
Richmond Area Skateboard Alliance
RASA was formed by a group of Richmond skaters in 2014 to advocate for more public skateparks and skateboarding related community outreach in Richmond and the surrounding areas. Since then, we’ve grown to a group of skaters and non-skaters with day jobs ranging from elementary school teachers and academics to professional fabricators and artists.
Now operating under the umbrella of the EnRichmond Foundation and in partnership with Parks and Recreation, we are currently working on projects like Texas Beach, and the RVA Sk8 Club after-school program to make skateboarding accessible to all RVA kids.
RASA is a non-profit charitable organization—by skateboarders for skateboarders—dedicated to promoting skateboarding in and around Richmond, VA.
The People
It was the founding members of RASA that successfully lobbied for the DIY skate spot at the Carter Park tennis courts to be turned into a small city-sanctioned skatepark—but that was just the begining! RASA continues to grow and develop new projects and programs with the help of key members, partnerships and countless volunteers.
Adah Kanter
President
Adah helps drive RASA fundraising events and projects with her get-things-done attitude and affinity for organization. In addition to being a local artist and elementary art teacher, she is a long-time spectator and friend to the Richmond skateboarding community (she also makes a killer cheese cake). Adah received her BFA in Craft/Material Studies and BFA in Art Education from VCU.Chris Mahonski
Vice President
Chris has overseen design and construction at Texas Beach, helped in organizing events, and will be co-coordinator of the RVA Sk8 Club program. Chris works as the Digital Fabrication Technician in the VCU Sculpture Department and maintains an active studio practice. Chris received a BFA in Sculpture Tyler School of Art and an MFA in Sculpture + Extended Media from VCU.
Joel Torres
Treasurer
Joel guides RASA in all things finance and has been part of the Richmond skateboarding community for over a decade. His unique set of skills—skateboarding and accountanting—make him perfectly suited to understanding the needs of both skateboarders and a functioning non-profit. Joel is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).Tyler Brady
Social Media
Tyler documents and shares RASA events/projects through social media and has been designing skateboarding spots and building ramps forover 5 years. While his background is rooted in graphic and visual design—expressed through magazines, photography exhibits, articles, t-shirt designs, video production and more—skateboarding is connected to everything he does.Tyler received a B.S. in Creative Advertising from VCU.Ken Freeman
Social Media
Bean Weatherford
RVA Sk8 Club Coordinator