Our Staff

"The future belongs to our youth.”

Every member of our staff is committed, enthusiastic, and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the young people we serve. We believe that we are in the business of building relationships and creating change that impacts the future. Therefore, we prioritize bringing in only the most qualified individuals to join our team.

Blake Urquhart

Owner and Founder of The First Run Foundation

Throughout his coaching and teaching career, Urquhart has gained valuable experience at various institutions. He spent six years coaching at the NCAA DI and DIII levels at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, and The University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. While at these schools, he was involved in designing and running baseball camps. Prior to his college coaching experience, Urquhart coached at the high school level in Colorado at Academy Charter and Alexander Dawson High. During this time, he also assisted in organizing youth camps and clinics in Louisville, CO, focusing on football, soccer, and basketball. It was during this period that Urquhart developed a strong passion for working with children and helping instill in them the importance of education, dreams, and aspirations.

Aside from his coaching roles, Urquhart also worked as a Special Education PE Teacher at UCP of Central Florida and at Jacksonville Classical Academy. He also served as a Substitute and Summer School Teacher at the Stanley G. Falk School in Buffalo, NY for three years, where he worked with students with special learning, social, and emotional needs. It was during this experience that he was inspired to start The First Run Foundation, as he felt that some of these children were not receiving the same opportunities and resources as others. Therefore, he began a mission to provide similar opportunities to children facing similar circumstances, offering them a chance to discover their life’s purpose and pave the way for meaningful contributions to society.

Natalie Urquhart

Board of Director Member

Natalie has over ten years of volunteer and professional experience. Her desire to make a difference in the community began while working with YMCA programs, providing affordable after-school and summer care for children in vulnerable communities. This experience fueled her passion, leading her to pursue degrees in Integrative Physiology and Psychology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Throughout college, she dedicated herself to internships and volunteer work, spending 2 years interning with SCI Recovery Project, a nonprofit organization aiding patients with spinal cord injuries. Additionally, she was a member of Global Medical and Public Health Brigades, where she helped implement sustainable health programs in underserved communities in Nicaragua. After college, she pursued a Master’s in Public Health and entered the research field to help prevent families from experiencing loss due to disease. Currently, she works in clinical research, striving to find cures for cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Patrick Veltri

Creative Content Coordinator/Event Operations 

Veltri has more than six years of experience in the sports industry, where he has held various positions at the intercollegiate and high school levels. At Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, he served as an undergraduate hockey student manager, focusing on analytics. Later at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute (SJCI) in Tonawanda, NY, he worked as a member of the sports information staff for the Marauders. Veltri holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from Canisius College and is currently pursuing a Masters in Sports Management from the University of Florida. He joined our team after working closely with founder Blake Urquhart at Canisius.

Buckeye

Bat Dog/ Mascot

He likes to hit dingers and eat treats!