CLEVELAND – The National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) has announced the recipients of its 2024 Awards.

The 2024 NAADD Award recipients are: NAADD Lifetime Achievement Award, Tom Coffman, Former Associate Director of Athletics for Development and Planning, Senior Associate Director, Duke University; College Fundraiser of the Year, Tom Carroll, Associate VP for Advancement/Deputy AD, St. Mary's; University Fundraiser of the Year, Josh Whittenburg, Associate AD of Development, SMU; and Jason Galaska Rising Star Award, Amy Blackbourn, Associate Director of Major Gifts and Premium Seating, Northwestern University.

"On behalf of the NAADD Executive Committee and the members we serve, I would like to congratulate all of the NAADD Award Recipients" said Ryan White, NAADD President and executive director of the Razorback Foundation at the University of Arkansas. "This year's selection process was extremely competitive which is a testament to the great work being done across the country.  I look forward to celebrating these individuals and their accomplishments at the upcoming NAADD convention in Las Vegas."

Lifetime Achievement Award - Tom Coffman
In 2005, Tom Coffman joined Duke University, giving 17 years of service, where he held multiple roles in athletic development. From 2012-2017, Coffman directed Duke's Building Champions Campaign and in May 2013 he was promoted to Deputy Director of Athletics for Philanthropy.

Coffman graduated from Heidelberg College where he received his B.S. in Psychology before earning his master's degree in Education from Bowling Green University. He held jobs at several institutions including  Missouri-Rolla, Albion University, Tiffin University as well as President of Cure International and President and CEO of Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. Coffman was a member of the Director of Athletics and Vice President Kevin White's executive staff committee, and served as Chair on the ACC Development Directors group (2012-13) and ACC Men's Tennis Committee (2014-16). 

During his time at Duke, Coffman coordinated fundraising for the Athletics Department including the Iron Dukes Annual Fund, major gifts, and principal gifts while also serving as the lead sports administrator for the Men's Tennis Program. He led the Blue Devils to raise over $500 million dollars and secured the seven largest financial commitments in Duke Athletics history. In addition, while directing the Building Champions Campaign, he exceeded their goal and raised $341 million dollars. In 2013 Coffman was awarded the National Association of Athletic Development Directors Fundraiser (NAADD) Fundraiser of the Year. College Fundraiser of the Year - Tom Carroll
Tom Carroll was named Deputy Athletics Director & Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Athletics at St. Mary's College in November 2021, after serving as the Senior Associate Athletics Director since 2019. Carroll leads Athletic Development and all athletic fundraising, including annual giving, major and principal gifts, endowments and capital projects, while serving as the primary liaison from the Advancement Office to Athletics. He also serves as the sport supervisor for baseball and golf.

Since 2014-15, under Carroll's leadership, Athletic Development has raised more than $28 million dollars to benefit Gaels student-athletes, its programs and facilities. Capital projects include the Student Athlete Performance Complex, Baseball Player Development Center and Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium. Carroll began working in athletic development in May of 2008, after serving as Director of Ticket Sales and Operations for two years. Over the last year, Carroll has led not only a record-breaking year for athletics fundraising at Saint Mary's, he has also taken on leadership over campus's major giving and leadership giving units. Under his leadership, gift frequency and volume have grown significantly, propelling SMC to new successes. Carroll was the primary fundraiser for the newly-complete Br. Ron Gallagher Stadium (Baseball) project which included a brand new $6MM+ facility, the new UCU Pavilion addition for men's basketball ($3MM+), and other important campus-wide efforts.


University Fundraiser of the Year - Josh Whittenburg
Josh Whittenburg joined the SMU staff in September 2017. As Associate Athletic Director for Development, he conducts major and principal gift fundraising while also overseeing all sport-specific and annual giving efforts for SMU Athletics. He leads eight staff members, the 30-member Mustang Club Board of Directors and serves as the sport administrator for the nationally-ranked SMU Rowing team. Since Whittenburg's arrival at SMU, he has served in three separate roles – Director of Athletics Annual Giving, Assistant AD for Athletics Development and Associate AD for Athletics Development. As a member of Athletic Director Rick Hart's senior staff and the ACC transition team, he has played a key role in crafting the department's vision and strategy.

Specifically, in 2024, SMU Athletics raised a record-setting $100M in seven days following its announcement of entrance into the ACC. Whittenburg served as a key strategist in an ensuing 50-day drive to secure an additional $20M toward the department's transition efforts. Current athletics fundraising totals sit at $150M as of March 2024, a new department record.
 
With his assistance, the SMU Mustang Club has witnessed record-setting fundraising totals, including the department's three best fundraising years on record, including $73 million in cash gifts and commitments for FY22. Also, during his tenure, he has participated in six capital campaigns totaling more than $150M for the Payne Stewart SMU Golf Training Center, the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center and Barr-McMillion Natatorium, Armstrong Fieldhouse, Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium, the Holt Hickman Outdoor Pool and the Garry Weber End Zone Complex.  Amy Blackbourn is a highly accomplished professional in the field of athletics development, currently serving as the Associate Director of Major Gifts and Premium Seating for Northwestern Athletics since April 2023. In this pivotal role, she plays a frontline position in securing major gifts that significantly contribute to the success of Northwestern Athletics. Amy is responsible for identifying, cultivating & soliciting major gifts of $100k to $1M by managing a portfolio of approximately 75 prospects annually. Her responsibilities extend to serving as the department liaison to the Legends team, a crucial partner in ticketing sales, and the New Ryan Field Campaign. Blackbourn oversees both current and future premium seating sales in Welsh-Ryan Arena and New Ryan Field while assisting in the strategic planning and execution of Wildcat fund annual solicitation. Before assuming her current role, Blackbourn initially joined the athletics development team at Northwestern in November 2021 as the Associate Director of Leadership Giving. Amy was responsible for soliciting gifts to the Wildcat Fund, the unrestricted annual fund for Northwestern Athletics, capital projects, new initiatives and collaborating on strategies to maximize support for Northwestern Athletics while hiring and onboarding the Legends team.
 
Amy's impact has been profound and wide-ranging. Her strategic vision, coupled with her ability to forge meaningful relationships, has not only elevated Northwestern's fundraising efforts but has also helped to position NWU for long-term success.


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 59^th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.