1.question Podcast

Craig Fink, Sr. Associate AD for Advancement & Chief Revenue Officer at UNC Greensboro joins @TaiMBrown to discuss some of the creative ways the UNCG Spartans go about fundraising. Fink talks about one of the more creative programs in which current Student-Athletes donate to the Spartan Club. Boasting 100% participation over the last five years, the True Spartan Challenge has created a culture of philanthropy among the current Student-Athletes.

Matt Donovan, Sr. Associate AD for Development at University of Indianapolis, visits with @TaiMBrown to discuss creating a successful culture for development in an athletics department. Donovan, 24 years into his tenure with UIndy, gives insight on what it takes to be successful when working in fundraising. He emphasizes that potential donors should know why they are important to the process. Donovan also speaks to the importance of the entire department asking themselves, "Are we doing the best we can do?"

Marie Tuite, Athletics Director at San Jose State, joins @TaiMBrown to discuss making collaborative decisions. Tuite talks about her process for receiving input from her staff when weighing important options. She emphasizes the importance and benefit of a strong senior team when in the AD chair as there is always an abundance of information to synthesize. The conversation rounds out on the topic of making decisions that may be in contrast to the recommendations of the staff.

Brian Sisson, Athletics Director at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, visits @TaiMBrown on the topic of getting to know conference colleagues. Sisson details his road trip to visit fellow ADs within the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He also discusses his vision for fundraising at Saint Mary's as he closes out his first four months in the AD chair.

John Cheney, Executive Associate AD at NIU, visits @TaiMBrown as the two discuss Cheney's stint as the interim Associate VP for Facilities and how that experience ties to his current role in athletics. Cheney also covers creating and implementing NIU Athletics' Facilities Master Plan, specifically as the state of Illinois entered a two year budgetary fiasco.

Wendy Wilson, Associate AD for Compliance & Student-Athlete Welfare at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss educating new coaches, students, and staff about compliance. Working through a 75% turnover within the athletics staff, Wilson details her process of continual education which helps onboard those new to the department. A self-proclaimed compliance nerd, she also talks about her love for learning which helps to keep her in tune with what is going on in the athletics industry.

Bill Kramer, Head Football Coach at Naples High School in Florida, visits @TaiMBrown and the 1.Question Podcast to discuss the high school coaches voice within the NCAA. Coach Kramer, nationally involved with the game of football, the coaching profession, and high school sports in general, gives insight on how high school coaches have to adjust to NCAA legislation. On the topic of recruiting and the early signing date, Kramer offers advice to college coaches as the season ends and the search for talent ramps up.

Kelley Kish, AD at Lake Erie College, revisits @TaiMBrown on the 1.Question Podcast to give an update on day 365 of leading Lake Erie Athletics. As she embarks on the start of year two, Kish discusses how some of her early decisions are currently paying dividends. She also talks about laying the foundation for a strategic plan as she leads the staff through exercises to help identify individual values, as well as those for the department. The conversation ends with advice for those new to the AD chair.

David Harris, Director of Athletics at Northern Iowa, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss career progression. Harris talks about his path from Student-Athlete Services to AD. He recalls solving an organizational problem at Wisconsin which caught the eye of then football coach, Barry Alvarez. He also touches on the importance of finding success in uncomfortable situations, as well as making and managing decisions. A proponent of mentorship, Harris prepares his staff for a career outside of his leadership.

Turnkey Search, a subsidiary of Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, recently announced the addition of long-time media executive Rick Alessandri to the talent recruitment/executive search firm. Matt Roberts visited with Alessandri on a number of items related to the media rights and the future of media and college athletics.

Dr. Chelsea Herman, Sr. Associate AD & SWA at Cal State San Bernardino, visits @TaiMBrown at the 2018 Women Leaders in College Sports Convention to discuss the transition from internal relations to running the external side of an athletics department. Herman talks about going from educating coaches about compliance internally to her current role where she recently dealt with a brush fire at a soccer match. She also talks about the creativity necessary when leading the external relations side of athletics.

Ronald Machtley, President at Bryant University, visits @TaiMBrown to give a presidential perspective from the NCAA Division I Board of Directors. Machtley, in his 23rd year as President, tells what his philosophy was before being appointed to the committee and how his thoughts on the NCAA has changed since his appointment. He also serves on the Board of Governors and touches on why the recommendations from the Rice Commission will prove to be beneficial to all of college athletics.

Marcus Woodson, Defensive Backs Coach at Auburn, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss adjusting to new leadership when changing coaching jobs. Woodson, a 14 year coaching veteran, goes into detail about the process of maintaining his leadership values while adapting to the culture of a new program and the leadership style of a new head coach. He notes the importance of personal leadership vs leadership tied to a position and touches on how one can be much more influential than the other, especially in the coaching profession.

Ashley Stone, Director of Development Events & Hospitality at Nebraska, joins @TaiMBrown as the two discuss Stone's transition from Student-Athlete services to the development office. In her previous role, Stone helped to create experiences for Student-Athletes as they navigated life on campus and prepared for life after athletics. In her current role, she helps to create experiences for donors and potential donors who want to contribute to the success of Nebraska's current and former Student-Athletes.

Dr. Jeffrey Docking, President at Adrian College, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss college athletics from the perspective of the Chair of the NCAA DIII President's Council. Docking, 13 years into his presidential tenure, discusses his role as Chair and how his time on the Council has broadened his view of sports on campus. A college athletics "enthusiast," Dr. Docking speaks to its benefit to NCAA DIII schools in terms of enrollment, its benefit to Student-Athletes, and also its benefit to all who are involved.

Natalie Winkelfoos, Associate VP for Athletic Advancement and Director of Athletics at Oberlin College, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss the importance of caring about the work you do, how you do it, why you do it, and who you do it for and with. Using care as its competitive advantage, Oberlin's athletics department is driven by compassion. Winkelfoos, six years into her AD tenure, has found success in fundraising and leadership by leading with the core foundational aspect of caring for those she leads.

Tanya Vogel, Director of Athletics & Recreation at George Washington, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss empathic leadership. With almost a year on the job, Vogel leads her department with a style that takes others into consideration before oneself. She discusses how leading with empathy has proven to be beneficial for all on staff including Student-Athletes, coaches, and administrators. Vogel also talks about values driven leadership, listing determination, commitment, and respect as her core beliefs.

Jessica Poole, Sr. Associate AD for External Relations at Florida Atlantic University, joins @TaiMBrown to discuss her thoughts on effective leadership. Recently hired to the FAU athletics senior team, Poole discusses the aspects of leadership she considers effective. Self-awareness, understanding those you work with and for, and collaborative decision-making are qualities she deems necessary as she embarks in her new role overseeing the communications, marketing, and corporate sponsorship departments.

Alex Ricker-Gilbert, Senior VP & Athletics Director at Jacksonville University, chats with @TaiMBrown about establishing a culture in athletics. Ricker-Gilbert mentions his background in compliance and Student-Athlete services as a crucial element to his success in athletics administration after becoming an AD at the age of 28. He also discusses his collaborative process of establishing core values for the department, noting that the initial challenges faced by his staff helped to lay the groundwork.

Todd Wilkinson, Director of Athletics at Barton College, visits @TaiMBrown to discuss searching for normalcy after Hurricane Florence. Barton, largely undamaged by the storm, closed its doors for eight days as students left campus to find safety. Wilkinson discusses the process of keeping track of Student-Athletes while they were away. He also touches on the process of rescheduling games and ensuring Student-Athlete safety be giving a few days of practice before jumping right back into competition.