Greater Orlando Sports Commission Announces 2022 Officers and Twenty-Five New Board Members

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2022) – The Greater Orlando Sports Commission (GO Sports) has announced its 2022 officers as well as 25 incoming members to its Executive and Advisory Board of Directors. New incoming members will serve as the team that will help us continue to collaborate and bring innovative ideas and leadership to Greater Orlando. With their help, GO Sports will be able to expand our mission of bringing a robust calendar of sporting events to Central Florida. This team will provide vision, guidance and counsel when it comes to attracting and managing sports-related events, conferences and activities that are designed to drive positive economic developments and visitation to the greater Orlando area. They will also be laser-focused on marketing the destination that extends across the City of Orlando and Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties.

“I am proud that this organization has been so successful in continually attracting and recruiting some of the most diverse, talented and respected individuals in our community to serve on the board of directors,” said Faron Kelley, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission board and Vice President of ESPN Wide World of Sports, runDisney and Disney’s Water Parks. “We look forward to the contributions of this incoming group and are excited to work alongside them for years to come.”

“We are proud to formally announce our 2022 officers and new members of our board of directors,” said Jason Siegel, President and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

2022 Executive Committee Officers:

• Chairman: Faron Kelley is the Vice President of ESPN Wide World of Sports, runDisney and Disney’s Water Parks at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Kelley joined the Walt Disney Company in 1990 as a production manager and producer for Walt Disney Entertainment, and held several other positions before joining the sports team in 2008 as Marketing Director. Kelley was promoted to the VP role that he currently holds in 2016.
• Chair-Elect: Sharon Line Clary has been with AdventHealth for 25 years and currently serves as the Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Communications, where she oversees marketing, sales communications and sports and entertainment partnerships for the nationally ranked health care system. Prior to AdventHealth, Line Clary held various roles within sports and hospitality, including stints with the Florida State University Athletic and Sports Information Departments, World Cup Soccer, Olympic Games, and Mission Inn Resort & Club.
• Past Chair: Paul Johns has been with Orlando Health since 2003 and has served in his current role as Chief Operating Officer of Orlando Health South Lake Hospital since 2012. He is responsible for operational strategies and oversight of all ancillary services at the 160-acre campus, which includes 170 patient beds, an ambulatory surgery center, a short-term rehabilitation facility, the National Training Center and other pre- and post-acute healthcare services. Johns was previously the Administrator of Ancillary and Support Services at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.
• General Counsel: Chris Carmody is a Shareholder at GrayRobinson, P.A. He earned his certification as a Designated Professional Lobbyist and is an attorney admitted to practice in all Florida state courts. Carmody has substantial experience handling government relations matters, including representation before the Florida legislative and executive branches, purchasing and procurement appeals, and professional licensing.

Executive Board:

• Jordan Clark currently serves as Chief Legal Counsel to UCF Athletics Association, Inc. and as Associate General Counsel for the University of Central Florida. At UCF Athletics he focuses on the legal issues involved with college athletics and higher education and this practice includes project finance, construction, NCAA compliance, employment contracts, sponsorship agreements, conference affiliation, corporate governance, and student-athlete NIL matters. Prior to joining UCF, he worked in Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office as part of the corporate securities department.  He graduated from the University of Florida college of Law with honors in 1999.
• Lawrence Hatch currently serves as Central Florida Market President and Private Banking Group Manager for the Central Florida region of Iberia Bank. His team assists individuals and corporate entities alike with defining their goals, objectives and risk measures, along with analyzing current and future financial objectives. Hatch holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida where he was cornerback for the Florida Gators. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1993 and played until 1998. Hatch’s community affiliations include being a member of the Florida Gators Alumni Association and a youth football coach and mentor to at-risk youths.
• Caesar Lopez is Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for the Orlando City Soccer Club of Major League Soccer, Orlando Pride of the National Women’s Soccer League and Exploria Stadium, overseeing all legal and business affairs, strategic projects, human resources, administration and external/government affairs. Prior to joining the team side in Orlando, Lopez spent time at Major League Soccer and Soccer United Marketing where he provided strategic counsel to multiple MLS Clubs, U.S. Soccer Federation and the Mexican Federation on all commercial deals and player transactions. In 2020, he was named one of Orlando Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and received a SPORTYS award for Best in Business Operations.
• Josh McCoy is an experienced Community Leader and a C&I, Institutional and Government Banking professional. McCoy serves as SouthState’s Greater Orlando Regional President. Prior to his current role, McCoy managed a Central Florida Middle Market Banking team and a State-wide Commercial Banking team for a large financial institution. McCoy has a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Cincinnati with a double major in Finance and Treasury Management, an EMBA with honors from the University of South Florida and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. McCoy is actively involved in multiple community affairs in addition to his role on the Florida Polytechnic Foundation Board of Trustees.
• Dylan Tell is the Director of Global Partnerships for the Orlando Solar Bears. Originally from South Florida, he graduated from UCF with a B.S. in Business Management.  He spent several seasons interning and working part-time for the Solar Bears before joining the team full-time as the Corporate Partnership Sales Manager and being promoted to his current role in July of 2021. Tell’s passion and commitment for the sport can be seen in everything he does from his involvement in community events, to his devotion to friends and family as well as his clients.
• Joanne Wallen is the Sr. Director of the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona where she oversees all operations. Wallen became a top junior player in England after taking up tennis at the age of four and coming to the U.S. in 1988 on a six-year scholarship to the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. At the time she signed with sports marketing giant IMG, she was the youngest player ever to do so. She played for 14 years on the International Tennis Federation and Women’s Tennis Association tours, winning 15 events and achieving a world #252 ranking in singles and #179 ranking in doubles. Wallen’s involvement in tennis has been multifaceted, including serving on the Board of Directors of USTA Kentucky and chairing its Junior Competition Committee.

Advisory Board:

• Joey Colon is the Director of Sales and Marketing, developing strategic objectives, establishing sales territories and quotas, managing budgets and evaluating sales performance for Neoguard Pest Solution Services, Inc. Prior to Neoguard, Colon was an experienced broadcaster, serving as the Spanish play-by-play announcer for the Orlando Magic for 22 seasons, as well as working as a partner to Magic’s flagship station, 98.1 FM. Colon is also a partner to St. Jude’s children research hospital, contributing to an annual radio marathon for fundraising.
• Eric David is a Vice President at Travel and Leisure Co., the world’s leading membership and leisure travel company. David leads the Travel + Leisure Club, the only travel subscription service with the power to turn the aspirational pages from the iconic Travel + Leisure magazine, the industry’s most influential travel brand, into real life, bookable experiences. David is a proud United States Marine combat vet and attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He enjoys giving back to the Central Florida community, having served on the Executive Board for the Make A Wish Foundation of Central and Northern Florida and The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, in addition to volunteering as a coach in the Orlando Junior Magic League.
• George Eppl has been with Florida Blue for the past 20 years. During this time with Florida Blue he has been a Strategic Account Executive, based in Lake Mary, FL, leading the Public Sector team for Central Florida. Eppl is originally from Indiana and is a graduate of Purdue University in West Lafayette, In. He has been a resident of Sanford, FL for the past 24 years volunteering in high school athletics in Seminole county.
• Kurt Esser began his tenure as Director of Athletics at Seminole State College in August of 2016. Since his arrival, Esser has put together a master plan for Raider Athletics, created a sponsorship and fund-raising plan and enhanced the Raider brand through community outreach. He was instrumental in the planning, opening and operations of the brand-new Raider Center, home to Seminole State Athletics, campus wellness and recreation. During his time at Seminole State, Esser has served several (NJCAA) regional leadership roles and is currently the Mid-Florida Conference Chair (2020-22). He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Indiana University (1988) and a master’s degree in sports administration from the University of Kansas (1995).
• Erica Ettori is the Vice President, Global Communications for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, a leader in the vacation space with a powerful mix of well-respected and quality brands and a global network of resorts and travel experiences. In this role, she leads a global organization responsible for developing integrated, holistic communications strategy designed to maximize brand and business impact. Recognized for her exceptional business acumen and ability to drive change initiatives, Ettori is also known for developing integrated, proactive PR campaigns to launch new products, reposition brands, and drive consumer awareness. Ettori is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication and holds a Master of Science in Teaching from Fordham University.
• Matt Friedman is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX), where he is responsible for overseeing an award-winning team of media and public relations, marketing, customer service, social media, web development, advertising sales, commuter assistance and business development. Friedman has more than 20 years of experience in the communications field, having worked as a television reporter and in the public relations departments at NASCAR and Golf Channel.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri and serves as president/founder of the Missouri Alumni Association Central Florida Chapter.
• Alan Gooch serves as CEO of the Orlando Sports Foundation (OSF), where their primary goal is to support cancer research thru their signature event, the Cure Bowl, a nationally televised college football bowl game. In six bowl games, the Cure Bowl has raised more than $3.8 million dollars for cancer research. Gooch began his career coaching college football in 1983 and spent 21 years as a member of the football coaching staff at the University of Central Florida. His ties to UCF run beyond coaching, as he is a former football player/ letterman for the Knights, UCF Alumni board member, 3-term UCF lettermen club President, UCF Alumni Service award winner ’98 and a two-time graduate having earned both his bachelors and master’s degrees at UCF.
• Kaleb Harrell is the CEO & Co-Founder of Hawkers Asian Street Food, a restaurant concept serving authentic Asian street food in an experience-driven environment, with a focus on small, shared plates. Headquartered in Orlando, Harrell currently oversees 12 restaurant locations spanning six states. A Central Florida native, Harrell graduated from UCF with a B.S. in Finance and a passion for marketing. In 2021, Harrell was named CEO of the Year, in addition to becoming an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. Under his leadership, Hawkers Asian Street Food has been named a six-time Inc. 5000 winner, one of Central Florida’s fastest-growing businesses, and is among Central Florida’s top 100 privately held companies.
• Chanda Horne is a Partner and Team Leader for Withum’s Sports and Entertainment Team based out of the firm’s Orlando office. She has more than 20 years of professional accounting experience. She specializes in tax compliance and advisory in the industries of Sports and Entertainment, Consumer Products, Hospitality, and Real Estate. A graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in accounting, Horne is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Florida and South Carolina. She is an active member of Visit Orlando the Orlando City Soccer Foundation, and currently serves as Treasurer on the School Board for Foundation Academy.
• Tarralyn Jones established TJ’s Designs & Events as a boutique firm like no other in Greater Orlando, a foundation of abundant services that provides clients with an all-inclusive experience. An active member of the community, Jones serves on the board of Giving Voices Project, and gives back by being involved with several women empowerment platforms, resulting in her becoming a devoted advocate passionate about inspiring, motivating, and educating women to live, laugh, love, and become a self-care diva inspiration in writing her book, Living A Masked Life. Jones is a former National Events Coordinator for the Professional Football Players Mother’s Association, a 501(c) non-profit corporation comprised of mothers, for those who serve that role in a player’s life, of active and retired professional football players.
• Justin Kinsey is a Senior Project Manager at Shift Technologies. Before moving to Shift, he served as the Region Vice President of Reef Technology overseeing the Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa markets. Kinsey was named a member of the Orlando Business Journal’s 2021 40 Under 40 class and a recipient of the 2021 Orlando Magic Social Justice Game Changer award. He also serves on the boards of Florida Citrus Sports, West Lakes Partnership, and the Orlando Sports Foundation. Kinsey was appointed to the Orlando Mayor’s MLK Commission in 2018 and received the 2019 City of Orlando’s District 5 Unsung Hero Award. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Morehouse College.
• John Mahony is responsible for the operations management, business development, and management of employees and culture for Kavaliro nationally and has more than 25 years of experience in the technical services, engineering, telecommunications, information technology, manufacturing, and government contracting industries. Prior to launching Kavaliro, Mahony was a founding member and managing partner for SGIS, a National Government Services contractor that sold to Salient Federal Solutions in 2010. Mahony gives back to the community through a variety of charitable organizations including supporting Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida, Catholic Charities, and closest to home, Kick off for Kids, a Kavaliro-sponsored 501c3.  Mahony attended the UCF and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications.
• Andrew Moses opened Moses and Rooth Attorneys at Law and has been practicing criminal defense at both the State and Federal level and representing victims since 2006. He began his legal career at the State Attorney’s Office and served his community for over three years. During his time as a prosecutor, he handled cases ranging from simple misdemeanors to more complex white-collar crimes as well as robbery and murder cases. Moses received his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. He is also a member of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Orange County Bar Association.
• Jeff Osterman is the Executive Director of the Montverde Academy Booster Club. Montverde Academy is a coeducational, independent, international college preparatory school for boarding students grades 7-12, day students pre-K3-12 and post-graduate students that represent more than 90 countries. In the Development Office, Osterman raises funds to enhance the athletic programing and develops corporate partnerships for signature athletic events to increase the MVA brand awareness locally, regionally and on a national stage. Osterman is a former 25-year collegiate women’s basketball coach on multiple levels, including Wichita State University, University of South Florida, Fordham University, and the College of Central Florida.
• Amaury Piedra assumed the role of managing director at Caribe Royale in August of 2020, where he leads Central Florida’s largest all-suite convention hotel located in the heart of the nation’s number one convention and tourist destination. Piedra is a bilingual veteran of the hospitality industry with 25 years of sales and operations experience leading Four Diamond lifestyle hotels, convention hotels, and multi-unit complexes in the U.S. and Caribbean, including properties for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. His past industry leadership includes serving as a board member of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, member of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Marketing Committee and founding chair of the Fort Lauderdale Beach Business Improvement District, where he played a key role in launching the inaugural Tortuga Music Festival on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
• Tekoa Pouerie, President of Tekoa Pouerie Enterprise, has been passionate about raising awareness of marginalized populations for nearly two decades. She has dedicated her professional career to helping others create positive changes within the workplace and communities. As a Certified Implicit/Explicit Bias Trainer, Pouerie has trained over 10,000 individuals including judges, trial lawyers, and HR professionals on how to recognize and reduce bias when in the workforce. Her extensive track record in bias training and philanthropy has helped improve the legal interactions with youth of color, create better law enforcement officers, position organizations to increase their knowledge of diversity and inclusion, as well provide monetary resources to communities in need.
• Nancy Schwalb founded Schwalb Public Relations 25 years ago on the principles of excellence and commitment to personal management of each client’s public relations and marketing objectives. Specializing in Business Development, Strategic Planning, Media Relations, and Community Involvement, she provides her clients with a sound base for corporate growth. Schwalb has made significant contributions to civic and volunteer organizations across Central Florida, serving as a board member for the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Board of Governors of the Greater Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors for Rollins College and the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. She is also a graduate of Leadership Orlando.
• Rob Sitz oversees the operations at DS Sports Events, ensuring growth and development for every facet of the organization. DS Sports event companies include RussMatt, Prospect Wire, USA Travel Ball, GEM Softball, and Greater Orlando Baseball. Sitz also is the President of RussMatt Baseball, the largest collegiate spring break event in the country bringing in over 370 college teams annually. Sitz grew up in Central Florida, attending Lake Brantley High School and earning All-State and All-American honors as a pitcher before going onto a successful playing career at Rollins College. After coaching at Rollins from 2003-2006, Sitz was part of the inaugural class at the UCF DeVos Sport Business Management Program, graduating with a Master of Business Administration and Master of Sport Business Management in 2004.
• Jeff Swirsky is the General Manager of the 503-room Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista. A veteran of the hospitality industry, Swirsky has been a leader in the hospitality industry for over 30 years and specifically in the Central Florida area for the past 15 years. He is an active member of the community and serves as the 2nd Vice Chairperson on the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association’s Executive Committee along with holding the Executive Board role of Secretary with SKAL Orlando Organization. Swirsky is passionate about giving back and regularly works with students at UCF Rosen, hosts blood drives with his team, volunteers at food drives, and participates with the American Heart Walk. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Johnson and Wales University.

ABOUT THE GREATER ORLANDO SPORTS COMMISSION
GO Sports is a private, non-profit organization established to promote our regional destination and to attract and manage sports-related events, conferences and activities that drive positive economic development in the City of Orlando, Lake County, Orange County, Osceola County, and Seminole County. Founded in 1993, the organization has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,550 events in the Greater Orlando area with a total economic impact exceeding $2.1 billion in spending within the community. For more information, visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com.