Casey Baker

Casey is a twenty-year veteran of the Medford radio market. He started at the age of sixteen in the building he still works in today. While attending Phoenix High School, he was hired to be a studio engineer for sports (San Francisco 49ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, and Southern Oregon A’s.) When he was seventeen, a weekend overnight talent became ill, and Casey got his break on the air: Saturday and Sunday mornings from midnight to 6 am.

Instantly falling in love with being a jock, he has become a permanent fixture on radio here in the Rogue Valley. Currently you can find Casey at 105.1 The Wolf from 10 am to 3 pm, and 95.7 KBOY from 3 pm to 7 pm. Casey has a 14-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son. Casey’s interests are skiing, wakeboarding, baseball, golf, and Crossfit training. Casey credits Crossfit “The Den” and fellow competitor, Austin Stack, for recently losing over 50 pounds and developing an overall healthier lifestyle.

Ed Chun

Ed Chun and his family own Sunrise Café in Medford. Ed and his wife, Susie, met during college at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. They lived in the Seattle area prior to relocating to the Rogue Valley in 1995. Ed and Susie have two children, Brandon (a sophomore) and Madeline (a 6th grader) who both attend St. Mary’s School where they participate in Sparrow Clubs’ efforts.

Prior to opening Sunrise Café in 2010, Ed worked in the finance and insurance industry, television advertising, and held other sales positions. He has volunteered in our community in many capacities: former Medford City Council member, board member for Community Works, Boys and Girls Club of the Rogue Valley, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America-Oregon Synod Endowment Committee member, and past president of Ascension Lutheran Church.

Ed’s prior dance experience comes from participating with his daughter in an annual Daddy/Daughter dance for the Fusion Force Team (of which she is a member) and a dance class in college. He is excited to help raise funds and awareness for both Sparrow Clubs and USA Dance. Thank you to his partner, Brook, and their great coaches/choreographers, Dave and Rebecca. Aloha and Mahalo!

Cheryl Conway

Cheryl has been an active real estate broker for 30 years and now works with ReMax Ideal Brokers, Inc. in Medford. In the early days of real estate she worked as an investment analyst for pension fund investing and is currently active in the commercial real estate market locally. She thrives on solving problems and helping her clients achieve their personal and financial goals.

Originally she hails from North Dakota and was sidetracked to Southern California for twenty years. Cheryl and Dan, her husband of 29 years, moved to the Valley 11 years ago. They have four children and ten grandchildren. Along with her success in her real estate career, Cheryl finds time to help make our community a better place to live. She has actively helped to raise funds for disadvantaged children in our area. She serves as Co-chair for Southern Oregon’s Got Talent, benefitting CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate-a voice in court for children caught up in the foster system).

In her time off, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, cheer on the Denver Broncos and play golf. She is proud to be a part of this event to benefit Sparrow Clubs and USA Dance.

Tiffany Hernandez

Tiffany Hernandez is an owner of Black Rock Coffee Bar, a growing coffee company with stores from Seattle to San Diego which is known for its friendly atmosphere and amazing coffee. Tiffany is a wife to an amazing, supportive husband, and a mother to two beautiful little girls, Gracie and Brooklyn. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, Tiffany has a huge heart for outreach missions and has been a speaker at many retreats for young women. At these retreats, she gets to do what she loves, which is to speak to the younger generation about core values and integrity of character. As stated in Isaiah 61:3, she likes "to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Margueritte Hickman

Margueritte Hickman was born and raised in Southern Oregon. You may be familiar with her as a spokesperson throughout her twenty-two year fire service career. For the last nine years, she has served as a Division Chief/Fire Marshal with Ashland Fire & Rescue investigating fires, reviewing commercial building plans, inspecting buildings, managing the Community Emergency Response Team program and fostering excellent public relations. Although her first year of college was in Fashion Merchandising, she found her passion in promoting a safe community through the fire service. She holds a Bachelors and Masters Degree from SOU, is an active member of the Rotary Club of Ashland, and is a Fire Science program instructor at RCC.

Margueritte has been a pilot for 16 years and loves flying, camping, hiking and exploring with her husband, Don. She also finds time to enjoy photography, wine tasting, scrapbooking, card making, sewing, and now dancing!

Dave Kelly

After moving to the Rogue Valley 9 years ago, Dave Kelly and his wife, Lisa, decided to put down some permanent roots for their three children and buy an existing automotive business in Grants Pass. At the time it was called The Tool Box. They later bought another automotive business in the Medford area, which was called Technical Automotive. Both businesses are now aptly named Kelly’s Automotive Service.

Dave and Lisa’s interest was apparent from the start—they met on New Year’s Eve (several years ago) while Line Dancing in Vallejo, California. They have enjoyed watching the dancers perform in Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars and come into their own as dancers.

Kelly’s Automotive Service has been a sponsor for the Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars event in the past.

Dave and Lisa have been very involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley and Young Life in Grants Pass. Dave is excited to participate as a contestant this year, as he and Lisa believe giving back to the community is an essential part of their life.

Chris Leone

Chris has been the Sports Director at Newswatch 12 for the past two years. Chris's journey to the Pacific Northwest has been a long one. He grew up in the Northeast, where he attended Syracuse University (go Orange!), graduating in 2008. After school, he spent two years in South Dakota as a weekend sports anchor in Rapid City. Since moving to Medford, Chris has come to love covering all the teams that people in Southern Oregon are so passionate about.

It's safe to say, Chris is a little out of his comfort zone dancing the Cha Cha. His prior dance experience is limited to a few numbers in his high school production of The Music Man. Thanks to his incredible choreographers and amazing dance partner, Chris is ready to surprise a few people with his moves.

Erin Maxson

Anchoring NewsWatch 12 at 11:00 doesn't leave a whole lot of time for the dance floor. Yet, Erin Maxson knows Sparrow Clubs and USA Dance is worth the effort.

Since 2009, Erin's reporting and producing has earned her and NewsWatch 12 several awards. You may have seen the half hour special Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Southern Oregon. It won recognition for excellence from The Society of Professional Journalists.

Growing up in Decorah, Iowa blessed Erin with small town values and sensibilities, but not necessarily, the rhythm, timing and grace she would have liked. This is why she is so grateful to Sparrow Clubs, USA Dance and her partner Mikey for giving her the chance to two-step her way to a little coordination! With her country roots, Erin is very excited to be pulling on cowboy boots and dancing to music which she is very familiar with.

Darcey Mann-Self

Darcey Mann-Self was raised in Malin, Oregon and left the family farm 28 years ago to attend SOSC on the US Bank Work/College Training Program. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Management and minor in Criminology. She is the Comptroller at Insurance Marketplace, Inc. where her boss is left-handed and she has been his right hand for 22 years. Darcey and her husband, Steve, are members of the Rusty Relics Antique Tractor Club. She is the proud owner of a 1950 8N Ford tractor, which Steve restored for her to drive in parades. (She has yet to drive it in a parade.)

Darcey has been a Pear Blossom board member for 26 years, and President for 17 years. Darcey and Steve enjoy riding quads at the dunes. Well, he enjoys it. She is terrified. But that’s marriage…He works the parade, she rides a quad on the dunes!

Darcey participates in her church’s bell choir, and is a member of Rogue Valley Sunrise Soroptimist Club. Her dance experience dates back to being on the high school dance team. Darcey and Steve took ballroom dance lessons 21 years ago to dance at their wedding. She is thrilled to be back on the dance floor again!

Austin Stack

Austin Stack is the owner and head trainer of CrossFit “The Den” in Medford, Oregon. Austin, born in Orange County, California and later a resident of Redding, California, moved to Southern Oregon in 2006 to complete his Bachelor degree at Southern Oregon University. Austin graduated with a degree in Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education. While there, he developed his athletic skills as a middle line backer for the Southern Oregon Raiders Football Team.

After his graduation from SOU, Austin pursued a career in Fitness and quickly found his love for CrossFit. When Austin is not coaching and training in his CrossFit facility, he loves spending time with his best friend and wife, Annie Stack. Austin and Annie have been married for a year and have loved their amazing, crazy, busy first year! Truthfully, they wouldn't have it any other way!

This year, 2012, has proved to be an important year for Austin - competing in the CrossFit World Games in July and finishing 34th in the world. He is looking forward to taking that competitive spirit to the dance floor! Austin would like to thank his dance instructors and his very patient partner, Maria Pratt, for making him look a little less like a linebacker, and nurturing the inner Michael Jackson in him!

Amy Thuren

Amy Thuren has served as executive director of the Southern Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross for the past year and has been part of the organization since 2003. She began her involvement with the Red Cross as a health and safety instructor teaching first aid, CPR and water safety. She was then promoted to health and safety education director. When she left the organization in 2005, Amy remained on contract to assist in grant writing and fundraising.

Amy has a history of working with various Rogue Valley non-profits as a grant planner and fundraiser, and is committed to serving as a community volunteer as much as possible. Amy believes that volunteering is a core value in a community and is excited to support the Southern Oregon Sparrow Clubs, an organization that provides the opportunity for school children to step up as heroes around our valley.

Participating in Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars is an exciting way to volunteer as it couples two of Amy’s passions: helping those in need, and dancing. It’s been Amy’s dream for years to take ballroom classes, but with three young children at home, she has been unable to fit it into her schedule. She is thrilled to have the chance to dance while helping others!

Linda White

Linda White has been a faculty member at North Medford High School for 24 years. Currently Assistant Principal, formerly a math teacher and proud Black Tornado coach, she is often seen (and heard) at school events proudly supporting her students! She is passionate about helping teens succeed, grow and discover their strengths and gifts.

A native of Montana, and a graduate of Montana State University, her only experience in dancing was learning the choreography while playing leading roles in several musical productions.

Linda enjoys camping, hiking, playing guitar, watching her sons play baseball and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Paul, are the proud parents of five sons! (Four are in college!) She is honored to be part of Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars and is grateful to her instructor, June, and her partner, Jerry for their patience and sense of humor!