One Question Leadership Podcast

Get the #GirlDad in your life a perfect gift for Father's Day. Tye The Dreamer is a story about a daddy's girl who has a big heart and bigger dreams. Written by Dr. Stephany Coakley. Purchase your copy here. --- @1QLeadership Question: Can you blend your personality into the responsibilities of your job? Kyle Adams, Deputy Athletics Director at Delaware State, discusses his role in supporting others in the department in addition to focusing on student-athletes. His background as a basketball coach, involvement in the community, and focus on leadership blend together as he executes his daily responsibilities. Considers himself the Chief Energy Officer Providing great experiences to student-athletes Working on a doctorate to have a bigger impact on those around him While coaching coaches, supporting administrators, and developing student-athletes, Kyle Adams believes that constant improvement is a necessity for those who operate in a leadership role. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

Get the #GirlDad in your life a perfect gift for Father's Day. Tye The Dreamer is a story about a daddy's girl who has a big heart and bigger dreams. Written by Dr. Stephany Coakley. Purchase your copy here. The Business of Creativity Podcast highlights creativity in business leadership, management, and entrepreneurship. For this episode of 1Q, we will listen to a recent episode of The Business of Creativity Podcast. Matt Roberts created a newsletter that almost every NCAA Division I Director of Athletics reads everyday. The D1.ticker is one of the primary sources of information covering key business developments throughout the college athletics industry. His business, Drive & Company, exists to make the lives of decision makers in college athletics easier. Build trust through consistency Act on ideas that add value to customers Be realistic about who you are and what you are good at In this episode, Roberts covers the thought process behind creating the business and how he views value creation around his company's purpose. - The Business of Creativity Podcast - Tai M. Brown

Get the #GirlDad in your life a perfect gift for Father's Day. Tye The Dreamer is a story about a daddy's girl who has a big heart and bigger dreams. She loves her cat, her friends, and her community. Tye lives with her father who loves and supports her dreams unconditionally. One day he gives her a gift, and they couldn't predict how the gift would influence her ambition. She learns that knowing what she wants and believing in herself are the cornerstones to joy. Written by Dr. Stephany Coakley. Purchase your copy here. _________ @1QLeadership Question: How do schools provide fans and donors transportation to bowl games, NCAA tournaments, and other events? Kyle McDonald, President of Sports & Entertainment Travel, LLC (SET), talks about providing experiences around athletic related events. While schools transport teams, coaches, and other related staff, many departments outsource the logistics and experiences of the outside constituency. Provide options for travel, lodging, entertainment, etc. Facilitate donor experiences related to giving societies Assist athletics department in identifying quality experiences McDonald and his business partners started the company in 2014 after identifying a need in the college athletics industry. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What are the elements of an effective student-athlete mental health program? Dr. Stephany Coakley, Sr. Associate Athletics Director for Mental Health at Temple University, discusses the functions and processes in place that make up the TUWell program. She covers aspects of creating and maintaining an environment for student-athletes to feel comfortable using the services provided. Assess student-athletes every year of their career Educate coaches and administrators on how to identify possible crisis symptoms Manage the Student-Athlete transition process Dr. Coakley created and implemented the program for Temple Athletics. For more information on her process see her article, If You Build It, They Will Come: Establishing a Student-Athlete Mental Health Program, on AthleticDirectorU.com. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How does a coach know when to remove someone from the team? Leanne Ulmer, Head Volleyball Coach at Carthage College, talks about her experiences leading the team for almost 25 years. She discusses working through athletics director changes, leading the team without a full-time assistant coach, deciding when to remove someone from the team, and celebrating other sports on campus while mentoring young coaches throughout the department. "If you don't wither and die, you'll learn from the experience." Anticipating which student-athletes will be leaders Being enrollment driven is a lot to manage with a small staff Being intentional with developing relationships with other coaches in the department Coach Ulmer also talks a lot about her son, University of Oregon Volleyball Coach Matt Ulmer, and the personal and professional relationship they have as volleyball coaches. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How do leadership development, personnel changes, and organizational behavior intersect? Angie Torain, Director of Athletics & Recreation at University of Chicago, discusses her development as an executive, developing the leaders on her staff, and enhancing the organizational priorities within the department. Evaluate the environment, then ask for what you need Allow staff to make decisions Figure out how you can enhance the existing culture Torain also covers aspects of fundraising, expanding facilities, and expanding her staff to provide better experiences for student-athletes. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Are mental health services provided to an institution's athletic alumni? Ashton Henderson, Deputy Athletics Director at Michigan State, and Renaldo Hill, NFL/College football coach, discuss the transition away from playing sports as a competitor and the impact it can have on former athletes. Henderson describes a new resource at Michigan State for former student-athletes called Alumni STATE of Mind. Available to anyone who was a student-athlete at Michigan State 24-hour dedicated crisis lifeline available for MSU athletic alumni managed by The Hope Desk Discounted services provided anywhere in the country managed by Skywood Recovery For those without insurance, Fund Recovery will work with former student-athletes to ensure quality care despite any financial challenges Both Henderson and Hill describe their respective transitions to their current professions. Hill talks about mentoring NFL and college football players and helping them focus on life away from Football, while Henderson covers providing services to current student-athletes and ensuring care is accessible after they finish playing. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What is the role of an Athletic Certification Officer? Carol Bonner, Associate Registrar for Athletic Certification and Eligibility at Texas Tech, explains her role on campus and how it supports the athletics by being housed outside of the department. Manage the process of determining eligibility for student-athletes The role is different on every college campus Decisions are very objective - no subjectivity Bonner's office is also responsible for managing the research for the NCAA Graduation Success Rates and Academic Progress Rates at the school. She works with over 30 people throughout campus who contribute to the athletic certification at Texas Tech. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Can one brand or symbol represent all of campus, including athletics? Jason Cook, VP for Marketing and Communications at Baylor University, shares insights on communicating with a specific objective. He also gives us a deep dive into his One Brand Approach to marketing for an institution of higher education. 'Communicating with a specific objective' is an overarching description that covers all branches of communications A college's athletics logo is usually its most recognizable symbol Avoid brand fragmentation amongst on-campus departments, individual sports teams, alumni organizations, etc. People don't graduate from specific colleges on campus, they graduate from the institution Cook discusses how communicating with a specific objective helped the Heisman campaign for former Texas A&M quarterback, Johnny Manziel. He also gives his insight on using college athletics strategies to recruiting students who aren't athletes. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Can the Faculty Athletics Representative's (FAR) role overlap with their research and professorial responsibilities? As a Faculty Athletics Representative at Texas Tech, Professor Brian Shannon is responsible for advocating for student-athlete welfare. While his primary teaching responsibility is contract law, he focuses his policy and research work on mental health law, an area he has been researching for a lifetime due to his family experience with mental illness. Professor Shannon explains that mental illness patients often get caught in the criminal justice system without receiving treatment. He also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between having a mental illness and dealing with mental health challenges. As mental health is a top issue faced by NCAA student-athletes, the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices are continuously updated to provide support. - One Question Leadership Podcat - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Is the path to the athletics director chair always the same? Sharief Hashim, Director of Athletics at Susquehanna University stopped by 1Q to talk about his journey from recreation director to college athletics director. From assistant basketball coach to interim athletics director, Hashim has navigated his career through passion and purpose. working with people leading adults servant leadership understanding business Hashim's leadership principles include having empathy, understand your leadership style, and get outside of your comfort zone. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What can college athletics teach us about retention rates? We asked the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Chancellor, Dr. Jim Schmidt, about the importance of athletics on a college campus. He gave us insight from research done at UW-Eau Claire which says there are key components that exists in college sports that can translate to higher retention if applied to campus in general. Meet students where they are academically, socially, mentally Sense of belonging Upperclass mentors Trusted adults Community At UW-Eau Claire, Black men who are student-athletes have a retention rate in the 90% range, while those of the same group who aren't athletes have a retention rate in the 70% range. Chancellor Schmidt talks about the goals and community strategies the school has put in place to focus on each student. He also talks about how a $70 million athletics facility helps to accomplish those goals. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: How does donor feedback and creativity fit in fundraising? We asked Alvin Hines II, Sr. Associate Athletics Director at FAU, about athletics fundraising. The key topics covered were how his personality fits within the specific niche of athletic development, what is the process of fundraising in an athletics department, and how much input do donors (and potential donors) have in how funds should be used. Personality is a big factor in fundraising Season ticket holders are a starting point Many big ideas come from donors Donors will most likely support their own ideas Hines notes that one of the biggest jobs of a fundraiser is to leverage your current assets, whether that be under utilized space to events that already exist. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

1QLeadership Question: When should a coach or administrator hire an agent? Garry Rosenfield, Coaches Agent for Coaches Inc., stops by 1Q to discuss his process for valuing coaches contracts and why he believes agents are an asset in terms of representation. Football sets the standard for contracts across sports Women's Volleyball has the biggest potential Process for valuation varies across schools Counsel can be necessary beyond negotiating contracts While many people think agents are only hired for money, jobs, and contracts, Rosenfield believes representation is also necessary for counsel on many of the things required that allow a coach to focus on being a successful coach. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Would an 'NIT type' event make sense considering the new College Football Playoff structure? Sean Frazier, VP & Director of Athletics at NIU, stops by 1Q to discuss a few items on his mind as college athletics continues to evolve. Clandestine Transfer Portal activities Value of bowl games 'NIT type' event tied to the College Football Playoff Antitrust thoughts Positive outlook in college athletics Frazier has led NIU athletics for over a decade and continues to provide insight, mentorship, and leadership in the industry. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Is a Division I athletics director job always the goal? 1Q guest host Dr. Monique Carroll of Chicago State asks Point University VP of Intercollegiate Athletics, Jaunelle White, about leading the athletics department at an NAIA institution after a career of working in NCAA D1. If an opportunity aligns, explore it Trust your intuition Continue to add to your toolbox Have an elite mentality no matter where you are White discusses building trust with staff, relationships with student-athletes, and hiring as Carroll provides context with questions from a fellow athletics director's perspective. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Should interns specialize in one area or learn as much as they can about everything? NCAA Post Graduate Intern (and 1Q guest host) Kendee Hilliard asked Rose-Hulman Athletics Director Ayanna Tweedy about the choice between specialization or getting broad experience during the early developmental years in one's career. Be multifaceted Say yes to everything Learn as much as possible Allows you to understand what is needed later Tweedy brings her insight and experience to the conversation as Hilliard launches her career in intercollegiate athletics. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

1QLeadership Question: How does being a woman in football operations intersect with the servant leader mindset? 1Q guest host Mattie White asked Jashell Mitchell, Chief of Staff for Football Operations at Jackson State, about her roles in football and her progression as a leader in college athletics. With extensive experience in operations and a sharp focus on people and details, Mitchell has been recognized as a Rising Executive in the college athletics industry. Embrace the role of a woman on staff Thrive in people development Thrive in off the field details Servant mindset Consistency Jashell has worked for legendary coaches, spent time in the NFL, and is very passionate about her home community of Flint, Michigan. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown - Mattie White

1QLeadership Question: What does it take to be a university's first Director of Athletics? We asked Darnell Smith, Director of Athletics at Texas A&M-San Antonio, about the process of starting an athletics department. The school did not have varsity sports prior to Smith's arrival. Create a vision Hire coaches and staff Establish a way to fund the department Join a governing body Ensure compliance Create culture Darnell smith started as the only person in the department and has hired everyone who is currently a part of the staff. Culture and leadership development are major aspects of his process. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: Can personal and professional purpose intersect? We asked Misty Brown, Assistant Commissioner at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) if her purpose as a professional intersects with her purpose as an individual. She pointed out that the things she loves to do at work coincide with what she loves to do at home: • Develop relationships that go beyond the transactional nature of work • Set aside time for intentional focus on your reason for doing what you do • Understand how your professional purpose impacts your personal life • Understand how your personal purpose impacts your professional life In executing her purpose, Brown has provided internships to student-athletes, created volunteer opportunities at conference tournaments, and designates one day a week to engaging with the young people who compete in the Southeastern Conference. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What are the steps needed to create a major giving society for a college athletics department? Colton Primm, Senior Associate Athletics Director at Louisiana Tech, answered this question based on his experience setting up the Aillet Society on campus: Establish the purpose of the organization Delineate the giving amounts and respective benefits Identify and inform potential donors Launch the campaign Primm explains that (at La Tech) the annual fund is used for the general operations of the athletics department, while the major giving society creates long term giving opportunities and is used for specific projects. As the giving amounts get higher, information and access have proven to be the key benefits. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

@1QLeadership Question: What elements are necessary for success in a college athletics department? During a visit with Tulane University's Deputy Athletics Director, Kortne Gosha, we asked what it takes to build a successful athletics program. Collaboration within the department Relationships with campus administration and external stakeholders Valuing the academic environment Understanding the intricacies of customer vs consumer Prioritizing the student-athlete experience Gosha has experience leading a department and provides a perspective during a transitional period with the recent departure of the Director of Athletics.

@1QLeadership Question: How can Student-Athletes voice concerns about their experiences on campus? We asked David Chadwick, Founder & CEO of RealResponse, about solving the problem athletics departments faced in receiving real-time, confidential feedback from student-athletes on campus. Anonymity and confidentiality are complex yet important needs Ease of reporting allows for more people to come forward Not all feedback given is negative Chadwick started the company as an undergrad after playing his final basketball game at Valparaiso. The company has evolved to include professional leagues, NASCAR, corporations, and the general student body on college campuses. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

I asked Keiko Price, Associate VP of Campus Life & Director of Athletics at Emory University, about making tough decisions while leading an athletics department. She answered on the topic of student-athlete accusations against coaches: Be present as much as possible Support the student-athletes and advocate for the coach Assess everyone involved to hear all sides Make the best possible and informed decision Price is in her third year leading the department. She also covers the impact and challenges of her responsibilities as Associate VP of Campus Life. The conversation is wide ranging and insightful. @1QLeadership Question: Should a leader have a set process for making tough decisions? One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

I asked Valparaiso University Director of Athletics, Dr. Charles Small about how social work concepts fit on campus and specifically within college athletics. He covered the concepts below: Understanding the balance of the overall support system while being flexible enough to have an individual approach as everyone's experience is different Understanding the capacity within the community to meet the needs of the different subgroups on campus Levels of Practice Micro - Understanding the individual and their identity, as well as their well being within their respective environment. Mezzo - Understanding and identifying small groups based on identities. Macro - Understanding the larger institutions and communities such as athletics department, or the campus as a whole Understanding and implementing Culture Humility - having the humility to maintain self-awareness while respecting and working with others from different walks of life. Dr. Small has a social work background and comes from a family of social workers, so his insight on the 'person in the environment' is excellent. He covers all this in the context of his work at Valpo here on the One Question Leadership Podcast. @1QLeadership Question: Is there an intersection between social work concepts and leadership? -Tai M. Brown

We asked Breakthru Brands Founder, Laura Barnard, about common patterns women face during their leadership journey. The company has worked with over 200 clients, primarily women leaders, to elevate their unique contributions and voices. Based on the data and other studies, Barnard identified two gaps senior women leaders deal with as they progress in their careers: 1. Confidence gap: Senior women leaders are less likely to feel confident in their job performance within their careers. 2. Authority gap: Senior women leaders are less likely to feel heard and trusted in the workplace, they also experience interruptions and doubt in the workplace. This insight is interesting because one is internal, while the other seems to be external. Barnard goes in depth about these two gaps and much more during her visit to @1QLeadership. @1QLeadership Question: Have you faced the confidence and authority gaps during your career? - Tai M. Brown - One Question Leadership Podcast

On the question of creating a strategic plan, Toledo Executive Associate Athletics Director & COO, Nicole Alderson visits @1QLeadership to talk about her involvement in putting together the strategy for Toledo Athletics. Immediately upon being hired, Alderson was tasked with creating the strategy for success for the department. She gives insight on communicating with campus and tying all aspects of campus together to prepare a successful future. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of valuing the human element in the workplace, Michigan Associate AD for Communications & PR, Kurt Svoboda, stops by @1QLeadership to share his insight on growing people, separating work and home identity, crisis communications, and leadership development. Svoboda also gives his thoughts on analyzing failure within the context of issues management. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of mid-major conference finances, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Deputy Commissioner, Jessica Grasso visits @1QLeadership to discuss revenue generation, building trust within the conference, and leadership. Grasso gives her insight on what makes the MAAC unique within the industry. She also talks about her philosophy of 'Leading Beyond the W.' - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of the Hispanic experience within college athletics, Liz Reyes of Illinois and Ben Rodriguez of Rutgers visit @1QLeadership to share insight and talk about the establishment of the Latino Association for Collegiate Athletics Administrators & Student Athletes (@LA_CAASA). The organization exists to increase representation and opportunities for Hispanics in college athletics. Both Reyes and Rodriguez talk about their experiences and desires for what they have seen and want to see within the industry.

On the question of the role of legal counsel within an athletics department, Ane Debro, Associate General Counsel for Athletics at Ole Miss, visits @1QLeadership to discuss her position. Debro talks about the difference in tempo working in athletics versus working as the general counsel on campus. She gives her insight on how her responsibilities go beyond compliance, which include providing legal answers that help things move a bit faster within the department. The conversation wraps with Debro's thoughts on student-athletes and NIL.

On the question of leadership through a reflective lens, Texas A&M Director of Athletics, Ross Bjork, stops by @1QLeadership to talk about his experiences and understanding the breadth of college athletics. The conversation covers planning for different possible outcomes, letting his emotions impact his actions in the past, and advice to those looking to be in the chair. His five hot button areas for ascending professionals are embracing tradition, understanding the political environment, increasing competitiveness, finances, and adapting to the evolving nature of college athletics. - One question leadership podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of creating an environment where mental wellness is a priority, Temple University Sr. Associate Athletics Director, Dr. Stephany Coakley, visits @1QLeadership to discuss the setup for the athletics department. With a purpose of helping people master the mental and emotional aspects of performing consistently at a high level, Dr. Coakley has put education for coaches and staff as a priority within the department. The conversation also covers the difficulty athletes have transitioning away from sports, noting it can take a minimum of 12 months to fully accept the transition. Coakley also provides advice to people who are influential in a student-athlete's life to help them prepare to transition away from participating in sports. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of NCAA activism, Northern Illinois VP of Intercollegiate Athletics, Sean Frazier returns to @1QLeadership to ponder what the collective group of institutions that make up the governing body of college athletics is doing to counteract the trend of states banning DEI positions, banning books, and other actions that seem to violate the social agreement. Frazier mentions past activism actions in the Carolinas among other places as a standard that should continue. - One question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of managing athletic facilities on campus, Notre Dame Sr. Associate Athletics Director, Timothy Wise, visits @1QLeadership to cover a number of related items. Wise talks about the important areas that get overlooked with planning a facilities operating budget. He gives insight on how someone in his position is evaluated, and covers the pain points when managing up in terms of facilities. The conversation wraps with his involvement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the college athletics industry. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of coaching football with her father, University of St. Thomas (MN) student Anna Caruso, joins Head Football Coach Glenn Caruso, to give her perspective of being on the sideline with family. Anna, a current Tommies Softball Student-Athlete, talks about categorizing the coach mindset while playing, and Coach Caruso gives his thoughts on the evolution of women coaching football.

On the question of feeling like a leader, Macalester College Director of Athletics, Donnie Brooks, visits @1QLeadership to talk about his evolution in the leadership chair. Brooks goes over his process of developing personal core values, and affirming them by also defining what they do and don't look like in action. He also discusses feeling uncomfortable in the traditional AD outfit of sport coat and Cole Haan's but acknowledges visiting other leaders and finding unique qualities to bring back to his department as the school ascends its conference. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of the why women and people of color are given unfavorable leadership positions, Dr. Christy Glass, Professor of Sociology at Utah State, visits @1QLeadership to discuss the Glass Cliff. Glass unpacks her research finding that that women and people of color are more likely to be appointed to leadership positions when an organization is at risk to fail. She also offers suggestions on how to convince organization leaders about the importance of diversity. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of how purpose, core values, and culture fit in college athletics, Eric Hyman, former Athletics Director oat VMI, Miami (OH), TCU, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, stopped by @1QLeadership to give his experienced insight. With 47 years in college athletics, including 28 years as an AD, Hyman discusses definitions of the key terms inherent to successful leadership – value, values, core values, purpose, and culture. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

On the question of developing staff for a successful culture, Lamarr Pottinger, Associate Director of NCAA Leadership Development, visits @1QLeadership to give his insight on prioritizing people. With regard to HR, Pottinger talks about the need for the athletics industry to further understand what it means to be a resource to humans. He also mentions the importance of knowing that everyone should be poured into even if they don't want to move up the proverbial career ladder. The conversation wraps on individual sports employing staff members specifically for people development. - Tai M. Brown - One Question Leadership Podcast

Addressing the topic of being transformational in an industry filled with transactions, Kent State Director of Athletics, Randale Richmond, visits @1QLeadership to give his thoughts. Richmond talks about the process of ensuring action behind the department's guiding principle of being student-centered, coach-led, and administrator-supported. He talks about how Alston Awards are earned, and relates the current state of athletics to the economic principle that every free market in a capitalistic system finds its balance. The conversation wraps with advice on existing in an environment where values don't align.

Andrew Gavin, AD at UW-Parkside, and Chris Barker, AD at Southern Connecticut State, stop by @1QLeadership to discuss their friendship in the business, leadership styles, and lessons learned. Gavin talks about keeping work away from home by having a colleague with common experiences to talk through issues with. Barker covers working for Gavin at Parkside prior to taking on his own leadership role. Both Gavin and Barker discuss the benefits of the NCAA's Leadership Development programming as they progressed to the AD chair. - One Question Leadership Podcast - Tai M. Brown

DaShena Stevens, Deputy AD at UIW, visits @1QLeadership to talk leadership. Stevens covers her thoughts on the difference between leaders and managers saying that leaders wear both hats. She covers her philosophy evolution, giving her top three priorities of leadership, leading by example, having an impact, and being transformational. She also addresses the changes in responsibilities since becoming the Deputy AD.

In a recently discovered conversation from Summer 2022, Heath Schroyer LinkedIn Profile Director of Athletics at McNeese State, visits @1QLeadership to talk about the adventure of leading an athletics department through the aftermath of two nasty hurricanes, in the middle of a pandemic, and all during his first year or so as he transitioned from head basketball coach to AD. He talks about assessing the community, prioritizing safety, creating a plan to play, and executing the plan to play all sport seasons. The conversation wraps on the diligence of student-athletes.

Sean Frazier, VP & Director of Athletics at NIU, visits @1QLeadership to discuss his idea for mitigating the potential educational impact of entering the transfer portal. Frazier proposes a solution that finances the remaining degree requirements for those who enter but don't sign on with a new school. He also gives his insight on why ADs went from silence to actively promoting NIL collectives on their respective campuses. Also joining the conversation is Lauren Bullock of Stretch.

James Hall, Sr Associate AD at New Mexico State, visits @1Q Leadership to talk primarily about his role overseeing athletics diversity. He talks about the balance of the role being included in conversations and knowing when to interject his position into certain situations. Hall also talks about how the diversity position can have a positive impact on recruiting and the Student-Athlete experience.

Derita Dawkins, Assistant Vice Chancellor & Deputy AD at Arkansas, stops by @1QLeadership to discuss titles, responsibilities, asking questions, and influence. Dawkins talks about advocating for the return of football during her time at UAB. She also covers adjusting to changes on campus during her career and why asking great questions is important for success. The conversation wraps on how her responsibility is to inform rather than influence.

Ryan Holloway, President and Co-Founder of Peak Sports MGMT, visits @1QLeadership on the topics of entrepreneurship, young professionals, and business growth. Holloway talks about identifying the lack of media rights partners on NCAA-FCS campuses (including HBCUs), and starting the business as a solution. He also talks about the internship model and why hiring young professionals has worked for Peak.

Chris Barker, Director of Athletics at Southern Connecticut State visits @1QLeadership to talk about his philosophy of inclusion and hard work. On the day of his one year anniversary as AD, Barker discusses his method of keeping track of small wins, and tackling tough conversations.

Dr. Bren Stevens, VP & Director of Athletics at University of Charleston, visits @1QLeadership on the topic of staff professional development. Stevens provides 16 total sessions for her staff with programming in leadership, emotional intelligence, inclusion, and other topics. The conversation wraps on the NCAA Division II initiative which helps women and minorities get opportunities to become athletics directors.