IFPA Staff

The following group of people help run the IFPA and the WPPR Rankings. If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of the staff, please contact us here.

IFPA President

Josh Sharpe

Josh Sharpe’s contributions to competitive pinball started with the creation of the Illini Pinball Association in 1998 on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. From there Josh created the PinBrawl World Team Pinball Championships, held at Pinball Expo in Chicago for several years and now held at the Michigan Pinball Expo. In the Spring of 2006, with the help of many players and enthusiasts, Josh created the World Pinball Player Rankings and resurrected the defunct International Flipper Pinball Association.

IFPA Staff

Andy Bagwell

A lifelong Illinois resident, Andy grew up in the town of Zeigler and was introduced to pinball by his father Jeff at a young age. He had no idea competitive pinball even existed until he moved to Elgin in his early 30’s. His wife Ruthanne pointed out a local league at Enterrium and convinced him to join. Ironically, it was being run by Josh Sharpe. Within roughly 2 years Andy took over both the Enterrium league and the IFPA Illinois State Representative position from Josh, while also reaching as high as 15th in the IFPA World Pinball Rankings. Andy has a passion for incentivizing players of all skill levels to attend and enjoy events he runs, and hopes to help the IFPA grow competitive pinball in the same way.

Adam Becker

Adam Becker started with the IFPA as Canadian Country Director back in 2012 and has been helping to run the organization as staff since 2016.  He hosted the IFPA World Championship in 2018 at his personal arcade Press Start.  

Kaylee Campbell

Kaylee has been a competitive pinball player for nearly ten years and is the creator of the Carolina Pinball Championship Series, a traveling circuit that helped rebuild connection across the Carolinas in the post-COVID era. She has served as the IFPA North Carolina State Representative for three years and continues to organize regular leagues and tournaments at Super Abari Game Bar in Charlotte, NC.

Professionally, Kaylee is a Senior Director in the IT industry, bringing extensive operational and organizational leadership experience. She is joining the IFPA leadership team to help foster a more inclusive and supportive competitive environment, and to ensure that pinball continues to be the welcoming community she has loved for so many years.

Christina Capra

Christina Capra started playing competitive pinball 6 years ago in Wilmington, NC with the Cape Fear Flipper club before moving to Charlotte, NC and joining the Abari league. Christina is the IFPA state representative for women’s NC and is passionate about increasing women’s representation in the open tournaments.

Emily Cosson

Emily Cosson has been a pinball enthusiast since the ripe age of 3 from playing her Dad’s home pinball collection! When her local arcades began running regular pinball tournaments, she became hooked competing, travelling to various events around Australia and the world. After competing for over a decade, she is now passionate in event management and growing the pinball community in Australia, hosting the Australian Pinball Open alongside her Dad and starting a regular Belles & Chimes league in Brisbane.

Claire Lickman

Claire has been playing pinball competitively since 2021. She jumped in feet first, organising tournaments with her boyfriend at their home, Pinhaus, and across the UK. This evolved into growing a community in East Anglia and the East Anglian Pinball league. She is a lead organiser for the East Anglian Pinball Open. She loves the competitive element to pinball as well as creating fun, inclusive events where people enjoy themselves. Some of Claire’s proudest pinball moments was winning the UK Pinfest Ladies tournament in 2024 and 3rd place at WEPC in 2026. Claire is excited to encourage more women and new talent into pinball, and to host WEPC in 2027.

Germain Mariolle

Germain Mariolle, originally from France, relocated to Seattle, USA in 2015 for work-related endeavors. Shortly thereafter, he became actively engaged in the local pinball scene, rekindling a childhood passion that dates back to his teenage years in France. Presently, he serves as the Washington state director, organizing two prominent competition events in the region—the WA NW Pinball Champs and NW Pinball Show tournaments. Germain contributes to the IFPA team, assisting in the review of events and results.

Travis Murie

Travis is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and moved to the St. Louis, Missouri area in 2022 to join The Pinball Company (a Stern Pinball dealer). He began competing in 2017 and has since traveled across the US and internationally to participate in tournaments. Travis has helped run tournaments and leagues with a focus on creating fun, competitive environments for players of all skill levels. He is also a co-host of the Triple Drain Pinball Podcast.  Outside of pinball, he enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids, and following sports, movies, and WWE.

Leslie Ruckman

Leslie started playing pinball when she got knocked out of her first and last Killer Queen tournament. She’s always had a competitive edge from her swimming days to barista and latte art competitions, so it didn’t take much for pinball to pull her in. Once she started playing pinball competitively, she was hooked. Unable to stay in one place for too long, Leslie has been lucky to be a part of the lovely pinball scenes in Chicago, California, and now Seattle.

Zach Sharpe

Zach Sharpe took over the Illini Pinball Association in 2002, and has overseen its continuance even after he has left the campus. Since 2017, Zach has been the Director of Marketing at Stern Pinball. Zach also serves as the IFPA Vice President. He has been an integral part in the continuing promotion of competitive pinball to the player community. Zach is responsible for all of the IFPA/Stern campaigns as well as all of the IFPA related media outreach.

Stephanie Traub

Stephanie Traub started playing competitive pinball in 2016 after enjoying it casually her whole life (her first memories of pinball involve searching for machines in hotel arcades on vacation in the late 80s and early 90s). She has since become a mainstay in her local competitive scene in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area as a tournament/league director and competitor. She is currently the IFPA Virginia state representative and previously served as the first IFPA Women’s District of Columbia representative. When not playing pinball, Stephanie enjoys traveling for music festivals (dance music is her favorite) and escaping reality in tiki bars.

Michael Trepp

Michael Trepp started competitive pinball in 1999 and was immediately hooked. He was always interested not only in competing, but also in helping to shape and develop the scene. He is the country director for Switzerland almost since the IFPA was resurrected and has been approving results and calendar submissions since the beginning of 2020.

Ashley Weaver

Brian Woodard

Brian Woodard took over the Illini Pinball Association in 2005, and continues to serve as the association’s President. As IFPA Commissioner, Brian is responsible for implementing the policies set forth by the IFPA, recommending policy changes and action to the President and Vice President as appropriate, and acting as a liason between the player base and IFPA staff. Brian is also the ultimate authority in handling all rulings and malfunctions at any tournament directly run by the IFPA, including the IFPA World Pinball Championship.

Honorable Mentions

Roger Sharpe

Co-Chairman – IFPA Founder

Roger Sharpe’s contributions and impact on the coin-operated amusement game industry have been evident for over 50 years. From his acclaimed book on pinball machines, testifying in New York City to help legalize the games and for 15 years, the Director of Marketing and Licensing for Williams Bally/Midway. He has also spent time designing games, and contributing to many of the coin-op industry trade magazines.

Steven Epstein

*Co-Chairman – IFPA Founder

Steven Epstein’s accomplishments are no less impressive as the owner/operator of the world famous Broadway Arcade in New York City for more than 35 years. Epstein also worked with Stern Pinball to promote the company’s TOPS tournament pinball system. Steven unfortunately passed away in June 2020. The IFPA and competitive pinball community at large wouldn’t be where it is today without him. Read more about Steven HERE.

The IFPA also has a staff of Country Directors that help local players with tournaments, rules or general questions. Please visit here to view them.

*Deceased