CLEVELAND - The Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of its Founders' Professional Development Grant, given to one male and four female MOAA members, each in the amount of $1,000. The recipients of this year's grants are Shelby Yung, Pomona-Pitzer College, Jennifer Jacobs, Augustana University, SD., Therno Diallo, Rutgers University, Ruth Janelle Nguyen, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and Kelly Shepherd, West Virginia State University.  
 

Shelby Yung - Pomona-Pitzer College

Shelby Yung is the Student-Athlete Services Coordinator and Senior Woman Administrator at Pomona-Pitzer College. Since joining Pomona-Pitzer in July 2023, she has created the department's first leadership development program, Sagehen Leadership Academy and coordinates all team and department service initiative to broaden the presence with local communities. A former DII softball player, Yung played at Pace University and Utah Tech University where she earned the 2016-2017 DSU Athletics Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She began her career at UCLA as the Account Executive, Ticket Sales and Service, before working with the Los Angeles Angels Baseball as the Client Representative. Yung transitioned to Southern California University of Health Sciences and served several roles including the most recent, Admissions Advisor for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. During this time Yung earned her master's degree in Higher Education Leadership and Student Development from California Baptist University. Her experiences equip her with the skills to fulfill her role at Pomona-Pitzer as the advisor of SAAC, the Co-Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and a member of Mental Health, Wellness, and Performance team that supports student-athletes' overall wellness.
 

Jennifer Jacobs - Augustana University

Jennifer Jacobs is the Head Volleyball Coach at Augustana University with 18 years of experience in education. She currently sits on the Diversity and Inclusion campus wide committee ADID and is the lead facilitator for athletics staff DEI professional development trainings. Prior to joining Augustana University in 2017, Jacobs served as the Assistant Athletics Director and Assistant Volleyball Coach for five years at Augsburg University. She holds experience in African American Outreach at Richfield Public Schools where she was the primary liaison for 200+ African American students, and the greater Richfield community, school staff, and district level administrators. Jacobs is a certified Intercultural Development Inventory Qualified Administrator, a 2018 Minnesota State Athletic Department Hall of Famer, and currently working towards her doctoral degree in leadership.
 

Therno Diallo - Rutgers University

Therno Diallo joined Rutgers University in January 2021 and currently serves as the Associate Director, Facilities/Events/Operation. He fulfills the duties as primary facilities/events liaison for Women's Soccer, Lacrosse, Rowing, Swimming and Diving, and Men's Basketball, and assists with Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field. With a master's in Sport Administration form Canisius College, Diallo had the opportunity to serve as the Assistant Athletics Director, Events/Marketing at DePauw University where he oversaw game-day operation for 23 varsity sports across seven athletic facilities, planned the 126^th Monon Bell Football Classic, Led the #TeamDepauw Embraces Differences Initiative, and developed a course for elementary school students taking part in the "Be Nice, Be Kind" initiative. Prior to his current role as Associate Director, Diallo began his career at Rutgers University as the Assistant Director of Facilities/Events. He is a two-time MOAA Rising Star Honoree and was selected as a MOAA mentee in 2018.
 

Ruth Janelle Nguyen - United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee

Ruth Janelle Nguyen currently serves as the Learning and Development Specialist at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. In her role she develops the learning and development calendar and planning for the USOPC and its partners. Additionally, she manages overseeing the execution of the learning and development program, including all reporting and data, customer service inquiries, and advertisements for program offerings. Nguyen serves as the Communications Chair on the Executive Board of POC Life, an employee resource group focused on social justice and equity in sport. Prior to earning her master's degree in Sport Studies from Tulane University, she was a DI athlete on the Swimming and Diving team and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Vice-President at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Nguyen began her career at Lamar University as an Academic Specialist for Football before transitioning to Washington State University where she held several positions including Student-Athlete Development Coordinator, Director of Student-Athlete Development, and Director of Inclusion and Belonging. At Washington State University, she directed all DEI programming, served as the ADID, led athletics staff DEI Council, and advised three student-athlete affinity groups. She is currently serving on the MOAA Symposium Committee.
 

Kelly Shepherd - West Virginia State University

Kelly Sheperd is the Assistant Athletics Director of Internal Operations at West Virginia State University. At West Virginia State University she hosts over 50+ external events annually with athletic facilities, coordinates team travel for all 17 sports, is the Academic Coordinator and Game Administrator/away team host for athletic events, and assists with the hiring process for new head coach positions. Shepherd gained experience as the Assistant Director of Football Operations and Athletics Operations Coordinator at Fairmont State early in her career. She also had the opportunity within Football Operations at California University of Pennsylvania and Eastern Kentucky University before shifting to her current position in January 2022. Shepherd earned a masters degree in Sport Management from West Virginia State University. She currently serves on the MOAA HBCU Committee and is a 2023-24 Learfield EDGE Academy Participant.

About the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association: Administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association promotes equitable employment opportunities for minorities in the athletics industry through the exchange of ideas, the creation of networking opportunities and the avocation of an increase in employment for minorities in athletics administration positions at all levels of the sports industry. The association also promotes cultivating a sports environment that supports the values necessary to accept aspiring professionals from all walks of life. For more information on the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association, please visit www.moaaweb.com.