Industry leader Michael Capiraso has joined the Advisory Board of Still I Run, the national non-profit running community organization with a mission to promote the benefit of running for mental health. In his role, Capiraso will support the organization's efforts to further its positive impact on individuals dealing with mental health challenges and illness.
Having personally experienced issues related to the Still I Run mission, Capiraso has a natural connection to the organization. An avid runner who recently completed his 31st consecutive year running a marathon, Michael Capiraso has a long history of giving back to the community through service and support as part of his career and personal life.
The team at Still I Run is excited to have Michael Capiraso on the Advisory Board. Still I Run Founder & Executive Director, Sasha Wolff, is thrilled to have Michael on board, saying, "Michael Capiraso is a welcome addition to the team. His history of leadership, community service, running, and passion for supporting mental health make him ideal for the role on the Advisory Board at Still I Run."
As both Sasha and Michael have personally experienced the stigma surrounding mental health, one of the organization's main goals is reducing that stigma through the lens of running. Also a top goal is to help raise mental health awareness and get people moving for mental health by providing tools and resources through initiatives such as Starting Line Scholarship Program, Ambassador Program, and the Chapter Program which includes physical locations across the nation.
Anyone can join Still I Run as it is a community where every runner is embraced and supported in the collective mission to challenge the stigma surrounding mental illness through the empowering act of running. Still I Run is dedicated to improving mental health through its programs that offer a direct mental health benefit as studies have shown that running is beneficial in managing mental health, especially anxiety and depression. Reducing the stigma around mental health and providing resources for those that need it are critical in today's society.
With October 10th marking World Mental Health Day, Michael and his peers support this mission to raise awareness for these issues and better enable individuals to find the support they need.
About Still I Run
Still I Run is a community that rallies around mental health. We want to run for our health, raise awareness of mental health issues, and STOP the stigma. One in five Americans will experience a mental health condition in a given year. Chances are that if you don't have a mental illness, you may know someone that does. It's a disease that does not discriminate. It can affect anyone and it's something that can't be prevented, and yet there is a ton of stigma around it.
The Still I Run community wants to help erase that stigma by participating in the conversation about mental health. If we don't talk about it because we feel ashamed, then we continue to suffer alone and in silence. Because one of the best ways to help combat anxiety and depression (aside from medication and therapy) is through exercise and running, we combine the two. For us, running and mental health are perfect partners.
Still I Run's name draws inspiration from Maya Angelou's renowned poem 'Still I Rise,' which embodies themes of triumph and self-celebration in the face of oppression, hate, and discrimination. While acknowledging that the discrimination faced by those with mental illness is not comparable to what is experienced by the BIPOC community, the idea of rising above resonates deeply with us. We embrace the strength of perseverance and the spirit of resilience found in Angelou's poem as we relentlessly combat the stigma surrounding mental health.
About Michael Capiraso
Michael Capiraso is a fervent proponent of the advantages of physical activity, and the importance of mental health. Embracing a lifelong passion for running, he ardently explores the realms of physical and mental health, embracing a lifestyle firmly grounded in these principles. A compassionate individual and a born "to run" leader, he has been involved in several running organizations, including JoggingBuddy and New York Road Runners (NYRR), and also is an Advisor for Fan4Kids. As a dedicated runner, Michael has completed 31 consecutive marathons, including 28 NYC Marathons. He has collectively raised thousands of dollars for charitable causes and intends to continue his mission alongside Still I Run.
Professionally, Michael Capiraso is a visionary, transformational leader whose results-driven focus and holistic team-building have delivered sustainable growth across many industries including consumer products and services, media, entertainment, and sports. A dynamic and strategic executive, Michael led large-scale operations, strategy, and brand-building efforts at the NFL, Major League Baseball, Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, and WPP before ascending to his role as President & CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR), organizers of the NYC Marathon. Throughout his career, Michael has delivered impressive results through organic growth, acquisition and innovative marketing and technology, enhancing culture with forward-thinking programs and driving results via highly collaborative and diverse leadership teams.
Run Republic have reached out to Michael himself and will release a feature with Michael about all things Still I Run soon, so stay tuned!