2021 Speakers

NCAA Softball Umpire Video Coordinator & NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Marty Abezetian

Video Services & Training Coordinator, NCAA Softball Umpire Program; current NCAA Div. I softball and football official; umpired 2021 NCAA softball D-I Super Regionals and the 2016 D-II National Championship; National Pro Fastpitch umpire since 2011.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Ron Alexander

Women’s College World Series Umpire; Division I Super Regional and Regional Umpire; SEC Conference Championship Umpire; SEC Conference Umpire 97-present; ASA/USA Softball Men’s Open Major National; ASA/USA Softball Women’s Class A National; United States Army, 1974 – 1995, Jag Corps, SFC, Retired.

Coordinator of Volleyball Officials, Big Ten and Big East Conferences

Marcia Alterman

An active NCAA Division I referee from 1985-2012, Alterman worked NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA postseason events. She was PAVO Executive Director (1996-2016), and a Conference Coordinator for 22 years. She received the NASO Gold Whistle Award in 2015.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Randal Anders

Officiates basketball in multiple D-I consortiums. 26 year basketball official, 16 years at the NCAAM level. Member of the Great Southwest Official’s Association, Court Club Elite & the Texas High School Basketball Officials Association (THSBOA). Worked the 2020 Southland Conference Tournament, the 2019 NCAA D2 National Championship, postseason at D3, NAIA & JUCO levels, and the 2012 5A Boys Texas State Championship Game. Past President of the Austin Basketball Officials Association.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Jeff Anderson

12 NCAAM Tournament selections, 7 Regional assignments and 4 Final Four appearances. Worked the 2018 NCAAM Basketball Championship game.

NFHS Director of Sports and Communications Associate

Lindsey Atkinson

NFHS staff liason/rules editor for volleyball, basketball, girls’ lacrosse and tennis. Serves on the NFHS Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Team, the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities Team and the Women’s Leadership Team. Writer in the Publications/Communications Department.

NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee Chair, SDHSAA Assistant Executive Director

Jo Auch

NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee Chair; Assistant Executive Director of South Dakota High School Activities Association since 2008; volleyball and basketball official.

Retired FIFA World Cup Official, FIFA Technical Instructor

Esse Baharmast

Retired FIFA referee best known for supervising two matches during the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France; Former Director of Officials for US Soccer; Officiated the first MLS Match in 1996.

Professional Referee Organization (PRO) Manager of Video Review

Greg Barkey

PRO Manager of Video Review; Former PRO Manager of Assistant Referees; Former MLS Assistant Referee.

Soccer Official and Founder of Offside

Brian Barlow

Brian Barlow, Jenks, Okla., is a USSF Regional Referee and is a member of NISOA. He is the creator of Offside and Offside Academy. 

Pac-12 Football Line Judge

Cravonne Barrett

Pac-12 Football Lune Judge and Co-Host of the UNOFFICIAL LOUNGE podcast.

NCAA Softball D-I Umpire

Mike Bartling

NCAA Division 1 Umpire since 1998. PAC 10/12 Crew Chief. Has umpired 7 Women’s College World Series (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019). Former Supervisor of Officials for the ACCAC.

Co-Founder of the Next Level Collegiate Umpire Camp.

MVC Football Official and Multi-Sport Official

Amanda Bender

Missouri Valley Conference football official and multi-sport high school official in the state of Indiana.  

IHSAA (Iowa) Official; Iowa City Athletic Officials Association Board Member

Josh Berka

Active official for the Iowa High School Athletic Association, Board Member for the Iowa City Athletic Officials Association.

CFO Director of Instant Replay / FOX Sports Officiating Analyst

Dean Blandino

Former head of officiating for the XFL. He previously served as the NFL’s Vice President of Officiating from 2013 to 2017.

CHSAA (Colorado) Commissioner

Rhonda Blanford-Green

Rhonda Blanford-Green is the ninth Commissioner of the Colorado High School Activities Association. She was hired in the summer of 2017. Blanford-Green previously worked at CHSAA from 1996-2012, and has been the executive director in Nebraska, as well as an assistant executive director in Louisiana. 

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee, Founder of RefQuest

Bo Boroski

Founder and CEO of RefQuest, video training platform for officials. NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee with multiple NCAAM Tournament appearances, including the Final Four and National Championship game.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

James Breeding

12 NCAAM Tournament selections, 8 Regional assignments and 2 Final Four appearances.

NCAA Baseball Rules Editor

Randy Bruns

NCAA Baseball rules editor. Bruns began working as an umpire in the Big Ten Conference and Big Eight Conference in 1986, then worked for the Big 12 after it formed in 1996. Selected to work the College World Series in 1999, 2003 and 2006. He also worked nine NCAA Division I Super Regionals and 19 Regionals. In 1987, Bruns was chosen to work the NCAA Division III Baseball National Championship. Worked international competitions such as the 2011 Pan American Games and the Dominican Republic Professional Winter League for two seasons in the early 1980s. 

USA Lacrosse Officials Development Program Manager

Liz Brush

Manager of Officials Development Programs for USA Lacrosse. College lacrosse referee.

Florida State University Teaching Specialist

Dr. Megan Buning

Teaching Specialist in the Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU Coach); Former All-American softball pitcher at the University of South Carolina and played professionally in both the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league and with the British National Team; Talent Analyst for the ACCX digital station.

Big 12 and MWC Coordinator of Football Officials

Greg Burks

Coordinator of Football Officials for the Big 12 and Mountain West conferences; spent 24 years as an onfield official, including officiaiting 17 bowl games, four Big 12 Championships, and the referee for the first College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

USSSA Fastpitch National Coordinator of Officials

Victor Canales

National Coordinator of Fastpitch Umpires for USSSA; NCAA D-I Softball Umpire; NAIA World Series Umpire.

NFL Official

Maia Chaka

Hired in 2021 to the NFL; former Pac-12 and Conference USA official; selecred in 2014 for the NFL’s Officiating Development Program.

NFL Referee & NASO Board Member

Carl Cheffers

Began officiating in 1980 in Long Beach, CA working various levels of HS and college football. In 1995, he was honored to follow in his father’s footsteps by being appointed to the officiating staff of the Pac-10 where he worked for five seasons. He had the opportunity to work NFL Europe and eventually completed eight seasons there. Following the 1999 NCAA season, he was added to the roster of officials in the NFL as a side judge. Became a referee in 2008. Worked many NFL post-season assignments including Super Bowls LI between New England and Atlanta & LV between Kansas City and Tampa Bay.

UHSAA (Utah) Assistant Director

Jeff Cluff

UHSAA Assistant Director; Director of Baseball and All Officiating; NCAA softball and baseball umpire; high school basketball and football official.

Retired WIAA (Washington) Executive Director

Mike Colbrese

Retired Executive Director of the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). Currently officiating multiple sports at the high school level in Washington.

NFHS Director of Sports and Sports Medicine

Bob Colgate

Director of Sports and Sports Medicine for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Commissioner of the San Francisco Section of the CIF

Don Collins

California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), San Francisco Section commissioner; Member Information and Consultation Program, Referee, NASO and NASO Association Advantage contributor; longtime track and field, and basketball official; longtime lawyer; former NASO board member (2011-14); 2016 Mel Narol Medallion award recipient.

NCAA National Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officiating

J.D. Collins

NCAA national coordinator of men’s basketball officiating; former coordinator of officials for the Mid-American Conference and Summit League; former consultant to the Big Ten Conference; former D-I official for nearly two decades, including two Final Fours.

NCAA D-I Volleyball Line Judge, Miss Oregon USA 2021

Allison Cook

Big Sky and West Coast Conference Volleyball Line Judge; former high school basketball referee; Miss Oregon USA 2021; International Junior Miss Oregon 2018; Miss Oregon 2013.

Softball Umpire Coordinator: SEC, A-Sun, Sun Belt, ODAC, OVC

Christie Cornwell

Softball Umpire Coordinator for Southeastern, Atlantic Sun, Sun Belt and Old Dominion Conferences and Co-Coordinator of the Ohio Valley Conferences; NCAA umpire for 17 years; umpired three Women’s College World Series; member of the USA Softball of North Carolina Hall of Honor; Co-founder of Diamond Umpire Academy.

Maine High School Softball Rules Interpreter

Dennis Crowe

Maine High School Softball Rules Interpreter since 1992, softball umpire since 1976, and has been a softball coach at multiple levels, including at the high school level, and is in his second term on the NFHS Softball committee.

Big 12 Football Referee

Brandon Cruse

Big 12 football referee, served as the Referee for the College Football Playoff National Championship in January of 2021.

Basketball Referee, Washington Officials Association

Garret Daggett

High school basketball referee for the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association. Member of the Washington Officials Association (WOA).

NCHSAA Senior Director of Student Programs and Sports

Chiquana Dancy

North Carolina High School Athletic Association Director of Student Programs and Sports; Responsible for overseeing all of the student services department’s offerings; Sports and championship role include cross country, indoor track, softball, track and field, volleyball and women’s basketball; member of the NFHS Softball Rules Committee.

Retired MLB Umpire, President of UMPS CARE Charities

Gary Darling

Darling spent nearly three decades working as a Major League Baseball umpire. Now retired, he is very devoted to UMPS CARE Charities and is president of the organization. He umpired the 2003 and 2010 World Series, five National League Championship Series, two All-Star Games (1993, 2003), and 10 Division Series.

California Basketball Officials Association

Teresa Dash

Instructional Chair for the Los Angeles Unit of the California Basketball Officials Association.

NCAA National Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officiating

Penny Davis

NCAA National Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officiating. Davis is a two-time NCAA Women’s Final Four official and her officiating career included stints in the WNBA and D-League. In 2009, she founded Referee School, a well-regarded summer training program for officials. She has served as the director of officials’ development for the Northwest Intercollegiate Basketball Officials Association for the past decade. Davis also established the StripeZone Officiating Web Service in 2000, one of the earliest officiating website services.

NCAA D-I Baseball Umpire, Little League International Board of Directors

Kelly Dine

Kelly Dine is an NCAA Division I Baseball Umpire and is a member of the Little League International Board of Directors. Dine is a registered nurse, biomedical science teacher at North High School (Akron, Ohio), and a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, has been a Little League volunteer for more than a decade. In 2019, she made history as the sixth female umpire to serve at the Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS) and only the second to serve as crew chief and home plate umpire for the LLBWS Championship Game.

Associate Executive Director, Virginia High School League

Tom Dolan

Associate executive director for the Virginia High School League (VHSL). Chair of the NFHS Baseball Rules Committee.

Women's Collegiate Basketball Officials Organization

Kerry Donohue

NCAAW Basketball Referee, leader for the Women’s Collegiate Basketball Officials Organization (WCBOO).

Olympic Umpire, USA Softball Southern California Commissioner

Christina Drumm

USA Softball, NFHS, NCAA and WBSC umpire; lone USA umpire selected to work the 2020 Tokyo OIympics; works multiple NCAA conferences including, the WAC, MWC, Big West, BIG 10 and PAC 12; five-time WCWS umpire; Commissioner of USA Softball of Southern California, and serves as Deputy Director of Umpires, USA Softball and Regional Coordinator North America, WBSC.

SEC, Sun Belt, AAC, ASUN Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials

Mike Eades

After a storied career on the court, and multiple trips to the NCAAM Final Four, Mike transitioned to a coordinator role with the SEC following the 2019-20 season.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Susan Eads

Eads is an NCAA D-I softball umpire and also the owner of Know Your Zone; developed software that aids in the visual performance of umpires and players.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Paul Edds

Seven-time Women’s College World Series umpire; Premier Girls Softball Director of Officials; Co-founder of California Collegiate Softball Officials Association.

MAC Football Center Judge

Rich Edwards

Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC) football official, currently serving as a Center Judge in the Mid-American Conference.

2021 NCAA Women’s College World Series Umpire

Cameron Ellison

Three-time WCWS umpire; SEC, CAA, SOCON and Big South umpire; NPF umpire; 15+ year USA Softball umpire; 2017 Georgia Athletic Officials Association Softball Umpire of the Year.

IABBO Associate Executive Director

Donnie Eppley

Associate Executive Director for the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO) & NCAAM D-I basketball official. High school and D-III college coordinator and assigner.

IHSAA (Indiana) Assistant Commissioner

Robert Faulkens

Indiana High School Athletic Association Assistant Commissioner and football committee member for the National Association of State High School Associations (NFHS).

CBUA Coordinator of Baseball Umpires

Rich Fetchiet

Rich Fetchiet is the coordinator of baseball umpires for the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Alliance (CBUA). Retired from active umpire duty prior to the 2001 season after 30 years as an amateur baseball umpire. His background includes over 35 years of collegiate, national, and international umpiring and umpire-related administrative experience. Over the years, Fetchiet served as Coordinator of Baseball Umpires for the American Athletic Conference, Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Conference-USA, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Horizon League, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference and the Summit League.

NDHSAA (North Dakota) Executive Director

Matt Fetsch

Matt Fetsch is the executive director of the North Dakota High School Activities Association (NDHSAA) and has extensive experience as a baseball umpire. Fetsch started working for NDHSAA in 2010 and became the executive director in 2014. Fetsch has umpired high school, college and American Legion Baseball.

Center of Sports Psychology Director

Dr. Joel Fish

Dr. Joel Fish is a nationally recognized expert in sport psychology who has worked in the field for the past twenty-five years. He is a licensed psychologist who has worked extensively with athletes of all ages and skills levels, from youth sport through the Olympic and professional ranks. He has spoken nationwide on sport psychology at over 300 universities and is a popular presenter at a variety of athletic functions.

PRO Manager of Senior Assistant Referees

Joe Fletcher

Manager of senior assistant referees for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO). Fletcher was selected for the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups. His international assignments include the FIFA Confederations Cup (2017), FIFA Club World Cup (2013), two FIFA U-20 World Cups (2007, 2011), two Concacaf Gold Cups (2011, 2013), two CONCACAF Champions League Finals (2008 and 2017) and the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He was also assigned to two MLS Cups (2014, 2016).

Sports Law Attorney

Alan Goldberger

Sports law attorney and recognized legal authority for game officials; author of “Sports Officiating: A Legal Guide”; Member Information and Consultation Program (MICP) representative; professional speaker; Referee and NASO writer and contributor; former NCAA D-I basketball official; former college baseball umpire; former high school football official.

NCAA D-I Women’s Volleyball Line Judge

Ben Goodwin

NCAA D-I volleyball line judge; worked the championship match in both 2020 and 2021 and has worked three Final Fours.

SEC & ACC Baseball Umpire

Jeff Gosney

After spending 10 years (2006-2015) at the professional level and working parts of two seasons as an MLB call-up, Jeff Gosney transitioned to the Division-I collegiate level. In 2016, he joined the conference staff for the ACC, and then in 2018 joined the Southeastern Conference staff. He has worked two ACC Conference tournaments and has also been selected to work in the NCAA postseason since becoming eligible. Internationally, Gosney has worked the Venezuelan Winter League (2010-11), the Chinese National Games (2017) and most recently the Olympic qualifying Premier 12 in Taiwan and Japan (2019). He was also invited to serve as the umpire liaison to the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee for the 2021-22 rule change cycle.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Ron Groover

11 NCAAM Tournament selections, 8 Regional assignments and 3 Final Four appearances. Crew Chief for the 2019 NCAAM Basketball Championship game.

Coordinator of Baseball Umpires for SEC, Sun Belt, ASUN & OVC

Paul Guillie

Coordinator of Umpires for the Southeastern, Sun Belt, Atlantic Sun and Ohio Valley Conference; 35-year Division I baseball umpire; 24-year SEC umpire; 19-time SEC Tournament umpire; Seven-year ACC umpire; Three-year Sun Belt Conference Umpire; Four-time NCAA D-I College World Series Umpire (2001, 2004, 2006, 2010); 15-time Super Regional umpire; 19-time Regional umpire.

2021 Women’s College World Series Umpire

Liz Hammerschmidt

NCAA D-I softball umpire; Works in the American Athletic, Atlantic Coast, Atlantic 10, Big Ten, Big 12, Colonial, Horizon League, Southeastern, Mid-American and Missouri Valley conferences as well as the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic and Great Midwest Athletic conferences in D-II; co-host and creator of Both Sides of the Mask podcast.

WIAA (Wisconsin) Executive Director

Stephanie Hauser

Named the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association executive director in 2021; served as an assistant director for the WIAA since 2015; former athletic administrator and assistant principal and served as a high school coach.

FHSAA (Florida) Assistant Director of Officials

Jeremy Hernandez

Assistant Director of Officials for the Florida High School Athletic Association; Oversees officials’ education, training, evaluation, the officials advisory committee, official recruitment and retention; flag football and girls volleyball administrator.

EPSARC Member at Large

Melvin Holmes

Melvin Holmes is a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association Referee Committee as a Member at Large.

NFHS Director of Sports, Sanctioning and Student Services

Elliot Hopkins

NFHS Director of Sports, Sanctioning and Student Services since 1999. Previously served six years as an assistant executive director for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association.

NCAA National Coordinator of Softball Umpires

Craig Hyde

NCAA National Coordinator of Softball Officials; has 45 years of softball and baseball umpiring experience including working the 2016 Women’s College World Series.

MLB Crew Chief

Dan Iassogna

MLB umpire since 2004; Named crew chief in 2020; worked two World Series (2012, 2017).

Retired NBA Referee

Steve Javie

Retired NBA Referee. Basketball Rules Analyst for ABC/ESPN.

Mental Performance Coach & Speaker

Lauren Johnson

Mental performance coach and motivational speaker for athletes, business people, military personnel and more. Former Mental Conditioning Coordinator for the New York Yankees.

IACO Training Curriculum Chair

Laurie Jordan

Inter-Athletic Council of Officials Training Curriculum Chair, providing certification training for the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Multi-sport high school official.

PRO2 Referee Coach

Mark Kadlecik

PRO2 Referee Coach for the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), soccer officiating experience at the high school, college and professional levels, 2009 recipient of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Distinguished Service Award, 2008 United Soccer League (USL) Official of the Year, 2011 National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) Referee of the Year. Notable assignments include the NCAA Men’s Soccer Division I Final Four in 2011, 2013, and 2015. 2011 and 2012 NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championships.

Major League Soccer (MLS) Referee

Alan Kelly

Major League Soccer (MLS) referee in the Professional Referee Organization. Former FIFA referee. 2015 and 2016 MLS Referee of the Year. Notable assignments include FIFA World Cup qualifiers, 2016 and 2018 MLS Cup ; 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup; 2019 FIFA Club World Cup.

NFL Referee

Alex Kemp

Hired into the NFL as a side judge in 2014, Alex Kemp is beginning his 4th season as a crew chief and referee.

Referee Magazine Managing Editor

Brent Killackey

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Keith Kimble

NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee, seven NCAAM D-I Tournament appearances, two Final Four selections.

NCAA D-I Women’s Basketball & Volleyball Official

Kaili Kimura

NCAA Division I basketball and volleyball official; FIBA International Basketball Official; Earned her National PAVO Rating in volleyball and works in five conferences (Big 12, Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12 and West Coast); Works in seven conferences for basketball (Big Sky, Big West, Mountain West, Pac-12, Sun Belt, West Coast and Western Athletic); NCAA basketball appearance in 2016; Worked as second referee at the 2020-21 NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship.

NISOA/USSF/High School Soccer Referee Clinician

John Kipp

Assistant Executive Director, Illinois High School Association

Sam Knox

Illinois High School Association Assistant Executive Director & Coordinator of Officials. Multi-sport high school official.

Big Ten Football Head Line-Judge

Kole Knueppel

Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC) football official, currently serving as a Head Line-Judge in the Big Ten Conference.

NIHOA Secretary-Treasurer

Michael Komich

Secretary-Treasurer for the National Ice Hockey Officials Association.

NAIA Officiating Director

Bob Lade

Director of Officiating Initiatives for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Louisiana High School Officials Association President & NASO Board Member

Paul LaRosa

Louisiana High School Officials Association President, board member for the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).

NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee

Joe Lindsay

Family pedigree of basketball officiating rivaled by few, Joe has spent decades officiating NCAAM D-I Basketball and has had multiple trips to the NCAAM Final Four.

California Basketball Officials Association

John Lozano

Past President of the California Basketball Officials Association (CBOA). Former state rules interpreter for the state of California.

NCAA Women’s Volleyball D-I Official

Ryan MacDowell

NCAA D-I Volleyball Referee, including 2020 Final Four; USAV National Indoor Referee; USAV National Beach Referee; Director of RVA Beach Officials’ Development.

Fox Sports Soccer Rules Analyst

Dr. Joe Machnik

Longtime FIFA and Concacaf match commissioner and National Hall of Famer, Dr. Joe Machnik lends insight and expertise, interpreting rules and dissecting officiating decisions for FOX Sports’ soccer coverage. Machnik was a U.S. Soccer National Referee when hired by the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL 1977) as referee in chief and director of operations, a role he held for five years, officiating hundreds of MISL games. In 1996, Machnik was hired by Major League Soccer (MLS) as vice president of game operations and director of the office of officiating services. He retired from MLS after 15 years of service. Machnik’s impressive resume includes serving as a National Referee for the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) and officiating the 1988 NCAA Final between Indiana and Howard. NISOA inducted Dr. Machnik into its Hall of Fame in 2003 and honored him with the prestigious Dr. Ray Bernabei Award in 2017.

NASO Founder and President

Barry Mano

Referee chief strategy officer Referee magazine founder (1975) and publisher; National Association of Sports Officials founder (1980) and president; former 23-year basketball official, who worked nine seasons at the NCAAM D-I level; a renowned public speaker and media guest on issues important to the officiating industry; Officiating Development Alliance (ODA) and Officiating Commentators Alliance (OCA) member.

NFL Officiating Consultant, NASO Inspire Award Recipient

Jerry Markbreit

NFL consultant to officiating department; Collegiate Officiating Consortium-Football consultant; retired NFL referee; former NFLRA executive director; officiated Super Bowls XVII, XXI, XXVI and XXIX; 2007 NASO Gold Whistle Award recipient; former NASO board member (1991-95).

KSHSAA (Kansas) Assistant Executive Director

Fran Martin

Assistant Executive Director and supervisor of officials for the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials for Six D-I Conferences

Lisa Mattingly

Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officials for the SEC, Sun Belt, SWAC, OVC, Southland, ASUN. Mattingly officiated 17 career NCAAW Final Fours including seven consecutive NCAAW championships from (2001-2007); former WNBA official (1997-2007), having officiated six WNBA Finals and two WNBA All-Star games; 2002 Naismith Women’s College Basketball Official of the Year winner.

NBA VP of Referee Development & Training

Monty McCutchen

NBA referee for more than 20 seasons; has officiated 1,242 regular season games and 127 playoff games; worked Game 3 of the 2014 NBA Finals, his 10th finals assignment; spent four seasons in the CBA, working playoffs all four years and the CBA Finals the last three years in the league.

TASO Football President-Elect

Rod McLain

Football President-Elect for the Texas Association of Sports Officials. Coordinator of football instruction and education.

NCAA D-I Women’s Volleyball Official

Devonie McLarty

NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball official; Worked as the first referee in the 2020 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship; International FIVB and USAV official; PAVO National Official; USAV Chair, Officials Assembly.

TASO State Rules Interpreter for Baseball

Kyle McNeely

Texas Association of Sports Official state rules interpreter for baseball. Former NFHS Baseball Rules Committee member.

NISOA National Clinician and NISOA's liaison to NFHS

Ross Meloan

NISOA National Clinician and NISOA’s liaison to NFHS.

PAVO Executive Director

Katy Meyer

Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO) executive director; NCAA Beach Volleyball rules interpreter; head referee of the 2017 NCAA Beach Volleyball national championships; former USAV’s Beach Assembly Administrative Council chair and member, AVCA board of directors, USAV Arizona Region member and PAVO Arizona Board of Officials member.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Tom Meyer

NCAA umpire since 1990; worked the Women’s College World Series in 2019 and 2021; has worked a D-1 conference tournament 30 consecutive years; works the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten and Southeastern conferences; named an assistant coordinator of umpires for the Atlantic 10 Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association in 2020; co-founder of the Diamond Umpire Academy.

MHSA (Montana) Assistant Director

Brian Michelotti

Montana High School Association Assistant Director and football committee member for the National Association of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Cleveland Indians Mental Performance Coach

Brian Miles

In his role with the Indians, Brian works to enhance the mental and emotional development of players and works to ensure collaboration of the mental domain amongst other disciplines within the organization. Brian worked for the United States Army as part of the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program both at Fort Bliss (TX) and Fort Drum (NY). Brian received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University, NJ where he played four years of college soccer. He then received his Master of Education in Psychology: Athletic Counseling from Springfield College, MA along with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Clinical Mental Health.

Referee Magazine Assistant Editor

Luke Modrovsky

Oversees soccer for Referee Magazine.

Indiana High School Athletic Association Commissioner

Paul Neidig

Named commissioner of the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) on Aug. 1, 2020. Prior to that appointment, he had served as assistant commissioner since 2017 administering the sports of cross country, boys basketball, boys and girls track and field, and unified track and field.

Big Ten Football Side Judge

LaShell Nelson

Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC) football official, currently serving as a Side Judge in the Big Ten Conference.

MSHSL Coordinator of Officials

Jason Nickleby

Minnesota State High School League coordinator of officials; responsible for the overall development and implementation of registration, training and mentorship programs for 6,300 officials serving over 525 member schools; NCAA D-I football official in the Big Ten Conference; NCAAM D-II and D-III basketball official; former physical education and adapted physical education teacher of 10 years.

NFHS Executive Director

Karissa Niehoff

In August 2018, Dr. Karissa Niehoff assumed the position of executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Previously she served as executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Niehoff also served on the NFHS board, committees and task forces. She is actively involved in advocacy and policy development for education-based programs and athletics alongside colleagues from multiple stakeholder groups.

NASO Board Chair

Anita Ortega

Officiated the NCAAW basketball tournament 20+ times; 1978 UCLA women’s basketball national championship team member and inducted in UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame; retired Los Angeles Police Department commanding officer.

Pac12/MWC/WAC/WCC Women’s Basketball Officials Coordinator

Violet Palmer

In 1997, Palmer was one of the first two women hired to officiate in the NBA. After decades officiating in the NBA and WNBA, Palmer retired from active officiating and now coordinates women’s basketball officials in the Pac-12, Western Athletic and West Coast Conferences.

NFHS Director of Officiating Services, NASO Board Member

Dana Pappas

After 24 years with the New Mexico Activities Association, Dana Pappas has joined the staff of the NFHS as Director of Officiating Services. She served as the assistant to the New Mexico Officials Association from 1997-2004 and was promoted to the position of NMAA/NMOA Commissioner of Officials in 2004. She was promoted again to NMAA Deputy Director in 2012. She was on the Referee Magazine editorial Board from January 2010 to December 2012 and is a current NASO board member. The New Mexico Officials Association, under Dana’s direction, served as host of the 2014 NASO Summit in Albuquerque, NM. She has been a moderator and panelist at the NASO Summit on numerous occasions, a repeat presenter at the NFHS Summer Meeting and the keynote speaker for the Alabama State Officials Conference in 2016. She received the NFHS Citation for Officials in 2020.

FOX Sports Football Rules Analyst, Battlefield to Ballfields (B2B) Founder

Mike Pereira

Retired NFL official, former Vice President of NFL Officiating. FOX Sports Football Rules Analyst and Founder of Battlefields to Ballfields non-profit organization.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Erin Peterson

NCAA umpire for the PAC 12 and Big 10, USA Elite Umpire and WBSC certified umpire. Umpiring for 13 years; umpired two NCAA Women’s College World Series and a Junior Women’s World Championship.

NBA Replay Center Operations Principal

Jason Phillips

NBA referee for more than 15 seasons; officiated more than 950 regular season and 5 playoff games; worked four Finals games; worked six seasons in the CBA, including the 1999 CBA Finals; officiated three seasons in the WNBA and worked the 1999 WNBA Finals.

Pac-12, MWC Coordinator of Women’s Volleyball Officials

Joan Powell

Pac-12 and Mountain West conference coordinator of women’s volleyball officiating; former NCAA national coordinator of volleyball officials; former Professional Association of Volleyball Officials president; team leader for the U.S. women’s national team competing at World Grand Prix and the Olympics in 2008; more than 20 years as a USA Volleyball national official, more than 30 years as a collegiate national official, and in sixth season as a high school official after taking a hiatus; has officiated numerous NCAA semifinal and final matches; former Coronado (Colo.) High School head volleyball coach; former NASO board member (2001-05 and 2011-15); Officiating Development Alliance member.

NCAA Women’s Volleyball Secretary-Rules Editor

Anne Pufahl

Secretary-Rules Editor for NCAA Women’s Volleyball since 2011; spent 12 years as a women’s volleyball coordinator inclusing the Big 12, Summit League and the Sun Belt conferences; former D-I NCAA volleyball official and officiated one D-I final and four NCAA D-III National Championships.

ACC, Big East, Big South, Ivy League Coordinator of Softball Umpires

Mike Raynor

Coordinator of Umpires for the ACC, Big East, Big South, Ivy League, National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) and Athletes Unlimited.

MLB Crew Chief

Jim Reynolds

MLB umpire since 1999; Named Crew Chief in 2020; Worked two World Series (2014, 2018); Vice President of UMPS CARE Charities.

Officiating Education USA Hockey

BJ Ringrose

Manager of the Officiating Education Program for USA Hockey.

PAVO Executive Coordinator

Rachael Rodriguez

USAV National Referee and International Scorer; PAVO National Referee and National Line Judge; Serves as the Executive Coordinator for the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO); USAV Director of National Indoor Scorer Evaluation & Certification and the Texas Board of Volleyball Officials Assistant Director of Training & Evaluation; Works college volleyball for the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Southland Conference, Sun Belt Conference, Southeastern Conference (line judge only), Great American Conference and Lone Star Conference.

USA Volleyball Director of Officials

Pati Rolf

Director of Officials for USA Volleyball and longtime top-level international volleyball referee.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee, Court Club Elite Leader

Rob Rorke

NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee and leader of Court Club Elite basketball officiating organization.

USA Softball Director of Umpires

Kevin Ryan

Director of Umpires for USA Softball since 2010; previously served as supervisor of umpires and was the deputy umpire-in-chief for USA Softball of Michigan; Ryan is a WBSC certified umpire, a member of the USA Softball of Michigan Hall of Fame and was inducted into the USA Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2008.

NFHS Director of Sports

Sandy Searcy

Oversees softball, swimming and diving, and water polo for the NFHS; serves on the USA Softball Equipment Testing and Certification Committee and ASA Properties Board; Named to the USA Softball Board of Directors in 2020.

PRO Dir. Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, NASO Board

Sandra Serafini

Serafini is a retired FIFA, men’s/women’s professional, and collegiate soccer referee, whose officiating brought her to multiple NCAA Final Fours and international events across North America, Europe, and Asia. She currently serves with the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) as the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Innovation. She is a National Referee-Coach for USSF and Elite Assessor for CONCACAF, and served as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) in 2017. She also continues to serve within the Duke University Medical Center’s Department of Neurosurgery as an Adjunct Assistant Professor.

NCAA Football National Coordinator of Officials

Steve Shaw

Retired SEC football referee, two-time FBS National Championship game referee. Former SEC Coordinator of Football Officiating and current CFO National Coordinator of Football Officials/NCAA Football Secretary Rules Editor. 2020-21 Mel Narol Medallion Award Recipient.

Illinois High School Association Soccer Referee

Hanah Shehaiber

Hanah Shehaiber has more than 20 years of combined officiating and coaching experience at the youth level, high school and college levels. She is an IHSA certified official and is the first female in Illinois state tournament competition to serve as the center referee in a state final championship game when she worked the 2018 Girls Class AA final.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Doug Shows

NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee with multiple NCAAM Tournament appearances, three Final Fours and two National Championships.

SCHSL (South Carolina) Commissioner

Jerome Singleton

Became the South Carolina High School League Commissioner in 2005; served as SCHSL associate commissioner and assistant commissioner prior to becoming Commissioner.

UMPS CARE Executive Director

Jennifer Skolochenko-Platt

Executive Director for UMPS CARE Charities, the official charity of Major League Baseball umpires, since 2013; former adjunct professor at Georgetown University in the Sports Industry Management Graduate Program; former executive director for Most Valuable Kids; former Community Relations Coordinator for the Washington Nationals.

NCAA D-I Men’s Basketball Referee

Bert Smith

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire

Bryan Smith

NCAA D-I softball umpire; Multiple WCWS umpire; USA Softball of Michigan Umpire in Chief; USA Softball Midwest Region Umpire in Chief.

American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services Inc. President

Drew Smith

American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services Inc. (Fort Wayne, Ind.) president, American Specialty has been NASO’s insurance provider since 2004; Drew joined American Specialty in May of 1997 as an account executive; American Specialty was NASO’s 2017 Mel Narol Medallion award recipient.

Big Ten Football Referee

Larry Smith

Collegiate Officiating Consortium (COC) football official, currently serving as a Referee in the Big Ten Conference.

Big Ten Football Official, NASO Board Member

Robert L. Smith Jr.

NCAA Big 10 football official for 19 years. He has officiated 11 NCAA Bowl games including the 2011 and 2014 BCS National Championship games. He has a total of 29 years as an official for college football and high school girls and boys basketball. Robert received the NFHS Officials Association Official of the Year for boys and girls basketball. He was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Officials Hall of Fame, and the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Basketball Officials Hall of Fame.

NFL Referee

Shawn Smith

Hired into the NFL as an umpire in 2015, Shawn Smith is beginning his 4th season as a crew chief and referee.

USA Volleyball Indoor Rules Interpreter

Bill Stanley

USAV Indoor Rules Interpreter; NCAA D-I volleyball official; PAVO and USAV National Referee.

Retired NFL & NCAAM D-I Basketball Referee

Gene Steratore

Retired NFL referee, concluding his on field career at Super Bowl LII. Retired NCAAM D-I basketball referee. Football and basketball Rules Analyst for CBS Sports.

Tampa Bay Rays Head of Mental Performance

Justin Su’a

Head of Mental Performance for the Tampa Bay Rays since 2018; former Mental Performance Coach for the Cleveland Browns; former Mental Skills Coordinator for the Boston Red Sox; former Head of Mental Conditioning Department at IMG Academy.

Founder, The Official’s Mind

Karen Swanner

NISOA National Referee Emeritus. Swanner has master’s degrees in journalism and kinesiology, specializing in sports psychology and is a member of the Association of Applied Sports Psychologists. Founder, The Official’s Mind.

ACC and Big East Coordinator of Soccer Officials

Paul Tamberino

Coordinator of soccer officials for seven NCAA conferences, including the ACC, Big East, Patriot, Ivy League and MAAC; former Manager of Assignment and Assessment for US Soccer; former Director of Referees for US Soccer; former Director of Competition for MLS; President of Elite College Soccer Referees; former FIFA Assistant Referee, MLS Referee and NCAA official.

NCAA D-II National Coordinator of Baseball Umpires

Scott Taylor

National Coordinator of Baseball Umpires for Division II since 2016; previously served as Supervisor of Baseball Umpires for the Great Lakes Valley Conference; former NCAA D-I umpire and Frontier League umpire.

FIVB International Referee

Bill Thornburgh

FIVB International referee; National USAV and PAVO referee; Works in the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences.

NCAA National Coordinator of Volleyball Officials

Steve Thorpe

NCAA National Coordinator of Volleyball Officials since 2017; former USA Volleyball rules interpreter from 2000-2013; former NCAA official, working six NCAA D-I women’s volleyball championships; former USAV international official.

MLB Umpire

Tim Timmons

Became a full-time MLB umpire in 2001; worked the 2009 and 2019 All-Star Game and 2005 and 2009 NLDS.

Referee Magazine Associate Editor

Brad Tittrington

Oversees softball and volleyball for Referee Magazine.

Referee Magazine Associate Editor

Scott Tittrington

Oversees baseball and basketball for Referee Magazine.

NCAA D-I Women’s Volleyball Official

Tyrone Toloy

NCAA D-I Line Judge selected to work the 2020 Championship Final; has been an official for 20 years and is the head coach of Adrenaline Volleyball Club.

Referee Magazine Chief Operating Officer & Executive Editor

Bill Topp

Chief operating officer and executive editor at Referee Magazine; has worked for Referee and NASO since 1990; former high school and small college football and basketball official; former major college baseball umpire. Multiple state tournament and postseason collegiate assignments. Former high school conference commissioner and assigner. He is also a member of the Officiating Development Alliance.

MiLB Umpire

Alex Tosi

Made his MLB debut May 11, 2019; former MiLB International League Crew Chief.

NFHS Volleyball Official

Ellen Townsend

Nevada Volleyball Official for over 40 years; Inducted into the University of Nevada Hall of Fame in 2019; member of the NFHS Volleyball Rules Committee.

Executive Board, Washington Officials Association

Tyler Trimble

NCAA College Basketball official and executive board member for the Washington Officials Association.

NFL Down Judge

Patrick Turner

Down Judge beginning his 8th season in the NFL.

NCAA Baseball D-III National Coordinator of Umpires

Don Umland

National Coordinator of Umpires for NCAA D-III Baseball; Umpire in the Big Ten, American Athletic and Missouri Valley conferences; Director of Campus Recreation at Augustana College.

MSHSAA (Missouri) Executive Director

Kerwin Urhahn

Kerwin Urhahn is executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) and is the president of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for 2020-21.

Urhahn joined the MSHSAA as executive director in 2006 after serving as superintendent of schools in Portageville, Missouri.

Prior to joining the MSHSAA, Urhahn taught all levels of high school mathematics and coached volleyball, basketball, baseball and golf at Bloomfield High School from 1991 to 1997, and he assumed the role of athletic director in 1994. Urhahn was named principal in 1997 and served three years before becoming the superintendent of the Portageville School District in 2000.

A member of numerous professional organizations, Urhahn is a representative on the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) State Accountability Committee, and he also serves on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education MSIP Performance Committee. From 1998 to 2001, he served on the MSHSAA Southeast Investigative Committee. Nationally, Urhahn previously chaired the NFHS Technology Committee.

Urhahn, who served on the MSHSAA Board of Directors prior to joining the staff, earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southeast Missouri State University, an educational specialist designation from St. Louis University and a doctorate from St. Louis University.

NCAA D-I Baseball Umpire

David Uyl

Umpires college baseball in the Big Ten and American Athletic conferences. Spent ten seasons in professional baseball. Attended the Jim Evans Umpire Academy and later served as an instructor. He was twice invited to the Arizona Fall League, which led to him working two MLB Spring Trainings. David worked four seasons in AAA, serving as a crew chief for two of those years along with working the IL championship series. David also officiates college football in the Missouri Valley Conference.

High School Official, Michigan High School Athletic Association

Jackson Uyl

Multi-sport official for the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).

Referee/NASO Soccer Coordinator

John Van de Vaarst

John Van de Vaarst is the soccer coordinator for Referee and NASO.Van de Vaarst has been a soccer official since 1975 and currently serves as a NISOA National Clinician and National Assessor. He was also involved in creating the first NISOA Preseason Guide and has received six different awards from NISOA. Additionally, he has been heavily involved with the NFHS in preparing the NFHS rules interpretation and instructional video scriptspot, as well as giving on-camera presentations.As a NISOA National Referee, he worked 10 junior college national championships as referee, in addition to numerous NCAA playoff assignments as well as five NAIA national tournaments.A retired USSF State Referee, Van de Vaarst has worked as an assistant referee in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Soccer League.Van de Vaarst continues to officiate high school soccer and has worked six state finals at referee.He has served as a trainer during “State Day” at the NASO Sports Officiating Summit.

NCAA, PAVO & USA Volleyball National Referee & Former PAVO President

Julie Voeck

Former President, Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO); NCAA, PAVO and USA Volleyball national referee; former NASO board member.

Big Ten, Big 12 Softball Umpire Coordinator & NCAA Super Regional Advisor

Sally Walker

Softball Umpire Coordinator Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences; Director Midwest Umpire Consortium; NCAA SUP Regional Advisor; NCAA Umpire 17 years; Four-time WCWS umpire (2002, 2003, 2006, 2009).

Alabama High School Athletic Association Director of Officials

Ken Washington

Ken Washington has served as the director of officials for the Alabama High School Athletic Association since 2019. Previously, Washington served as a teacher and coach (football and track) in the Anniston City Schools system. He also spent four years at the university fitness coordinator in the recreational sports department at Jacksonville State University. He has been officiating basketball since 2005 — at all levels including high school, college and the NBA. He is currently a Division I basketball official in the Southeastern (SEC), Sunbelt, Southern, Atlantic Sun and SWAC conferences. He also worked the AHSAA state basketball finals in 2019.

PRO General Manager

Howard Webb

Longtime international soccer referee. FIFA World Cup Final Referee 2010. Professional Referee Organization General Manager.

NCAA D-I Softball Umpire, Both Sides of the Mask Podcast Co-Host

Tony Williams

NCAA umpire since 2014; USA Softball umpire since 2005; Works the American, Big Ten, Big 12 and Missouri Valley conferences; worked the 2017 NCAA D-II National Championship; co-founder and co-host of Both Sides of the Mask podcast.

Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officials for 9 D-I Conferences

Debbie Williamson

Retired NASO board chair. Retired NCAA National Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officiating. Coordinator of women’s basketball officials for the Atlantic Coast, American Athletic, Atlantic 10, Big East, Big South, Colonial Athletic Association, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic and Southern conferences.

NFL Back Judge

Greg Wilson

Back Judge beginning his 14th season in the NFL.

NCAA Baseball Umpire and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Umpire

Mark Winters

Mark Winters is one of two American to umpire baseball at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games. He has 12 years of professional umpiring experience including the Dominican Winter League and the Caribbean World Series. Winters’ resume includes one Men’s College World Series, three NCAA Super Regionals, seven NCAA regionals and numerous Big 12 conference tournaments.

College and Semi-Pro Basketball Referee, Founder of Big Game Officials

Sara Woods

Basketball officials currently working amateur, collegiate and semi-pro contests. Founder of Big Game Officials, an organization committed to recruiting, developing and mentoring prospective officials and those looking to move up.

NBA Vice President of Referee Performance & Development

Mark Wunderlich

Retired NBA referee. Vice President of Referee Performance & Development for the NBA.

Retired NFHS Director of Sports & Officials Education

Theresia Wynns

Director of Sports & Officials Education for the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Pac-12, Big West and WAC Coordinator of Baseball Umpires

Dave Yeast

Dave Yeast is the coordinator of baseball umpires for the Pac-12, Big West and Western Athletic Conference. He previously served as the NCAA National Coordinator of Baseball Umpires (12 years).

As national coordinator, Yeast was responsible for the first implementation of the CCA Baseball Umpires Mechanics Manual, the NCAA Baseball Umpire Preseason Guide and the NCAA Umpire Development Camps. He also served as an NASO board member.

During his on-field career, he worked two NCAA Division I Men’s College World Series, one NCAA Super Regional, 13 NCAA Regionals and 23 NCAA Division I conference tournaments. He also represented the United States internationally for numerous events, including the 1996 Olympic Games, the 1993 and 1999 Intercontinental Cups, and the 1990 World Championships. He was named the 1999 International Baseball Federation Umpire of the Year.

Yeast served as an Instant Replay Communicator for the NFL from 2008-2015 and has experience as a replay communicator for the Pac-12 Conference.

In 2005 the American Baseball Coaches Association recognized Dave with their Meritorious Service Award and in 2008 the NCAA honored Dave with a pregame ceremony before the National Championship Game and presented him with their Distinguished Service Award.   In 2011 Dave was inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.