With a broad and deep knowledge of college tennis – as a player and coach – Mullins was hired in 2019 as the ITA Managing Director of Community Engagement and Coach Empowerment and in 2021 was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, where he has been instrumental in serving a diverse range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, coaches, student-athletes, officials, and ITA partners.
Mullins was responsible for the curation and expansion of the ITA Center for Coach Education, which has since grown into one of the most comprehensive educational resources for coaches within intercollegiate athletics. Mullins also led the Tennis For America pilot program and the adoption of wheelchair tennis as an official division of play under the ITA’s governance.
Before his time as COO of the ITA, Mullins spent 12 years as a college tennis coach with stops at DePaul University, Northwestern University, and the University of Oklahoma, where he was the women’s tennis head coach for his final eight years in the coaching ranks. With the Sooners, Mullins was named ITA Central Region Coach of the Year in 2014 and was influential in turning the Oklahoma program into a national contender.
After completing his career as a college tennis coach he moved back to his home country of Ireland. He became the Director of Sports at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club and served on the Tennis Ireland Board of Directors and several other committees to help advance the sport of tennis in his native country. While in Ireland, Mullins completed his second Master’s degree (in Sports Psychology), with his first Masters being completed in Sports Administration during his time at the University of Oklahoma. Mullins has also worked in the finance industry having obtained a degree in Business and Finance from Fresno State.
As a student-athlete at Fresno State University, Mullins was named an All-American in 2001 and was the Fresno State Bulldog Spirit Award recipient and captain in 2000 and 2001. His playing career also included competing in both the 1997 Junior Wimbledon and French Open Championships and playing on the Irish Davis Cup Team (1999-2004) while achieving an ATP ranking in both singles and doubles.
Neel Grover is the founder and CEO of Indi.com, Chairman of the Board Bluefly.com and The SWI Group, and the former CEO of Rakuten.com and Buy.com. Talented and seasoned e-commerce, mobile and social media entrepreneur and executive, Grover brings a highly relevant skill set to the ITA Board. Grover attended UC Irvine, where he was captain of the men’s tennis team. He received his J.D. from the University of San Diego Law School. Grover was Captain of the 2013 US National Men’s 40s National Team and participated in the World Championships in Turkey. A talented competitive tennis player, Grover has won several national championships.
Earned his first college head coaching position at South Carolina in July 2010, and wasted little time cementing his reputation as an elite recruiter. With a solid, strategic mind and excellent player development skills, he landed a pair of top-10 signing classes in his first four seasons. In 13 seasons, he has crafted a culture that builds more than just a tennis player. Goffi’s coaching philosophies have been shaped by some of the best coaches in the world, including his father, 1991 World Coach of the Year, Carlos Goffi. The younger Goffi grew up around tennis’s elite watching his father coach the likes of John and Patrick McEnroe, Peter Fleming and Mary Carillo. Moreover, the breadth of his exposure to elite level players and coaches helped formulate the basic tenets of his program. Immediately a prominent recruiter, Goffi honed his coaching skills as an assistant at Arizona State (women’s, 2006-08) and Duke (men’s, 2008-10), earning regional ITA Assistant Coach of the Year honors at both (2008 West, 2010 Carolina). Goffi’s coaching career began after spending four years on the ATP Tour from 2001-05 where he rose to as high as No. 121 in doubles with 18 doubles titles. He rose to as high as No. 488 in the ATP singles rankings with six top-100 wins, including a straight-set victory over three-time Grand Slam Champion Stanislas Wawrinka.
Dr. Jaco Keyser has made the University of South Alabama his home away from home as he just completed his 22nd year as the Head Coach of Jaguar women’s tennis. In his 22 seasons in charge, he has the most wins in school history (350) and has appeared in the Sun Belt Conference title match 17 out of 22 years. Keyser currently holds a 350 – 149 overall record and is currently the longest-tenured coach in program history. Keyser was named head women’s tennis coach on July 31, 2002 after spending three seasons with the men’s tennis program as an assistant coach. A three-year letter winner on the South Alabama tennis team from 1994-97, Keyser was a member of three Sun Belt Championship teams and helped them advance to the NCAA Tournament each year. In 1995, the team reached the national quarterfinals at the NCAA Team Championships, the highest finish in school history. Dr. Keyser received his Ph.D. in Business Administration with a concentration in Management from the University of South Alabama in May 2016. He currently teaches within the Mitchell College of Business at the University of South Alabama as an adjunct professor. Dr. Keyser is married to Philippa Mackinlay – Keyser, and the couple has six-year-old twins named Maia and John.
Entering her 24th season at the helm of the Northwestern women’s tennis program, where she has brought the ‘Cats from regular contender in the Big Ten to a national powerhouse. The Wildcats claimed 11 consecutive Big Ten championships from 1999-2009 and added a 12th regular season crown in 2012. In addition to its regular season success, Northwestern strung together 13 straight Big Ten Tournament titles between 1999-2011. Under Pollard the ‘Cats were 45-0 all-time in postseason play against conference foes (Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Championships) before falling to Purdue in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament in 2012. Pollard was the 2008 Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year and is a five-time Wilson/ITA Midwest Region Coach of the Year, most recently in 2012. Pollard is also a five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, winning the award consecutively in 2008 and 2009. She coached NU to several program-firsts including a No. 1 national ranking in three straight years, back-to-back No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Championships and consecutive ITA National Indoor Team championships in 2009 and 2010. Pollard’s first head coaching position was at her alma mater, Mississippi State University, where she was the coach during the 1990-91 season. After a short stint with the Chris Lane Tennis Club in England, she came back to the States to take on the head coaching position at Lamar, where she led both the men’s and women’s teams. During that time, the women’s team posted a 64-49 overall record. Meanwhile, the men’s team finished 1997 with a 13-8 mark, its best since 1986. A decorated collegiate player, Pollard won the 1989 NCAA Doubles Championship as well as back-to-back Southeastern Conference Indoor and Outdoor Doubles Championships with current NU associate head coach, Jackie Holden. An All-American and Academic All-American, she was named Mississippi State’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1989. Pollard is the Bulldogs’ leader for doubles victories in one season with 39 in 1988-89 and in a career with 111 (1986-1989). She also ranks fifth in career singles wins with 67 and is tied for 10th in season singles victories (23, 1987-88). In 1989, Pollard also participated in the Wimbledon and U.S. Open Championships. Pollard graduated magna cum laude from Mississippi State with a bachelor of science in fitness management and received her master’s from Mississippi State in sports administration.
Trish Riddell has been Florida Southern’s head women’s tennis coach for the last 18 years (2006-23), during which time she’s taken the Moccasins to 11 NCAA Tournaments, had them nationally ranked every year, produced five different individual All-Americans, and the school’s only SSC Player-of-the-Year in women’s tennis (Senka Softic in 2008 and 2009). Riddell has coached 22 different All-SSC players, including Softic, who was inducted into the FSC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. Riddell’s mark of 236 career wins is only 14 away from tying the most in program history (Ed Jeffries, 1981-99). She earned the 100th win of her career on Feb. 27, 2012, against Eckerd and her 200th career win against the same opponent on April 5, 2019. Her 2007 squad went 21-5 to tie the school record for most matches won in a season en route to a berth to the NCAA Division II National Finals for the first time since 1991. Once there, Florida Southern earned a fifth-place finish, equaling the best-ever program finish, and a final ITA ranking of No. 8, the highest in team history. Under Riddell’s tenure, the Moccasins have recorded nine 15+ win seasons and have defeated 13 top-10 opponents, with the biggest upset in program history on Feb. 16, 2019 when Florida Southern topped No. 2 West Florida, 4-3. Most recently, Riddell led the Mocs to a 4-3 upset of No. 9 Tampa on April 6, 2023 on Senior Day. Riddell has also led upsets of Division-I opponents, most recently on March 19, 2019 with a 4-3 win over NJIT. Other victories over Division-I foes include an 8-1 victory over Villanova (March 6, 2012) and a 6-3 win over Incarnate Word (March 25, 2012).
David Roditi, a three-time national champion coach and one of the great players in the history of TCU men’s tennis, was named the program’s fifth head coach on Sept. 7, 2010. Roditi led TCU to its first NCAA Championship in 2024 and guided the Horned Frogs to consecutive ITA Indoor National Championships in 2022 and 2023, signifying the program’s first-ever team national titles. A three-time All-American who lettered from 1993 through 1996, he still holds the school record for combined career victories (250). Following the 2024 season, Roditi earned the distinction of being the only active D1 head coach who has won both an ITA Indoor National Championship and NCAA Championship. He joined Dutch Meyer (Football, 1935, 1938) as one of only two TCU graduates to coach his alma mater to an NCAA Championship. He is also one of two active TCU head coaches with multiple national titles under his belt.
Todd Wojtkowski has built the Case Western Reserve University (“CWRU”) men’s tennis team into one of the top programs in all of Division III during his 16 seasons at the team’s helm. This includes guiding the squad to the NCAA Division III Championship in 2023, the first-ever team title won by a CWRU team in any sport. The National Championship came on the heels of back-to-back finishes at the NCAA Championship each of the previous two years, including in 2021 when he was named the Wilson/ ITA National Coach of the Year. Wojtkowski went on to lead the Spartans back to the NCAA quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season in 2024. In his 16 seasons at CWRU, Wojtkowski has compiled a 305-119 record in dual matches for a .719 overall winning percentage, while going 26-16 (.619 winning percentage) in University Athletic Association play, marking success in the premier Division III tennis conferences in the country. Under Wojtkowski’s leadership, the Spartans have qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships seven times (2013, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024). He has coached his players to 25 All-America honors, including three NCAA Division III Doubles Championships and two ITA Cup D3 Doubles titles. He has also mentored his student-athletes to 11 CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, two NCAA postgraduate scholarships, and four NCAA Elite 90 honors.
Judy Van Horn Executive Associate Athletics Director for Sport and Risk Management (SWA), has been an integral part of the athletics department senior staff since January 2011. She is chair of the department’s Sport Management Group, and primary sport administrator for several intercollegiate programs including volleyball, beach volleyball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis. Van Horn serves as the Title IX Deputy Coordinator and athletics department liaison to the Office of Equal Opportunity Program. She handles multiple internal responsibilities including oversight for human resources, departmental policies and participates on various University committees such as the Sexual Assault Policy Group, President’s Athletics Community Advisory Committee and the University Athletics Advisory Committee. In her role as senior woman administrator (SWA), Van Horn participates in SEC governance. She sits on the NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis and Women’s Tennis Committee. She has also served on the Executive Committee of the NCAA Committee on Institutional Performance where she chaired the Inclusion Subcommittee and lead efforts to develop new metrics to assist NCAA Division I institutions in assessing their athletics programs, including best practices. Van Horn was a member of the 2015 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Beach Volleyball Selection Committee. Van Horn came to South Carolina after a nine-year tenure at the University of Michigan. As Associate Director of Athletics/SWA, Van Horn oversaw the University’s athletics compliance program. She had a primary role addressing a major infractions case involving the football program as well as the high profile “Fab Five” men’s basketball case. She also served on the steering committee for the President’s Ethics in Public Life Initiative. Van Horn worked on various Big Ten committees including Legislative Review, Drug Testing Review, and Compliance and Reinstatement. Prior to her tenure at Michigan, Van Horn spent four years in the Department of Athletics at Michigan State University where she rose to Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance with oversight for NCAA compliance efforts and taught a course, “Ethics in Sport.” Van Horn began her athletics administration career at her alma mater, Central Michigan University, working there 8 years. Van Horn served a two-year term as President of the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) during which she led a major restructuring of the organization. NAAC honored her with the 2010 Frank Kara Leadership Award, the premier award bestowed to a member of the compliance profession, and in 2005 the Outstanding Achievement Award. Van Horn holds a master’s degree in sport administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University. She and her husband, Dave, have three adult children and six grandchildren.
Leslie Allen is a dynamic speaker, life skills coach, and award-winning athlete development specialist. She is an ATA, NCAA, and WTA champion who was ranked as high as # 17 in the world. College tennis played a pivotal role in her rise to the top of the game. Late to catch the tennis bug, Leslie Allen when she finally did get serious, decided she was going to play college and pro tennis. Thanks to Title IX she became the first girl to play on a boys HS tennis team in the state of OH. Her college career began with an academic scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University. Wanting to combine strong academics and big-time athletics she knew she had to transfer. Allen walked on at #1 ranked University of Southern California (USC) and played # 5 on their championship team. She graduated with honors from USC with a degree in Speech Communications and plans to join the WTA tour. Allen knows first hand the complexities of navigating in a world that was not designed for her. As a Black female tennis pro, she redesigned the tennis world and maintained a top twenty world ranking. When Allen won the singles title at the Avon Championships of Detroit in 1981, she made history as the first African American woman to win a major pro tournament since Althea Gibson’s 1958 US Open victory. Allen won a combined 9 WTA singles & doubles titles and was a French Open Mixed Doubles finalist. Allen is an International Tennis Hall of Fame Tennis Educational Merit Award 2010 honoree and was inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016. Off-court she has worn many hats in tennis; a WTA Tournament Director, Television Commentator, WTA Board Player Rep (securing equal prize money for women at all Grand Slams), Division I Head Coach at Fordham University, and Women’s Tour Global Media Director. Joining trailblazers and personal mentors Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King, Leslie Allen broke barriers and overcame adversity when the odds were stacked against her. She believes wholeheartedly in the importance of having impeccable life skills to succeed on and off the playing field. Through Win4Life Enterprises Allen works with corporations, colleges, nonprofits, and individuals to inspire and teach the life skills needed to be a true winner in life. For more than two decades, Allen has empowered hundreds across the country through Win4Life mentorship and training where she shares her passion to educate, empower and lead. Allen is a real estate professional and resides in Morristown NJ. She has one daughter who lives in GA and is a college volleyball coach. Leslie enjoys yoga, thrift store explorations, and nature photography.
Harold S. Edwards grew up playing tennis in Southern California at the Cabrillo Racquet Club with Wayne and Kathy Bryan (parents of the Bryan Brothers) and went on to play four years of tennis at Lewis & Clark College (Division 3) in Portland, Oregon. Harold has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the Limoneira Company (Nasdaq: LMNR) since November 2003 and a Director of Limoneira since 2009. Previously, he was the president of Puritan Medical Products, a division of Airgas, Inc. Prior to that, he held management positions with Fisher Scientific International, Cargill, The Ralston Purina Company, and Mission Produce. Harold is currently a member of the board of directors of Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI). He is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College and the Thunderbird School of Global Management (Arizona State University) where he earned his MBA. Harold is married to Angela, and has three children, Sam 26 (played tennis for The University of Alabama and then Clemson University where he graduated), Sophia 23 (graduate of The University of South Carolina) and Blake 16 (senior at Villanova Preparatory School). Harold is a dedicated tennis fan and a committed supporter of junior and college tennis.
Shabbi S. Khan is a partner and intellectual property lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP. Mr. Khan focuses his practice on patent prosecution and strategic counseling in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning, computer software including cloud and SaaS based technologies, electrical and mechanical technologies, and medical devices. He counsels some of the world’s most innovative technology companies in protecting their intellectual property, guiding them in the strategic development and management of their patent portfolios. Shabbi earned his J.D. from the UIC John Marshall Law School with a certificate in intellectual property law and received his B.S. in Electrical engineering from Northwestern University. Shabbi played collegiate tennis at Valparaiso University during his last year of eligibility. Shabbi strongly believes that tennis has taught him invaluable life lessons of accountability, persistence, teamwork, and fair play, which have played a significant contribution in his personal and professional life. Shabbi is staunchly committed to mentorship and looks forward to helping the next generation of tennis players succeed both on and off the tennis court.
Dr. Mark Kovacs is a performance physiologist, researcher, sports and wellness executive, professor, author, speaker and coach. Kovacs formerly directed the Sport Science, Strength & Conditioning and Coaching Education departments for the USTA; was the Senior Director of Sport Science & Health for the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA); the Director of the Gatorade Sport Science Institute and an executive with PepsiCo. He serves as the Executive Director of the International Tennis Performance Association (the “iTPA”). He is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and in 2012 he was the youngest ever recipient of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award. In 2014, he received the US Olympic Committee Doc Counsilman Science Award for his innovative use of sport science application to Olympic athletes. Kovacs has worked with hundreds of elite athletes in dozens of sports providing high performance sport science services. He is the CEO of the Kovacs Institute which is focused on optimizing human performance by the practical application of cutting edge science and technology to major professional sports teams and leagues, leading universities, start-up firms and venture capital. Outside of sports he has been the VP of Health & Performance at Canyon Ranch (the largest resort healthcare company in the US). Kovacs played tennis at Auburn University, where he was an All-American and NCAA doubles champion. He earned his PhD from the University of Alabama.
Shaheen Ladhani has spent the last 13 years at Goldman Sachs where he manages investment portfolios for private clients as well as for several nonprofits and foundations. He previously served as director of alumni, corporate and foundation relations at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Prior to that, Shaheen enjoyed an eight-year tenure as assistant men’s tennis coach at Rice where he was named 2004 ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year. He also had a stint coaching several tennis players on the pro tour, while simultaneously serving as a sport psychology consultant for athletes in a variety of team and individual sports. Shaheen currently serves as chair of the Investment Committee for The Center for Adults With Disabilities in Houston. He earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and managerial studies from Rice University while competing on the men’s tennis team before earning a master’s degree in sport psychology and an MBA from Rice University.
James Marsalek is a former professional tennis player who transitioned into a leadership role within the ATP Tour following his retirement from competition in 2017. Since joining the ATP in 2018 as an intern, he has risen through the ranks to become Director of Tour Development, overseeing long-term strategic initiatives across the Sporting Division. His work focuses on aligning competitive and commercial objectives across the ATP in close collaboration with internal business teams, as well as ATP Media and Tennis Data Innovations. He has played a key role in delivering transformative projects such as the ATP Challenger Tour Strategy, which doubled prize money from $12.5 million to $28.5 million in three years, and the evolution of the ATP Masters 1000 Bonus Pool and Profit Sharing model, generating nearly $30 million in additional player compensation. He also led the launch of Baseline, a groundbreaking player security program providing guaranteed minimum earnings to the Top 250 players. Marsalek brings a deep understanding of the sport from both a player and executive perspective, combined with a strong track record in driving innovation and sustainable growth in professional tennis.
Craig Morris, Chief Executive at the United States Tennis Association (USTA), oversees all aspects of Community Tennis, including adult tennis, league tennis, youth tennis, USTA tournaments, and all other areas for growing grassroots participation in the sport. Morris is also responsible for integrating Player & Coach Development into Community Tennis as the USTA moves to a service-based organization that accelerates and expands tennis participation throughout the country. Since his arrival at the USTA in November 2015, Morris created the USTA’s first-ever unified youth tennis brand – Net Generation. Net Generation launched in May 2017 and engaged 500,000+ youth players in the sport. Active in the tennis industry for more than 20 years, his expertise spans a broad spectrum of tennis and business fields. He has served as the Director of Participation for Tennis Australia, overseeing all aspects of strategy and delivery for growing the game in Australia, and held various positions in Athlete Development and Coach Development. Between 2001 and 2004, Morris coached Samantha Stosur (2011 US Open Champion) on the WTA tour as part of the TA Optus Achievers program. During this period, Morris was Stosur’s first tour coach and transitioned her into the top 100. Previously, Morris held the position of Women’s tennis coach for the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), traveling with Australia’s leading female junior athletes on the ITF junior tour. Morris has a Tennis Australia High-Performance coaching qualification, a Bachelor of Education, and a Masters of Sport Management.
Glenn Turner is an accomplished executive leader, board member, and entrepreneur with a distinguished track record of innovation, strategic execution, and market leadership. With extensive global experience across diverse business environments, Turner possesses a unique ability to navigate and succeed in dynamic markets worldwide. Currently serving as Executive Director and Group Board Member for Ligentia Group, Managing Partner of Living Technology, Managing Partner of Gulfstream Group, Turner has demonstrated his capacity to lead global organizations through significant growth and transformation. His previous roles include Global Head of Financial Markets at Deutsche Bahn, where he successfully managed extensive international portfolios, and he has founded several companies with successful exits, showcasing his entrepreneurial acumen. In addition to his corporate engagements, Turner actively contributes to impactful community initiatives as a board member of the USTA, American Cancer Society, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, Turner brings to the ITA Board a passion and dedication to the sport, which began at age five. His competitive tennis career includes representing Australia as a Junior National Team member and maintaining active participation in competitive tennis throughout his life. Turner’s strategic vision, competitive drive, and deep commitment to tennis uniquely position him to advance the mission and objectives of the ITA.
Richard Walsh is the co-founder and CEO of Madison Energy Infrastructure (MEI), and oversees all aspects of capital allocation and strategic initiatives for the company. Since the establishment of MEI, the team has successfully developed a diverse portfolio, investing over $1 billion in solar and storage projects spanning 25 states working alongside hundreds of commercial and industrial customers. Before co-founding MEI, Rich held pivotal roles in investment and advisory capacities within the clean energy sector. He spearheaded investments in solar and various energy projects across numerous state markets, catering to clients ranging from the Federal Government and Fortune 100 companies to public utilities and professional sports leagues. Rich actively engages in the energy industry and the community at large. He represented the US in the World Energy Council’s Future Energy Leaders Programme and he currently sits on the Board of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) NYC Chapter. He is a graduate of Samford University, where he studied Finance and Spanish and was captain of the Men’s Tennis team. When he is not working, Rich enjoys playing tennis, golf, snow skiing, and traveling. He currently resides in New York City with his wife Carly and daughter Mary Haynes.
Lopa P. Zielinski is Managing Director, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, Corporate Governance, US/Americas at HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations. She is a member of the US Executive Committee and separately a member of the Global Corporate Governance Executive Committee. She has over 22 years of legal experience, with an extensive background and wide range of experience in corporate governance, board counsel, and securities and financial regulation, including prior roles at TIAA, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc, and private law firms in NY and NJ. In 2017, Lopa was named to Ethisphere Institute’s Attorneys Who Matter list, in recognition of accomplishments in the legal field in furtherance of ethical business practice worldwide. In 2022, she was a recipient of the prestigious Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business award. In 2024, she received the Ascend Global Leaders A-list Award, in recognition of her leadership and demonstration of professional achievement and community advancement. Lopa received her LL.M. in securities and financial regulation from Georgetown University Law Center; her J.D. from New England Law, where she was a managing editor of the New England Law Review. She received her B.A. from Lehigh University where she was named twice to the All-Patriot League as a member of the NCAA Division I tennis team. Lopa currently is a Board member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Eastern Section and separately serves on the USTA National Grievance Committee. She is also a founding member and Board member of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Tennis Association.
Joining Savills in 2006, Stephen Berliner now serves as a Vice Chairman. Formerly, Berliner managed and oversaw the development of brokers, led recruiting efforts throughout the tri-state region and maintained P&L responsibility. A trusted advisor, Berliner has avidly represented tenants in financial, legal and various corporate industries. His local insight, paired with over 40 years of commercial real estate experience, make Berliner an integral member of the tenant-focused firm. Prior to joining the firm in 2006, Berliner was the executive vice president of the New York office of GVA Williams. There, he managed the firm’s brokerage practice in New York and Connecticut as well as providing tenant representation services to his clients.
Berliner oversaw Insignia/ESG/CBRE’s Downtown Manhattan office for five years prior to GVA Williams. He successfully provided both tenant and landlord brokerage services. Earlier in his career, he served as director of agency services for Grubb & Ellis, where his responsibilities included strategic planning, project management, client liaison/reporting and project evaluation, following six years on the principal side at Brickman Associates and Olmstead Properties where he was the head of acquisitions and leasing. Berliner began his career at Helmsley-Spear. Berliner is a former player and captain of the University of Pennsylvania varsity tennis team.
Doug Knuth is a senior athletics executive and higher education leader with over 30 years of experience driving performance, growth, and community engagement across NCAA Division I institutions. He currently serves as Director of Athletics at Southern Utah University, leading operations for 15 sports programs and 400 student-athletes. His leadership has resulted in record fundraising and academic excellence, postseason appearances, new facility construction, and major partnerships that have elevated the university’s profile. Previously, Knuth spent nearly a decade as Director of Athletics at the University of Nevada, where he tripled annual fundraising, set academic performance records, and guided the department to unprecedented competitive excellence. His earlier roles at the University of Utah, Michigan State, and Ohio University reflect a consistent record of results in development, operations, and organizational leadership. A former Division I tennis student-athlete and coach, he currently chairs the Legislative Committee as a member of the Division I Council, has chaired multiple national committees, and was recently appointed to the National Board of Directors for the Minority Opportunities Athletics Association (MOAA). In 2024, he received the NCAA National Champions of Diversity and Inclusion Award for his sustained commitment to equity and access in college sports. Knuth holds multiple advanced degrees and is completing a Doctor of Strategic Leadership. He and his wonderful wife, Marci, share five children and spend time playing tennis, traveling, and cheering for their kids and their favorite teams.
Sam Riffice is a law student at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, set to graduate in May 2026. A proud Gator, he earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science with a certificate in International Relations, graduating cum laude from the University of Florida in May 2022. Riffice led the Men’s Varsity Tennis Team as its captain from 2018-2022 and has had one of the most impressive varsity college tennis careers. Among other achievements, he was the NCAA DI Singles Champion (2021), NCAA DI Team Champion (2021), six time ITA All-American (2018-2022) (Program record), National Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award (2022), SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2022), and Student Athlete Committee Representative (2018-2022). Riffice resides in Orlando, FL, with his wife, CiCi, and their golden retriever, Kittle.
For 42 years Vegosen was a co-founding member of Funkhouser Vegosen Liebman & Dunn Ltd. (“FVLD”), a nationally known and respected Chicago-based law firm with a broad corporate and litigation practice. He was co-managing partner of FVLD for approximately eight years. In July of 2023, FVLD combined with international law firm, Clark Hill, where Vegosen is a member of the firm. Vegosen has received the highest of professional peer review ratings, has been designated as a Leading Lawyer in Employment Law by Leading Lawyers Network for many years, and has been chosen as a Super Lawyer in Illinois in employment law for several years. He has been a member of peer CEO advisory organization Vistage International since 2002 and a Vistage Speaker since 2004. Vegosen received the 2022 Vistage Lifetime Achievement Award for the Chicago Region.
A long-time volunteer, leader, advocate, fundraiser and connector for tennis at all levels, Vegosen served as the 2011-2012 Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO of the United States Tennis Association, and Chairman of the US Open. He has served on other tennis boards, including the Grand Slam Board, the International Tennis Federation, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the USTA Foundation. Vegosen has a passion for collegiate tennis and education. During his USTA Presidency, among other things, he created the Tennis and Higher Education Task Force to promote the importance of every American youngster obtaining a college education – and that tennis is the sport of opportunity for achieving this goal. Vegosen played varsity tennis at Northwestern University. He was captain his junior and senior years, selected to the All-Big-Ten Team, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. Vegosen attended Northwestern University School of Law, graduating Cum Laude, and he taught tennis while attending law school. Vegosen has been inducted into the following Halls of Fame: ITA Men’s Collegiate; Northwestern University Athletics; USTA/Midwest Section; and Chicago Tennis. Vegosen has received several awards for his contributions to tennis, including the International Tennis Federation Award for Service to the Game; the Samuel Hardy Award from the International Tennis Hall of Fame for long and outstanding service to the sport of tennis and devotion to the game that has inspired others; the USTA Foundation’s Outstanding Service Award; and the 2004 Ralph A. Westcott USTA Family of the Year Award.
