw what an undertaking it was to put on a great festival. She was able to work with others on the Committee for Social Media/Media coordination, and assisting with the Corporate team practices. She is interested serving on the Board to help continue to grow the AZDBA community.

Melinda is an ASU Alumni (GO DEVILS!) and retired after 20+ years working for the State of Arizona. In her free time, she works at a hot yoga studio, enjoys running/Hiking and visiting as many National Parks as possible. Her goal as Social Media Manager is to keep the Arizona Dragon Boat Community informed and engaged via Meta Platforms, and other media as needed. Melinda is passionate about Dragon Boating and shares that enthusiasm with anyone who seems interested, so AZDBA can attract new members who share a love for the sport.

Amy Thomas is a member of Phoenix Fire Dragons, MonGi, SunGi, and PFD Haboobs. She has over 15 years of experience paddling outrigger canoe and 8 years paddling in dragon boating. She’s previously served on several boards, including for Team Arizona Outrigger Canoe Club, where she held the positions of Vice President and Secretary over multiple years.

Amy brings an open mind, experience and passion for these sports. Amy’s background equips her to contribute effectively to the board’s functions and foster a sense of community and fairness among paddlers at all levels. Amy is committed to bringing everyone together and ensuring a supportive and inclusive environment for all members.

Isolde “Izzy” Straley was first introduced to dragon boating through Discover Card, participating twice in the Arizona Dragon Boat Festival—and she was hooked immediately. She has now been paddling for nearly a decade, primarily with the Phoenix Desert Dragons, recently joining the Phoenix Fire Dragons, and has also paddled with Team Blue.

Izzy is passionate about the sport, the community, and the mission of AZDBA. Over the years, she has contributed through team volunteering and outreach efforts, helping strengthen connections within the paddling community. With her experience, enthusiasm, and commitment to service, Izzy is ready to support the organization in a broader capacity and is running for Member‑at‑Large to continue giving back to the sport she loves.