Board Members
Emily Agueda
Emily Agueda is a founding member of the Craig Willinger Fund and has served as chairperson since Craig’s death in 2012. A Maryland native, she is a graduate of University of Maryland College Park. Emily played soccer recreationally in high school, college, and post-college before transitioning to pick-up games with “Soccer Moms,” a Baltimore-based soccer program developed to introduce adult women to the sport. Craving a different style of competition, Emily joined the Charm City Roller Girls, a women’s flat track roller derby league, where she played for seven years. Emily is a Washington Spirit season ticket holder, U.S. Soccer supporter, and loves watching all football. She works in digital marketing and lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Johanna Agueda
Johanna Agueda has been a volunteer for the Craig Willinger Fund since its inception in 2009. As a board member and Craig Willinger’s long-time girlfriend, she brings her experience and compassion for individuals and family members of those living with cancer. Johanna strongly believes that through each honoree and trip-of-a-lifetime granted, Craig’s legacy of hope and love continues. And every time she watches Bayern Munich, she is reminded how the “beautiful game” is much more than a sport, but a source of inspiration and hope for fans everywhere. Johanna graduated from the University of Maryland and received her MBA from Loyola University Maryland. She currently works as a director for a healthcare organization and lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Lynn Bales
Lynn Bales joined the Craig Willinger Fund in April 2023 and serves as treasurer. She has lived in the Baltimore area her entire life and works in cybersecurity managing corporate access. Lynn’s intereste in soccer started a bit later in life when her then 12-year-old daughter wanted to attend a match at a local watering hole. Lynn fell in love with the sport through her daughter and became an Arsenal Gooner. She has served as treasurer for the official Arsenal supporters club in Baltimore since 2016.
Willy Dely
Willy Dely, a native of France, joined the Craig Willinger Fund in March 2012. After moving to Baltimore in 2008, Willy spread his passion for the beautiful game at Sláinte Irish Pub and Restaurant, Maryland’s number one soccer bar, for over 8 years. A soccer player from his early years through college, Willy is also a life-long supporter of Lille Olympique Sporting Club and of “Les Bleus”
Mike Kavanagh
Mike Kavanagh joined the Craig Willinger Fund board in 2019(?). A native New Yorker, Mike is a graduate of Syracuse University. An avid Arsenal supporter, Mike is the founder of Arsenal supporters groups in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wilmington, DE . He also has previously served as president of Arsenal America, the official US supporters club of Arsenal FC. Mike works as an IT Manager and lives in the Baltimore area with his wife Heather. Along with being a Gooner, he is also a Deadhead, Phishhead, & Ravenclaw. Mike is a lover of live music, obsessed with buffalo chicken and a chilled-out entertainer.
Patrick McAvoy
Patrick McAvoy joined the Craig Willinger Fund in March of 2014. A Baltimore native, he has a masters degree in cybersecurity and works as a cybersecurity engineer in the Tampa Bay area. Patrick is a long time supporter of Chelsea F.C. and supports his local teams, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Tampa Bay Suns F.C.
Bethany Schwing-Chapman
Bethany Schwing-Chapman joined the CWFund board in September 2015 and serves as secretary. She is originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania, and graduated with her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh. Bethany works for Baltimore City Schools with preschool and elementary-aged students. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Loyola University of Maryland in the Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences Department and is currently pursuing her clinical doctorate at MGH Institute of Health Professions. Soccer came into her life at a young age and she played competitively for nine years. Every weekend she can be found supporting Liverpool F.C. in Baltimore, Maryland. YNWA.
Brian Shappell
Brian joined the Craig Willinger Fund in 2010 after various World Cup match watches at Baltimore’s Sláinte Irish Pub and gatherings of the Liverpool Baltimore Reds Supporters’ Club, of which he now serves as co-chairman. A native of New Jersey and a graduate of the college that produced standout U.S. players like Carli Lloyd and Alexi Lalas (Rutgers University), Brian moved to Maryland for work in 2003 for what was to be a “temporary” stay. After meeting his wife and new “family” in the form of Liverpool F.C. fans and members of the CWFund, Baltimore became home. Brian currently serves as managing editor and government affairs director at the National Association of Credit Management in Columbia, Maryland. You can find him most Mondays playing indoor soccer (poorly, but happily) with his team of Reds as well as during semi-regular charity matches versus Simon Torres’ band of local Arsenal supporters.
Simon Torres
Simon Torres joined the CWFund board in September 2015. A native of El Paso, Texas, Simon graduated from Georgetown University and American University’s Washington College of Law. He played competitive soccer in his youth and still plays (poorly) at the recreational level. Simon is an avid supporter of Arsenal F.C. and helps lead Charm City Gooners, the official branch of Arsenal America for the Baltimore area. Simon is an attorney for the federal government after several years in private practice as an employee benefits, labor and employment, and commercial litigator. He resides in Baltimore, Maryland with his family.
Phil Williams
Phillip Williams is a long time supporter of the Craig Willinger Fund and officially joined the CWFund board in the summer of 2019. Phil is native of Baltimore and began playing soccer at the age of 5. He joined the historic Soccer Association of Columbia program after moving to Ellicott City, Maryland in 1989. In 1998, Phil’s family moved to Tokyo, Japan, where he spent his final two years of high school at The American School in Japan, in the western Tokyo city of Chofu. He has a bachelor’s in film from Stevenson University and a master’s in early childhood education from Trinity University. Phil is a Pre-K teacher in Washington, DC, and has been an early childhood educator since July 2014. He’s an avid supporter of Chelsea Football Club since May 1997 and has served as president of the Charm City Blues, the Official Chelsea Supporters Club of Baltimore, since 2013. He is also a massive fan of Boca Juniors.