Leadership
Board of Directors
The Distance Project is governed by a volunteer board of directors who oversee strategy, finances, and program direction. Our board members serve without compensation. Between them they bring coaching and program leadership, a parent's view of what a season asks of a family, and the perspective of athletes who came up through this program and now run in college.
Officers
Patrick "PJ" McCarty
Founder & President
PJ founded The Distance Project to make track and field and cross country accessible to every athlete who wants to compete, regardless of family resources. He coaches at Carson City-Crystal School in Michigan and brings two decades of experience in technology and operations to running TDP. A U.S. Army veteran, he is married with children and lives in mid-Michigan.
Courtney McCarty
Vice President
Courtney is The Distance Project's team photographer and mom to three track and cross country runners. She has helped organize many track and cross country functions over the years and brings a parent's perspective to the board — a first-hand understanding of what these seasons ask of families, and where the costs actually land.
Emma Grace McCarty
Treasurer
Emma is a 2026 graduate of Carson City-Crystal, where she ran cross country and track. She now attends Alma College and competes in cross country there. She stays involved with the CCC program, returning for practices and races to give advice to the high school and middle school runners coming up behind her.
Lilyanrose Martin
Secretary
Lily is a 2025 graduate of Carson City-Crystal, where she ran cross country and track. She attends Montcalm Community College and runs cross country there. She continues to stay involved with the CCC program through practice and race visits, mentoring younger runners.
Transparent governance
The Distance Project operates under written bylaws and a conflict-of-interest policy adopted by the board, and holds regular recorded board meetings. We were incorporated as a Michigan nonprofit corporation on May 28, 2026 (entity #900221793); our application for federal 501(c)(3) recognition is pending with the IRS. Once we have a determination letter and our first annual return, both will be published here and available on request. Governance documents are available on request — contact us. Interested in serving on the board or a committee? We’d love to hear from you.
