Kaig Lightner

Founder & Executive Director

I earned my USSF National ‘C’ Coaching License in 2003, but I’ve been coaching and working with youth for 25+ years. I grew up in Redmond, WA and began playing soccer at age 8 along with basketball, softball and volleyball.

I took a short hiatus from soccer from 2001 – 2003. During that time I was on the nationally ranked #1 rowing team at the University of Washington. As a novice rower I earned the title of most inspirational.

Ultimately, I found the beautiful game of soccer to be my true passion.

In 2003, I returned to coaching and was the Head Coach of several competitive and recreational level teams in Seattle, in addition to coaching at many summer camps. In 2005, I moved to Portland where I was the Head Coach of a U12 girls team and Co-Coach of a U15 girls team at Eastside United FC (now Eastside Timbers). During my time at ESUFC I also ran the speed and agility clinics and was the director of the U6-U8 Developmental League.

I left ESUFC in 2007 and returned to coaching recreational teams for Laurelhurst Soccer Club. It was also during this time that I decided to begin the process of transitioning from living as female to living as male. This was a challenging and also incredibly rewarding process for me.

In 2017, I founded Quantum Gender, a consulting and education company that focuses on gender diversity and inclusivity in sports. I have also been a program director for various afterschool programs and a caseworker for the Department of Human Services. I earned my Masters in Social Work degree from Portland State University in 2012. I was an adjunct professor in that department from 2016 - 2021.