CLEVELAND - The NAATSO Leadership Academy presented by Elevate will expand on our traditional mentorship program to bring added value to all participants in the program. Participants will gain experience from the traditional mentor-mentee pairings, as well as from conversations with their cohort peers across a wide range of topics designed to build leadership skills and help you grow your career. 
 

Senior	Junior
Kyne Sheehy, Notre Dame	Abbie Wiinikainen, Providence
Matt Chapman, Wyoming	Emily Brady, Clemson
Matt Menard, DePaul	Shon Blackburn, North Texas
Michael Meitin, Arizona State	Alexa Miley, West Virginia
Michael Stephens, Nebraska	Maddy Myers, Elon
Todd Shell, Pitt	Nathan Doremus, Liberty
Lauren Merdinyan, Washington	Cameron Koberna, Grand Valley
Will O'Leary, Bowling Green	Alexis Ordel, Washington State
Dan Goldstein, Georgia	Mike Leniart, NJIT
Joe Lanser, UW-Milwaukee	Keelah Dixon, UMBC

"The NAATSO Board is thrilled to announce the cohort for the 2025–26 NAATSO Leadership Academy, presented by Elevate" shared NAATSO President Colin Hargis, Director of Athletics at Florida Gulf Coast University. "As the business of college athletics rapidly evolves, the demand for innovative thinking and strong leadership has never been greater. This program represents an intentional investment in the next generation of professionals who are shaping the future of revenue generation, fan engagement, and external strategy across our campuses. We are grateful to Elevate for their continued partnership and support in making this initiative possible. We look forward to witnessing the growth, connection, and impact this year's cohort will undoubtedly bring."

Networking and professional development are two foundational pillars for growth in intercollegiate athletics. The  NAATSO Board aims to develop our membership into the future leaders in college athletic departments across the country. It is NAATSO's hope that its Mentorship Program will serve as an important resource to accomplish this goal.

Questions regarding the NAATSO Leadership Academy presented by Elevate can be directed to Chair Andrew Schoepfer or NAATSO Association Manager Nick Strah.