Jennifer Lynne Williams is a distinguished sports leader known for her transformative impact. On May 25, 2021, she was proudly announced as the Chief Development Officer for the USA Basketball Foundation, a role that exemplifies her commitment to cultivating a culture of excellence and progress within the realm of basketball. In this capacity, she drives the comprehensive growth of the USA Basketball Foundation, pioneering an inclusive fundraising platform. Her efforts support diverse national team programs, youth development initiatives, and innovative programs spotlighting women and fostering social responsibility.

Notably, on July 20, 2022, Williams etched history by securing a monumental $3.5 million donation from the Tull Family Foundation. This landmark contribution stands as the largest gift to the USA Basketball Foundation since its inception in 2019, marking her prowess in resource mobilization.

With a distinguished career marked by groundbreaking achievements, Williams has consistently elevated the organizations she’s been a part of. Named as the director of intercollegiate athletics at Alabama State University (ASU) on October 10, 2018, she had previously served as the university’s interim athletic director and deputy athletic director, driving remarkable success during her tenure. While serving at ASU, the Hornets experienced an unprecedented 43 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships, three consecutive commissioner cups, and two conference academic awards for the highest GPA, all under her leadership.

Williams’ journey also saw her contribute significantly to North Carolina A&T State University, where she served as the associate athletic director for development and executive director of the Aggie Athletic Foundation from 2012 to 2016. Her pivotal role oversaw all giving initiatives for athletics, and she was instrumental in the institution receiving recognition as a model booster organization by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

In addition to the abovementioned positions, Williams also worked at DePaul University as the assistant director of development for athletics and worked in development and marketing for Women Leaders in College Sports (formerly the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators).

Williams’ accolades and honors reflect her unwavering dedication to serving others and her positive impact on the sports industry. In 2018, she was named the Women Leaders in College Sports Division I (FCS) Executive of the Year. North Carolina Central University (NCCU) also recognized her as a 40-under-40 Class of 2016 honoree, celebrating her accomplishments across various domains.

A former athlete herself, Williams excelled as a four-year letterman and two-year captain in women’s basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional career began as a reporter for the Tar Heel Sports Network and production assistant for Fox Sports South.

Hailing from Detroit, MI, Williams holds a bachelor’s degree with a double major in journalism and African American history from North Carolina and a master’s degree in athletic administration from NCCU, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Her impact also extends to leadership positions; she was appointed to the NCAA Division I Council in 2018, where she actively participated on the Football Oversight Committee. She also held executive committee roles with the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD), Women Leaders in College Sports Board of Directors, NCAA Board of Governors Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity, Black AD Alliance, and the Black Coaches United Board of Directors.

Currently residing in Colorado Springs, CO, Williams finds her strength and support in her family – her husband, Valdez; daughter, Harper; and son, Jackson.

Williams’ journey stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication to propelling the world of sports forward, promoting inclusivity, and advocating for nothing short of excellence. Her innovative leadership remains instrumental in shaping the field of sports administration and forging paths in development that set new standards for the industry.

Detroit native Orlando Arnold is a former Alabama State University Baseball Player with over 15 years’ experience in sales, marketing, negotiation, and contracts. Throughout his career Orlando has been able to excel in in the pharmaceutical sales world and now the world of sports as an MLB & NFL sports agent. He’s negotiated multi-millions of dollars’ worth of contracts. But the most important to him are the lives he’s able to impact off the field, helping all his clients succeed in life after sports.

As the President, CEO & Co-Founder of Pyramid Sports & Entertainment Group, one of the top Minority Owned Dual Sport full-service agencies— Orlando utilizes the insight he gained as a student athlete and experiences from corporate America to help guide the next generation of superstar athletes. Orlando assist with all aspects of clients marketing, brand partnerships, contraction negotiation, and philanthropic endeavors. Some of the athletes, & executives on the company’s roster includes Jonathan Ward, Otis Reese, Kalil Pimpleton, Kyle Battle, Jennifer Lynne Williams of USA Basketball, Johnathon Thomas, & Chandler Wooten. Orlando holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Alabama State University and an MBA from Troy University. Orlando also has been named to several 40 under 40’s as well including Legacy Miami, Alabama State’s and he’s part of the inaugural Alpha Class of his fraternity’s (Alpha Phi Alpha) 40 under 40 as well. In addition to being a TedX featured speaker, he loves speaking about the business of sports, running his youth male mentorship program, coaching his nephew in Tee Ball, giving back and trying new restaurants with his wife Casandra. Orlando and Cassandra reside in Miami with their infant son, Landon.

April D. Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer of The SVE Firm, leads a comprehensive consulting entity that collaborates closely with clients to achieve positive outcomes in the face of complex challenges. The name of the firm, The SVE Firm (SVE), reflects its unwavering commitment to Strategy, Vision, and Execution, which form the foundation of all its operations. With over a decade of experience in strategic planning, sports marketing, branding, event management, sponsorship activation, NCAA compliance, business development, and nonprofit management, April is renowned as an independent businesswoman with a knack for inventive problem-solving and strategic creativity. Her extensive network allows her to provide innovative solutions to her clients, earning her the nickname “the fixer.” Guided by April’s astute leadership, the firm is dedicated to supporting its clients with integrity, excellence, teamwork, and top-tier customer service. The majority of the firm’s clientele consists of former professional athletes seeking to enhance their brand, expand their networks, navigate NCAA compliance, curate memorable events, and diversify their foundation funding portfolio.

Nanna Rivers, is a big ball of ENERGY, love, light and peace. Physically, Nanna shows up in the world as a mother, life partner, friend, CEO of Own Your Energy and Nanna Rivers Coaching, Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, Certified Professional Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher, Speaker, Women’s Basketball Hall Of Famer, European Professional Basketball Champion, Division 1 Women’s Basketball Collegiate Coach, NC State Women’s Basketball Player, and a NCAA Division 1 Basketball Referee.

Nanna attended NCState University and was a women’s basketball 4 year letter winner under the Legendary Coach Kay Yow. Afterwards, she went on to play professional basketball in Europe for 5 years. Shortly after playing, she decided to continue to give back to the game as a Division 1 basketball coach and a
NCAA Division 1 basketball referee, under the likes of Anne Donovan and Charlene Curtis.

Nanna realized that something was missing from sports. In every sector of the game the focus was majorly on the physical game and the mental, emotional, spiritual and cellular level of the game were hardly ever discussed in depth.

Certified since 2013 in Coaching and as an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC). These certifications revealed to Nanna that the sports world needed a holistic journey.

Now, Nanna is the CEO of OWN YOUR ENERGY where they provide a variety of services that holistically supports their clients mental, emotional and physically health. They promote mastering self awareness to effectively leverage energy leadership. Ultimately, they equip you to win in the game of life.

As an innovative Founder, esteemed Career Basketball Coach, and former Professional Basketball Player, Marquetta “Coach Q” Dickens has devoted her 16-year career to fostering growth and development in value-aligned environments. Dickens is steadfast in her mission to generate opportunities that nurture personal growth and empower individuals to realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

Dickens is the driving force behind Freedom Org, a Community Development Corporation committed to devising comprehensive, holistic solutions for traditionally under-resourced areas. Guided by her commitment to living faithfully and upholding her family’s legacy of societal transformation, she founded the organization to foster economic development, equitable educational alternatives, agricultural independence, and the preservation of heritage within these communities.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, her educational background lays a strong foundation for her work. Additionally, Dickens earned a Master’s degree in Student Affairs & College Counseling. This advanced education not only underscores her belief in the importance of education but also shapes her coaching-centric leadership style.

Throughout her career, Dickens has applied her developmental approach predominantly in the sports sphere. As a career basketball coach and therapist, her leadership style – characterized by positivity, determination, and an ethos of hard work aligns seamlessly with her community endeavors. Dickens’ experience as a Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and Assistant Director of Athletics has enabled her to cultivate emerging leaders both on and off the court at esteemed educational institutions, including William Peace University, College of St. Elizabeth, Community College of Philadelphia, Monmouth University, and North Carolina Central University.

As Chair of the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, Dickens has utilized her influential voice to boost Leadership Development, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in sports. And her dedicated involvement in the NCAA panel, ‘Growing the Game: Women’s Basketball in the Spotlight, ‘and Program Director for Own Your Energy further reinforces her unwavering commitment to this cause.

Dickens’ journey from professional basketball player to respected community leader has propelled those around her, equipping individuals with valuable skills and fostering environments ripe for impact. Her dynamic approach to societal innovation, complemented by her extensive professional experience and firmly rooted values, allows her to constantly create spaces for leaders to unleash their potential and make a difference in their communities. As Dickens strides into the future, her vision remains resolute: a world where everyone is empowered to carve their own path to greatness.

In March 2022, Felicia Martin was named senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement.

She had held the role in an interim capacity beginning in June 2021. Internally, she leads all inclusion operations and leadership development programming and supervises national office staff in inclusion, education and community engagement. She serves as a national office ambassador to member organizations, promoting the NCAA’s core values of diversity and inclusion.

Martin became the vice president of the NCAA Eligibility Center in February 2017. In that role, she was responsible for the Eligibility Center’s strategic direction and oversaw a staff that annually certified academics and sport participation credentials for approximately 100,000 Division I and II prospective student-athletes.

In addition to her regulatory affairs experience, Martin has an extensive campus background. Before coming to the NCAA, Martin was a senior associate director of athletics for academics, student services and sports administration at Texas Tech from 2008 to 2017. From 2003 to 2008, Martin served as the assistant executive director at the Division 1A Athletic Directors’ Association, now known as the LEAD1 Association. She began her athletics career at Texas Tech as a counseling
specialist focusing on freshman student transition, student-athlete tutorial services and mentoring programming.

Martin is a long-standing member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals, where she has held various leadership roles, including president from 2017-18. Previously Martin represented the NCAA on the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Executive Committee as an at-large representative. In addition, she is a member of the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, Women Leaders in College Sports and the Indy Chamber. Martin serves on the NCORE National Advisory Council, Athletics in the Academy committee and McLendon Foundation board. She also is a graduate of the NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute. Martin is credited as a co-founder of the Lauro Cavazos & Ophelia Powell-Malone Mentoring Program (Mentor Tech). She has facilitated several student- athlete development leadership conferences and is a frequent panelist, presenter and keynote speaker.

A native of Bay Springs, Mississippi, Martin earned her bachelor’s degree in educational psychology and master’s degree in counselor education from Mississippi State.