Our Team

Dustin (PDGA#45395) started his disc golf journey in 2008 with his wife, Hannah. Since then, he has had the opportunity to travel the country, and even the world, filling various roles within the sport. In 2014 he established Eagles Wings Disc Golf, a faith-based nonprofit organization that has focused on developing junior disc golf and installing disc golf courses in developing countries, among other things. In 2016 Dustin led a team that installed the first disc golf course in Zambia, Africa, and served as the TD for Zambia's first PDGA event in 2019. In 2017 he traveled with another team to Costa Rica to install a 9 hole course in San Jose, where Eagles Wings Disc Golf has since installed a second course within the city limits. Dustin currently leads a staff of 10 and an ambassador team of 16, and Eagles Wings has installed over 25 courses and run countless junior tournaments, leagues, and clinics around the world.

Including his time with Eagles Wings Disc Golf, Dustin has worked in the nonprofit world for 14 years. Before that, Dustin spent time working for the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers. He earned a BA in Sports and Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Management from Messiah College in 2006 and an MA in Theology from Biblical Seminary in 2012.

While Dustin has enjoyed all aspects of the sport, he is particularly passionate about introducing disc golf to new communities and people worldwide.

Paul (PDGA #27523) started playing disc golf in 2004 and entered his first tournament, the PDGA Amateur World Championships, in 2005. Paul entered his first MPO event in 2006 and decided to pursue disc golf as a tournament professional in 2008 when he was named the PDGA Male Rookie of the Year. Since then, disc golf has played a major role in his life as he has competed in over 300 events as a professional player. In 2012 Paul won his first World Championship, and today he is a 5x World Champion, 5x European Open Champion, 2x USDGC Champion, and 5x PDGA Male Player of the Year. In addition to setting the standard for excellence and professionalism on the course, Paul has consistently demonstrated a commitment to move the sport forward. In 2019 Paul helped launch Foundation Disc Golf with the mission to help players grow in their game, and in recent years, he has developed a passion for course design. By starting the Paul McBeth Foundation, Paul hopes to provide people worldwide the opportunity to experience the sport that has helped shape the person he is today.

Paul grew up in Huntington Beach, where he started his disc golf career. Today he resides in Lynchburg, VA, with his wife, Hannah. They have a German Shepherd named Harrison and are thankful they have had the opportunity to travel to 13 countries because of disc golf.

Nate (PDGA #49340) picked up disc golf when he was 14 years old. He has played for just over 20 years after learning the sport from his best friend's dad. Nate is currently the Vice President of the PDGA Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the PDGA Major's and NT Committee, was the TD for the 2019 PDGA Professional Disc Golf World Championships, is the upcoming TD for the 2022 Combined Junior and Master's PDGA World Championships, is the TD for the annual Ledgestone Insurance Open, is the TD for the Discraft Great Lakes Open and is very involved in the Peoria disc golf scene.

Nate works as the Vice President for Ledgestone Insurance, specializing in commercial insurance. Nate holds an MBA from Illinois State University and the CPCU insurance designation.

Nate lives in Eureka, IL, with his wife Laurie and their two children (Caleb, 13, and Maxwell, 2).

Doug (PDGA #14902) has been around disc golf in one form or another since the late 1990s. From the late 90s until 2016, disc golf was simply a hobby and a passion for him. As a disc golf enthusiast, Doug volunteered in various capacities to further organize the sport locally. From installing courses to hosting and running local leagues and tag matches, Doug found ways to make time to further invest in the sport he loved. In 2011, Doug entered the world of tournament directing. He co-founded and served as the tournament director of the first Rocky Mountain Women's Disc Golf Championships (RMWDGC). This led to an exciting ride over the last decade that included seeing the RMWDGC rise to prominence on the national disc golf scene and his eventual hire by Dynamic Discs to TD their events in Emporia, Kansas. In 2016, Doug TD'd his first National Tour, the Glass Blown Open, and his first major, the PDGA Professional World Disc Golf Championships. He has also TD'd the PDGA Junior Disc Golf World Championships in 2018 and 2019, grew the Glass Blown Open to the largest tournament in the world, created and facilitated the annual United States Amateur Match Play Championships, and created the Veterans for Vets events, which are played all over the United States each winter to raise funds for local veteran-serving organizations.

Before working full time for Dynamic Discs, Doug enjoyed a long career in higher education administration. He earned a BA in Geography from the University of Maryland - Baltimore County in 1989. Doug also serves as the Human Resources Director for Dynamic Discs.

Doug continues to be passionate about disc golf and is grateful his whole family plays and enjoys the sport. The bonds built within his family have certainly been strengthened and continue to grow through disc golf.

Brandon attended Wingate University, where he was introduced to disc golf and graduated with a B.S. in Sport Management and a minor in International Relations in 2008.

Since 2008, Brandon has worked in various parts of a large nonprofit in Charlotte, NC, transitioning into the finance department in 2017. Brandon is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Disc golf continues to be a hobby and joy in his life and one that his whole family enjoys, especially living in the disc golf mecca of Charlotte! Brandon is excited to use his skill set to serve a disc golf organization created to do good work worldwide.

Justin (PDGA# 23600) grew up with a passion for sports. His love of sports ranged from baseball to soccer, golf, basketball, and football. As a high school student looking for a summer job, Justin landed a warehouse position in the Innova East warehouse. It was at this time that Justin discovered another sport to be passionate about; disc golf.

Innova first hired Justin to work in the warehouse in the summer of 1999. He has moved up through the company to his current role as the EDI Manager and System Administrator at Innova East. Justin has also been a part of every United States Disc Golf Championship since the event started. Whether it was working on the course as a spotter, cutting the fairways, delivering lunches for staff, running distance competitions, supporting the broadcast efforts, or serving as the event's IT manager (his current role), Justin has not missed a single event!

Justin has always had a passion for service. He has been a part of numerous disaster relief teams in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma, and Freeport (Bahamas) after Hurricane Dorian.

Justin is excited to parlay his passion for disc golf and his passion for service to grow disc golf and do so in areas that may not typically have a chance to experience the sport.

Blake (PDGA #129806) discovered disc golf in the mid-1990s. Unfortunately, after two fun-filled summers and one ace, he lost touch with the sport for twenty years. Since picking it back up in 2018, it has become the focal point of his social life and free time. In 2020, he played over 500 rounds in thirteen states. He hopes to increase those numbers in future years. His relationship to the world of competitive disc golf began as a volunteer with Saint Paul Putting, a winter indoor putting league. He has since served as consigliere and videographer for Kaposia Summer and Fall Series at the toughest course in the State of Minnesota, producing and directing weekly virtual players' meetings that allowed for leagues to operate safely during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Blake is an attorney and founding partner at the law firm Iverson Felsheim in Minneapolis. His practice is focused on business, intellectual property, and entertainment law. He is also an adjunct professor at several local colleges and universities, teaching classes in entrepreneurship, intellectual property, entertainment law, and nonprofit management. He has previously served on the boards of several Twin Cities arts and athletic nonprofits.

Blake is a firm believer in the power of disc golf to change lives. The confidence, discipline, and relationships that he's built on the course carry over to all aspects of his life. He's become an evangelist for the game, quick with a lesson and a starter pack of discs for anyone who asks.

Chico was born and raised in Venezuela, where his parents served for many years. Chico has been a multi-sport athlete for his entire life, and disc golf has been one of the more recent additions to the list of sports he enjoys. Chico was actively involved in launching Eagles Wings Disc Golf in 2014 and played a leading role in organizing disc golf teams that traveled to Macha, Zambia and San Jose, Costa Rica to design and install courses and teach the sport. Chico currently resides in Kandern, Germany, where he works at Black Forest Academy and is a Feuerbach Disc Golf Club member.

Chico spent 19 years working as the International Director for a nonprofit organization, Push The Rock. In that role, he traveled to over 40 countries leading teams and teaching sports clinics while also providing oversight to all International staff members.

Chico looks forward to applying his vast international experience to the projects selected by the Paul McBeth foundation.

In the summer of 2012 Jonathan Gomez, better known by his nickname “Jomez”, competed in the Amateur Disc Golf World Championships. After his round, he decided to film the final nine holes of the professional lead card. He unwittingly founded JomezPro on the spot. Five years later he convinced his childhood friends, Michael and Jerry, to quit their steady jobs and produce Disc Golf coverage full time. Since then ten others have joined, bringing the crew to thirteen full and part-time members. JomezPro has a vision for growing the sport and a passion for creating the very best in Disc Golf media.

Zach (PDGA #78562) began playing disc golf in 2015 and is a passionate advocate for the sport. During his second year at Saint Leo University, he started a disc golf club and designed a course on campus. Zach then interned at the PDGA's International Disc Golf Center in early 2017 and worked for the Ted Williams Foundation, a non-profit based out of Tropicana Field before joining Eagles Wings Disc Golf in 2018, a faith-based nonprofit focused on developing junior disc golf and installing courses in developing countries. Zach is also a devoted father with a quickly growing family and currently resides in Tampa, Florida.

Jay (PDGA #154783) began playing disc golf in the mid-2000s when a 9-hole course was installed in his hometown, and really picked up the sport after moving to Charlotte, NC. While in Charlotte, he worked at a large non-profit for 7 years, leading video production for their social media team. He now lives in Columbus, OH with his wife and son, and loves to be able to work with the Paul McBeth Foundation merging two of his passions - disc golf & social media.

Paul Wright (PDGA#32290) is married to his wife of 44 years, Pam. They have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren. Paul retired from the Kent Fire Department 2016 after 28 years serving the last 16 at the position of Battalion Chief. Paul was the founder and president of TAPFIRE a non-profit organization that provided fire equipment and training around the world to places such as Mexico, Nigeria, Madagascar, and more. Paul has traveled to many countries as a part of the Christian Medical Response Team providing assistance during disasters. Paul has been throwing discs since the early 70’s. Some highlights include competing in the 1981 World Frisbee Championships in the Rose Bowl with his dog Coco. After taking a long break to raise his 3 children he won his first amateur world championship MA50 in 2009 in Kansas City. 4 Amateur World Doubles Championships with 4 different partners and an MA60 World Championship in 2016. As President of the West Sound Disc Golf Association in Bremerton, Paul has helped lead course design and installation as well as tournament direction, clinics, and growth strategies in the West Sound area. The Bremerton area was recently named the #10 best disc golf community in the United States by UDisc. Paul has written several articles for Discgolfer magazine, played for team USA in Estonia, and is an Innova ambassador. Paul volunteers and participates on the Board of Directors at his local food bank.

Aaron (PDGA #115007) has spent much of his adult life pouring into the lives of children. Whether as a big brother in a mentorship program, a board member for various non-profits, a public speaker sharing one of his children's books, a basketball coach teaching new skills, or a nonprofit professional rescuing children from human trafficking, he has always been on a mission to serve, encourage and develop young people.

Aaron found disc golf in the summer of 2016 when he officially retired from playing basketball. Disc golf helped him stay active while filling his desire for competition. He is a casual, but obsessed, player who loves to share the sport with new people.

After a successful career at Coca-Cola, Aaron left the corporate world to commit his life to non-profit work. Today he serves as the International Media and Marketing Director for Destiny Rescue, an organization that rescues children from human trafficking and sexual exploitation. He resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife Erica. He has two adult daughters and one granddaughter.

Cara Hovius (PDGA #123037) first picked up the sport of disc golf after volunteering at a course install in her hometown of Toronto in 2018. Since meeting local players and getting involved in the scene, she knew that the disc golf community offered something special that could have a positive impact on everyones' lives.

Following a decade in Regulatory Affairs, Cara left the corporate world to share her love of disc golf with other people. Today, she is the co-founder of ChainLink Disc Golf, a disc golf business dedicated to building the disc golf community to include women, families and people of all ages. As an official DiscGolfPark course designer, she builds disc golf courses around Ontario and is a PDGA Certified Tournament Official, having helped organized and run countless events across Ontario. Cara also writes for Disc Golfer Magazine.

Cara lives in Toronto, ON, Canada, where she enjoys visiting local and national parks, hiking, playing boardgames and exploring fun and interesting places.

Jeff MacKeigan (PDGA #86191) has been playing disc golf since 2014 when he discovered E.T. Seton, Toronto’s 3rd disc golf course, while mountain biking. By 2016, Jeff was playing in PDGA tournaments and travelling the world to play as many courses as he could. His passion hit new heights in 2018, when he confirmed and built a new course in the City of Toronto neighbourhood in which he lived, the Beaches. Jeff believed in the power of the disc golf community and self-funded this entire course. This was the beginning of a new direction as Jeff left his corporate job, where he had just won ‘Employee of the Year’, to focus on sharing disc golf with as many people as he could.

He is the co-founder of ChainLink Disc Golf and has a mission to bring disc golf communities to as many places as possible. Jeff's focus is ‘beyond the basket’ to ensure his disc golf courses reflect the unique communities in which they are located. Jeff develops long-term partnerships with all their courses to ensure they are setup for success.

First encountering the Paul McBeth Foundation while volunteering during the Montenegro disc golf build, Jeff was impressed with the passion and the shared mission of supporting disc golf experiences. Jeff looks forward to supporting the Paul McBeth Foundation across multiple disciplines while bringing the PMF focus to Canada.

Jeff is a bilingual EU citizen as well as a former college professor and MBTI® Certified Practitioner. When he’s not playing disc golf, you might find him winter surfing in the Great Lakes, exploring parks, mountain biking with friends or losing Catan board games to Cara Hovius.

Ben (PDGA # 132865) was first shown the sport of Disc Golf by his friend Josh Palmer in 2018 and the rest is history. Shortly thereafter he moved to Seattle where he began working as the manager of an outdoor adventures company and luckily lived with a course in his backyard. He played literally every day after work and on the weekends would hit Lakewood and Seatac Disc Golf Courses one after another until his shoulder felt like it could fall off! He helped found the Vashon Island Disc Alliance and successfully helped the group expand the local course to a 12 hole layout!

Ben and his partner Lucy currently live in Eugene, Oregon where they are both pursuing their Masters degrees. In June of 2024, Ben will graduate with his Masters in Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon. Ben also works as the Development and Communications Associate for Friends of Family Farmers where he supports small and medium scale farmers in the state of Oregon.

Outside of Disc Golf, Ben enjoys trail running and is hoping to make his ultramarathon debut in 2024. As a native Oregonian, he loves all things beer and coffee and would take any recommendations you have!

Shane (PDGA #152841) first enjoyed the sport of disc golf in middle school, when he and his family played Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky with Wham-O toy frisbees. Once in college, Shane began playing daily with any friends who would join him (sometimes playing up to 72 holes per day). However, it was not until the pandemic in 2020 that Shane began to learn the rules of the sport, checkout online coverage, and begin putting with something other than a Buzzz (which only marginally improved his short game from 'abysmal' to 'severely lacking').

Off the course, Shane supports Liverpool Football Club and the Cincinnati Reds, loves a good board game or science-fiction novel, and considers himself an avid purveyor of coffees and bourbons. Shane's friends would describe him as extremely competitive, fun-loving, and borderline obsessive about all things sports!

Shane and his wife McKenzie currently live and work in Owensboro, Kentucky with plans to move to Birmingham, England in September of 2023. They are both deeply passionate about serving the underserved and creating sustainable marketplace strategies that help refugees and asylum-seekers overcome financial poverty. Shane is thrilled to see his passions for serving people and for disc golf converge to encourage new players to strive for success on and off the course.

Originally from New Jersey, Phil (PDGA #184645) started playing disc golf during the pandemic and quickly became a huge fan of the sport. Since moving to San Diego in 2020, Phil has been working as a content specialist for a non-profit and lives with his fiancée Leah and dog Polly. Phil is excited to help the Paul McBeth Foundation spread the joy of the sport to new disc golfers all around the world.