Our People
Joseph N. Cooper, Phd, is the inaugural Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston. Prior to UMass Boston, Cooper served as an associate professor at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in the Sport Management program in Department of Educational Leadership and Neag School of Education. Cooper earned his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Recreation Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), master's degree in Sport Administration in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science from UNC-CH, and doctorate in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Management and Policy from the University of Georgia (Athens, GA). His research agenda focuses on the intersection between sport, education, race, and culture with an emphasis on sport involvement as a catalyst for holistic development. He is also the faculty founder of Collective Uplift (CU), an organization designed to educate, empower, inspire, and support individuals to maximize their holistic potential both within and beyond athletic contexts. He has presented research at international, national, and regional conferences and published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, edited books, and op-ed contributions. As a result of his research, he has been cited in various media outlets including the New York Times, Boston Globe, ESPN, Le Monde, ABC News, Yahoo, and Diverse Issues in Higher Education. He is the author of From Exploitation Back to Empowerment: Black Male Holistic (Under)Development Through Sport and (Mis)Education (Peter Lang).
Laura Hayden, EdD, Director of Sport Performance and Holistic Wellness, is an Associate Professor and Co-Graduate Program Director of Counseling Psychology. Her research shows a commitment to the local urban community and larger global community, focusing primarily on positive youth development through sport and physical activity. She explores the relationship between physical activity and life skill development among at risk youth, with attention on understanding how youth develop culturally relevant skills that contribute to their success within their community. She examines the strength of interdisciplinary team approaches to student development, highlighting the importance of the counselor/athletic coach relationship. A secondary line of inquiry considers the impact of mental skills and mental strength in high performance settings.
Board Members
- Allyce Najimy, Foundation (future naming to come)
- Amy Latimer, Boston Bruins/TD Garden
- Amy Dow, New Balance
- Andre Tippett, New England Patriots
- Andrew Zimbalist, Smith College
- Bekah Salwasser, Boston Red Sox Foundation
- Bob Ryan, ESPN
- Charles Steinberg, Worcester Woo Sox/Boston Red Sox
- Chris Collins, WGBH
- Charlie Rose, City Year
- Charlie Titus, UMass Boston
- Chris Sinclair, Anthem Entertainment
- Cindy Brennan, Rubin Rudman
- Denise Kaigler, MDK Brand Management, LLC
- Denise Wolffs, Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
- Dick Flavin, Boston Red Sox
- Donna Eden Cohen, Donna Cohen Strategies
- Edwin Moses, Laureus World Sports Academy & Laureus Sport of Good Foundation
- Joe Preston, New Balance
- Joseph VanBuskirk, New Balance
- Keith Carroll, Mintz Levin Sports Practice
- Keith Gainesboro, Elevate Communications
- Keith Harrison, Devos School - UCF
- Keith McDermott, Kiefer USA / BAA
- Keith Motley, Urban League /UMass Boston
- Kelly Kaufman, Fenway Sports Group
- Kelly Sutton, Audacy/WEEI
- Kim Zayotti, Blue Sky Sports & Entertainment, LLC
- Larry Moulter, UMass Boston
- Lisa Borges, Anchor Foundation Consulting, LLC
- Marcita Thompson, Boston Red Sox
- Mark Duggan, MSD Strategies
- Mark Lev, Fenway Sports Group
- Marybeth McMahon, Special Olympics Massachusetts
- Mori Taheripour, University of Pennsylvania - Wharton School
- Neil Jacobs, 3Point Foundation
- Rob Friedman, Boston Sports Partners
- Rusty Sullivan , The Sports Museum
- Sam Kennedy, Boston Red Sox
- Tom Carleo, New Balance
- Tom Caron, NESN (New England Sports Network)
- Tom Grilk, Boston Athletic Association
- Tyler Tumminia Cherrington, PHF Commissioner
- Willie Maye, Boston Celtics
- Jackie MacMullen, ESPN
- Justin Prettyman, San Francisco 49ers Foundation
- Bill Overton, NFL Player Alumni
- Harvey Glance, (affiliation)
- Charlie Davies – NE Revolution
- Dave Hoffman – Boston Celtics
- Allison Feaster – Boston Celtics
- Josh Kraft, New England Patriots / Kraft Foundation
Honorary Board
- Tom "Satch" Sanders, Boston Celtics Legend
- William N. Gaine, Jr., MIAA and MSSAA
- Rhema Fuller, University of Memphis - Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management
- Richard Lapchick, Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, The Institute for Sport and Social Justice
- Jeremy Jacobs, Boston Bruins
- Charlie Jacobs, Boston Bruins
- Alfreda J. Harris, Boston School Committee
UMass Boston
- Alan Girelli, UMass Boston
- Jacqui Schuman, Athletic Director
- Steve Ackerman, UMass Boston
- Kevin McCluskey, UMass Boston