Upon December 2018 graduation Martin  was offered a fulltime internship position in the department of championships at the Southwestern Athletic Conference office. After four months there, she transitioned into a internship position at the NCAA in Championship Operations. The 2019 accomplishments includes being named 2019 SWAC Woman of the Year, served as a middle school all-star volleyball team head coach, and worked as a Game-Day Operations intern for the Indianapolis Colts.

Upon the completion of NCAA internship, she aims to work in championships at a conference office or in event management of a professional sports organization, while obtaining a dual master’s degree Sport’s Management and Business Administration.

Tiffany Greene is a play-by-play commentator for ESPN, covering a variety of collegiate sports including basketball, football, softball and volleyball. She is the first African-American woman to serve as a play-by-play commentator for college football on a major network.

Greene has called a number of postseason games including the NCAA Women’s Division I Basketball Tournament, NCAA Softball Regional and Super Regionals, as well as NCAA Volleyball Regionals. She is the first African-American woman to serve as a play-by-play commentators for a nationally televised college football game on ESPN.

Greene originally began working with ESPN as a college football sideline reporter in 2012.  She has since worked on the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on ABC and a handful of bowl games.  Greene also reported on the College Football All-Star Challenge.

Prior to ESPN, Greene honed her skills as a play-by-play announcer and sports reporter at Bright House Sports Network in the Orlando and Tampa Bay markets.  During that time, she was the play-by-play announcer for inaugural season of BIG EAST women’s basketball on Fox Sports 1.

Cori Pinkett joined Baylor Athletics in July 2018 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development. Passionate about developing individuals and empowering them to reach their potential, Pinkett leads a three-person team charged with developing and enhancing the Character Formation programming. Pinkett joins Baylor after spending a year and half as the Director of Leadership and Education for Women Leaders in College Sports. During her time at Women Leaders in College Sports, Pinkett planned, managed and executed all educational programming content and professional development programming for the association. Prior joining Women Leaders, Pinkett served as the Director of Student-Athlete Development at Kansas State Athletics from 2013-2017 and she got her start as the Assistant Director of Student Services at the University of Central Florida. Pinkett is also involved nationally with N4A, Women Leaders in College Sports and the NCAA as a consultant for the Effective Facilitation Workshop and the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum.

Chasity Brown holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Exercise Physiology from East Stroudsburg University, a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University and is currently pursuing a DrPH in Public Health from Capella University.  

In her spare time you can find her teaching fitness classes at the local gym, traveling to various countries mentoring college students from across the United States & Canada with the Living Sport organization, serving others through her sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho and volunteering at her local church. 

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith at 10:00 am est Come listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others and current initiatives. Right here On A Chat in the Garden with Monique A J Smith, where Significance Blooms via 347-989-8385 or www.chatinthegarden.com

Femi Alao

Assistant Director of Athletics

Robert Wesleyan College

Alao is a native of Aurora, Colorado. During her undergraduate years, Femi was a member of the NCAA Division I Grambling State University Women's Soccer team. There she spent three years before transferring to the University of Southern Mississippi where she played her final season. At Grambling, Femi earned a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications.

​Following her undergraduate work, Alao completed two masters' degrees at Ball State University in Educational Administration and Supervision and in Sport Administration.

Alao has spent the last 10 years as an Educator, Coach and Athletic Director in the K-12 setting. Through her work she was able to provide opportunities for hundreds of students to participate in interscholastic athletics and activities.

​With the support of the NCAA Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant, Alao was able to transition to college athletics as the Assistant Director of Athletics at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York. At Roberts, Femi serves on the Redhawks athletic department leadership team giving​  direction to the overall success of student - athletes and the strategic development and growth of the department.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith at 10:00 am est Come listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others and current initiatives. Right here On A Chat in the Garden with Monique A J Smith, where Significance Blooms via 347-989-8385 or www.chatinthegarden.com

Dr. Zaneta U. Ivy is currently responsible for the Athletic Compliance and Title IX monitoring at her alma mater, the University of Memphis (UofM), where she was also a former track and field student-athlete. She administers and oversees recruiting activities, training sessions, eligibility certification for practice and competition, NCAA squad lists, and the National Letters of Intent for 19 sports teams.  In her prior role as Assistant Athletic Director at Howard University, Zaneta served as an advocate and liaison for at least 350 student-athletes.  She also regularly assessed the effectiveness of the academic services provided and recommend innovative methods of advancement. Zaneta has also worked as an academic advisor at the University of Arkansas, the University of Utah, and Florida International University.

Zaneta holds a Doctorate of Education from East Tennessee State University in Global Sport Leadership, and her research was on the topic of “The Glass Ceiling: Will African American women administrators ever overcome being underrepresented in Division I Intercollegiate Athletics.”

Zaneta currently serves as the UofM Senate Staff representative, Faculty Athletic Committee Advisor, and as a graduate advisor to the UofM Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Undergraduate Chapter. She is a 2014 graduate of the NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute and currently a member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals, the National Association for Athletics Compliance and the Minorities Opportunities Athletic Association, Inc.  Zaneta is currently engaged to Andrew Bailey (FedEx Marketing Manager & UofM Professor) with plans to marry in 2021.

Angela Suggs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Sports Foundation, works to support Florida’s $57.4 billion sports industry.  In her role, Suggs leads the organization’s efforts to assist communities with securing, hosting and retaining sporting events and sports-related business through the Foundation’s grant programs; provide participation opportunities in the Sunshine State Games and Florida Senior Games; serve as Florida’s leading resource for sport tourism research and facts; assist in the promotion of targeted leisure sports industries in Florida; and assist national and state governing bodies to promote amateur sport development.

Prior to joining the Foundation, she held various roles at Florida A&M University, including Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).

A native of Tallahassee, her previous experience includes work in sales with Brown and Brown Insurance, Joe Robbie/Pro Player Stadium and the Marriott Corporation. She holds a B.S. degree in Business Economics from Florida A&M and an M.S. degree from St. Thomas University. Angela is married to Davin Suggs and the couple has one daughter, Dillyn Ashleigh.

Kala Flagg, MPT- Ms. Flagg recently completed her Master's of Physical Therapy degree requirements with an expected May 2020 graduation. Flag is also a ATC- Athletic Trainer Certified, and CSCS- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith at 10:00 am est Come listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others and current initiatives. Right here On A Chat in the Garden with Monique A J Smith, where Significance Blooms via 347-989-8385 or www.chatinthegarden.com

Madison McKinney

Founder

LockHERoom™ Podcast/Blog

Since a little girl, I have always felt deeply connected to sports in a way that was indescribable. I grew up in a small town by the name of Cartersville, Georgia. With not much to do, I was elated when I picked up my first basketball at the age of five. They say it is hard to have memories of early childhood, however I vividly remember not being able to sleep the day before my 6U coed rec game.  Shortly after, I played my first game at 3rd base. As I grew, sports grew with and on me. Aside from being 'Madison' I was the basketball player, the softball player. That became a part of my identity. From working out with guys twice my age, to traveling across the state to various skills camps I always saw my future being a collegiate athlete. My eight grade year, the beginning of my recruiting process, I fractured my foot the first game of the season. That was the first time I realized that I would not be able to play forever, and that was also the time I decided that I never wanted to be detached from the sports world. It was at that moment

 

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith at 10:00 am est Come listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others and current initiatives. Right here On A Chat in the Garden with Monique A J Smith, where Significance Blooms via 347-989-8385 or www.chatinthegarden.com

Darlene Gordon

Acting Athletics Director

UMASS Boston

Key Accomplishments

Develop and integrate a Five-year replace plan for athletic assets​ UMass Boston​ (2020)​

Collaborated with Human Resources to put in place RMV Checks for Coaches at UMass Boston (2019)​

Shepard the completion of various contracts significant to the operations of the​ UMass Boston​ Athletic Division (2019)​

Redesign the student-athlete feedback form at​ Moravian College​ to measure the championship culture within sports medicine, strength and conditioning, compliance, media relations,​ and​ each​ varsity program. The system is​ a part​ of the campus-wide AMOS data​ collection system which will​ sort data and have a confidential component accessible by the director of athletics or designate.​ Will be used to get everyone on the​ same​ page. (2016)​

Introduced this system to​ DeSales​ University​ is looking for ways to use this in their 2017-18 academic year.​ ​

Patriot League Women’s Basketball tournament​ increased sponsorship for the​ tournament​ by 167% and more than doubled attendance from 2008. (2009)​ ​

Tripled​ sponsorships dollars​ for Patriot League championships from the previous year.​ (2008)

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith at 10:00 am est Come listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others and current initiatives. Right here On A Chat in the Garden with Monique A J Smith, where Significance Blooms via 347-989-8385 or www.chatinthegarden.com