In June, the MCW Cancer Center welcomed Lauren 鈥淟B鈥� Bennett as the inaugural Managing Director of , a new bike fundraiser dedicated to advancing lifesaving cancer research for people across the state. LB is a native of Wisconsin, earning her undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Wisconsin (UW)鈥揕a Crosse. She also brings a Master of Science in Sport Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, which has served her well at various organizations including the Metro Denver Sports Commission, Vail Resorts, and as the Executive Director of the Teton Valley Foundation.
With her collaborative leadership approach and passion for athletics, LB has a track record of leading successful sporting events across the country including Tri Utah, Bubble Run, Women鈥檚 Epic, MudGirl, and more. Her return to the Badger state marks an exciting new chapter for Audaxity as she pioneers the development of the inaugural ride in 2025, and brings together a community of researchers, doctors, patients, friends and family, boldly united to go after the Center鈥檚 vision of eradicating cancer.
Get to Know LB
What inspires you most as you step into the managing director role?
Leading the development of Audaxity is a special opportunity. It鈥檚 an opportunity to shape the legacy of a signature Wisconsin event that will have direct impacts in our community and beyond. I have a deep passion for leading events and cultivating strong teams. At MCW, these passions will be paired with the work of world-class scientists driving discoveries to cure cancer. It鈥檚 truly inspiring to have my passions contribute to the work of everyone at the Cancer Center.What are some goals you hope to accomplish during the inaugural ride in 2025?
The most important goal for Audaxity is to build a community of fearless teams and leaders that will stop at nothing to beat cancer to the finish line. The weekend of the ride will celebrate the hard work of all those who commit to taking on this challenge. Another major goal, of course, is for the ride to be a ton of fun for people of all ages, skills, and biking abilities. There are lots of exciting ongoing conversations with the ride committee on how we will make this awesome. Lastly, I hope the momentum built by the inaugural ride in 2025 leads to even bigger and better events in the coming years, allowing us to raise millions of dollars that help researchers at the MCW Cancer Center make promising breakthroughs in cancer. Audaxity comes from the terms audax鈥揳 cycling event in which participants navigate a route within a specified period of time鈥揳nd audacity鈥搕he willingness to take bold risks. When it comes to cancer, we鈥檙e all up against the clock. LB says a main priority for the inaugural ride in 2025 is to build a community of riders who are relentless about curing cancer, while also ensuring the event is fun, entertaining, and leaves a lasting impression on all participants.How will the funds raised help advance research at the MCW Cancer Center?
100% of funds raised by Audaxity riders go directly to cancer discoveries at the MCW Cancer Center. Every dollar. It鈥檚 going to be exciting for people to see the impact this will have on cancer research. Audaxity鈥檚 funds will serve in the recruitment of the best cancer research teams in the country, and fund cutting-edge technologies needed to conduct the research. I truly believe that once this gets going, and people see the impact it has on advancing discoveries right here at MCW, the momentum will be unstoppable.
Thanks to support from Audaxity鈥檚 founding sponsor , 100% of rider-raised funds go directly to making promising cancer breakthroughs at the MCW Cancer Center. Ongoing collaboration between the Audaxity team and Center leaders will ensure every dollar is used for projects and initiatives that will make an impact, including:
- High-risk, high-reward cancer research projects, including basic science, clinical research, population science, and community-based research
- Research fellowships for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate trainees
- Recruitment of the the best, most talented faculty and investigative teams
- Cutting-edge resources and technologies needed to conduct cancer research
How can people get involved?
What鈥檚 really special about Audaxity is that everyone can be part of it! It is going to take a committed team to beat cancer, which is why we鈥檝e got unlimited spots on our roster.
Here鈥檚 how you can get involved:
- . Build your team and start planning costumes, matching outfits, a team playlist, etc. It鈥檚 never too early to build the hype
- . We鈥檙e going to need the best water-fillers, orange-slicers, cheering squads, check-in staff, and high-five givers out there! It takes a village to make an event like this awesome and we need your support
- Join Our Community. Follow Audaxity on , , , and to stay up to date on our latest news and upcoming events. Invite your friends and family to join so we can expand our team
Do you know an organization that is committed to curing cancer? If so, please contact me at lbbennett@mcw.edu to discuss sponsoring Audaxity.
Tell us about one of your favorite memories from a sporting event you led.
I鈥檝e been involved in too many events to count, but truly one of my most exciting event memories was driving Bucky Badger around in a golf cart during a 5K race in Madison. Growing up, I attended lots of games at UW and I love mascots. Bucky is the king. I鈥檝e never had a bigger, more sustained smile at an event than driving him around and waving at everyone.
You鈥檝e led events across the nation, but your roots are in Wisconsin. What excites you most about being home?
I鈥檓 thrilled to be back in Wisconsin! There are so many things I鈥檓 excited to be reunited with鈥揵eer, brats, cheese, Friday fish fry. Unbeatable. On a non-food level, there really is no place like home. No matter how long I鈥檓 away, I always have that sense of being home when I return to Wisconsin. It feels like all of the experiences I have gained in my travels were leading me to this opportunity to serve the people of Wisconsin through Audaxity. I didn鈥檛 know where my path was taking me, but when I found Audaxity I knew that it was where I have been headed all along.
To learn more, visit the or contact LB at lbbennett@mcw.edu.