Athletes As Educators

Carmelita “The Jet” Jeter,  is a top sprinter with three Olympic medals and a world record. Born and raised in Southern California, Carmelita got her athletic start in basketball; although she excelled in the sport shared by her family, it wasn’t until high school that she found her love for speed. During her freshman year, Carmelita’s basketball coach suggested she try out for track to help her keep in shape in the off-season. Although Carmelita showed up to that track practice wearing basketball high-top sneakers and basketballs shorts,  her natural talent for sprinting was evident.  She went on to run an 11.7 during that track season. Upon graduating high school, Carmelita signed with California State University, Dominguez Hills’ track team and became the University’s first U.S. Olympic trials qualifier.  Carmelita went on to become the most decorated track & field athlete in the history of the school all while achieving her degree in physical education.    Carmelita posted a lifetime best of 10.83, wi

Chef Tobias Dorzon, 32, is a celebrity chef and founder of Victory Private Chef Co., a catering and specialized meal plan business based in the Nation's Capital. Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Chef Tobias grew up watching his Liberian father and chef in the kitchen, but opted to pursue football and attended Jackson State University on a full athletic scholarship.     After 3 years in the NFL and CFL, and studying at the Art Institute of Washington and abroad in Brazil, Chef Tobias began apprenticing at local restaurants. His career trajectory shifted, however, when retired Pro Bowler and Washington Redskin Santana Moss saw his Instagram photos and invited him to feed his family and friends.    Chef Tobias has been unofficially named the "chef of DC athletes" and with 30K Instagram followers (which includes Hollywood elite, pro athletes, etc.) has quickly become a celebrity in his own right.    Chef's hectic schedule includes preparing meals for his local athlete clients during part

Shaina (pronounced ​SHY-​ NA) Wiel is Founder and CEO of Minorities in Sports Business Network (MiS). Having worked in the sports industry since 2008, she has gained a breadth of experience and was able to build a large network. Because of her diverse network, she felt it was imperative that she create a digital space for her and her colleagues to exchange resources. In addition to MiS, Shaina has worked with athletes, companies, brands, and individuals on strategizing and cultivating their personal and public brand visibility. Shaina also co-founded ​You Got In!​ along with her twin sister Keisha which seeks to help students on the islands of Aruba and Curaçao apply to universities in the United States. She works closely with her students, guiding them through each step of the application process as well connecting them to the university and business opportunities. You Got In! serves as a college advising program for the islands and assists students with not only the application process, but scholarship

Steven C. Morrison, from Orangeburg South Carolina, has been working with ESPN for five and a half years as a content producer and as talent producer/ guest booker for the past three year. Steve recently moved to North Carolina to expand the operations to ESPN's college networks home.  Steven was the only child of a single parent, but knew at an early age that sports journalism would be his niche. While attending North Carolina A&T State University he  gained valuable experience on campus utilizing the media resources to hone his sports journalism skills. He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc. and Steve takes mentoring young people seriously knowing that his success is a direct reflection of countless mentors.  Steven's hobbies include reading, cooking (especially grilling BBQ), traveling, and event planning. His favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys and the legend Michael Irving. His love for Dallas extends to the new triplets Dez/Zeke and Dak. Lastly, Steven makes it known that Scot

Chasity Melvin embodies style, uniqueness, beauty and faith. Chasity has overcome highs and lows throughout her 14 year professional basketball career to become a WNBA All Star, ACC Legend and NCSU Hall of Famer.  Chasity Melvin currently lives in Raleigh NC and works for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. She is the social and news media coordinator for the fund. Chasity is also a player consultant and member of the National Basketball Players Association.  Not only is she known for her stellar basketball career , her success with tendencies outside of sport include speaker, coach, philanthropy work and her independent work with the sports media. She enjoys commentating, sports co-host opportunities and hosting her online sports radio show. Her athletic experience combined with her engaging personality with off-court activities makes her one of a kind.  Chasity played in the WNBA for 12 seasons, Cleveland Rockers, Chicago Sky, and the Washington Mystics. She also played internationally for 14 years in Spain, Russia

Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, Ricki Dean has always had a passion for sports. After graduating from Central High School of Philadelphia as a proud member of the 266th graduating class, Ricki took her talents and passion to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she double-majored in Exercise and Sport Science: Sport Administration and Sociology, with a minor in Spanish in the Professions. It was here, at UNC, where she first discovered she could combine her love of sports with marketing, management and entrepreneurship. As a manager for the women's basketball team, Ricki honed the business savvy required to succeed in the sports industry. Upon graduation from UNC in 2011, Ricki decided to further her education at Georgetown University by earning her Masters of Professional Studies in Sport Industry Management in 2012. While studying at Georgetown, she held internships at both the NFLPA and the Washington Wizards. She then went on to work in League Operations wi

On this episode Angie interviews Lonnie Harrell a basketball legend who is now working with you in the DC area. A leader known for his superb shooting and overall ability on the floor, professional basketball player and former member of the And 1 Mixtape Tour, Lonnie Harrell has etched his name into sports history books. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Lonnie has broken college and professional records, but now uses his notoriety and expertise to mentor and train local youth who are also committed to being stellar athletes. After graduating from D.C.’s Eastern High School, where he was a letterman in track & field, basketball and tennis, and held the city title in track & field, Harrell attended Georgetown University – playing alongside Alonzo Mourning and under the tutelage of legendary Coach John Thompson. Harrell’s time at Georgetown garnered a Big-East Championship win and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Harrell finished his college career at Northeastern, which led to spots on the Orlando Ma

A pioneer and trailblazer Khalia Collier, is the owner & general manager of St. Louis’ own women’s professional basketball team, the St. Louis Surge. Khalia has taken on the challenge of building the first sustainable women’s franchise in St. Louis. Her team is going into its fifth season; finishing as National Champions in 2014 and second in the nation this past season. Khalia Collier is a recent recipient of 30 under 30, Glamor Missouri Woman of the year awardee and as a prestigious Jack Buck Awardee for her community impact. Through this journey, she has maximized corporate and organizational relationships, developed supporter and donor programs, as well as positioned the organization for eminent growth. A St. Louis native with a deep commitment to the city, Collier is an entrepreneur dedicated to her franchise. She is a strong believer that St. Louis can support a women’s franchise, and is working hard to see her vision through. Delving into sports management, she has taken on the task of re-branding

Peppi Browne-Armstrong is a marketing professional with a robust analytical and sports background coupled with proven client facing success.  In any role she does she likes to explore, plan, design & innovate technically challenging issues to help individuals and companies solve problems.  She has performed several speaking engagements for profit and non-profit corporations, schools, camps, youth groups and other charitable organizations about managing ones time, money and energy as a successful student athlete.  She played college basketball at Duke University and was named to the Women's Basketball Journal Defensive All-American team.  She earned a Gold Medal as part of the US Junior National Team and was drafted by the Charlotte Sting of the WNBA.  She currently works for a large International technology company while owning and managing two small businesses and is married with two kids (8 and 3). website: www.docentz.com

Sam Sesay is a former NCAA Division 1 All-American track and field athlete, knows what it is like to be a student-athlete as well as the commitments needed to excel athletically and academically. From seeing firsthand and hearing countless stories of athletes struggling to transition to life after sports, Sesay was determined to help change that narrative for future generations. His passion for youth empowerment and sports, led Sesay to form Game Plan, Inc., a 501 (c)(3). Game Plan Inc.’s mission is to assist student athletes with strategies to be 1st PLACE on and off the field. He also serves as the organization’s President and is responsible for leading a committed team of coaches, mentors, entrepreneurs, professionals, and former athletes to guide current student athletes to score big in life. Prior to Game Plan, Inc., Sesay co-founded Future Leaders and Young Entrepreneurs (FLYE) where his main focus was creating and directing FLYE’s programs. During his time at FLYE, the organization was recognized by

Terri Lakowski is the CEO of Active Policy Solutions and an expert on youth sports policy in the United States. In her role at Active Policy Solutions, Terri has created and implemented strategic policy planning, lobbying, coalition building and education and outreach to renown organizations working on issues relating to sport, youth development, health and fitness, Title IX and gender equity, and civil rights. Terri has worked with her clients to educate the government about the important role that sports plays in youth development, such as helping kids to lead healthier lifestyles, improve access to sports for underserved populations like girls and students with disabilities, and using sports as a platform to advance educational outcomes for youth.  She was instrumental in orchestrating a Youth Sports Demo for the National Council of Youth Sports (NCYS), as well as hosting a number of other briefings including a Youth Sports Safety briefing and assisted in formulating the recently introduced Youth Sports Co

Growing up with an older brother in a neighborhood of all boys, Lisa's love for competition and sports was developed early on.  Lisa continued her athletic career in high school by playing Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Golf at Ursuline Academy in St. Louis and then went on to play Basketball at Truman State University. She earned a degree in Business Administration with a double emphasis on Marketing and Management. Immediately out of college she worked for 24 Hour Fitness, first as the front desk manager (earning $8/hr) and quickly moved into Operations Management and within a year was promoted to District Manager and moved to Los Angeles County. In 2009, she started as an Independent Consultant for Life Fitness and Hammer Strength with Advanced Exercise Equipment. In 2011 she was given the opportunity to be the Regional Sales Manager for Spalding Team Sports. She spent the last five years on the road growing the Spalding Brand, negotiating contracts, working with Sporting Goods dealers and teams from L

On this episode, Angie interviews Travis Key who talks about his book Beyond the Gridiron which he co-auhtored with Ashton Henderson. Travis beat the odds and walked on to Michigan State's football team. He is now a packaging engineer for a major company, and co-founder of a non profit called Apex Academy (formerly 4th and 1). Travis discusses how naive he was when he walked on campus is freshman year and how he became captain of the team his senior year. Travis explains, that there are many intangibles traits that coaches look for in players that may give a player a chance such as willingness to be first in every drill. Angie and Travis also talk about the importance of athletes having a plan as they transition from college. Preparing for life is essential. Find out what was Travis' greatest moment in his life thus far. You can reach Travis at the information below. www.beyondthegridironllc.com www.apex-academy.org Twitter @TravisKey Connect with Angie: Twitter & IG @Angie_R_Lewis Facebook Global Athl

Nakia Sanford is a former professional basketball player who is passionate about giving back to her community. Her mission is to give young people the tools they need to live mentally, emotionally and physically healthy lives through her non-profit programs. As a money management coach, her mission is to impact generations of families by teaching financial literacy. Her devotion grew from being able to relate to the struggles of growing up in poverty. Living in public housing in Decatur, Ga., she experienced first-hand what a lack of information, opportunity and direction looks like. Therefore, everyday of her life, she pursues a dream of helping other people elevate their situation financially and creating legacies in their families. As an athlete, she learned leadership and work ethic. She has transferred her lessons of integrity and teamwork into her new profession. In business, she will help train an army of informed, capable, educated entrepreneurs one family at a time. She believes our country has becom

Dr. Cara Wright has been named associate athletic director for business administration/Senior Woman Administrator at Alabama A&M University. Wright will be responsible for budgeting and business operations of the Alabama A&M department of athletics. A former assistant professor in the sports management program at Alabama A&M, she is the first black woman to receive a doctorate in human performance at Indiana University. She received her master's in communications management from the University of Dayton, where she played on the women's basketball team. Wright earned a master's in athletic administration/sports management from Indiana University. She taught in the sports management department at Indiana and was an assistant to the senior associate athletic director of regulatory affairs in the IU athletic department. Wright was selected for the inaugural WNBA Future Leaders initiative in 2014. She also participated as a basketball instructor and administrator in South Africa for the NBA Basketb

 Angie Lewis recaps a portion of an interview she had with Ian Warner, an Entrepreneur, Olympian, author and NCAA All-American and he is the managing director of Cover-Ground.com. Ian's new app Fixt is disrupting the way athletes and therapist find one another and educating young athletes on the important of "pre-hab".  Ian Warner graduated from the business school at Iowa State University. He is dedicated to helping athletes succeed, both on and off the field. In Ian's first book Endure: An Athletes Guide to Faith, Hope and Success, Ian explains why life is not about winning but about enduring and understanding we are being prepared for God's purposes. Ian Warner demonstrates the power of endurance through various journeys, personal inspirations, and biblical stories. Fifty athletes share their testimonies and explain the gut-wrenching details of their most difficult athletic experiences.    Connect with Ian Warner Website: www.fixtapp.com Twitter @IanWarner310 IG @fixtapp   Contact Angie:  info@globalathlet

in this book talk Angie speaks with former NFL player Brandon Williams about his motivation to write Millionaire Mindset. In a thought-provoking way Brandon Williams, provides a playbook to help athletes at all levels create a lifestyle that builds financial freedom. For many years, Brandon watched other professional athletes go bankrupt, lose endorsement deals and, unfortunately, create serious economic and legal hardships for themselves. Ironically, Williams could relate to these players all too well, as he faced similar struggles after his career. Although prime-time professional athletes can make millions of dollars throughout their careers, a high percentage find financial ruin shortly after their playing days have ended. Brandon wrote Millionaire Mindset because he doesn’t want other athletes to go through the pain and depression he faced in his post-career season. Drawing from his experiences, Williams gives helpful tips, invaluable insights, and practical approaches to implement financial wholeness in

Now more than any other time in my lifetime, social justice and sports have collied. Athletes are becoming a lot more engaged in social activism and they are serious about using the various platforms to share their experiences. Every day we will bring to you athletes and sports professionals who are serious about their advocacy. Some are out from and make public displays of their causes while others choose to create changes in a different way. Regardless of their technique there is no denying that they their legacy will involve social justice work. From gender equality, to race to LGBTQ rights these the listeners will hear a diversity of perspectives that will challenge them to give more and take action. Layshia Clarendon of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream talks about advocating for herself and standing in her truth. She spoke passionately about the challenge she faced growing us an dhow she wants to speak on behalf of other young women. She is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights and was names 2015 Outsports Fema

On this episode, Angie highlights the great work former WNBA player Anita Maxwell’s is doing with helping people transform their finances. Anita talks about why she started SuccessFull Living, the impact she hopes to have on others. In addition, Anita’s in 2016 Anita launched SuccessFull Living  Radio also launched to help teach people about the importance of financial literacy and inspire them to live abundantly. She’s currently taking a group of clients through a six month Treasure Transformation which she told the public about exclusively on Athletes as Educators on our show a few months ago. Anita played college basketball at New Mexico State University and was the first player in NCAA history to score over 2500 points, grab over 1000 rebounds and have 300 steals. Connect with Anita: Website: www.anitamaxwell.com and  www.successFull-Living.com t Facebook @TheAnitaMaxwell Twitter @anita_maxwell Connect with Angie: Website: www.globalathletemedia.com Twitter: Angie_R_Lewis Instagram: Angie_R_Lewis Facebook

Our daily philanthropy segment high lights athletes who found a cause that they support with their time, talents or treasures. After 80+ interviews I learned that many of the athletes and sports professionals simple what to make life better for the next generation and Kaleb talks in depth about why he started Apex Academy. His passion away from the NFL includes Apex Academy, a non profit committed to helping young men in his hometown of Lansing Michigan learn valuable lessons from participating in camp and the year long mentoring program. Apex Academy started out as 4th and 1 East Lansing in the fall of 2010, but Kaleb and co-founder Travis Key decided to change the name and expand their work. Apex Academy focuses on helping young men from under resourced communities gain access to ACT preparation, resume writing, interview skills and character development workshops. The student athletes also conduct a community service project during the week of camp. Connect with Kaleb: www.apex-academy.org kaleb@apex-acade