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Last week, USA Softball announced several promotions and new hirings at its home office in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma—headquarters of the sport’s governing body.
Here are the announcements released by the organization…
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USA Softball National Office enhances sport development with recent staff changes
USA Softball, the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, has announced recent changes to the National Office Staff.
With a concentrated effort on growing the sport and creating additional opportunities for all participants, Chris Sebren has been promoted to Chief Sport Development/Performance Officer, with Destinee Martinez now serving as the Managing Director of Sport Development.
In the Membership Services/Events department, Rich Cress will take on additional responsibilities as the Director of Membership Services, overseeing USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex events and USA Softball local associations. Additionally, Dre McKee will step into the role of Director of Marketing and Communications while Allison Fanning will take on additional responsibilities in her promotion as National Team Manager.
As the former Director of National Teams, Chris Sebren will take on the role of Chief Sport Development/Performance Officer where he will continue to manage National Team Programs while assisting with the development of the sport through the Amateur Resource Center (ARC) and the newly launched USA Softball High Performance Program (HPP). Sebren will work closely with USA Softball local associations in creating opportunities for athletes across the nation to be involved from the grassroots level to the National Teams level.
“I relish the opportunity to connect our National Teams Programs to the grassroots level of our sport, growing the game and enhancing opportunities for athletes across the United States,” said Sebren. “I look forward to playing a role in USA Softball’s strategic plan and prioritizing the growth of our Amateur Resource Center and High Performance Program, in addition to other programs we are currently working on, while connecting with other organizations to promote our sport.”
As the Director of Membership Services, Rich Cress will oversee USA Softball’s network of 67 local associations nationwide in promoting growth at the grassroots level in addition to USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex event programming. His responsibilities include the management and operational budget of stadium events, including the annual Border Battle event, National Championship paperwork and requirements, as well as implementing and enforcing adherence to the USA Softball Bylaws and Code.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to grow my role within USA Softball,” said Cress. “I look forward to continuing to promote our sport while working closely with our local associations across the United States to create the best possible experience for all of our members and participants.”
Destinee Martinez has been promoted to Managing Director of Sport Development where her responsibilities will include overseeing sport development through creative initiatives and opportunities for athletes, coaches and teams across the United States. As part of the long-standing Major League Baseball (MLB) partnership, Martinez will play an active role in the PLAY BALL initiative, Breakthrough Series (BTS) and Elite Developmental Invitational (EDI) in an effort to encourage widespread participation in all forms of softball and baseball activities and promote softball as a viable collegiate option for youth from underrepresented and underserved communities. Martinez brings previous experience as a USA Softball event manager, where she was responsible for managing stadium events, including stadium and tournament budgets, expense reports, event contracts, stadium concessions and product inventory. Prior to USA Softball, Martinez was a member of the University of Oklahoma softball team (2011-2014) and the National Team Program (2011 Junior Women’s National Team and 2012-2014 Women’s National Team).
“I am extremely honored to get this department started and really dive into creating more opportunities for our youth to play this great sport,” said Martinez. “Softball has given me so many great memories and opportunities, and I am excited to give back to the next generation of athletes so they too can have those opportunities to experience everything that our sport has to offer.”
As the former Managing Director of Marketing, Dre McKee steps into the role of Director of Marketing and Communications where she will continue managing the Marketing department while overseeing Communications responsibilities for the National Office. In her new position, McKee will lead all marketing, promotion and sponsorship initiatives, while acting as a liaison between USA Softball and the USOPC and overseeing all media services in the communications department. McKee has been involved with USA Softball since 2016, having served as an Event Coordinator for the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex. Prior to USA Softball, McKee was a member of the Oklahoma State softball team where she was named All-Big 12 Academic Second Team twice in her career.
“I am so thankful to have a boss who believes in me and allows me the opportunity to grow and improve,” said McKee. “I am excited to dig into the communications side of our sport while gaining the knowledge and skills needed to make an impact in my role. The MarComm Team is dedicated to the growth of our organization, and I look forward to continuing to build together.”
Allison Fanning has been promoted to National Teams Manager where her responsibilities will include overseeing the operations and logistics for USA Softball National Teams. As the previous National Teams Coordinator, Fanning will also continue her responsibilities of overseeing apparel and equipment-related needs for USA Softball National Teams. Prior to USA Softball, Fanning worked as the Softball and Field Hockey Assistant Equipment Manager for Duke University where she assisted with day-to-day equipment operations for both teams. Fanning is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma where she spent four years working as a student manager for the softball program and was a part of the 2016 and 2017 National Championship Staff, four Big 12 Conference Championships and two Big 12 Conference Tournament Championships.
“I have truly enjoyed the past year and a half with the National Teams program,” said Fanning. “I’ve seen myself grow personally and professionally within USA Softball and I look forward to continuing that growth in this new role and new responsibilities.”
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USA Softball National Office welcomes new staff members to Oklahoma City
Ashlea Nash (Gas City, Ind.), Emily Moore (Parker, Co.) and Morgan Palmer (Meeker, Okla.) join the Marketing and Communications department as Marketing Manager, Marketing/Communications Coordinator and Communications Manager, respectfully, while the Events department welcomes Molly Greene (Kingston, N.Y.) as an Event Coordinator.
Ashlea Nash joins the USA Softball National Office as the Marketing Manager where her primary responsibilities include managing the development, production and execution of USA Softball partnerships, marketing plans, and promotional initiatives. Nash garners an extensive background in organizational and grassroots marketing after spending four years working for Little League Baseball & Softball where she served as Assistant Central Region Director (2017-2020) and Central Region Director (2020-2021). In those positions, Nash oversaw 13 states in the Region while managing the day-to-day operations, customer service and compliance aspects as well as Regional educational training events and tournaments. Prior to working with Little League Baseball & Softball, Nash worked as a Marketing and Project Coordinator for Vision Event Management where she assisted in various marketing and event coordination responsibilities. Nash was a member of the Manchester University softball program and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management and communication studies.
“It is truly an honor to represent USA Softball in the Marketing Manager position,” said Nash. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase my passion for the game of softball through marketing, promotions, events and grassroots efforts throughout the United States. I am looking forward to building relationships with our local and national sponsors to promote and execute the brand and integrity of USA Softball. I am forever grateful for my family, friends, colleagues and mentors that have supported me through my journey. Go Red, White and Blue!”
A current student-athlete for the Austin Peay State University softball program, Emily Moore will join the USA Softball National Office staff as the Marketing/Communications Coordinator in May 2021. In this position, Moore will assist in the overall media strategy of USA Softball, including social media campaigns, online publications, website maintenance and press releases. During her time at Austin Peay State University, Moore has been a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for four years, serving in a variety of positions including Marketing Chair, Secretary and President. Additionally, Moore has worked as a sports marketing intern for the Austin Peay Athletic Department where she assisted with game-day operation and enhancing fan experience. Moore obtained her bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Media with a minor in Business Administration in May 2020 and will graduate with her master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Administration in May 2021.
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to join USA Softball as the Marketing/Communications Coordinator,” said Moore. “I fell in love with the game when I was a kid, and I am so excited and honored to be a part of it at the highest level. I’m looking forward to learning more about the operational side of the sport, and I can’t wait to share my voice and perspective with people who love this game as much as I do.”
As the former Communications Coordinator, Morgan Palmer steps into the role of Communications Manager where she will manage all aspects of communications and media relations for USA Softball. Palmer has been a part of USA Softball since 2019, having served as communications intern and coordinator over the course of two years. In those positions, Palmer’s primary focus has been highlighting grassroots membership and USA Softball National Championships. Additional areas of focus include assisting with social media content creation, website maintenance and writing compelling stories centered around USA Softball membership. Prior to joining USA Softball, Palmer was a member of the Wichita State softball team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sport management. Palmer then attended Oklahoma State University and obtained a master’s degree in strategic communications while working as a graduate teaching assistant for the sports media department.
“I am thrilled and honored to move into this new role within USA Softball,” said Palmer. “Softball has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be a part of an organization that promotes the sport and provides opportunities for participation across the United States. I am looking forward to being a part of USA Softball’s growth while telling the stories of the softball community from the grassroots to National Teams level.”
A student-athlete for the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi) softball program, Molly Greene joins the USA Softball National Office as the Event Coordinator where her primary responsibilities include the management of USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex events and assisting with paperwork associated with National Championship Play. Greene recently obtained her bachelor’s degree in recreation and sports facilities management before joining the National Office as an intern for the 2020 season. In that role, Greene assisted with the running of all 2020 USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex events including the 2020 GOLD National Championships and the 2020 Men’s Major Fast Pitch National Championship. Prior to joining USA Softball, Greene spent four years working on the game day operations staff for the SUNY Delhi athletic department, where she assisted with venue operations, game day management and various in-game responsibilities.
“I am so excited to be a part of USA Softball and all that it represents,” said Greene. “I have such a huge passion for both softball and event planning, so it’s amazing that I have been able to combine the two for my career. I look forward to joining this awesome organization that is working to grow the sport of softball every day.”