Shift Up Now Foundation, Inc., an organization founded to help talented female racers in motorsport, is proud to announce that Ariel Ream has accepted the position of Interim CEO for its 501c3.
The foundation, which lives alongside the for-profit business, furthers the mission by accepting tax-deducible gifts, donations and grants. These funds are used to award opportunities to racers believed to have the talent and aptitude to succeed in motorsports.
Last year, the foundation launched its first official fundraising campaign and surpassed expectations. Grant funding totaled more than $50,000 and as a result, the foundation awarded its first-ever sponsorship grants to seven female racers.
Ream has served on the board of directors at the Shift Up Now Foundation for more than a year, and is set to begin her role as Interim CEO in January 2024. She is a fervent advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion for women in motorsport. With more than 11 years of business development experience and specializing in EdTech startups, she has held diverse roles at both small startups and Fortune 100 companies.
Ream’s most recent venture was founding Maplehurst Consulting, where she helped organizations scale effectively by defining product-market fit and establishing robust business development processes. In addition, she has consulted on workforce development, DEI strategies and individual professional growth.
The Bloomington, Indiana native discovered racing at a young age and spent summers at the race track with her father. As she grew older, her passion for motorsport increased, leading her to attend a variety of racing series events around the world. During the month of May, Ream can be found at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with her husband, and the couple looks forward to sharing the experience with their son.
“After our first successful fundraising campaign last fall, and being able to write our first-ever grants for racers, the Shift Up Now Foundation has also attracted donations that were earmarked for investment in building our foundation infrastructure,” said Pippa Mann, Shift Up Now Foundation President. “Hiring an interim CEO to help steer the Shift Up Now Foundation is an important step for us and I couldn’t think of a better candidate than Ariel to lead us forward. Her knowledge, passion and dedication - both for motorsport and the non-profit sector - make her the perfect fit for this role.”
Donations can be made to the Shift Up Now Foundation Inc via the “make a gift” page of the website, shiftupnow.com. To pay via check, please contact us at Foundation@ShiftUpNow.org.
