Our

Coaches

Jena Winger

Co-Founder & Camp Director

Jena is a certified mental performance coach and high school track & field coach, and the Camp Director of Cascadia Running Camp. A lifelong runner, Jena joined her first track team at five years old and went on to compete collegiately as a six-time NCAA Division III National Qualifier, four-time Northwest Conference Champion, and 2008 NWC Athlete of the Meet. Her experiences as an athlete deeply inform her coaching philosophy.

Jena specializes in helping athletes understand how the mind works and how to develop mental skills, such as self-talk, visualization, and emotional regulation, to compete with purpose and presence. She brings experience supporting athletes across a wide range of ability levels, blending evidence-based mental skills training with the joy and challenge of trail running in the Pacific Northwest.

  • Certified Mental Performance Coach and Performance Visualization Specialist through Positive Performance Training

  • USTFCCCA Certification: Track & Field, Endurance Specialization

  • Founder of Wingman Performance Coaching

  • Former Senior Footwear Product Line Manager at Brooks Running 

  • Willamette University cross-country, track & field; former school record holder (3,000 steeplechase). Majored in Exercise Science and minoring in Economics

  • Running reporter for Runnerspace and Nike

  • Fun fact: FAA Private Pilot ASEL

Elizabeth Carey

Co-Founder and Board Treasurer

Elizabeth brings a blend of coaching experience, authorship, and advocacy to Cascadia Running Camp. She is the head cross-country and assistant track and field coach at Garfield High School and co-author of Girls Running: All You Need to Strive, Thrive, and Run Your Best, a resource focused on supporting the physical, mental, and emotional development of young runners.

An endurance coach since 2002, she has coached at most levels of the sport, including NCAA programs. She ran Division I cross-country and track for Columbia University, and has worked in many corners of the running and outdoor industry, including journalism, retail, marketing, public relations, community groups, and non-profit initiatives. 

Elizabeth earned her master’s in journalism from Syracuse University. Her writing has been published in Runner’s World, Women’s Running, DyeStat, Outside, and The New York Times. A public speaker, she presents at conferences and conventions. 

Elizabeth advocates for an athlete-centered approach. She’s committed to creating a healthy, empowering environment, particularly for adolescents navigating sport. Her work emphasizes long-term athlete development, confidence, and sustainable performance.

  • USATF Level 1 Certified Coach

  • Safe Sport trained

  • Four-year distance runner at Columbia University; BA in urban studies and political science

  • Master’s degree in Magazine, Newspaper and Online Journalism from Syracuse University

  • Former Editor-in-Chief of Run.com; digital editor of SKI and Skiing magazines 

  • Former Director of the Melody Fairchild Running Camp

  • Coached Cross Country and Track and Field at Oregon State University and Syracuse University

  • Fun fact: She’s a proud pug mom

Meaghan McCluskey

Co-Founder, Secretary and Marketing Director

Meaghan brings a broad and deeply rooted background in the running community to Cascadia Running Camp. She has worked across many facets of the sport, from athlete support and specialty run retail to coaching high school runners, building a well-rounded understanding of what young athletes need to thrive.

Meaghan is currently an assistant coach for both track & field and cross country at her alma mater, Gig Harbor High School. She previously coached as an assistant at Sehome High School and spent formative years immersed in the running culture of Bend, Oregon, where she worked closely with athletes through roles connected to running brands and specialty footwear.

  • NAIA cross country and track & field athlete at Black Hills State University; BA in English

  • USTFCCCA certification: Track & Field Endurance Specialization and Technical Certification

  • Member of the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association Board of Directors

  • Social media manager and creative marketing entrepreneur with experience building brand presence in the running community

  • SafeSport trained

  • Fun fact: Has raced everything from the mile to ultramarathons, experiencing firsthand the unique challenges and joys of every distance in between