CLEVELAND — For the ninth year in a row, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) has announced the recipients of its Diversity Initiative Program. Recipients receive convention stipends to attend the 2015 NAADD Convention as well as the Fundamentals of Athletic Development (FOAD) sessions, which takes place from June 14-17 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.

"The NAADD Diversity Initiative is a great way for our Association to identify some of the best minority and female administrators in our industry and assist them in advancing their careers in development," said NAADD President Kay Hargrave, senior associate athletics director, development, Auburn University.  "Our Diversity Initiative Committee did another wonderful job in the planning and implementation of this program. Executive Committee members Dirk Katstra (Virginia), Jim Harris, and former Diversity Initiative winner Anthony Henderson (Akron) sorted through many qualified applicants to select the recipients, and we congratulate our winners."

The 2015 Diversity Initiative recipients are:

Rickie Alvarez, Colorado State University

Jason Anderson, UAB

Stevie Baker-Watson, DePauw University

Allison Bass, Florida Gulf Coast University

Jennifer Berquist, University of Kansas

Lauren Bird, Arizona State University

Janel Bogenschutz, University of Indianapolis

Mandy Brindle, Temple University

Shanette Buford-Brazzell, The Ohio State University

Monique Carroll, Prairie View A&M University

Wesley Ellison, University of Michigan

Kelly Fahey, UMBC

Haven Fields, University of Illinois

Victoria Fish, University of West Florida

Danielle Grobmyer, Western Kentucky University

Tara Hawkins, University of Nevada

Marcus Hilliard, Duke University

Laurel Hosmer, Eastern Washington University

Noah Jackson, UC San Diego

Michael Murray, University of Pennsylvania

Mary O’Neill, University of Pennsylvania

Heather Palmer, College of the Holy Cross

Elizabeth Pangle, Georgia State University

Jade Prickett, Boston College

Nancye Rahn, King University

Trayvean Scott, Southern University

Christina Turner, Washington State University

Brittney Whiteside, University of Missouri

Kacie Wikierak, Northwestern University

Erin Wissing, Kennesaw State University

About NAADD: NAADD is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities, enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics, and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of athletics development and fund raising. For more information about NAADD, please visit www.naadd.com. NAADD is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 50th year. For more information on NACDA and the 15 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.