CLEVELAND - The Minority Opportunities Athletic Association (MOAA) is pleased to announce its 2025 Founders' Professional Development Grant recipients. The grant awards $1,000 annually to selected MOAA members, chosen by the awards committee. The recipients of this year's grants are Lisamar Perez-Santiago, Barry University and Jovan Williams, Maryville University.
 

Lisamar Perez-Santiago - Barry University

Lisamar Perez-Santiago is the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Student Services at Barry University, where she oversees eligibility, CARA, and transfer portal management for 21 sports programs. In this role, she works closely with student-athletes, coaches, and staff to ensure compliance with NCAA regulations while fostering an environment that supports both academic and athletic success. Lisamar's journey at Barry University began in 2017 as a work-study student in the Athletics Department, where she gained experience in operations and facilities management. She later transitioned into a Graduate Assistant role in Athletics Communications in January 2022, before shifting to Academics and Compliance, where she supported academic advising and student-athlete eligibility. In August 2023, she took on the role of Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Dean of Students, before assuming her current position in August 2024. Beyond Barry, Lisamar expands her professional experience by working part-time with the Miami Marlins and Miami Heat, gaining valuable exposure to professional sports operations. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Barry University, strengthening her leadership, management, and administration expertise.
 

Jovan Williams - Maryville University

Jovan Williams serves as the Coordinator of Facilities and oversees all game management operations for home athletic events that include NCAA, club, and intramurals at Maryville University since Spring semester in 2023. Prior to his time at Maryville, Jovan was the Program Coordinator of Recreation and Sports at the Ohio State University-Newark and Central Ohio Technical College where he overseen the fitness center and developed and implemented the intramural schedule for the students. Before arriving to Newark, Jovan's first stint within collegiate athletics was during his time as an event management intern within University of Indianapolis' athletics department (cut short due to Covid) and also the Great Lakes Valley Conference as a game operations intern where he planned, hosted, and managed 10 different championship events for the NCAA Division II conference and recognized as a NCAA Emerging Leader in 2021. Jovan also received his Master's in Sport Management in 2020 at University of Indianapolis after receiving his Bachelor's in Sport Marketing and Management at Indiana University-Bloomington in 2019.

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.