THE 3STEP MOTION
As the most connected and innovative youth sports organization, 3STEP is always in motion—always evolving, always hustling. Here’s a look at the 3STEP motion that drives everything we do:
Stay connected to the athlete
Trust the team, support the players
Move at the speed of youth sports
Leadership
STACY SHANE
Stacy Shane is 3STEP's Chief People Operations Officer focusing on holistic employee and organizational well-being.
Stacy has decades of experience managing high growth, fast-paced, entrepreneurial organizations and has extensive experience partnering with Founders and Senior Leadership.
Stacy holds a BA in Organizational Psychology and Organizational Sociology from the University of Illinois- Chicago and is SHRM-SCP and SPHR certified.
She is the mom of 3 athlete daughters and has been in the business of Youth Sports for 16+ years serving as the People Leader of SMP Sports Group which was acquired by 3STEP in 2022.
ANNA LANG
With over 20 years’ experience in human resources, Anna is passionate about building a workplace where employees feel empowered, valued, and inspired to reach their full potential.
Anna has held various senior leadership roles with service-based, rapid growth organizations and has led transformative initiatives involving employee engagement and retention, leadership development, M&A integration, organizational design, and workplace safety.
Anna holds a JD from Concord Law School, Purdue University Global; a BSBA degree from The Ohio State University in HR Management; and is SHRM – CP certified.
Anna resides in Ohio (go Bucks!) where she and her husband enjoy cheering for their daughter in basketball and volleyball.
MARIAH LIVINGSTON
As Chief of Staff for 3STEP Sports, Mariah leads operations, M&A integration, ancillary revenue and executive level projects that enhance the athlete experience and support company growth.
Mariah joined 3STEP in 2019 as an entry level on-field event coordinator and has advanced alongside the company, overseeing 80+ acquisitions and tuck-ins over five years.Prior to joining 3STEP, Mariah spent two years in the Athletic Department at Harvard University overseeing gameday operations and recreation facility management and has 10+ years of club volleyball coaching experience—her biggest passion.
Mariah received a BA in Sports Journalism and a minor in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds a Master's degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University.
A die-hard Boston sports fan, Mariah lives in Boston with her husband who she proudly met at 3STEP and has spent her career growing connections in the youth sports industry.
CHAD GRUEN
A lifelong entrepreneur, Chad joined 3STEP in 2022 following the acquisition of SMP Sports Group - the company he founded and scaled over two decades. What began as a grassroots startup out of the trunk of his car grew into one of the Midwest's premier youth sports platforms.
At 3STEP, Chad drives enterprise strategy, operational alignment, and digital transformation. He also spearheaded the development of PlayerFirst, a platform he originally built to challenge the status quo in youth sports.
Chad holds a B.S. in Marketing from The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. He lives in Chicago with his wife and four children and spends weekends on the sidelines, proudly cheering them on in basketball, soccer, and lacrosse.
GREG WALDBAUM
Previously the CEO and co-founder of 3D Lacrosse, which grew to become a national franchise with 15 locations across the U.S. and was acquired by 3STEP Sports, Greg is an entrepreneur with roots in sport and a demonstrated track record of successfully launching, scaling, and operating businesses—from start-up to growth and successful exit.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University of Washington.
His career reflects a lifelong passion for youth sports, innovation, and building high-impact organizations that empower athletes and communities.
TARI HARO
An accomplished C-suite executive, Tari leads Marketing, sponsorships, and the PlayerFirst platform to create content, experiences, and partnerships.
Tari’s career spans roles at industry-leading brands and agencies, including as Managing Director and Chief Growth Officer at Erie Street Growth Partners where she led the growth and transformation team responsible for creating value within the firm’s $2+ billion portfolio as well as Edelman, Cars.com, and iCrossing.
A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a BSc in Journalism and Advertising, Tari is a board member of 8th Light, a software consulting firm, and an active member of Chief, an executive women's network. She lives in Chicago with her family and is enjoying her “sports era” as a dedicated soccer and softball mom.
PAUL JAMESON
Prior to joining 3STEP, Paul structured and executed over $1B in capital transactions across fintech, real estate, and renewable energy. He previously served as CFO of Elevate Investment Group and as Chief Strategy Officer at Constant, a fintech lender, where he led product development, capital markets, and technology-driven scale initiatives.
Earlier, he was a founding member of SunEdison’s investment group, where he led M&A and structured financings exceeding $500 million.
Paul began his career at McKinsey & Company advising Fortune 100 clients on post-acquisition integration and performance improvement. He holds a BS in Mathematics and Economics from Duke University, graduating magna cum laude.
DEANNA SHERIDAN
Deanna Sheridan is General Counsel of 3STEP, where she provides comprehensive leadership and management of the company's legal affairs.Before joining 3STEP in 2021, Deanna was General Counsel of Spartan Race.
She brings over twenty years of legal experience to support the full spectrum of 3STEP's club teams, tournaments, facilities and clinics across all sport verticals and regions.
Deanna is the Co-Chair of the Sports, Entertainment and Arts Subcommittee of the Boston Bar Association and is active in organizations such as the Sports Lawyers Association, the Women's General Counsel Network, and The L Suite.
CHAD GRUEN
CHAD GRUEN
A lifelong entrepreneur, Chad joined 3STEP in 2022 following the acquisition of SMP Sports Group - the company he founded and scaled over two decades. What began as a grassroots startup out of the trunk of his car grew into one of the Midwest's premier youth sports platforms.
At 3STEP, Chad drives enterprise strategy, operational alignment, and digital transformation. He also spearheaded the development of PlayerFirst, a platform he originally built to challenge the status quo in youth sports.
Chad holds a B.S. in Marketing from The Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. He lives in Chicago with his wife and four children and spends weekends on the sidelines, proudly cheering them on in basketball, soccer, and lacrosse.
GREG WALDBAUM
GREG WALDBAUM
Previously the CEO and co-founder of 3D Lacrosse, which grew to become a national franchise with 15 locations across the U.S. and was acquired by 3STEP Sports, Greg is an entrepreneur with roots in sport and a demonstrated track record of successfully launching, scaling, and operating businesses—from start-up to growth and successful exit.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University of Washington.
His career reflects a lifelong passion for youth sports, innovation, and building high-impact organizations that empower athletes and communities.
TARI HARO
TARI HARO
An accomplished C-suite executive, Tari leads Marketing, sponsorships, and the PlayerFirst platform to create content, experiences, and partnerships.
Tari’s career spans roles at industry-leading brands and agencies, including as Managing Director and Chief Growth Officer at Erie Street Growth Partners where she led the growth and transformation team responsible for creating value within the firm’s $2+ billion portfolio as well as Edelman, Cars.com, and iCrossing.
A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a BSc in Journalism and Advertising, Tari is a board member of 8th Light, a software consulting firm, and an active member of Chief, an executive women's network. She lives in Chicago with her family and is enjoying her “sports era” as a dedicated soccer and softball mom.
PAUL JAMESON
PAUL JAMESON
Prior to joining 3STEP, Paul structured and executed over $1B in capital transactions across fintech, real estate, and renewable energy. He previously served as CFO of Elevate Investment Group and as Chief Strategy Officer at Constant, a fintech lender, where he led product development, capital markets, and technology-driven scale initiatives.
Earlier, he was a founding member of SunEdison’s investment group, where he led M&A and structured financings exceeding $500 million.
Paul began his career at McKinsey & Company advising Fortune 100 clients on post-acquisition integration and performance improvement. He holds a BS in Mathematics and Economics from Duke University, graduating magna cum laude.
DEANNA SHERIDAN
DEANNA SHERIDAN
Deanna Sheridan is General Counsel of 3STEP, where she provides comprehensive leadership and management of the company's legal affairs.Before joining 3STEP in 2021, Deanna was General Counsel of Spartan Race.
She brings over twenty years of legal experience to support the full spectrum of 3STEP's club teams, tournaments, facilities and clinics across all sport verticals and regions.
Deanna is the Co-Chair of the Sports, Entertainment and Arts Subcommittee of the Boston Bar Association and is active in organizations such as the Sports Lawyers Association, the Women's General Counsel Network, and The L Suite.
STACY SHANE
STACY SHANE
Stacy Shane is 3STEP's Chief People Operations Officer focusing on holistic employee and organizational well-being.
Stacy has decades of experience managing high growth, fast-paced, entrepreneurial organizations and has extensive experience partnering with Founders and Senior Leadership.
Stacy holds a BA in Organizational Psychology and Organizational Sociology from the University of Illinois- Chicago and is SHRM-SCP and SPHR certified.
She is the mom of 3 athlete daughters and has been in the business of Youth Sports for 16+ years serving as the People Leader of SMP Sports Group which was acquired by 3STEP in 2022.
ANNA LANG
ANNA LANG
With over 20 years’ experience in human resources, Anna is passionate about building a workplace where employees feel empowered, valued, and inspired to reach their full potential.
Anna has held various senior leadership roles with service-based, rapid growth organizations and has led transformative initiatives involving employee engagement and retention, leadership development, M&A integration, organizational design, and workplace safety.
Anna holds a JD from Concord Law School, Purdue University Global; a BSBA degree from The Ohio State University in HR Management; and is SHRM – CP certified.
Anna resides in Ohio (go Bucks!) where she and her husband enjoy cheering for their daughter in basketball and volleyball.
MARIAH LIVINGSTON
MARIAH LIVINGSTON
As Chief of Staff for 3STEP Sports, Mariah leads operations, M&A integration, ancillary revenue and executive level projects that enhance the athlete experience and support company growth.
Mariah joined 3STEP in 2019 as an entry level on-field event coordinator and has advanced alongside the company, overseeing 80+ acquisitions and tuck-ins over five years.Prior to joining 3STEP, Mariah spent two years in the Athletic Department at Harvard University overseeing gameday operations and recreation facility management and has 10+ years of club volleyball coaching experience—her biggest passion.
Mariah received a BA in Sports Journalism and a minor in Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds a Master's degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University.
A die-hard Boston sports fan, Mariah lives in Boston with her husband who she proudly met at 3STEP and has spent her career growing connections in the youth sports industry.
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