2017 Board of Directors and Nominating Committee Slate

Women Leaders in College Sports voting members were asked to select three Board of Directors and five Nominating Committee members from the proposed slate below. The top representatives in each group will earn a place on their respective committees.

2017 President-Elect Nominee

Julie Soriero, Department Head & Director of Athletics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (III)

Julie Soriero joined MIT as an Associate Professor and the Department Head and Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) in July of 2007. She directs a department that supports one of the most comprehensive athletic programs in the country, featuring 33 intercollegiate teams, including a Division I rowing program that has its women competing in the Patriot League. A noted speaker, Soriero has presented at the NACDA and NCAA conventions as well as the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), the Women’s Coaches Academy and the NCAA sponsored Women’s Leadership Symposiums.

Since arriving at MIT, Soriero has been directly involved in the fund-raising and construction of a number of capital facilities projects and reorganized the Senior Management Team. Under her leadership MIT has become one of the top NCAA Division III programs in the country, rising to No. 1 in the nation in the Learfield Director’s Cup standings after the fall seasons of 2014 and finishing 2014-15 in the No. 3 position in the Cup standings, the highest finish in program history. In final season Director’s Cup standings MIT has finished in the top-10 in each of the last five years.

MIT has led the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) in championships in each of the last three years, winning at least 10 during those seasons. So far in 2014-15 MIT has picked up four more NEWMAC Championships, saw the football team win its first New England Football Conference title, won two individual national titles in track and field, and had 12 sports represented at national championship events. In 2013 MIT won the inaugural NEWMAC President’s Cup for both the men’s and women’s programs, symbolic of the top overall programs in the conference, following that up in 2014 with a second men’s President’s Cup. In 2013-14 alone MIT won 10 NEWMAC championships, saw 16 teams represented at various NCAA Championship events, won one individual national title, and saw its student-athletes garner 97 All-America honors and 15 Academic All-America awards. In fact, over the last four years, Soriero has helped build the MIT program into a national power, averaging 10 conference championships, 90 All-Americans, and 12 Academic All-Americans a season in that span.

Prior to her appointment as Director at MIT, Soriero served at Colorado College for nine years, four of which were as Director of Athletics. At Colorado College, Soriero saw two of her teams (Men’s Ice Hockey – NCAA Division I and Women’s Lacrosse – NCAA Division III) reach their respective Final Fours in the same year. Prior to her appointment as Director there she served as the Interim Director of Athletics concurrently with various other roles such as Head Women's Basketball Coach, Director of Events, Senior Woman Administrator and Senior Associate Athletic Director. Before Colorado College, Soriero held the Head Women’s Basketball Coach position at the University of Pennsylvania for ten years. She also coached and served as the Associate Director of Athletics at Philadelphia University and began her collegiate coaching career at Haverford College, founding the Division III program there in 1980. In all she coached for 21 years before dedicating herself to full-time administrative work.

During Soriero's career she has served on multiple national and local boards and committees and is currently serving on the NCAA Division III Management Council, Olympic Sports Committee, and the Committee on Women’s Athletics. She previously was elected to serve on the NACWAA Board of Directors, chaired the NACWAA Awards Committee, and served as the West Regional Representative to the National Association of Collegiate Director's of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee. Soriero also completed a term of service with the NCAA Women’s Basketball Rules Committee.

Soriero, who has received numerous honors during her distinguished career, was recently named a 2014-15 Division III Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year recipient by NACDA. She has also been honored as the 2012 Division III Administrator of the Year by NACWAA. As a coach, she was recognized by the American Women’s Sports Foundation as the Northeast Regional Coach of the Year, was an All-American coach for three consecutive seasons and was twice named the Philadelphia Big Five Coach of the Year during her time at the University of Pennsylvania. While at what is now Philadelphia University, her teams made a number of post-season appearances including the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1986. As an administrator, Soriero was nominated for the "Sportswoman of Colorado" award, and named one of “Philadelphia's 40 Defining Women”.

Originally from New Hope, Pa., near Philadelphia, Soriero began her career in athletics after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She later earned her Master of Education degree in Sports Psychology from Temple University.

2017 NACWAA Board Member Slate

Dr. Denisha Hendricks

Dr. Denisha L. Hendricks is well-known among her colleagues and throughout intercollegiate athletics. Hendricks recently served as the Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at Chicago State University and has a career filled with athletic administration and teaching experience. Hendricks currently serves on the NCAA Division I subcommittee for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Limited Resource Institutions.

Before CSU, Hendricks served as Director of Athletics and Assistant Professor at Kentucky State University for six years where she oversaw 13 NCAA Division II Intercollegiate Athletic Programs. During her tenure the Thorobreds won four conference championships, 21 conference division titles, and three conference academic championships.

From 2005 to 2009 Hendricks served as Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Johnson C. Smith University where she oversaw internal operations of the athletic department, including compliance, academics, sports medicine, facilities and game operations. She also managed women’s sports and served as interim chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance and Assistant Professor of Physical Education/ Sport Management. Hendricks also served as the advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, member of the University Athletics committee, member of Student Judicial Board, and Vice President for the Faculty Senate. She also held the positions of Senior Woman Administrator, Dean of the Academic Village and Assistant Professor at Livingstone College.

Hendricks holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Athletic Training from the University of South Carolina. She earned Master's and Doctoral degrees in Higher Education Administration from Auburn University in 2001 and 2004, respectively. Her dissertation is entitled The Relationship of Hope and Self-efficacy to Health Promoting Behaviors among Student-Athletes Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 2007 Dr. Hendricks graduated from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Females. To her credit Dr. Hendricks has numerous, local, state, regional, and national presentations and several publications that include, refereed journal articles, quantitative instruments, and health promotion training manuals.

An active diamond life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Tau Psi Zeta Chapter in Alsip, IL, Hendricks has served the organization on all levels and is currently the National Director of Undergraduate Advisors and a member of the Zeta Organizational Leadership National Steering Committee. In 2012 Zeta Phi Beta announced that Hendricks was one of 20 leaders selected for induction into the prestigious Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.’s South Central Region Hall of Fame during the 83rd Annual Leadership conference in Jackson, Mississippi on June 16th.

She is a member of Order of Eastern Star, Phyllis Wheatley Chapter #656 Selma, AL. She holds memberships in numerous other professional organizations such as Phi Delta Kappa International, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, Phi Epsilon Kappa Fraternity, Inc. (Physical Education Honor Society), and National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Dr. Hendricks has received numerous awards, including 2008 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. National Leadership Initiative Award, the 2007 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Senior Woman Administrator of the Year, 2006 & 2004 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. National Outstanding Star Service award. In 2009 Dr. Hendricks was named in the Montclair Who’s Who among Professionals and Executives.

Her impressive career has been highlighted by being appointed to a four-year term on NCAA Academic Requirements Committee (2010-2014) and serving on the NCAA Initial Eligibility Waivers Sub-Committee. She served just two years on the Academic Requirements Committee when she was appointed to the DII Management Council, Academic Taskforce and Student-Athlete Reinstatement committees. Hendricks was elected Chair of the Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee in May 2014. Hendricks has served on several NCAA Task Forces and Project teams including the NCAA Doping, Drug Testing and Drug Education Task Force, Division II Academic Task force and Division II Project Team to Review Drug Testing and Education. Hendricks, a member of the Division II Athletics Directors Association, was awarded the 2010 Borden Perlman Insurance Professional Development Grant for the Association.

In August 2011 Hendricks was added to the Division II Athletic Directors Association Board of Directors as the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) representative. As a member of the D-II ADA Board of Directors, Hendricks will assist with supporting and engaging in the initiatives of the D-II ADA, obtaining input from conference membership regarding D-II and NCAA issues and attending national conventions. In August 2011, she was chosen by Auburn as a member of its College of Education National Advisory Council. Hendricks serves on the Council’s Development Committee, which is responsible for assisting with the creation and review of the development strategic work plan, identifying long-term funding opportunities and hosting donor events and receptions.

Also in 2011, Hendricks was selected to serve as a mentor for the first three years of The NCAA & Division II Athletic Directors Association Women & Minorities Mentoring Program - “Mentoring Tomorrow’s Leaders”. The purpose of the program is to match 10 outstanding Division II athletics administrators with 10 committed athletics directors in hopes of building a foundation that will encourage the participants to pursue a long-range career in athletics administration – ideally in Division II. Hendricks also was selected as a mentor to one of the 2012 NCAA Pathway Program participants. The Pathway Program’s purpose is to enhance the professional skills of women and ethnic minorities who seek to become directors of athletics, through education, training and mentorship; provide program participants with an in-depth look into the NCAA governance structure; and expose participants to key stakeholders within the association.

In July 2012, Hendricks was selected by Auburn University as a recipient of the institution’s prestigious Young Alumni Achievement Award. Other honorees included Oscar Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer, who is best-known for her role as Minny in the 2011 film The Help. The Young Alumni Achievement Award was created to recognize extraordinary accomplishments by members of the Auburn family who are 40 years of age or under. Sixteen recipients were selected for significant achievement in their professional lives and/or for distinguished community service.

Dr. Hendricks is a native of Birmingham, Ala. She is the daughter of Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks, Professor Emeritus at Auburn University School of Nursing, and Mr. James L. Hendricks, Jr., retired Band Director with the Birmingham City Board of Education.

Lori Hendricks, Chair of Physical Education and Director of Athletics, Mount Holyoke College (III)

Lori A. Hendricks has served as Mount Holyoke’s chair of physical education and director of athletics since July 2013. Prior to this position, Hendricks served as the College's associate athletics director for programming. In her current role, Hendricks oversees the physical education program, a requirement of all MHC students for graduation, 14 varsity sports programs, the club sports program, and the College’s recreational program.

During her tenure as MHC director of athletics, Hendricks has overseen major facility renovation projects totaling just under $2.2 million. In summer 2015, the natural grass soccer field was resurfaced, and additional drainage, landscaping, and seating enhancements were completed. Renovations to the existing field house included the replacement of the original curtains, floor, and roof. Enhancements to the pole vaulting and horizontal jumps areas were also included.

The athletic and academic performances of MHC student-athletes under Hendricks are great points of pride. Over the past three years, individual and team performances have included eight All-Americans, two Academic All-Americans, multiple team and individual event conference championships, and three individual, national champions.

All varsity teams currently hold cumulative GPAs over 3.0. The swimming and diving team was named the team with the highest cumulative GPA (3.71) in Division III for 2015. MHC student-athletes have great success securing admission to graduate or professional school or employment within six months after graduation.

Hendricks recently served on the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference executive committee as past president of the conference (2013-2016). In 2015-16, she served as the chair of the Seven Sisters athletics conference. Hendricks is an active member of NACWAA, serving as a faculty member to their leadership institutes and member of the Advancement Committee.

Prior to her work at Mount Holyoke, Hendricks was a research associate for the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good at the University of Michigan, addressing issues of access to higher education. While at Michigan, she served as the president’s liaison to the university’s NCAA certification team and as special consultant to the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. In 2007, Hendricks was one of the lead investigators on the Knight Commission-sponsored national study on faculty attitudes on intercollegiate athletics.

Virnette House-Browning, Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA, Cleveland State University (I)

Virnette House-Browning, who has more than 20 years of experience as an administrator in intercollegiate athletics, was named Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Cleveland State on July 7, 2011.

House-Browning oversees CSU’s external relations operations, including athletics communications, marketing, promotions, ticketing and assists in the area of fundraising. In addition, she is the sport administrator for women’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s soccer and men’s and women’s tennis.

Prior to arriving at CSU, House-Browning spent 16 years as the SWA at Bradley University representing Bradley at all Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) meetings. During her MVC tenure she served on the Championships, Gender Equity & Diversity and Executive Committees; in addition she served as the chair of the Athletics Administrators Committee.

In 2010-11, she was named Executive Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, providing leadership and oversight for the External Affairs division within Bradley Athletics, including marketing, corporate fulfillment, corporate sponsorships, fundraising, the Braves booster organization, communications and ticketing.

House-Browning served as the Interim Director of Athletics at Bradley from May to December of 2009. She joined the Braves staff in 1996 as the Associate Athletic Director before being promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2002 and Executive Athletic Director in 2007.

Prior to arriving at Bradley, House-Browning was the Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Affairs at Bowling Green State University from 1995-96. She was also an Academic Coordinator for Athletics at the University of Virginia from 1993-95, providing academic advising for men’s and women’s basketball and additional academic support for student-athletes representing 22 Division I varsity teams.

House-Browning has been extensively involved in athletic leadership at the national level to include serving on the NCAA Championship Cabinet, Minority Opportunities and Interest Committee, Leadership Institute Committee and the Academic Eligibility Compliance Cabinet. She is also a graduate of the 2013 NCAA/NACWAA Executive Institute.

House-Browning is currently serving on the Positive Coaching Alliance Board of Directors and the Women in Sports and Events Board of Directors. In addition, during her professional tenure she has served on the following boards: Children’s Home, Junior League of Peoria, Peoria Academy, Tri-County Urban League, Human Service Center and the Peoria YWCA.

House-Browning has received awards in recognition of her leadership and service to include; Bradley University’s Frances Mergen Award for Community Service, the City of Peoria’s Prescott Bloom Community Service Award, Peoria’s 25 Women in Leadership Award and Peoria’s 40 Leaders Under Forty Award.

A native of Wooster, Ohio, House-Browning earned her bachelor of science in biology and her master of arts degrees from Bowling Green State University.

Desiree Reed-Francois, Deputy Athletics Director, Virginia Tech (I)

Desiree Reed-Francois fills a critical role for Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Whit Babcock, overseeing the football program and the day-to-day operations of the external team, which includes ticketing services, marketing and promotions, HokieVision, strategic communications, graphic design/publications, corporate development, and IMG, as well as having oversight of sports medicine.

Reed-Francois followed Babcock to Tech in May of 2014 after serving as Babcock’s Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Cincinnati. She served as the interim AD at Cincinnati for five months after Babcock left to take the same position at Tech, making her the first Hispanic female (interim) AD at the FBS level.

“She earned my trust and respect at Cincinnati and did an outstanding job leading and enhancing all of the external units of the department along with successfully collaborating with our coaches, staff and university administration,” Babcock said in announcing her hire. “Desiree believes in creating ‘memorable experiences’ for our fans, students, donors and alumni and will bring tremendous energy, organization, creativity and work ethic to the department. She will help move Virginia Tech forward and will be an asset to our program and overall vision.”

Coming to Tech as the Executive Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator, Reed-Francois received a promotion to Deputy Athletics Director in June of 2016. A 2009 graduate of the Division I Athletics Director Institute, she is among an elite group of Power Five female administrators who have ascended to the role of Deputy AD.

She is also among an even more exclusive group of women who oversee the day-to-day operations of a nationally prominent FBS football program. Along with Babcock, she played a pivotal role in the hiring of head coach Justin Fuente to succeed Frank Beamer.

As a former NCAA Division I student-athlete herself - she was a member of the UCLA rowing team - Reed-Francois brings a unique perspective to her post and has been a staunch advocate of making the student-athlete and fan experience at Virginia Tech even better. She and her respective units have listened to feedback from coaches, students, ticket-holders, donors and many other groups to more effectively and authentically engage a wide array of Virginia Tech stakeholders. Their efforts have recently been recognized for national awards by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and Information Display and Entertainment Association (IDEA).

Prior to coming to Virginia Tech, Reed-Francois oversaw the football, women’s basketball and volleyball programs at Cincinnati in addition to the sports communications, marketing and promotions and video services and production departments. She also led the department’s strategic planning initiatives and assisted in management of external partnerships.

During her more than 17 years in intercollegiate athletics administration, Reed-Francois has occupied positions at the University of California, San Jose State, Santa Clara, Fresno State and the University of San Francisco. Prior to that, she held numerous positions of progressive leadership, including working as a legal associate for the Oakland Raiders and serving in a similar position with the NFL’s Management Council.

A 1994 graduate of UCLA, Reed-Francois earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona College of Law. She is a member of the California Bar, taught law classes at Tennessee and Santa Clara University and is involved on the national level, serving as a Division I-A Fellow and presenting at the NACDA Mentoring Institute and the NACWAA annual meeting.

Reed-Francois lives in Blacksburg with her husband, Joshua, and son, Jackson.

Lindsay Reeves, Director of Athletics, University of North Georgia (II)

Lindsay Reeves is in her 17th year at the University of North Georgia and the 2016-17 season will mark her seventh year as the Director of Athletics for the 13-sport intercollegiate program after investing five years as Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator. She is only the third athletic director in the history of UNG athletics and oversees 13 NCAA Division II sports, 48 athletic department employees, 9 facilities and over 225 student-athletes.

Following the 2015-16 season, Reeves was honored by her peers as the Under Armour NCAA Division II Athletic Director of the Year presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.

Under her leadership, UNG athletic programs have enjoyed prosperity on and off the playing fields and courts, highlighted by the UNG softball team being crowned 2015 NCAA Division II National Champions. She has mentored teams to championships on the conference, regional and national levels while emphasizing the total student-athlete development.

In her tenure, UNG Athletics has added three sports, and has seen an unprecedented transformation of athletic facilities as the UNG Athletic Complex (soccer, baseball, softball) was converted to FieldTurf synthetic playing surfaces. North Georgia was one of the first NCAA Division II programs to convert all athletic fields to turf.

The construction of Coleman Field House, significant upgrades to include stadium bleachers and press box at soccer, and restrooms and branding at the UNG Tennis Complex also came under Reeves’ direction. This fall, construction will begin on the UNG Convocation Center, which will house men’s and women’s basketball, athletic training, strength & conditioning, classrooms and office space.

In addition to successes on the field of competition, the sports programs at UNG have championed the department's mission of total student-athlete development by teaching them the core principles of competition, integrity, fair play, personal character, and good sportsmanship.

Reeves' leadership reflects UNG's strong commitment to the overall experience of our student-athletes and to the important roles of service, leadership and respect, and how these attributes contribute to their total experiences at North Georgia.

Beginning in the fall of 2015, Reeves began serving a four-year term on the NCAA Division II Management Council. In addition, she is serving on the Division II Academic Requirements Committee, Division II Management Council Identity Subcommittee, Division II Convention Planning Project Team and the Division II Military Pilot Project Team.

She also is serving the Peach Belt Conference as the chair of the Athletic Directors' committee beginning her two-year term in June of 2016.

In the fall of 2014, she was named the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) NCAA Division II Administrator of the Year, presented annually to NACWAA members for significant contributions made as athletics administrators. In addition, the Nell Jackson Administrator of the Year Award honors an administrator who exemplifies the personal qualities and professional accomplishments of Dr. Nell Jackson — courage, conviction and perseverance. Reeves is currently serving on the NACWAA Nominating Committee. In 2014-15 Reeves served on the NACWAA Educational & Professional Development Committee. Reeves served on the faculty for the 2015 NCAA/NACWAA Institute for Administrative Advancement East and a speaker at the 2015 NACWAA National Convention. She has actively participated in the NACWAA Mentorship program since 2013.

Reeves is the first female director of athletics at the University of North Georgia. She has led the development and implementation of a diversity action plan to ensure and promote diversity among the university's student-athletes, staff and community. She is heralded as an advocate for all areas of athletic excellence, including team and student-athlete academic success and community engagement. The student-athlete’s cumulative GPA has risen to over a 3.1 since Reeves began her tenure.

One of Reeves' crowning achievements is that UNG has donated the highest amount of money to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of all NCAA Division II schools in four of her previous six years as athletic director. UNG's donation of $21,413 after the 2013-14 season marked the highest ever single-season donation by a NCAA Division II school. This year UNG raised an unprecedented $34,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Additionally, North Georgia has won the PBC's Make-A-Wish Award, named after former UNG student-athlete LeeAnn Noble, for six consecutive years.

In 2013, North Georgia was awarded the SunTrust Connecting Communities Award at the Peach Belt Conference awards dinner at the annual meetings. The school won for its ‘Sending Off the Saints’ which brought the North Georgia College & State University, Gainesville State College and Dahlonega communities together to say goodbye to the Saints mascot.

She graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and received her master's in exercise physiology from University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.

After completing her education, she worked as the director of testing at Sports Training Institute in New York before taking over as assistant director of health and fitness at General Electric World Headquarters in Connecticut. From 1990-1999, she was the director of employee wellness and faculty member at UNC Chapel Hill.

Jennifer Strawley, Deputy Director of Athletics/SWA, University of Miami (I)

Jennifer Strawley joined the University of Miami on June 18, 2012 and currently serves as Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Women's Administrator.

As a member of the department’s executive leadership team, Strawley provides strategic direction for the department and assists the Athletic Director with all day-to-day operations. She is the sport administrator for football, women’s basketball and women’s tennis. She leads the department’s strategic planning initiatives, policy development and implementation, coordination of department and coaches meetings and gender equity and inclusion initiatives. Strawley oversees the areas of sports medicine, student-athlete drug testing, academic services, compliance, student-athlete development, and serves as a liaison to various campus groups, as well as to the ACC and the NCAA.

Actively engaged in intercollegiate athletics nationally, Strawley has served on various committees within the NCAA and the ACC. Strawley currently serves on the ACC Television Committee, the ACC Women’s Basketball foresight committee, the ACC Equity Committee, the ACC Women’s Tennis Committee, the ACC Infractions and Sportsmanship Review Committee, the ACC Football Schedulers Group and the NCAA Division I Council Football Recruiting Ad Hoc Working Group.

Prior to UM, Strawley concluded her second tour with the NCAA as the Director of Academic and Membership Affairs. In this role, Strawley was instrumental in providing leadership in the areas of academic governance and development of academic policy. She was the staff liaison to the NCAA Division I Committee on Academic Performance and the NCAA Division I Academic Cabinet. Strawley served on the senior management team and was involved in a variety of other internal operations, including coordinating the internal operations for the department's senior management team.

Strawley rejoined the NCAA after serving as the Associate Athletics Director for Intercollegiate Sport Programs and Senior Woman Administrator at Columbia University from 2007-10. While at Columbia, she oversaw numerous varsity sport programs including football and was the athletics program liaison for gender equity and diversity initiatives. Strawley was a member of the department's Executive Management Team.

Prior to her tenure at Columbia, Strawley was the Director of Membership Services and Student-Athlete Reinstatement at the NCAA. In this role, she provided oversight of the student-athlete reinstatement process and was instrumental in the implementation of the student first philosophy. Strawley served as a liaison to numerous NCAA committees and task forces, including the NCAA Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committees, the NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee, and the working group appointed to review trends in initial eligibility.

Strawley first joined the NCAA in 1998 as an enforcement services intern. She is a 1998 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in history. During her time at Pennsylvania, she was a two-year captain for the Quakers' softball team.Strawley was inducted into the William Tennent High School Athletics Hall of Fame in January of 2014.

2017 NACWAA Nominating Committee Slate

Merlene Aitken, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Student Services/SWA, Clayton State University (II)

Aitken joins Clayton State after recently serving as the Director Compliance at Georgia Tech for two years, where she was charged with monitoring and ensuring compliance with all NCAA rules and procedures. She has over 10 years of experience working in the field of compliance in intercollegiate athletics.

In addition to working at Georgia Tech, she has served as the Associate Athletic Director/SWA at North Carolina A&T and as the Associate Athletic Director for Compliance at Winston-Salem State. She also served as an Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Kansas and the Director of Compliance at Washington.

During Aitken’s tenure at Kansas, she participated in the NCAA Female Ethnic Minority Leadership program, graduating in in the class of 2006 and is a member of the Black Coaches Association.

A 1997 graduate of Brooklyn College, Aitken earned her juris doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Law in 2000. While in law school she served an internship in the Northeastern athletics department in internal operations.

Following law school, she was a compliance intern at Michigan State. As an undergraduate she was a student assistant in the sports information department at Brooklyn College.

A native of Yonkers, N.Y., Aitken and her son, Christopher, reside in Atlanta, Ga.

​Kelly Andrews, Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA, University of Toledo (I)

Kelly Andrews was named senior associate athletic director in 2008 and has served as the Rockets’ senior woman administrator since June of 2002. Andrews’ duties include serving as the reporting administrator for 13 designated sports programs, as well as overseeing many aspects of the department’s internal operations, such as strength & conditioning and equipment services.

Andrews recently served on the NACDA Executive Committee and the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee. She also was recently appointed to the NCAA Division I Student Athlete-Awards, Benefits and Financial Aid Cabinet.

Prior to coming to Toledo, Andrews was the associate athletic director at East Tennessee State 1998-2002. She also served as the school’s interim athletic director for four months in 2000.

Andrews began her coaching career at Erie Community College in Buffalo, NY. Her coaching background also includes a 10-year stint as the head volleyball coach at East Tennessee from 1988-97, where she led her school to four Southern Conference championships and was Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 1991.

A native of Buffalo, Andrews grew up in Horseheads, NY, and was a three-sport standout at Horseheads High School. She competed in volleyball, basketball and lacrosse while earning her bachelor’s degree in English from Colgate in 1980 and was inducted into the Colgate Athletic Hall of Honor in 2005. Andrews completed her master’s degree in physical education/sport management in 1988 from West Virginia University.

Jennifer Condaras, Associate Commissioner for Compliance, The BIG EAST Conference (I-CONF)

Jennifer Condaras was named Associate Commissioner for Compliance at the BIG EAST Conference in September 2013. Her primary responsibilities include coordination and administration of the conference’s day-to-day compliance services for all 10 member institutions. She provides interpretative support and rules education to member schools and is the conference’s liaison to the Senior Woman Administrators Committee.

Prior to becoming the Associate Commissioner, Condaras served in the same role for the American Athletic Conference. She was the Assistant Commissioner for Compliance for the BIG EAST Conference (previous league) from 2005-2013.

Before joining the BIG EAST staff, Condaras had served as Director of Compliance at Georgia Tech from 2001-05. At Georgia Tech, she coordinated all compliance and rules education services for 17 sports that involved 400 student-athletes. She joined the Yellow Jacket staff as an assistant director in 1999.

Condaras also served as a graduate assistant in the compliance office at West Virginia University from 1997-99.

Condaras is a member of the NCAA Student-Athlete Experience Committee. She previously served on the NCAA Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee and is active with the National Association for Athletics Compliance and the National Association of Collegiate Women’s Administrators.

A native of Charleston, W.Va., Condaras earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from West Virginia in 1996. She earned a master’s degree in sport management from West Virginia in 1999.

Samantha Huge, Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA, Texas A&M University (I)

Samantha K. Huge was named Senior Associate Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator at Texas A&M in May 2014.

At Texas A&M her responsibilities include oversight of six sports programs including women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and volleyball. She also has supervision of sports performance.

Huge is the department’s primary liaison to the 12th Man Foundation’s Major Gifts staff and the 1922 Fund. She is a member of the senior management team that provides leadership and management to all of Texas A&M Athletics. She directs the department’s policy development and implementation as well as leading its equity and inclusion initiatives, while collaborating with the University as a member of Texas A&M’s Diversity Leadership Group. Huge also serves on the SEC Commissioner’s Championships Working Group.

Huge came to College Station after five years at the University of Delaware, where she served in a variety of roles, most recently as the Deputy Director of Athletics and Recreation Services, and Special Assistant to the President. During her tenure at Delaware, in addition to the oversight of several sport programs, Huge was responsible for the day-to-day business and administrative operations of the department, including external operations, fiscal management, capital projects, personnel and human resources. She held an appointment in the Office of the President of the University where she served as Special Assistant, providing counsel and assistance in a variety of areas related to athletics. Huge also served as Interim Director of Athletics in 2012.

Prior to Delaware, Huge held positions at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, as Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance. She began her career in collegiate athletics as the Compliance and Internal Affairs Assistant at the Southern Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, before moving to Assistant Compliance Coordinator at the University of Illinois and Compliance Coordinator at Michigan State University.

Huge received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts, where she participated for four years on the women’s basketball team. She earned her law degree from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in North Carolina.

Huge has participated on numerous national committees, including the NCAA Women’s Basketball Issues Committee in which she served as Chair of the Marketing Subcommittee. She has held appointments on the NCAA Committee on Academic Performance, acting as Chair of the Subcommittee on Data Collection and Reporting; and has served a term on the NCAA Amateurism Clearinghouse Advisory Group. Additionally, Huge has been an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), graduating from the NACWAA Executive Institute in 2013 and participating as a presenter at the national convention in 2013 and 2014.

Julie Manning, Senior Associate Athletic Director/SWA, University of Wyoming (I)

Julie Manning joined the University of Wyoming Athletics Department as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sport Administration and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) on Jan. 2, 2014. Manning came to Wyoming from the University of Colorado where she recently completed her ninth year. She most recently was the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance, Financial Aid and Administration at CU. In addition to her athletic administrative experience, she also brings 20 years of successful college-coaching experience with her to Wyoming.

From 1985 to 2005, she was the head women's golf coach at Iowa State University. While serving as the head women's golf coach at Iowa State, she also served as the Assistant to the Senior Associate AD/SWA from May 2000 to March 2003. Manning served as the Interim SWA at Iowa State from August 2002 to November 2002. She began her nine-year administrative career at Colorado in January 2005.

At Colorado, Manning was involved in a wide variety of areas. She held sport supervision responsibility over a number of men's and women's sports. She was CU's Title IX Coordinator and chaired the Gender Equity Committee. In her role as Associate A.D. for Compliance and Financial Aid, Manning served as the primary contact for all compliance audits and reviews conducted by the Pacific-12 Conference, state and university. Manning supervised the CU compliance office, which included implementing and monitoring rules-education and compliance procedures related to NCAA and PAC-12 rules and regulations. She also oversaw annual coaches' certification exams regarding NCAA rules education. Manning worked closely with the CU Faculty Athletics Representative to monitor and educate athletics department staff on new NCAA legislation. She was called upon to interpret NCAA bylaws and investigate and report any potential NCAA or PAC-12 Conference rules violations. And she assisted the SWA in all gender equity and Equity in Athletics Data Analysis (EADA) issues.

During her 20-year career as head women's golf coach at Iowa State from 1985-2005, Manning was named the Big Eight Conference Coach of the Year three times, in 1990, `93 and `96. She also was named the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Regional Coach of the Year in 1993, and finished as the runner-up for that award in 1994 and `95. Manning was elected and served as President of the NGCA from 1995-2000. In 2000, she was inducted into the NGCA Hall of Fame. She guided the Cyclones to four NCAA Eastern Regional appearances, one Big Eight Championship and three Big Eight runner-up finishes. Manning coached 13 Academic All-Americans and nine All-Big Eight/Big 12 honorees. The graduation rate of her student-athletes was 98 percent. A collegiate golfer, herself, at Iowa State from 1978-82, she went on to serve as the head golf professional at the university-owned Veenker Memorial Golf Course from 1983-98. Manning has numerous former players and assistant coaches coaching at the collegiate level.

Manning is a native of Granger, Iowa. She received her bachelor's degree in physical education with a coaching endorsement from ISU in 1983. Manning is a 2000 graduate of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) HERS Institute for Administrative Advancement, which is focused on leadership development for women in intercollegiate athletics administration. She is also a 2008 graduate of the NACWAA Leadership Enhancement Institute.

Angel Mason, Associate Director of Athletics/SWA, Hamilton College (III)

Angel Mason is in her second year at Hamilton College. As Mason took over the leadership role of Associate Athletics Director and SWA, new energy was added to the Hamilton College community and athletics department. Mason’s leadership in the department has touched many facets – long term planning, sport administration, coaches’ educational programming, and student-athlete welfare and development. Her leadership within the campus community have ranged from search committees to task forces. She also serves as the faculty advisor for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Well rounded in sport administration, she is the sport administrator for 16 of the 29 sports sponsored by the Hamilton College Continentals. As well as the day-to-day operations in the absence of the Director of Athletics. As a member of the Director of Athletics senior staff, Mason represents Hamilton in dealings with the conference office and the NCAA, and is responsible for the preparation of all compliance and reporting documents.

Mason, who is an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, and the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators is a 2006 NACWAA HERS East graduate. Mason is also a member of the NACWAA Awards Committee, which is responsible for promoting, reviewing applications and voting on award recipients.

As a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference she has been an active contributor volunteering her services where needed. Mason has also been active on NCAA committees during her career. She has served on the Women’s Basketball Committee and currently serves on the Technology Committee as well as the Financial Aid Committee.

Mason is a 2004 graduate of Butler University, where she was a scholarship basketball player for the Division I Bulldogs. She earned her Master’s degree in sports management from California University of Pennsylvania and her Education Specialist degree from Northcentral University in Scottsdale, AZ. Mason is also an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.

Natasha Oakes, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA, Missouri Western State University (II)

Natasha Oakes joined Missouri Western State University (MWSU) as Associate Director of Athletics for Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) on August 4, 2014 and was recently promoted to Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations, SWA.

Oakes is responsible for all components of the compliance program, while also overseeing the academic services for MWSU athletics and having direct oversight of the women’s soccer, volleyball and tennis programs. Additionally, she serves on several campus, conference and national committees, including serving as current chair of the NCAA Division II Legislation Committee, as well as serving on the NCAA Division II Central Region Advisory Committee for women’s soccer.

She is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in athletics administration.

Oakes came to MWSU from the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, Indiana where, for nearly four years she served as an Assistant Director of Academic and Membership Affairs. In her role at the NCAA, she served as a member of the Division II team and was responsible for providing legislative interpretations, conducting rules education, overseeing the legislative relief waiver process and working with the membership process.

The Topeka, Kansas native knows Missouri Western and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) well, having spent five years (2005-2010) working for the league office as the Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Internal Operations. At the MIAA, Oakes oversaw the conference compliance program, assisted in championship administration and served on conference and national committees. Additionally, she served as the conference's SWA.

She is a current member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA) and recently served as a member of the Education and Program Development Committee. She is also a member of the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association and is a graduate of the NCAA/NACWAA Institute for Administrative Advancement, as well as the NCAA Leadership Institute.

Oakes is a 2004 graduate of Emporia State University with a degree in business and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in sport and fitness management.

Jackie Paquette, Associate Director of Athletics for Student Support and Community Engagement, University of Indianapolis (II)

Jackie Paquette is in her tenth year as a part of the UIndy Athletics staff in 2016-17, and her second as Associate Director of Athletics for Student Support and Community Engagement.

In her position, Paquette is the advisor to the UIndy Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which has won the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) SAAC Challenge six of the last eight years. She also coordinates UIndy Athletics' 23 NCAA Division II athletic programs' community service and engagement efforts.

Paquette, who has held the Senior Woman Administrator designation since 2012, also has sport oversight of wrestling, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's swimming and diving. She also serves as the primary media contact for UIndy Wrestling. She is a member of the NCAA Division II Wrestling national committee, the GLVC scheduling committee and also serves as chair of the NCAA Division II Intern Grant committee. Paquette has served past terms on the GLVC Awards Committee, as well as the NACWAA Awards Committee.

Prior to being promoted to Assistant A.D., Paquette was Assistant Sports Information Director for three years in the UIndy office. She was a sports information assistant and an intern in her first two years as a Greyhound.

Paquette has also served as the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Public Information assistant, closing out a two-year stint in that position in June of 2012, where she aided the GLVC’s Associate Commissioner for Communications with statistics and information for the 18 GLVC-sponsored sports.

A member of the National Association of Collegiate Woman Athletics Administrators (NACWAA) and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), Paquette has also interned in the NCAA statistics department and at the National Federation of High School Associations in her career.

Paquette received bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and History, with a minor in Media Arts, from Butler University in 2007. She earned her master's degree in Sports Administration from UIndy in May of 2014, and resides on the south side of Indianapolis.

Lisa Sweany, Athletic Director, Armstrong State (II)

Lisa M. Sweany recently completed her fifth year as Director of Athletics at Armstrong State University in 2015-16.

In her five years, the Pirates have experienced unprecedented success both on and off the playing field. Armstrong State won four straight Peach Belt Conference Commissioner's Cups from 2012-15, the league's All-Sports trophy, becoming the first league school to accomplish the feat since the University of North Florida from 1999-2004. 35 teams over the last five years have advanced to NCAA Championships play.

Armstrong State has also won a pair of Peach Belt Conference Presidential Academic Awards (2012-13 and 2013-14), while also capturing NCAA Division II national championships in men's tennis (2012) and women's tennis (2012, 2013, 2015 & 2016).

On campus, Armstrong State has seen several improvements to its facilities with phase one of its new tennis complex slated to open in July, as well as new lights to the Armstrong State soccer field due to come online in September 2016.

Sweany joined Armstrong State in July of 2011, coming from fellow NCAA Division II school Grand Valley State, where she served as assistant AD and then senior associate AD for ten years. With the Lakers, Sweany was responsible for budget, personnel and facilities management. Her other duties included direct supervision of seven coaches, overseeing game and event operations, as well as management of all athletics personnel. In addition, Sweany coordinated all aspects of compliance and eligibility for more than 500 student athletes. She was named the NACWAA/NCAA DII National Administrator of the Year in 2010 by the organization.

Prior to joining GVSU, she served at Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana, starting in 1995 as athletics facilities director. During her five-year stint at Tri-State, she served in various capacities of increasing responsibility, including assistant basketball coach, head coach of softball and associate athletics director, a position she was named to in March 1995.

Sweany is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Division II Ahtletics Directors Association (D2ADA) and also serves on the Jenkins Athletic Club Board of Directors in Savannah. She also served as the chair of the NCAA Championships Committee in 2015-16 and has been a member of that committee since 2012. Sweany also previously served as the president of the Collegiate Event and Facility Management Association (CEFMA).

She holds a master’s degree in physical education with a concentration in sports management from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and a bachelor’s degree with honors in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana.

Christina Turner, Assistant Athletic Director for Administration/Director of Recreation and Physical Education, Colgate University (I)

Christina Turner holds the position of Assistant Athletic Director for Administration, Director of Recreation and Chair of Physical Education at Colgate University.

Turner has been working within Colgate’s Division of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics since June 2011 and has been promoted twice in her four years of employment. Her latest step to her current role occurred in April 2015.

Since Turner's arrival to Colgate in 2011, she has transformed the recreation and physical education department to modernize its management systems, implement new policies and procedures, improve the risk management of all aspects of the department and expand offerings and services in recreation and wellness.

In her role as Director of Recreation and Chair of Physical Education, Turner oversees and continually develops and promotes a comprehensive collegiate recreation program that provides quality recreation opportunities for the entire campus community. She is responsible for the administrative oversight of the recreation department programs, including 40 club sport programs, intramural sport leagues and tournaments, informal recreation, outdoor education, fitness programming and the physical education department.

In Turner's Assistant Athletic Director role, she manages several internal operations responsibilities within Colgate’s Athletic Department, including all aspects of the division's human resources administration (new hire searches, employee on-boarding, job descriptions, performance reviews, etc) and participates in the development and maintenance of university HR policies and procedures. Turner also serves as the divisional representative on the University's Equity Grievance Panel, working closely with the University's Office of Equity & Diversity to ensure the training, education and effective communication of the University's rules and regulations to athletics department staff and students.

Turner assists with the coordination of departmental special events, as assigned, such as the "All Sport Banquet" and "Hall of Honor Banquet". She plans and executes divisional projects as directed by the Director of Athletics, while also co-advising the Colgate Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Prior to coming to Colgate, Turner worked with the Campus Recreation and Wellness Department at East Carolina University while pursuing her Master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science. Turner is also a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine.

Turner attended Eastern Connecticut State University as an undergrad and was a four-year member of the women’s basketball program. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.

Turner resides in Hamilton with her husband, Andrew, and their dog, Chumlee. The three of them enjoy exercising, home brewing and traveling to warmer climates outside of Central New York.