About the Meal Milers
WCK acts with the urgency of now. We are first to the frontlines providing fresh meals to families impacted by crises worldwide. To highlight the work of the people that fuel our efforts—staff, partners, volunteers—a group of new and experienced runners has come together to represent WCK in the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 12. Together, known as WCK’s Meal Milers, this group from all backgrounds has set personal fundraising goals to support WCK’s work. Learn more about our relief efforts here.
Meet the Runners
Nate Root
Nate Root is a father, husband, and tinkerer who didn’t take up running until his late 30s. After losing his younger brother to a fentanyl overdose in 2020, running became an outlet—an escape, a form of therapy, and a way to give back. Since then, he has completed five marathons—Boston, London, New York, Berlin, and Tokyo—raising more than $106,000 for impactful organizations in his brother’s memory. He’s now thrilled to team up with World Central Kitchen for the 2025 Chicago Marathon, where he’ll complete the six Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Katherine Bassett
Katherine, an avid runner and engineer in the energy sector, was born and raised outside Chicago. She chose her career to help communities mitigate and adapt to climate change but believes energy is just one part of the solution. Katherine is thrilled to run on behalf of World Central Kitchen, whose work centers on disaster response—minimizing harm and strengthening the emotional resilience of those affected. She sees a strong connection between her profession and WCK’s mission, both driven by a shared goal: doing good for others in the face of uncertainty.
Maria Escamilla
Maria Escamilla, a midwife in the Chicagoland area, was inspired to support WCK after witnessing their rapid food relief efforts following Hurricane Otis in 2023. A lifelong runner who found the sport through soccer, Maria now uses running as a way to clear her mind and stay grounded—especially during long shifts in her work supporting families. She sees strong parallels between her profession and marathon running, both requiring endurance, strength, and resilience.
Robyn Iqbal
Robyn lives in Maryland and works in global health, focused on increasing access to vaccines and medicines in lower-income countries. She has completed the Paris and Honolulu marathons and the Miami Half, and is honored and excited to run the 2025 Chicago Marathon on behalf of WCK. A longtime supporter of WCK’s mission, Robyn believes deeply in the power of food to both nourish and connect people. Her passion for food, travel, and ceramics is tied together by a common thread: the joy of cooking and sharing meals with others.
Sophia Semertsidis
Sophia lives in New York City and is originally from Columbus, Ohio. She has always enjoyed running to stay active but didn’t run her first marathon until 2022. Since then, she has embraced the challenge of setting ambitious goals and achieving them, completing the New York City Marathon three times. Now, she’s excited to take on a new course in Chicago. While studying abroad in Barcelona, Sophia first learned about Chef José Andrés and became a fan of his work both in and out of the kitchen. She’s proud to support World Central Kitchen in her first Chicago Marathon, helping bring the comfort of home-cooked meals to families who need it most.
Jane Hughes
Jane discovered running during the pandemic and, with the support of a local running group in Wissahickon Valley Park—Trail Sisters Philly—quickly turned a new hobby into a passion. Since then, she has completed a half marathon, several full marathons, and a few ultramarathons in the Pennsylvania Wilds. A few years ago, she had the privilege of hearing Chef José Andrés speak about WCK, his inspiration, and what drives the organization. Deeply moved, she has been a dedicated supporter ever since.
Joshua Tripp
Joshua joined WCK as its chief financial officer in 2024. A lifelong runner, he has never tackled a marathon—until now. To celebrate his 50th birthday, he will run his first marathon in support of WCK. In addition to driving innovation and efficiency within the organization, Joshua is proud to help raise funds for WCK’s vital work on the ground, bringing nourishment and support to communities in crisis.
Matthew Meyer
Matthew loves to run, hike, play sports, and take on any activity that brings out a competitive spirit among friends. He thrives on pushing his own limits and inspiring those around him to do the same. Running the Chicago Marathon in support of a meaningful cause is, for him, a dream come true—combining purpose, community, and the joy of competition.
Jakob Thyregod
Jakob is an experienced and passionate Danish runner. Running has been a core part of his athletic pursuits, including triathlon, adventure racing, and military pentathlon. His dedication to the sport has led him to complete numerous marathons and ultradistance events, including several 100-mile races. The 2025 Chicago Marathon will mark Jakob’s second marathon in the United States. He is excited for the opportunity to race on behalf of WCK, especially alongside his good friend Joshua as part of their team, the HoneyMonsters.
Ruth Benjamin
Ruth’s marathon journey began as a child in Boston, where she cheered on runners every Marathon Monday. Her love for running deepened in her early 20s, leading her to race half marathons and complete the New York City Marathon in 2019. She is running the Chicago Marathon in honor of her parents’ homeland, Haiti—a country that has faced repeated environmental disasters and widespread food insecurity. Inspired by her love of food, culture, and community, Ruth is proud to support WCK’s mission to provide nourishing meals to communities in crisis around the world.
Martina Hinojosa
Martina is a mom, lawyer, amateur chef, and running enthusiast who lives, works and trains in San Antonio, Texas. She is supporting WCK because she believes good food offers not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope—especially in times of crisis. The 2025 Chicago Marathon will be her first.
Hani Paul Alkhaiyat
Hani, a law student and member of both the Armenian and Arab diasporas, was first drawn to World Central Kitchen after its humanitarian response in Artsakh and deepened his support during its continued work in Gaza. Though active in community fundraising, this will be his first time combining that work with his passion for endurance sports. After recently completing an Ironman 70.3 in Aix-en-Provence, he’s proud to run his second Chicago Marathon as part of Team WCK.
Support the Team
Each runner has set a fundraising goal to support WCK’s work—fuel their efforts here.
Katherine Bassett
Leading up to the race, running for WCK gives me the opportunity to connect with my community and talk about WCK’s incredible work of providing meals. During the race, it gives me the opportunity to run with 50,000 people from around the world all striving to cross the same finish line.
Maria Escamilla
I’m thrilled to run my first marathon in support of WCK’s vital food relief efforts. This race is the perfect way to raise awareness of how food can bring hope and healing in the aftermath of traumatic events. I’m proud to be a part of their mission and to help bring a little light to those who need it most.
Jane Hughes
WCK is a community of helpers, no matter where the help is needed. I’m thrilled to be able to play a small part in that movement.
