Sport Conversations for Change
About
The Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change (ISSSSC) is dedicated to “research, analysis and education at the intersection of sport and society.” This sport conversation series will discuss the current state of athletes and the groups and organizations that support them locally and globally. Join ISSSSC Executive Director, Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique, for thoughtful discussion and resources.
Past Events
ISSSSC 2021 Conference "It is time: Call to Action" Keynote Conversation
Released May 12, 2022
View May's Keynote Conversation on our ISSSSC's YouTube channel. Please like us and subscribe to our channel to stay connected.
View our "Call to Action" Keynote Conversation educational toolkit
ISSSSC's May 2022 Sport Conversation for Change featured the ISSSSC 2021 Conference "It is time: Call to Action" Keynote Conversation. In the tradition of the ISSSSC, the Call to Action was designed as a Town Hall and served as a culminating conversation for the two-day conference and provide a Call to Action as we share "Voices of Athlete Activism".
Keynote Panel
- Dave Zirin–Sport Journalist, Author, Sports Editor at The Nation Magazine
- Jesse Hagopian–Educator, Author, Editor at the Rethinking Schools Magazine
Keynote Moderators
- Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique–Executive Director, Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change, San José State University
- Dr. Travis Boyce–ISSSSC Academic Advisory Board member, Department Chair and Associate Professor of African American Studies
ISSSSC 2021 Conference "It is time: Media and Mental Health" Keynote Conversation
Released April 14, 2022
View April's Keynote Panel on our ISSSSC’s Youtube channel
Please like us and subscribe to our channel to stay connected.
View our "Media and Mental Health" Keynote Conversation educational toolkit
ISSSSC’s April 2022 Sport Conversation for Change will share the Keynote Conversation "It is time: Media and Mental Health" from the Sport, Society and Social Change Conference “Voices of Athlete Activism” from fall 2021. This keynote panel discussed the role of the media in getting the story. The pre- and post- competition interviews play a significant role in sport media traditions. Over the past decade to as recent as the 202One Olympic and Paralympic Games, the impact of media was amplified with notions of athlete mental health, wellness, and illness.
Keynote Panel
- Dr. Stephanie Coakley–Senior Associate Athletics Director for Mental Health, Temple University
- Anna Johannes– Paralympic Swimmer, Senior Account Executive Porter Novelli
- Marc Spears–ISSSSC Executive Advisory Board member, ESPN Senior NBA writer, ESPN's The Undefeated
- Ron Thomas–Director of Journalism in Sports, Culture and Social Justice, Morehouse College
Keynote Moderator
- Dr. Shaun Fletcher–ISSSSC Academic Advisory Board member and Assistant Professor of Public Relations, San Jose University
The Loyola Project 63 for 63 Screening at SJSU
March 15, 2022
Watch the 3/15/22 recording (coming soon)
View the 3/15/22 Presentation
View the "Loyola Project" educational toolkit
This Sport Conversation for Change collaborated with SJSU's Transforming Communities and the Department of African American Studies to discuss "The Loyola Project" 63 for 63 film screening that was showed on March 2, 2022 at SJSU. Moderated by Jahmal Williams, Director of Advocacy for Racial Justice at San Jose State University. In 1963, at the height of the civil rights movement, the Loyola Ramblers of Chicago broke racial barries and changed college basketball for ever. Nearly 60 years later, this legendary team is reexamined by the Loyola basketball player and co-captian Lucas Williamson. Woven together with archival footage and modern day interviews, this captivating story continues to provide inspiration in the fight for equality.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Travis Boyce–Department Chair and Associate Professor of African American Studies, San Jose State University
- Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique–ISSSSC Executive Director and Assistant Professor in African American Studies, San Jose State Unversity
- Dr. Gary "Doc" Sailes–Associate Professor (Retired), Indiana University & Sports Performance Consultant
Celebrating IX: National Girls and Women in Sport Day (NGWSD) & Title IX @ 50
February 17, 2022
Watch 2/17/22 recording (coming soon)
View the 2/17/22 Presentation
View the NGWSD educational toolkit
This Sport Conversation for Change shared expert advocate and activist instights on NGWSD and its relationship to and significance with Title IX of the Educational Amendment of 1972. We also shared our "Words TO Action" collaborative effort with the Wall of Song Project "Feeling Good", a social action initiative created by SJSU Art Lecturer Mel Day.
Guest Speakers
- Sara Axelson–Vice President of Advocacy at the Women's Sports Foundation
- Dr. Courtney Flowers–Associate Professor of Sport Management, Texas Southern University
- Dr. Jacqueline McDowell–Associate Professor of Sport Management, George Mason University
- Dr. Ellen Staurowsky–Professor of Sports Media, Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College
- Mel Day–Co-Founder of the Wall of Song Project, Art Lecturer, San Jose State University
A time for healilng: Examining the health and wellness through sport
February 10, 2022
Watch the 2/10/22 recording (coming soon)
View the 2/10/22 Presentation
This Sport Converstaion for Change celebrated Black History Month, incorporating the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) 2022 theme of "Black Health and Wellness". The ISSSSC explored the ways that sport as a cultural entity and sport leadership & participation contribute to the health, wellbeing, and healing for Black folx and other people of color with our panel of experts.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Michelle DeCoux Hampton – Special Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor, San Jose State University School of Nursing
- Carli Lowe–University Archivist, Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San Jose State University
- Dr. Gary "Doc" Sailes–Associate Professor (Retired), Indiana University and Sports Performance Consultant
Let's Sweat: A Critical Race Theory Spotlight on the Health of Sports
Released December 9, 2021
This Sport Conversation for Change re-aired the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Center for Sport Business and Analytics' "Let's Sweat: A Critical Race Theory Spotlight on the Health of Sports" Moderated by Dr. Deborah Stroman, PhD. This conversation examined the connection between Critical Race Theory and college sports. This multi-billion dollar business has clear commercialization motives that mirror the tenet of "interest convergence." In addtion the ongoing cry for athlete awareness, belonging and empowerment aligns with the principle of "Centering the marginalized." Hear from leading voices as they share their perspetive on this impactful industry.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique–ISSSSC Executive Director and Assistant Professor in African American Studies, San Jose State Unversity
- Gary Charles–Founder and CEO, Advancement of Black in Sports
- Dr. Billy Hawkins–Professor, University of Houston
- Dr. Christopher Parker–Professor, Washington State University
- Dr. Ellen Staurowsky– Professor, Ithaca College
- Chelsea Townsend–Founder, C-Town Sports Agency
Host
- Dr. Deborah Strohman–Director of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Research Program at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Founder of the Center for Sport Business and Analytics
Taking a Stand for Racial Justice in Soccer - Kaiya McCullough Conversation
Released November 11, 2021
This Sport Conversation for change re-aired the SJSU Transforming Communties spirited conversation with Kaiya McCullough moderated by Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique. Kaiya spent time playing in the National Women's Soccer League and the Frauen-Bundesliga after a four-year career at UCLA's elite women's soccer program. At UCLA, she recieved the Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year award for women's soccer and was one of the first collegiate athletes to kneel for the National Anthem, inspired by Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe.
Guest Speaker
- Kaiya McCullough–Activist & Former Professional Soccer Player
Keynote Moderator
- Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique–Executive Director, Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change, San José State University, USA.
Youth Sports during COVID-19: Examining the experience, equity, and best practices
September 23, 2021
This Sport Conversation for Change discussed youth sports, how they have evolved over the past half century, and how they continue to be transformed by social forces like the current global pandemic. Noting is radical expansion and diversification over the past three decades, scholars of Sport from a variety of disciplines examine how the increasing number of types of sports and physical activities available, as well as the variety of ways to play, shape the experiences of youth participants. We looked at what these different options mean for equity, and how they may affect important outcomes like youth mental health. Finally, they discussed how the restrictions and changes put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have differentials impacted youth participants depending on charachteristics like their gender, race, and social class, and recommend best practices.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Douglas Hartmann–Professor in the Department of Sociology, University of Minnesota
- Dr. Joyce Olushola–Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston
The Student Experience: Enduring Education & Activism During COVID-19
May 13, 2021
Watch the 5/13/21 recording
View the 5/13/21 Presentation
This Sport Conversation for Change focused on the college student experience during the Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Much of ISSSSC’s conversations have featured the perspectives and forecasting efforts of thought leaders, academic scholars, administrators, coaches, and practitioners in institutions, organizations, and associations dedicated to supporting students and participants.
In our efforts to understand and provide support to our fellow leaders on the front line, and as we near the end of a virtual academic year we wanted to speak to our students and to learn about their experiences. The May conversation will feature the 2020-2021 ISSSSC Interns. During our conversation we seek to learn about their internship experiences, identify the ways that their engagement in research influenced their educational journey, and illuminate how ISSSSC supported their advocacy, activism, and social change
Guest Speakers
- Jesse Bair–Master's in Children's and Young Adult Literature, Central Michigan University
- Natasha Harris–Undergraduate in Communication Studies, Minor in Child and Adolecent, San Jose State University
- Leilani Saelaw–Undergraduate in Kinesiology, San Jose State University
- Caleb Simmons–Undergraduate in Exercise Science, Men's Basketball, San Jose State University
Where Are We Now? A Look Inside 2021 College Sport
April 8, 2021
Watch the 4/8/21 recording
View the 4/8/21 Presentation
In Spring 2020 ISSSSC hosted a series of conversations at the onset of Covid-19 and resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement to illuminate the issues, challenges, and best practice opportunities then. This webinar serves as a one year anniversary for ISSSSC’s Sport Conversation for Change and an opportunity to ask college sport leaders, practitioners and students “Where are we now?”
Guest Speakers
- Subrina Martin–Learning Specialist & Academic Advisor, San Jose State University
- Dr. I.S. Keino Miller–Licensesd Psychologist and Assistant Professor, Florida State University
- Dr. Richard Southall–Director of the College Sport Research Institute (CSRI) and Professor in the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, University of South Carolina
- Annie Ronning–ISSSSC Intern, Master's Kinesiology: Athletic Training, San Jose State University
- Christian Webb–Football Student Athlete, Master's Interdisciplinary Studies, San Jose State University
Equitable Futures for Womxn in Sport
March 11, 2021
Watch the 3/11/21 recording
View the 3/11/21 Presentation
This Sport Conversation for Change will serve as a celebration of all things Womxn with Womxn’s History Month and a reflection on International Women’s Day and National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Womxn’s have and continue to make tremendous contributions in sport as participants, leaders, influencers, decision makers, and as advocates and activists. However, and according to UN Women “In addition to persistent pre-existing social and systemic barriers to women’s participation and leadership, new barriers have emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across the world women are facing increased domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty” (United Nations Women, 2020). This conversation will examine these issues at the interface of sport with thought leaders and practitioners in the U.S. and abroad.
Guest Speakers
- Dawna Callahan–CEO & Founder of All In Sport Consulting
- Jenny Lim–Program Manager at Canadian Women & Sport
- Danielle Slaton–Director of External Relations, Santa Clara University
We are Family: Sport, Politics, Culture and the Black Family
February 11, 2021
Watch the 2/11/21 recording
View the 2/11/21 Presentation
Over the past year race, racism, and anti-Black racism has been at the fore of national and international conversations, centered Black people and DEI initiatives in the management and operations of businesses and organizations. This Sport Conversation will examine these issues and the experiences of Black athletes, coaches, sport professionals and their families. ISSSSC will celebrate Black History Month 2021 with scholars and leaders to: discuss the significance of Black people in sporting spaces, examine the role Black athletes and coaches have played in political conversations, identify the influence and commodification of Black sport figures in cultural spaces, and explain how these experiences are affecting the representation, identity, and diversity of the Black family.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Travis Boyce–Chair & Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies, San Jose State University
- Dr. Letisha Engracia Cardoso Brown–Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech
- Dr. Billy Hawkins–Interim Department Chair & Professor in the Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Houston
ISSSSC Sport, Society and Social Change Conference Keynote Panel #2
January 14, 2021
ISSSSC’s January 2021 Sport Conversations for Change will share the Keynote Conversation #2 from the inaugural Sport, Society and Social Change Conference “(Re)Imagining Sport in the Age of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter” from fall 2020.
This conversation discussed the state of sport in society. We spoke with a few amazing
professional leaders of sport and sport organizations. Watch as they shared their
perspectives on the aspects that influenced their management decisions during the
onset of COVID-19 to and through the Black Lives Matter movement.
View December’s Keynote Panel #1 on our ISSSSC’s Youtube channel.
Please like us and subscribe to our channel to stay connected.
Keynote Panel
- Dr. Algerian Hart–Associate Dean/Professor of the Graduate College at Missouri State University, USA.
- Dr. Kevin Hylton–Professor Emeritus of Equality and Diversity in Sport and Education, Chair of the Sheffield Race Equality Commision, Leeds Beckett University Carnegie School of Sport, UK.
- Dr. Nicole Lavoi–Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, Senior Lecturer in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota, USA.
- Rachelle Patel–Director of Marketing and Events, Laureus Sport For Good, USA.
Keynote Moderators
- Dr. Shaun Fletcher–Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Sport – Communication School of Journalism, San José State University, USA – ISSSSC Academic Advisory Board.
ISSSSC Sport, Society and Social Change Conference Keynote Panel #1
December 10, 2020
ISSSSC’s December Sport Conversations for Change will share the Keynote Conversation #1 from the inaugural Sport, Society and Social Change Conference “(Re)Imagining Sport in the Age of Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter”. This conversation
discussed the state of sport in society. We spoke with a few amazing scholars, professionals,
and sport activists that are on the front lines of sport and sport thought. Watch
as they shared their perspectives on issues, controversies, experiential realities
of athletes and stakeholders in the U.S. and abroad during this past year.
View this month’s conversation on our ISSSSC’s Youtube channel.
Please like us and subscribe to our channel to stay connected.
Keynote Panel
- Shireen Ahmed–Sports Activist, Public Speaker, and Writer – Independent Journalist, Canada.
- Dr. Amira Rose Davis–Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies – Penn State University, USA.
- Dr. Jamil Northcutt–Vice President, Player Engagement – Major League Soccer, USA.
Keynote Moderators
- Dr. Akilah Carter-Francique–Executive Director, Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change, San José State University, USA.
- Dr. Jules Boykoff–Professor & Department Chair, Political Science – Pacific University, USA – ISSSSC Faculty Affiliate.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Reflections on the last 30 years of people with disabilities in sport
October 8, 2020
Watch the 10/8/20 recording
View the 10/8/20 Presentation [pdf]
This Sport Conversation will address the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The ADA “prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government’ programs and services” (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.). Thirty years later, how has the ADA prohibited discrimination in these areas? How has it prohibited discrimination in sport? Panelists will reflect upon the impact of this act on individuals with disabilities in sport, recreation, and physical activities; share insights on programs, services, and opportunities for participation and leadership; and, provide commentary on the present and future state of sport in society.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Mary Hums–Professor, University of Louisville, Department of Health and Sport Sciences.
- Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami MD, MS–Assistant Professor, Family Medicine/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Urology, Michigan Medicine; Interim Director – Services for Students with Disabilities, Director – Adaptive Sports and Fitness University of Michigan; Director – Adaptive Sports, Michigan Center for Human Athletic Medicine and Performance.
- Stephanie Wheeler–Head Coach, Women’s Wheelchair Basketball, Co-Coordinator – Disability Ally Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Athlete Ally Paralympic Ambassador.
- Eli Wolff–Directs the Power of Sports Lab, Instructor with the Sport Management program at the University of Connecticut, and Co-founder and advisor to the Sport and Society initiative at Brown University.
Representation Matters: Race, Equity, and Inclusion in Athletics and Education
September 10, 2020
Watch the 9/10/20 recording
View the 9/10/20 Presentation [pdf]
This Sport Conversation will address issues of Race, Equity, and Inclusion in Athletics and Education. In March 2020, after the public killing of George Floyd and the deaths and culminating aftermath of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery the significance of Black Lives Matter would be elevated again – this time with the attention of the world. Sport and athletic competition was and remains a subject of debate; simultaneously, the Black athletes performance, lives, and health would take center stage. Scholars, administrators, and consultants will discuss the implications of athletes and sport, and the role of race, equity, and inclusion in organizational composition and program delivery.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Deniese Dortch–Visiting Assistant Professor, The George Washington University.
- Jamall Kinard–Executive Director – Lakeview Neighborhood Alliance and Trainer – Racial Equity Institute, Head Coach & Founder of Conscious Leadership.
- Dr. Walt Jacobs–Dean of College of Social Sciences, San José State University and ISSSSC Faculty Advisory Board Member.
- Dr. John Singer–Associate Professor in Sport Management and Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, TAMU and ISSSSC Faculty Affiliate
Classroom and Beyond: Sport Education, Graduate School and Internships
June 4, 2020
Watch the 6/4/20 recording
View the 6/4/20 Presentation [pdf]
What are the next steps for students? Whether you are a current undergraduate, graduate student, or are considering higher education and sport, this Sport Conversation is for you. Faculty, academic advisors, and industry professionals will share their insight on how to apply for and navigate graduate school, identify internships and learn about sport careers, and discuss skill sets that are needed to thrive in a range of sport industry careers.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Alvin Logan–Director of Education for the Burke Museum at the University of Washington.
- Amy August–Ph.D. Candidate in Sociology at the University of Minnesota.
- Dr. Courtney Flowers–Associate Professor of Sport Management at Texas Southern University.
- Kelli Monedero–Founding Member & Director of Communications for the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports.
- Mark Spears–Senior Writer for ESPN.
- Dr. Shaun Fletcher–Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Sport Communication at San Jose State University.
- Pharlone Toussaint–Atlanta Program Officer for Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA
- Dr. Stephany Coakley–Senior Associate AD for Mental Health, Wellness and Performance in the Department of Athletics at Temple University.
Teaching in a Virtual Space during COVID-19
May 21, 2020
Watch the 5/21/20 recording
View the 5/21/20 Presentation [pdf]
This week’s conversation will address some of the issues, challenges, and best practices for teachers and students to engage in online education in sport. How theory, labs, practicums, and internships for undergraduate and graduate students can be best delivered in the absence of face-to-face and field instruction?
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Courtney Flowers–Associate Professor at Texas Southern University.
- Dr. Brian Gearity–Director & Assistant Professor University of Denver.
- Dr. Jasmine Hamilton–Assistant Professor at Prairie View A&M University.
- Dr. Eli Wolff–Directs the Power of Sports Lab, Instructor with the Sport Management program at the University of Connecticut, and Co-founder and advisor to the Sport and Society initiative at Brown University.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ Athletics, Academics, and COVID-19
May 7 2020
Watch the 5/7/20 recording
View the 5/7/20 Presentation [pdf]
This week’s conversation will examine the state of Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCUs) athletic programs. Our conversation will focus on the experiences of athletes, coaches, and athletic departments’ daily operations and how HBCUs are continuing to nurture the holistic development, academic engagement and mental health and well-being of its college athletes during COVID-19.
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Marcus Amos–Assistant Professor, Sport Management Department Coordinator, and Faculty Athletic
Representative for the NAIA Conference at Voorhees College and the founder of Prevention
Education for Athletes.
Dr. Kiki Baker Barnes (PhD)–Athletics Director at Dillard University / President of the NAIA Athletic Directors Association Board / Interim Commissioner for the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. - Dr. Joseph Cooper (PhD)–Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration and Associate Professor in the Leadership in Education Department in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
- Dr. J. Kenyatta Cavil (PhD)–Professor of Sport Management and Sport Studies at Texas Southern University.
- Dr. Courtney Flowers (PhD)–Associate Professor of Sport Management at Texas Southern University / Faculty Affiliate for the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change at San Jose State University.
- Dr. F. Michelle Richardson (PhD)–Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Coppin State University in the College
of Business.
Coach Willie Simmons–Head Football Coach at Florida A&M University.
Coach Angela Williams–Head Women’s Track & Cross Country Coach at Prairie View A&M University.
Lift Every Voice: Athletes, Lived Experiences, and Mental Health and Coping in the Age of COVID-19
April 16, 2020
Watch the 4/16/20 recording
View the 4/16/20 Presentation [pdf]
This week’s conversation is an opportunity for athletes at all levels (K-12 to college to amateur/professional) to share their experiences and ask questions. We also welcome athlete coaches, advisors, family and friends, and members of the athlete support team to share their experiences and challenges to provide support during COVID-19. Mental health and coping models, strategies, culturally competent resources, training and certifications will be shared.
If you would like to share your story or if you have questions of interests email the ISSSSC team at wordstoaction@sjsu.edu by 11:59 p.m. PST, Wednesday, April 15, 2020. See YOU there!
Guest Speakers
- Dr. I.S. Keino Miller–Director of Mental Health and Follow-up Care at Tulane University
- William & Lizette Goodloe–DCo-Founders of Behind the Whistle LLC.
Behind the Whistle LLC is an educational consulting company that provides the tools necessary for developing the whole coach and athlete beyond schematics. We aim to address issues in social justice, mental health and wellness, social work in sports, coaching athletes in Generation Z, positive coaching, culturally relevant coaching, and trauma informed coaching. - Haley Eckerman–Assistant Volleyball Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at Tarleton State University.
- Sage Hopkins–Head Coach for the San Jose State University Women’s Swimming and Diving Team.
- Ervin Lewis–Sr. Associate Athletics Director for Facilities and Operations at the University of North Florida / NCAA Division I Track and Field Committee.
“2021” Olympic Games: Athletes, Competition and Mental Health and Coping in the Age of COVID-19
April 9, 2020
Watch the 4/9/20 recording
View the 4/9/20 Presentation [pdf]
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Luke Patrick–Licensed Counseling & Sport Psychologist for Portland Trailblazers.
- Dr. Jeff Porter–Director of Student-Athlete Alumni Relations at the University of Michigan, USATF Athlete Advisory Committee Member, 2008 Olympian in Track and Field representing USA.
- Alleyne Francique–Team Track and Field Coach Grenada Olympic Committee, 3-time Olympian, 2-time World Indoor Champion in Track and Field representing Grenada.
- Wallace Spearmon–USATF Board Member, Athlete Advisory Committee Member, & Assistant Relays Coach – 2-time Olympian in Track and Field representing USA.
- Kelsey LeFevour–Paralympian, PhD student in the Department of Recreation, Sport at Tourism at the University of Illinois.
College Sport, Gender, and Mental Health and Coping in the Age of COVID-19
April 2, 2020
Watch the 4/2/20 recording
View the 4/2/20 Presentation [pdf]
Guest Speakers
- Dr. Emmett Gill–Past President and CEO for the Alliance of Social Workers in Sport.
- Dr. I.S. Keino Miller–Director of Mental Health and Follow-up Care at Tulane University.
- Mel Day–Art Lecturer at San Jose State University, Film-maker, Co-founder of Wall of Song Project.
