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A team of passionate and committed volunteers

Netball America® is supported by an Advisory Committee, Board of Directors, Executive Management Team, members, volunteers and interns. The team is an international and diverse group of individuals who are highly qualified professionals. They have extensive global sporting and business experience as well being dedicated and passionate about the growth of Netball in America. Our team includes over 250 volunteers.

meet the team

Natasha Ainsley-Thomas

Board Member

Natasha is based in Raleigh, North Carolina and is the founder of North Carolina Nets, which has now expanded to Charlotte.  As a collegiate golf athlete Natasha has won many tournaments and received awards including the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and NCCU Athletics DAWN Spotlight Award.  Her commitment and drive earned her a spot on the American Stars Team who won silver at the Dubai International. Natasha holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science and Sports Performance with a Minor in Sports Psychology, as well as a Masters in Kinesiology with a concentration in Athletic Administration.

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Natasha is working with Golf4Her where she uses golf to help teach social-emotional skills to underserved youth in the community and also started a local community club to help get girls being active and back into team sports. 

“I know how sport has helped me achieve my personal, study and work goals and I want to help others see this too, especially for minority girls.  I love sharing my story with them and being a role model.  I want to teach that failure is okay, in fact, failing or losing is the only way to learn.  It’s not about the awards or the accolades but about the journey to get there. The determination and leadership skills that sport has given me, is helping me in all aspects of my life.  It has also given me the confidence to apply to be a President of a national not for profit.”, says Natasha.  You can contact Natasha at Natasha@NetballAmerica.com.

Sonya Ottaway, CA, CISA, PMP, Author, App Developer

Board of Director and Netball America® Co-Founder, The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Community Leadership Award Winner, California State Assembly Community Leadership Award, Los Angeles Business Journal Awards, Top 3 Women in Business Award, Global Australians Business Awards finalist and Top 25 Australia Trailblazer Award.

Exciting, exhausting, exhilarating and inspirational is how you would describe Netball America® Co-Founder and KPMG Global Director, Sonya Ottaway. Her motto is “what matters is whether you’ve created something special, and whether you’ve made a real difference to other people’s lives”.

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Sonya is a respected sports executive and visionary leader whose work has been instrumental in establishing Netball as a recognized and growing sport across the United States. As the driving force behind Netball America®, she has built strategic relationships with other national sport governing bodies, education, health, and community organizations, securing endorsements, partnerships, and sanctioning opportunities that have elevated the sport's profile and credibility. Through her collaborative leadership and innovative approach, Sonya has positioned Netball America® as a trusted organization delivering world-class events, education, youth development, and community impact initiatives. Her ability to unite stakeholders from across the sporting landscape has helped create sustainable pathways for athletes, coaches, officials, and schools, firmly placing netball on the map in America and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.

Sonya's leadership has been recognized nationally and internationally through numerous prestigious honors and appointments. She is one of only 20 Americans selected to receive the Community Leadership Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, recognizing her outstanding contribution to community sport and healthy lifestyles. She was also recently named one of the Top 25 Trailblazing Australians for her global impact in sport. Her international influence includes speaking at Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, supporting community initiatives in Uganda's Mbuya Village alongside the U.S. Ambassador, speaking at the Asia Pacific Sport Council at the iconic MCG in Australia, presenting sport development initiatives to International Olympic Committee members, and leading successful international bids that culminated in the United States hosting the World University Netball Championships. A sought-after presenter and advocate for physical education, Sonya regularly delivers keynote presentations and professional development for American physical education teachers, coaches, and sport leaders at national and state conferences, inspiring the next generation of educators and athletes while advancing innovative approaches to sport participation and youth development.

Her background is with one of the largest Accounting and Consulting Firms in the world. Being in boardrooms with Fortune 500 leaders, along with her sports and cultural background has given Sonya a balanced perspective and earned her nickname ‘Make It Happen’. Sonya has trained and played Netball against the Australian Diamonds and NZ Silver Ferns in her role as vice-captain of the USA Netball team. She also earned her 2nd degree black belts in Hapkido-Kuksool and Taekwondo, and she competed at World Kido Champs in Seoul. Her passion and background in playing a multitude of sports growing up (tennis, swimming, track and field, softball and netball) has given her many opportunities around the world, in which she is now creating for others.

Sonya is taking Netball in America to the next level with amazing initiatives using AI technology to revolutionize not only youth sports but how the game of Netball is administered across the USA with the aim to prepare it for Olympic inclusion. In recognition of her leadership and expertise in sport development, Sonya was appointed Chair of the Exhibition Sports Committee for the LA28 Olympic Junior Regional Events, where she is leading efforts to create opportunities for emerging sports and has successfully got Netball included to help inspire local youth participation as part of the Olympic legacy.

Steven Anderson

Board of Directors,Treasurer

As an American golf professional and sports fanatic Steve is passionate about introducing Netball and the benefits it offers, especially to youth across the USA. He loves the fact that it is a true team sport in that you can’t have an individual playing alone or being a ball hog, and that the ball must be passed between players. It’s a great sport to teach special awareness, body control and hand/eye coordination – which can also assist people to hone in skills that can be used in other sports such as basketball, golf, tennis, rugby, soccer etc.

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Steve helps steer all tournament initiatives ensuring they align with American competition standards and world class sport events. His focus also is to elevate our programs using AI, specifically in the areas to help members and young people understand athletes and students physical fitness profile to allow coaches to fix their fundamental physical fitness skills, such as balance, agility, speed etc. You can learn more about this at Vitoria Sports.

Steve is the CEO of Vitoria, a graphic design company and former manager of GOLFTEC which specializes in scientific analysis of golf swings, body movement and mental focus. Steve is PGA certified and was a Physics major at UCSB and holds an Associates of Draft and Design Degree. He has over 30 years experience in the sporting industry, including running high profile golf and international Netball events and leverages this experience to ensure Netball America® tournaments are conducted in line with elite American sporting events standards. Steve worked with the Federation of International University Federation as Tournament Director of the highly successful 2016 FISU World University Netball Championship. He is also the Tournament Director of the annual U.S. Open Netball Championships®.

Doctor Amara Mbionwu

Board of Directors,Secretary

Amara graduated from Columbia University in NYC, where she played Division 1 College Basketball on the women’s team for all four years. Amara graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s in pre-medicine and psychology and then went on to graduate in 2017 with her Master’s in Sports Management, specializing in sport-based youth development.

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Since graduating Amara has worked in an urgent care center as a medical assistant, home-based cardiology firm, and cryotherapy technician. Amara is currently a dental student at Kansas City University in Joplin, Missouri and her plans are to graduate in May 2027 with a doctorate degree in dental medicine. Her future aspiration is to specialize in oral oncology and own her own dental practice.

Selection to the Women’s USA Netball Team in 2016 was Amara’s Netball career highlight as this saw her represent the USA on the first All American USA Netball Team, competing at the World University Netball Championships in Miami in 2016 and Uganda in 2018. Amara has continued on with the Stripes to Stars Pathway and has represented the USA in numerous other domestic and international events. Her achievements on and off the court has propelled her to being selected as TrueSports’s first Netball Ambassador alongside other Olympic athletes.

Her passion is to see kids thrive and provide them with equitable opportunities and has dedicated her time to coaching young people & educators. Currently she serves as athlete-mentor for the USA University Students-Athletes.

Dilani Samarathunga

Board of Directors

Dilani is an educator with the Union City School District in New Jersey, an instructor at Hudson County Community College and a Pre-K teacher for Montclair School District while also studying for her Masters of Teaching. Her extensive background not only in education but with Netball and basketball. Dilani represented Sri Lanika at the Commonwealth Games and has trained with the USA Netball team and has turned that passion into teaching others her love for the game of Netball. Her passion is about getting youth playing Netball, while also helping the national Sri Lankan and ASEAN communities get connected through various opportunities using Netball.

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Dilani holds a Bachelor of Arts in Family Science and Human Development, an Associate of Arts in early Childhood Education and Teaching as well as as Associate of Arts, International Relations. She graduated with a 3.9 GPA from Montclair State University, New Jersey. Dilani is a mom of three scholar athletes. She also is a lyricist and loves reading and travelling.

Dr. Jayne Greenberg

North America Chair, International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA); President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition LifeTime Award Winner; SHAPE America Life Time Achievement Award Winner; Life Time Foundation, Youth Movement Ambassador; University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; Aspen Institute Scholar/Fellow; Google Scholar

Dr. Jayne is based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and is the North America Chair of the International Sport and Culture Assn and Human Services and now retired District Director for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Her other roles have included being a committee member on the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition and on the Institute of Medicine committee. Dr. Jayne has been recognized by NIKE as developing one of the best physical education programs in the USA and her story was included in the NIKE Designed to Move Report. Dr. Jayne also assisted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in developing the “I Can Do IT, You Can Do It Program,” addressing physical activity for youth with disabilities.

Throughout her distinguished career, she has championed innovative approaches that empower teachers to create engaging, accessible, and high-quality physical education experiences for every student. A sought-after national and international speaker, author, and mentor, Dr. Greenberg has influenced thousands of educators through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to advancing best practices in school health and physical education. She has been featured in NIKE magazine, served for 8 years alongside Billie Jean King and Drew Brees on the President’s Council for Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and was recognized for her impact by receiving a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and SHAPE America Teacher Lifetime Award.

Her passion for lifelong learning and student success continues to shape the future of physical education across the United States and beyond.

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"The level of professionalism, enthusiasm and vision displayed by Netball America has inspired not only me but my teachers. As a result, I had Netball America partner with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to include netball as part of their core curriculum.", says Dr Jayne.

Vicki Wilson, OAM

“Without a doubt, Netball is one of the fastest and most dynamic team sports. Until the last few years netball has been one of the best kept secrets in America. I have been so impressed with the way Netball America has connected the game of netball to the local community. Netball America’s vision has allowed Netball to be used as a vehicle to address many of the social issues that constantly challenge society.”

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Vicki is a former Netball Australia Captain with 104 Test Caps and on an international level has coached the NZ Silver Ferns, the Fijian Pearls and is currently the Technical Director for Netball America’s USA STARS teams. She is also one of Netball Australia’s high performance coaches, who has worked with teams in all three of the top elite domestic leagues and is currently on World Netball’s Coaching Advisory Panel. She is also a Board Member of the Brisbane Broncos, which is an Australian professional rugby league football club.

Rose Group International

Rose Group Int’l®️ is a professionally compressive team. Their experiences and background, education, achievements, personal pursuits and interests as well as each of our personal internal compass propels our Netball America team forward and provides the depth and breadth of our professional grasp.

With Rose Group Int’l®️, you get what you see. We don’t pretend everything is okay when it isn’t. We don’t tell you things are a disaster if they aren’t. We address conflict productively. We unite your team, so they have each others’ backs. We move your people toward your goals. We get things done.

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Brian Anderson, World Series Baseball Champion

“As an American professional athlete I pride myself in knowing about team sports. Hence, I was surprised to learn about Netball America and how globally popular Netball is. I want to support Netball America in their efforts to promote Netball and most of all, was impressed when I saw their USA Women’s national team compete and how much their U.S. Open Netball Championships® has grown over the years.”

Brian is a strong supporter of the development of USA Netball athletes and is actively contributing to the growth of the American Netball Team and USA University Netball programs. His commitment to developing the next generation of USA athletes extends beyond the court, supporting athletes as they progress through high-performance pathways. Through Netball America’s My Netball Academy program, Brian also plays an important role in developing athletes and coaches by providing access to how elite USA athletes train and compete by providing high-quality training, education, and resources designed to strengthen technical skills, coaching knowledge, and overall performance. His passion for athlete and coach development is helping build a stronger foundation for the future of USA Netball.

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Clare McCabe, IUA

Clare has been Umpiring at the highest level since 2003. Having gained her All Australian (A Umpire Badge) in 2000, Clare went on to gain the International Umpire Award (IUA) in 2003. Having umpired three World championships (1 senior and 2 youth), one Commonwealth Games (Glasgow 2014), Commonwealth Bank Trophy and ANZ Championship matches, Clare is assisting Netball America ensure our Umpire pathway aligns with that of international standards. She recently retired her international umpiring and is focused on growing mens’ and mixed netball globally. “I have been impressed by Netball America’s integration of boys and men playing Netball from the beginning and how their development efforts are now paying off given the level of play their development teams have now reached a higher standard of play.”

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Sam Bramham OAM, Two-Time ParaOlympic Gold Medalist

Sam competed at the 2004 Athens Summer Paralympics and 2008 Beijing Summary Games. Between those two Games, Sam won two gold medals, two silver medals, a bronze medal and broke a world record in Athens for the 100m butterfly event. In 2006, Sam set a world record at the World Swimming Championships in Berlin, Germany. In 2009, Sam received the Medal of Order of Australia. Sam visits thousands of students each year to raise disability awareness and promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

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Nathalie Williams,MSc, PGCE (PE), BSc, Vice President of Education

Nathalie brings a unique combination of academic expertise, international playing experience, and a passion for physical education to Netball America®’s education and curriculum programs. She is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at both the University of Toronto and California State University, Long Beach, where she brings extensive experience in sport, physical education, and athlete development. Nathalie holds a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from Loughborough University, a PGCE in Physical Education, and a Master’s degree in High Performance Sport from Australian Catholic University.

Netball has been a lifelong passion for Nathalie. A player from an early age, her playing career includes being selected to the Welsh Elite Squad and representing Loughborough University. She continues to play competitively with the Los Angeles Waves Netball Club. Through educator training, curriculum development, and coach education, Nathalie is helping build the foundation for Netball to become an accessible and sustainable grassroots sport across schools and communities throughout the USA.

Nathalie plays an important role in advancing Netball America®’s USA Education Curriculum, working directly with educators and coaches to support the integration of Netball using U.S. physical education standards. Her experience implementing Netball America® programs with teachers is helping strengthen the curriculum and create a scalable model for broader adoption across school districts. She is also a co-author of the Netball America® Sprouts Activity Guide, designed to introduce young children to the fundamentals of movement and netball in an engaging and age-appropriate way. Contact Nathalie@NetballAmerica.com.

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Takiya Thomas, East Coast Region Director

Takiya brings a diverse background in corporate America, retail business ownership, and the medical field to the Netball America® team. Introduced to Netball at a young age in the Caribbean, she has maintained a strong passion for the sport and its ability to create meaningful opportunities for young people.

Based in Maryland, Takiya works closely with the West Coast Region Director to expand opportunities for Netball America® members, educators, coaches, and youth across the United States. She also supports East Coast regional events, helps establish new East Coast clubs, and plays a key role in expanding Netball America®’s globally recognized, award-winning Be An Inspiration® program, which empowers young people through sport, leadership, mental wellness, and personal development.

Takiya holds a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies and is a certified PMP (Project Management Professional) with the global Project Management Institute. Her passion for Netball, youth development, and professional expertise will help drive Netball America®’s strategic initiatives and create pathways for young people to thrive both on and off the court. Contact Takiya@NetballAmerica.com.

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Chad VanderPoel, West Coast Region Director

Based in Seattle, Chad will lead efforts to grow Netball America®’s presence across the West Coast, supporting existing members, establishing new clubs, developing community partnerships, and identifying new markets where Netball can thrive. His focus will be on creating accessible opportunities for athletes, coaches, educators, and communities while strengthening the West Coast Netball programs, including growing Netball America®’s global award-winning Be An Inspiration program®.

Chad brings more than 18 years of experience across the sports and nonprofit sectors, with extensive expertise working with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committees and Special Olympics organizations. His experience spans event management, community programming, partnership development, and creating opportunities that connect sport with local communities.

Chad holds a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, Business Administration, and Psychology, bringing a well-rounded combination of sports leadership, business, and community development expertise to Netball America®. Contact Chad@NetballAmerica.com.

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Lavinia McElwee, Umpire Pathway Director

Lavinia leads Netball America’s umpire development pathway, helping individuals progress from picking up a whistle for the first time to becoming confident, certified umpires capable of officiating at the highest levels of the sport.

A key part of Lavinia’s role is building connections with leading umpires and international netball organizations, creating opportunities for international officials to experience USA netball while sharing their expertise and helping strengthen the next generation of Netball America umpires. Lavinia also provides oversight of event Umpire Directors and plays a key role in the final approval and appointment of umpires for events. Beyond her work in officiating, she is passionate about expanding access to the sport and supports Indigenous Netball programs, helping create greater opportunities for communities and young minorities to engage with Netball.

With extensive umpiring experience across the USA and Canada, Lavinia oversees umpire education, training, testing, and certification through the My Netball Academy Umpire Pathway. She also supports the development of advanced umpires by creating opportunities for world-class training, mentoring, and officiating experience at events across the USA, Canada, and internationally. Contact Lavinia@NetballAmerica.com.

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Kate Storey, USA University Netball Program Director

Kate has built a successful career in international events, sponsorship and fundraising between Australia, the USA and United Kingdom. In London, Kate has been the Chair of the King’s Trust Invest in Futures gala and Allergy Research Fundraising for the Evelina Children’s Hospital. Kate is currently Chair of AllChild’s Business Development Board.

As a former Netballer and Australian State Representative Basketball athlete, her love for sport has been reignited through her two British-American daughters and their UK Netball journey, which they plan to continue through the USA University Netball Team. Kate is an advocate for empowering student-athletes and believes this expansion of Netball in America will offer another exciting high-speed athletic opportunity for global Netball, Basketball and Volleyball athletes and increase the demand for Olympic inclusion.

"This relaunch marks an exciting new chapter for university sport in the United States. Many Netball student-athletes from around the world don’t pursue a US education so they can continue playing, and we’re now offering opportunities to compete internationally, develop as leaders, and proudly wear the USA jersey on the world stage". Contact Kate@NetballAmerica.com.

Kate Storey

Chanelle O’Dwyer-Tessmann, Elite Athlete Pathway Director

Chanelle brings a unique combination of international playing experience, high-performance coaching, and sports science expertise to Netball America®. A Doctor of Chiropractic and experienced Strength and Conditioning Coach, Chanelle is passionate about developing athletes and creating a pathway for American players to reach their highest potential. Chanelle has earned 14 international caps representing the Women’s USA University Netball Team.

Chanelle works closely with an international network of coaches, athletes, and high-performance professionals to ensure Netball America’s athlete development standards align with those of leading netball nations around the world. Her focus is on building a structured pathway that supports athletes from emerging talent through to elite and international competition. Her coaching career has seen her lead the American Netball STARS team to gold and silver medals at international events, while earning recognition for her commitment to athlete development and her ability to identify and nurture USA Netball athletes.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Chanelle is driven by her passion for helping athletes succeed both on and off the court. Outside of Netball and her professional career, her greatest joy is being a mom to her young child and supporting her husband, soccer star Tanner Tessmann, who represented the USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and plays competitively in the French professional football league. Contact Chanelle@NetballAmerica.com.

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Dana Latty, Vice President of Be An Inspiration Programs

Dana grew up in the Be An Inspiration program from the very beginning when it originated as GoGirlGo! The transformation in Dana over the past 10 years has been incredible and inspiring and now she wants to share it with other underprivileged youth to enable them to be provided with opportunities they would not normally have. This year she represented Netball America at various national and international sport based youth meetings and events, including at the Global Sports Summit hosted at the iconic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Dana joined Olympic athletes, Nike reps, the Mayor of London etc to discuss issues facing coaching girls, gender equity and driving positive social change through sport. Dana also recently completed the Z Zurich Foundation and Beyond Sport Mental Wellness for youth. Dana also represented the USA in Uganda and Miami and the World University Netball Championships. Contact Dana@NetballAmerica.com.

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Matila Waqawai, Youth Development Director of Be An Inspiration Programs

Matila is a former national Netball player from Fiji. Her passion is developing youth. Matila has been certified by the Center for Healing and Justice and the Doc Wayne Foundation for coaching youth on mental wellness and dealing with issues minorities from LGBTQIA+ face through the healing power of sports. Matila is based in Sacramento, California.

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Josh Eisenberg, Director of Broadcast

Josh Eisenberg brings more than 15 years of experience in media operations, live sports broadcasting, radio production, and multimedia storytelling to Netball America®. His career spans collegiate athletics, professional-level sports production, and education, with extensive experience producing live broadcasts across a wide range of American sports, including Penn State and other collegiate athletic programs. Josh’s achievements include being named Best Documentary Director at the Atlantic City Cinefest, becoming a finalist at the New Jersey International Film Festival, and being inducted into the New York Filmmakers’ Co-Operative.

As an experienced producer, Josh oversees the end-to-end delivery of live sporting broadcasts, from production planning and technical operations through to on-air presentation and digital distribution. He has also served as a Professor of Digital Video at multiple colleges, combining his professional expertise with a passion for educating and developing the next generation of media professionals. Josh’s international experience includes serving as part of the lead media coverage team for the Paralympic Games in South Korea and the Parapan American Games, providing valuable experience in delivering high-profile international sporting coverage.

Josh has played a key role in expanding Netball America®’s media and broadcast capabilities. He has filmed and produced coverage of Netball America® showcases at major venues including Madison Square Garden and STAPLES Center, helping bring the sport to new audiences and showcase the growing profile of netball in the USA. Josh also leads the broadcast production of the U.S. Open Netball Championships®, where his innovative approach to digital broadcasting has helped the event reach more than 100,000 online viewers. His work is helping Netball America® build a professional media platform that elevates athletes, coaches, clubs, events, and the sport itself to audiences across the USA and around the world.

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Donna Tilbrook, Social Media Director

Donna Tilbrook is a certified teacher and passionate advocate for growing Netball in the United States. With a natural flair for creativity, she brings energy and innovation to Netball America’s® social media, finding fun and engaging ways to showcase the sport and build community. Donna’s leadership and commitment were recognized when she received the 2025 Netball America® Club Leader of the Year Award for her outstanding work with the Denver Blizzard Netball Club, where she continues to inspire players and promote the joy of Netball. Contact Donna@NetballAmerica.com.

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Kin Lui, Visual Media Director

Kin brings a passion for photography, storytelling, and visual connection to Netball America®. Growing up in Hong Kong, Kin developed an early appreciation for using photography to capture people, experiences, and the stories that bring communities together.

After studying in Las Vegas, Kin has built experience across photography, short films, and documentary production, working with brands and organizations to tell meaningful stories through visual media. His work focuses on capturing authentic moments and bringing the heart and impact of a program to life. Kin has also worked closely with executives and organizational leaders, photographing their projects and initiatives while capturing the people, purpose, and experiences behind their work. His ability to combine strong visual storytelling with an understanding of an organization's mission makes him a valuable part of the Netball America® creative team.

As part of Netball America®'s documentary team, Kin works alongside fellow creatives to capture the growth of Netball across the USA, documenting the athletes, coaches, communities, and leaders who are helping shape the future of the sport. Through his photography and filmmaking, Kin helps Netball America® share its story with audiences around the world and showcase the people and experiences that make the sport special.

Kin Lui

Nicholas VanDevender, Documentary and Film Director

Nick is a filmmaker and the creative force behind Creative CTRL, a creative production company dedicated to telling stories that inspire connection, preserve legacy, and amplify voices. Originally from Iowa, Nick studied film in Las Vegas, where he developed his craft and a deep passion for documentary storytelling. At the heart of Creative CTRL is a belief that every story matters. Whether working on a corporate assignment or a deeply personal project, Nick finds purpose in capturing authentic human experiences and bringing the people behind the story to life.

His documentary work explores the complexity, resilience, and humanity within communities. His projects have included intimate stories of joy and pain played out on the historic basketball courts of New York City, as well as Invisible Las Vegas, which explores the African American community in Las Vegas and the people, culture, and stories helping shape its future.

Nick brings this same commitment to authentic storytelling to Netball America®, helping document the people, communities, athletes, and experiences that are shaping the growth of Netball across the USA. Through film, he aims to preserve the moments that matter while introducing new audiences to the powerful stories behind the sport of Netball.

Nicholas VanDevender

Chris Tricoli, Event Security Director

At Netball America®, Chris plays a critical role behind the scenes, ensuring that the safety and security of our people and events remain a top priority. Chris brings more than three decades of experience in security, executive protection, event safety, and transportation operations. A former Special Reaction Team (SRT) member and experienced Executive Protection Agent, Chris has built his career around protecting people, managing complex environments, and ensuring safety in high-profile settings. His responsibilities include security planning, transportation coordination, risk management, and on-site safety operations, helping ensure Netball America events are safe, professional, and welcoming environments for everyone.

Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Chris is also the owner and operator of a martial arts studio, where he continues to develop individuals through training, discipline, and personal safety. Chris also provides training and consultation to various law enforcement agencies, bringing his practical experience and specialized knowledge to organizations responsible for public safety and security.

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Your Voice. Your Ideas. Your Impact.

Join a Netball America® Committee

Netball America is growing—and we want you to be part of what comes next!

Our committees bring together passionate members, professionals, athletes, coaches, educators, volunteers, and community leaders who want to help shape the future of netball across the USA and Canada.

Contact us if you’re interested in joining any of our Committees:

USA University Program Committee

Kate Storey

Chair

Kate brings extensive international experience in events, sponsorship, and fundraising, alongside her background as an elite athlete, to champion student-athlete opportunities.

Kate Storey

“This relaunch marks an exciting new chapter for university sport in the United States. Many Netball student-athletes from around the world don’t pursue a US education so they can continue playing, and we’re now offering opportunities to compete internationally, develop as leaders, and proudly wear the USA jersey on the world stage.”

Sigi Burger

Team Ambassador – International Athlete

“I'm so excited about this next chapter of Netball in America. The future of Netball is bright - growing the profile of a game in a country that has minimal insight into a sport that is one of the most played female sports in the Commonwealth countries.”

Sigi Burger

Emma Thacker

Team Ambassador – International Athlete

“I couldn't be more excited to be part of Netball America® alongside such an inspiring team. I truly believe this initiative has the potential to make a huge impact on the growth of netball, opening doors for young athletes to study, compete and pursue their dreams of representing the USA.”

Emma Thacker

Eliza Morgan

Head Coach

With more than 20 years of Netball experience and over a decade in high-performance coaching, Eliza currently serves as Pathway Head Coach for one of the UK's leading professional clubs, and has held leadership roles within England Netball pathway system.

Eliza Morgan

Lynnette Perry

Manager

Lynnette has built a career spanning technology, financial services and the charitable sector, moving between the US and UK.

Lynnette Perry

Amara Mbionwu

Athlete Mentor

Amara is the former captain of the USA University Netball team, ranked #6 in the World University Netball rankings.

Amara Mbionwu

Education Committee

Nathalie Williams

Chair

Nathalie brings a unique combination of academic expertise, international playing experience, and a passion for physical education to Netball America®’s education and curriculum programs. She is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at both the University of Toronto and California State University, Long Beach, where she brings extensive experience in sport, physical education, and athlete development.

Nathalie Williams

Committee Members: Mel (Texas), Dilani (New Jersey), Takiya (Maryland), Becky (Los Angeles), Sandy (Minnesota), Tim (Florida), Amara (Missouri)

U.S. Open Netball Championships® Committee

Chair: Lauren Todd

Committee Members: Julie (Umpiring), Nathalie (Technical Bench), Josh (Media), Simon (Medical), Chris (Transportation & Security)

My Netball Academy Committee

Chair: Lavinia McElwee

Committee Members: Julie, Nathalie, Grant, Natasha, Mary-Anne

Fundraising Committee

Chair: Marybeth

Committee Members: Charmaine

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governance

Netball America is governed by the following policies and procedures: