Elise Koehl

Co-Founder, Morgan’s Message® Youth Engagement

Elise Koehl grew up in Northern Virginia and played Cardinal Girls Lacrosse with Morgan from middle school until college, where they met as opponents on the field. Elise went on to play Division 1 lacrosse at both the University of Louisville and the University of Vermont, studying political science.

Elise was selected as the President of Student Athletes Taking Action at Louisville, where she helped run a student-led club organizing a wide range of volunteering and service events within the community.

She graduated in 2019 from UVM with a B.A. in political science and a track in international affairs. After graduation, Elise joined the Peace Corps as a HIV/AIDS prevention Volunteer in Botswana and was evacuated 9 months later because of COVID-19.

In culture shock and grieving the loss of her best friend, Morgan, I turned to my fellow co-founders. I've learned "grief is love with no place to go," and so we transformed this love into Morgan's Message.

Today, Elise resides in Denver where she is a youth lacrosse coach.