Experts
Alison Argentieri, educator, standout collegiate basketball player; Ali’s name litters the Boston University Women’s Basketball record books. She is in the Top 10 all-time for three-pointers, assists, and steals. When not teaching in a Boston-area high school she coaches several teams and umpires little league games. Ali practices her belief that children learn best when they are doing what they love.
Brad Barnett, A graduate of Tulane University, Brad has worked with the National Basketball Association in a number of roles, from public relations and marketing partnerships to event management and new business development. He is currently pursuing his degree in Sports Business at Columbia University.
Francisco Botero, recording engineer, musician; Francisco hails from Colombia and rocks out Brooklyn way. He has worked beside recording engineers Joel Hamilton and Tony Maimone at New York’s legendary Studio G, and been behind some of the most defining projects of the new millenium, including the chart-topping BlakRoc collaborative. Francisco works with TRIAD-trained performing artists and program participants to document their experiences and talent.
Jon Coles, English FA Level 1 coach, former professional soccer player; a graduate of Leeds Metropolitan University and three-year member of its soccer team, Jon joined Dynamo Zizkov in the Czech Republic as a player and coach of its Third Division. Identified as one of the top youth coaches in Europe, Jon moved to the United States, where he has been a coach and Director of Operations at Mass Premier Soccer. As coach, he led the U-17 MPS Boston Bulldogs to US Club Soccer National Tournament glory in 2008. He continues to advance his coaching licenses with UEFA and USSF.
Heather Coubrough, DMD. Heather’s time as a former Boston University ice hockey player might not have obvious benefits in ice-challenged Southern Africa. However, Heather knocked out many a tooth of lesser skaters–singlehandedly bucking the ridiculous “No Checking in Women’s Hockey” stipulation. Heather leads TRIAD’s oral health and hygiene programs. She trains local health care providers in oral health and hygiene, runs oral health workshops for the orphans and vulnerable children in the After-School and Day Care programs. She earned her chops at Tufts School of Dental Medicine.
Bob Cutler, US Navy Petty Officer, 2nd Class (Ret’d), former minor league professional baseball player, athletic leadership education program director; Bob was the executive director of Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center, a community-based organization that offers kids in the economically-challenged Boston community free drop-in tutoring, standardized test preparation, and mentorship, AND a rigorous, competitive lacrosse program. Inner-city kids are learning from young adult leaders within their own community, much like we strive to have happen throughout areas in which TRIAD works. Bob facilitates TRIAD’s leadership and overall sports programming.
Sarah Drake, Media and Communications expert, film production specialist; Sarah spent five years developing and producing first-person and experience-based research using photography and film media for major corporations with BSSP. She graduated from Stanford University and received her master’s in Communications Strategy and Research Methods. As a certified SCUBA instructor, she’s travelled all over the world working with youth leadership programs. Sarah facilitates community participation in educational documentary media programs and testimonial drama programs.
Kim Frumin, Photographer and education consultant; Kim is a Fulbright Scholar who created a program to teach photography to Bedouin children living in the Negev desert as a way for them to chronicle their disappearing culture. She coordinated programs between the NYC public schools and the Guggenheim Museum. Kim currently works at the New York City Department of Education. Prior to working with the DOE, she was an Educational Content Specialist in the International Education, Research, and Outreach Department of Sesame Workshop, where she integrated her passion for communication through visual media, education, and Muppets. She earned a BA in anthropology and art history from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Ed.M. from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education focusing on art and technology in education.
Heidi Haddad, Social Worker, Life Skills Trainer, Gender-based Issues Expert; Heidi earned her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan, where she was a Child Welfare Fellow. She earned BA in English and Creative Writing from New York University. Before heading to graduate school, Heidi worked for more than two years in Malawi with the Peace Corps. While there, she introduced culturally-sensitive community development skills, life skills, and cross-cultural programs for adolescents and adult women. Heidi has led and facilitated several programs focused on HIV/AIDS, life skills, gender and food security, and home-based care and orphan care issues.
Joel Hamilton, recording engineer, producer, musician; Joel is probably the coolest expert in TRIAD’s pool. He has engineered and produced projects for artists as diverse as Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Mos Def, Lou Reed, Matisyahu, Talib Kweli, Justin Timberlake, TRIAD advocate Hugh Masekela, and TRIAD’s own Marika Hughes. Joel has brought his equipment to TRIAD’s program sites to document the talent and impact of TRIAD-trained leaders. He, Francisco Botero, Marika, Director of Arts and Education Programming Jack Judson, and Executive Director Brooke Wurst are working with the ImprovED troupe to produce the troupe’s first album, capturing their original musical pieces from the education programs. It’s going to kick ass. Totally.
William Hesmer, Starting Goalkeeper, Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, 2008 regular season MLS champions; before being drafted 17th overall in the MLS 2004 Superdraft, William was Academic All-American at Wake Forest University, where he studied History. While at Wake Forest, he was a two-time First-Team All-American goalkeeper. He is a member of the 2008 US National Team player pool and was a member of the US Open Cup Champion team. William runs the “Playing for Peace” charity soccer clinic in his hometown to benefit the Wesley Shelter in the fight against domestic abuse, and works with Habitat for Humanity in the Columbus area.
Erica Holland, MD in Progress, HIV education specialist, former Divsion l soccer player; Prior to attending Dartmouth Medical School, Erica graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology, garnering Academic All-PAC 10 honors as well as recognition on the Stanford Athlete Honor Roll. Erica was a member of the Women’s Soccer Team for four years and made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament as the starting goalkeeper during her junior and senior years. She worked directly with several Bay Area sports, health and life skills initiatives including BAWSI and works with children undergoing long-term treatment at Lucille Packard Hospital on academic support.
Angela Hucles, Angela was TRIAD’s founding Director of Sports Programming and continues to be a critical member of TRIAD’s Sports Advisory Council. She is a veteran member of the United States Women’s National Soccer Team and WUSA’s and new WPS’s Boston Breakers. She won Olympic Gold Medals in the 2004 Athens games and in the 2008 Beijing games, where she was the US leading goal-scorer. Angela previously set a goal-scoring record while an All-American player at the University of Virginia. In addition to her busy travels, Angela also finds the time to serve as spokesperson for Massachusetts’ Treasurer’s program to promote math literacy for children. She is also the creator of TRIAD’s Shoes To Use initiative.
Marika Hughes, Professional musician and educator; Marika studied political science at Barnard College and honed her cello skills at Juilliard. She spent a dozen years in San Francisco teaching and performing with various symphonies and chamber groups as a cellist and vocalist before returning to her native New York. While in the Bay Area, Marika worked with the San Francisco Symphony’s AIM program, visiting all 75 of the city’s public elementary schools, introducing the kids to a string quartet through pop, jazz and tango. A fixture in art-funk groups on both coasts, Marika was a member of Charming Hostess and Red Pocket. Her credits include film scores, and she’s performed and recorded with Santana, Third Eye Blind, Tom Waits, Toshi Reagon, Lou Reed, Ani DiFranco, and Mary J Blige. As a child, Marika was also on “Sesame Street” for eight years.
Trent Johnson, Head Coach, Lousiana State University’s Men’s Basketball; Before leading the Tigers, Coach Johnson took the Stanford Cardinal to the Big Dance several times, and led the University of Nevada program from 1999-2004, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2004. Trent has served on the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Special Committee on Recruiting and Access. This committee is comprised of a select group of prominent coaches who suggest ways to provide a more equitable and informational recruiting process for the potential student-athlete and to enhance the educational opportunities for student-athletes while in college. Coach Johnson brings his expertise to basketball coaching clinics, focusing not only on the technical aspects of the game, but the essentials of mentorship and leadership.
Andrew Kartunen, Goalkeeper, Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards, HIV education specialist, former Divsion l soccer player; As a two-time All-PAC 10 and two-time Academic All-PAC 10 goalkeeper at Stanford University, Andrew graduated with a degree in Human Biology. He played for the US National Team in the U-20 World Youth Championships. Andrew mentors children on the soccer field and in the classroom, and volunteers in local hospital emergency departments, advocating for patient care.
Dwayne Killings, Basketball Coach; Dwayne attended Hampton University before transferring to UMass and earning a roster spot as a walk-on. Too young to remember the Rage in the Cage days- but still, a Minuteman is a Minuteman. After graduating, Dwayne was a part of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats’ coaching staff. Dwayne worked as the Assistant Director of Basketball Operations under NCAA coaching legend Fran Dunphy at Temple University, watching the Owls win back-to-back Atlantic-10 Championships and regularly embarrass the beloved Penn Quakers in Big Five games. He currently works for the National Basketball Association’s Development League, and serves on the Board of Directors of TRIAD’s South African entity.
Olaf Lange, WNBA coach, and former German National Basketball Team head coach; Before joining the WNBA’s Silver Stars as coordinator of video services and player development, Olaf was associate head coach for Liberty University, and as head coach, led Ros Casares Valencia in Spain to the 2004 Supercup championship. Olaf led the Mitteldeutscher Basketball Club to the 2003 FIBA Europe Cup title. He was the head coach of the German Women’s National Team from 2001-2003 and served as assistant coach for the German Men’s National squad in 2003.
Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Musician and Human Rights Advocate. Becky is the Special Projects Coordinator for Witness, the NGO started by Peter Gabriel. Witness is dedicated to getting documentary equipment into the hands of those suffering human rights violations. The Wesleyan grad spent years working at the International Center for Transitional Justice, with Dr Alex Boraine, the co-commissioner of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which spent years listening to testimony of victims and perpetrators of violent crimes during the Apartheid era. And when she isn’t saving the world, Becky is performing, writing, and collaborating on projects with musicians, artists, activists and politicians such as National Book Award/Pulitzer Prize/Tony/three-time Grammy-winner Maya Angelou, the B-52s, Harry Belafonte, Ani DiFranco, Peter Gabriel, the Indigo Girls, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Paul Simon, Youssou N’dour, Sir Paul McCartney, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Coldplay, U2, and Eric Clapton. Becky will be working on music and video documentary components of our arts program. Becky also serves on TRIAD’s Board of Directors.
Kristine Lilly, Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist; Two-time World Cup Champion & MVP of 1999 Women’s World Cup; Captain, United States Women’s National Soccer Team and WUSA’s Boston Breakers; all-time international caps leader.
Jessamyn Mayher, Fine art and commercial photographer, Jessamyn received her BA in Photography and Political Science from Marlboro College based on a thesis in rural underdevelopment and a gallery show on remembering the slave trade containing collaged images from four months spent studying the legacy of the slave trade in West Africa. She also facilitated the In-Sight Photography Project, which puts cameras in the hands of local at risk teenagers, providing classes in photography and cross-cultural excursions to do the same for Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota . Since graduation, she has gone on to receive a professional certificate in Digital Photography and Imaging from Boston University’s Center for Digital Imaging Arts (CDIA) and has opened her own photography company based in her native Boston. In her free time, Jessamyn volunteers with outreach and fundraising efforts to domestic and international causes.
Chuck Miller, Soccer Coach; As Director of Player Development for the Utah Rush club system, Chuck has overseen the growth of the state’s biggest soccer program. Before his current position at the Rush, Chuck was the club’s Director of Coaching. He holds a ”B” License from the United States Soccer Federation, and has served as the Assistant Coach for the University of Utah’s Women’s Soccer team, the head coach of Utah’s Olympic Development Program team, amongst numerous other coaching jobs. He graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Exercise and Sport Science, and served a mission for the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Madrid and its environs.
Ernie Nestor, Basketball Coach; Ernie is a legend in NCAA basketball circles, having coached since 1976. As assistant coach for Wake Forest’s men’s team for 14 seasons (in two stints), Ernie helped the Demon Deacons get to the postseason every season from 1993 until 2001. Wake won the ’95 and ’96 ACC championships, made it to the ’96 NCAA regional final, and won the 2000 NIT championship. Ernie served as the head coach at George Mason University from 1988-93 and at Elon from 2003-09. He also was assistant coach at James Madison University, Cal, and University of South Carolina. Ernie runs TRIAD’s basketball coaching certification programs, and actively serves on TRIAD’s Board of Directors.
David Newman, Soccer Coach; David is the General Manager and Director of Coaching for Developmental and Boys Academy programs for the Utah Rush. He serves with Utah’s Olympic Development Program as a goalkeeper coach. David holds a ”D” License from the United States Soccer Federation, and a Level 1 and 2 coaching certification from the English Football Association. Before emigrating from England, David played semi-professional soccer–or football, as he’d call it–for 12 years.
Meaghan Palmer, NCAA Champion Women’s Basketball and former professional basketball player, educator. Meaghan was an integral member of Notre Dame’s 2001 National Championship squad. Meaghan played on the NWBL Springfield team until the squad folded in 2004. Since then, she has returned to the classroom as a teacher, but continues to coach at the high school level.
Todd Palmer, former Notre Dame Men’s Basketball captain. Todd exemplifies leadership on and off the court. As captain of the Fightin’ Irish squad, he steered the team peppered with several future NBA players. He was the all-time scoring leader at Don Bosco Prep, one of the most storied high school programs in the United States. Though working in the finance world, Todd currently keeps his soul intact by continuing to coach.
Ruth Riley, WNBA All-Star; Three-time WNBA finalist and two-time WNBA champion and MVP of the 2003 Finals, Olympic Gold Medalist in 2004, NCAA champion with the University of Notre Dame in and Final Four MVP in 2001. A seven-year WNBA veteran, Ruth is currently member of the San Antonio Silver Stars. She has also volunteered for the Nothing But Nets program and countless WNBA Cares community activities both at home and abroad. She introduced The Girl Effect into TRIAD’s curricula and serves on TRIAD’s Sports Advisory Council.
Amy Ross, JD; As TRIAD’s Director of Operations during its critical first few years, Amy oversaw TRIAD’s legal compliance, managed day-to-day activities, and coordinated partnerships for the various arms of TRIAD’s agenda. She brought together the medical programming, arts programming, sports programming, and development initiatives. Amy received her BA, cum laude, in Spanish and International Relations from Washington University, and her JD from Northeastern University. Before joining TRIAD, she was a corporate attorney in the Boston office of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP. A former high-school standout soccer player and current golf devotee, Amy has actively served on the Board of CityKicks and on several committees of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and has worked on the ground with TRIAD in South Africa.
Tim Schulz, Soccer Coach and Club Development expert; He was the Director of Coaching for Colorado Rush from 1989 until 2000, before becoming President and CEO of Colorado Rush Soccer. He is also the President and CEO of Rush Soccer. Tim was the United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach from 2005-06, National Staff Coaching Instructor since 1995, USSF U-18 National Team Assistant Coach from 1998-2000, Head Coach of Region IV from 2000-2004, and earned his USSF “A” License in 1990. Before coaching, Tim played in the NASL, MISL, WSL, and APSL, serving as head of the Players’ Union from 1986-87. He was named team Captain of the St. Louis Steamers during the 1987-88 season, Defender of the Year from 1986-88, and 1980-81 Rookie of the Year as a member of the San Jose Earthquakes. As a player, he toured with the United States National and Olympic Team from 1982-84, and played in the US Olympic Festivals in 1977, 1981, 1982, and 1986.
Phil Tait, Scottish FA Level 2 coach, former university soccer player. Phil brings one of the most complete coaching resumes to TRIAD’s partner communities. Having played with the Berwick Rangers club in Scotland and at the University of Lincoln in England, Phil went on to coach throughout the UK and US at numerous clubs and universities, including Futebol de Salao and Brandeis University. He serves as the Director of Mass Premier Soccer’s Adademy of Goalkeeping Excellence and as head coach of the MPS U13 Lady Knights and U15 Cape Cod Crusaders, and Phil has been assistant coach for several other MPS U13, U14 and U15 squads. In addition to his serious coaching cred, Phil is an award-winning graphic designer and graduated with honors from the Hull School of Art & Design.
Shayna Teutsch, Soccer Coach, Girls’ Empowerment expert; Shayna was a standout member of the University of Tennessee Women’s Soccer Team. She earned her degree in Education and Sports Management, both of which she put to use after her playing career was over. She worked at Octagon, a worldwide leader in sports representation and event management. Before returning to the classroom as a teacher, Shayna founded Empowering Girls Through Sports in 2003. While working with Grassroot Soccer in Zimbabwe, she identified and implemented a method of using sports as a vehicle to increase confidence, hope, and strength while decreasing the likelihood of poverty, sexual violence, malnutrition, and pregnancy in an increasingly-marginalized segment of the community.
Jonathan Vance, Strength and Conditioning trainer; Jonathan graduated from Liberty University, where he studied Exercise Science. He’s trained and rehabbed professional athletes and young athletes alike. He helps athletes optimize their performance by focusing on strength, conditioning and nutrition. Jonathan works with our partners to help maximize performance given the physical, medical and nutritional challenges they face on a daily basis. He’s travelled across the globe, including to China, with youth and university sports programs.