Creating a nation unified through sports committed to racial equity and social justice.

Diahann Billings-Burford, who has spent her career working in and lifting up diverse communities, is CEO of RISE. During the past decade, Billings-Burford has held senior positions in New York City government and subsequently at Time Warner, serving some five years in each post and handling a challenging mix of responsibilities.

At Time Warner, she served as executive director, cultural investments and vice president of the Time Warner Foundation. She led the company-wide college internship, employee community engagement and community investments programs in New York City. She also managed the grant making and operations of the foundation.

As the city's chief service officer, she headed NYC Service, a division of the mayor's office, engaging more than 1.3 million New Yorkers in a range of volunteer activities. NYC Service worked to help New Yorkers connect to service opportunities more easily, target volunteers to address the city's greatest needs and promote service as a core part of being a New Yorker.

At various stages of her career, Billings-Burford's experiences have been in deeply diverse communities and in executive offices; with government agencies and education initiatives; with youth, elderly and the disadvantaged; in innovative startups; and in both publicly funded nonprofits and privately sponsored for-profits.

Billings-Burford's experience also includes serving as deputy executive director of external affairs for City Year New York, a nonprofit service organization; director of external relations for Achievement First, a charter school management organization; director of leadership development for Prep for Prep, a leadership development organization; and an associate with the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

She serves on the National Board of Directors for buildOn, an international organization working to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service learning programs in America's under-served high schools and by building classrooms in some of the world's economically poorest countries. She also serves on the boards of Philanthropy New York and the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.

Billings-Burford earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University and a law degree from Columbia University School of Law and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

As Special Assistant, Strategy, Lauren works closely with the CEO, Board of Directors and members of the senior leadership team on decision making and alignment of RISE's goals and strategies.

Before joining RISE, Lauren was a Senior Associate at Impact for Education, a philanthropic advising firm. In this position, Lauren worked with high net-worth individuals advising them on strategic projects and grant making in the Education space as well as supporting internal processes and protocols.

Prior to joining Impact for Education, she was Chief of Staff at America Achieves and Education Prospects where she played a key role in developing strategy and process for internal systems and relations. Previously, Lauren spent eight years working in the New York City Mayor's Office for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, most recently as the Chief of Staff at NYC Service reporting to the nation's first Chief Service Officer. Lauren helped NYC Service facilitate the launch of 40 mayoral initiatives during its inaugural year in 2009, and led a team of 16 full-time staff. Lauren also assisted in managing corporate partnerships that supported NYC Service education initiatives. Prior to this, Lauren served as a Special Assistant and Project Manager for the Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Mayor, coordinating special projects and events for NYC Mayor's Office, City Hall, and Gracie Mansion.

Hayes Grooms IV is a former athlete, sports enthusiast, and pioneering professional. As the Vice President, Partnerships, Hayes cultivates and manages strategic partnerships with athletes, organizations, and leagues within the sports industry.

Before joining RISE, he was the Vice President of Sports and Entertainment at French West Vaughan (FWV), where he provided marketing, public relations, and brand management services to professional athletes. Prior to his company’s acquisition by FWV, he founded Grooms Athletic Management and Entertainment (G.A.M.E.) in 2010 after several years in the industry representing talent. With a drive to execute winning combinations for every client, he has fostered relationships with diverse media outlets and created partnerships with numerous brands.

Additionally, Hayes devotes tremendous efforts toward philanthropic endeavors. He serves as a mentor with Elevate, a NYC-based educational nonprofit dedicated to building life-changing relationships for urban youth. Hayes earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and Communications from the University of Michigan, where he also played basketball.

As Vice President, Finance, Kumarie handles budget and finances.

Before joining RISE in August 2017, Kumarie worked for five years as finance manager/controller for the New York City branch of Hillsong Church, an international nonprofit organization. Prior to that, she worked for 10 years in public accounting as a senior accountant with experience in tax, audit, accounting and entrepreneurial services for high net-worth clients and nonprofit clients. Previously, she taught high school accounting and business for 20 years in Guyana.

She earned a teaching certificate from Cyril Potter College of Education in Georgetown, Guyana; bachelor's degree in accounting from York College in Queens, New York; and master of business administration degree with a concentration in finance from Mercy College in New York City.

She volunteers with John Adams High School in Queens to provide free personal finance, tax and computer classes to the community. She is married to her husband Samuel and enjoys cooking and gardening.

As Vice President, Leadership & Education, Kim Miller draws upon her training and organizational change management background to drive the development and nationwide expansion of key education initiatives at the middle school, high school, collegiate and professional levels. Her efforts to address inequalities began while in college and have extended globally through her work with Surge, a volunteer-run nonprofit committed to improving access to clean, safe water in developing countries.

Prior to joining RISE, Kim worked as a management consultant across several industries, including media, where she led strategic growth initiatives for one of the largest media organizations in the world. She also has a background in human resources, including experience investigating and advising employers on incidents of harassment and discrimination.

Kim holds a bachelor's degree from the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, where she also ran cross country. She is thrilled to bring together her passion for sports and social justice to fulfill the mission of RISE.

As Vice President of Communications, Events & Marketing, Erin Casey Pellegrino draws upon her nearly 20 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industries to bring RISE's mission to life through community outreach and storytelling opportunities.

An innovative leader with a global mindset, Erin has worked hundreds of live events, including 16 Super Bowls. Before joining RISE, she was the Director of Marketing & Communications at Sesame Street, where she provided strategic brand direction and creative oversight for their broadcast, digital and print campaigns. Prior to that, she spent 12 years with the NFL and New York Giants in their Communications, International and Events departments. Erin graduated from the University at Albany, where she was the Special Teams coach for the men's football team. She is a proud member of UA's Purple Family. An explorer at heart, she has visited more than 45 countries – including treks up Mt. Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu. Erin resides in Manhattan with her husband, Matt.

Madeline joined RISE in July 2019 as a Partnerships Fellow. In this role, she works to expand RISE's relations with college athletic departments and professional teams, and helps seek new opportunities to empower the sports community to be leaders on matters of diversity and inclusion.

Before joining RISE, Madeline worked as a New Business Consultant for the Arizona Diamondbacks, where she gained experience building strong relationships with her clients and learning the sales to service process hands-on. Madeline enjoyed reaching out to MLB fans and sharing her experiences as an Arizona native going to D-backs games. Prior to that, Madeline interned at the University of Arizona's Athletics Department, where she connected student-athletes, coaches, and administrators with community outreach opportunities. During her final year as an intern, she helped organize over 2,500 community-service hours.

Madeline graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. During her time as a student, she also organized volunteer opportunities for members of the Sports Marketing Association (SMA) as Director of Events., Madeline is excited to work with the RISE team and embrace key learnings from her time in New York!

As Office Manager, Besa provides administrative support to the RISE CEO and leadership team. She brings additional experience in executive support, customer service and office operations management.

She previously worked as an administrative assistant with Arsa B in Staten Island, New York, and executive assistant with SCOAN Global Network in Nigeria.

She attended the Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Greece, and holds a certificate in medical billing and coding from the U.S. Career Institute in Fort Collins, Colorado.

As Director, Communications, Ian helps tell the stories of RISE's impact and its work empowering the sports community to address racism, champion social justice and effect change. He manages the organization's digital channels and media relations, liaising with national and regional press. Ian also hosts and produces Champions of Change: The RISE Podcast.

Before joining RISE in May 2017, Ian served as director of media affairs for the Consulate General of Israel in New York. In that role, he worked with national and regional media outlets on stories that promoted issue-based campaigns and events, as well as the works of senior politicians and social entrepreneurs.

Previously, he was a sports journalist with Newsday, covering professional, collegiate and high school sports throughout New York.

He is a graduate of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where he earned a bachelor's degree in politics and journalism and served as play-by-play radio broadcaster for the men's and women's basketball teams.

Ian is a proud native New Yorker.

As Manager, Events & Marketing, Peyton supports the development and execution of fan engagement events and helps maintain RISE's brand identity on all channels. She also supports the management of digital and social content, sharing RISE's stories and impact with our audience of athletes, coaches, and fans.

She previously spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as community relations coordinator where she led many of the community outreach events for the team. Peyton also has experience interning with the Special Events department at Walt Disney Studios and the Atlanta Falcons.

Originally from South Carolina, Peyton earned a bachelor's degree in Marketing with a minor in Sports Communication from Clemson University. While on campus, she spent most of her time working in player development and recruiting for the Clemson University Football Team and wears her National Championship ring with pride!

As Senior Director, Brand Experience & Marketing, Anna directs the development of RISE's brand identity and its extension through content and experiences. This includes fan engagement activations, brand management and program development.

Her work draws on over a decade of marketing experience in college and professional sports, most recently as community outreach affinity manager for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prior to that, Anna served as director of marketing for the Pac-12 Conference, overseeing branding and managing as many as 50 live events per year, including the Pac-12 Football Championship Game and Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments. Clients for other events that she has produced range from Nike Basketball and the Cartoon Network to the LeBron James Family Foundation.

A California native, Anna interned in public relations with the Los Angeles Lakers and later with the Baltimore Ravens and NFL Players Association. She earned a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Southern California and a master of professional studies degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University.

As a director, leadership & education, Scott Koenning works to plan, execute and expand RISE's education and leadership programs, including oversight of day-to-day management for flagship programs such as Building Bridges Through Basketball. He contributes to the development of program content, collaborating with partners to identify training needs and strategies. Scott takes on a lead role in the development and management of the RISE Internship Program and is responsible for translation of RISE content from English to Spanish.

Previously, Scott served as assistant director of career enhancement and employer relations with NU for Life at Northwestern University, overseeing student-facing elements of a program dedicated to the professional development of Northwestern's more than 500 NCAA Division I athletes. Prior to Northwestern, Scott was a postgraduate intern of leadership development at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and worked at a Boston nonprofit organization, Bottom Line, and with the Schuler Scholar Program in the Chicago area.

An Oberlin, Ohio native, Scott attended Grinnell College, where he completed Mentored Advanced Project research focused on Argentine immigration policy as part of the Race, Immigration and Citizenship in America project and played football while completing bachelor's degrees in Spanish and sociology. He holds a master of science in learning & organizational change from Northwestern University.

As Senior Director, Leadership and Education, Dr. Andrew Mac Intosh helps realize RISE's initiatives by supporting the design, delivery and evaluation of curriculum and educational activities for varying audiences and contexts.

He has worked in the business sector for over 10 years leading the implementation of organizational development initiatives and developing performance management along with training and development strategies. More recently, due to his keen interest in sport and youth development, Andrew has worked both within the United States as well as internationally helping various organizations to design and implement sport initiatives that build life skills and character. Before RISE, he worked at Michigan State University's Institute for the Study of Youth Sport as a Research and Teaching Assistant. Andrew has also spent time working in Detroit assisting with the development of evaluation systems for youth sport programs and with the design and facilitation of training programs for coaches and mentors.

One of Andrew's passions is understanding and enhancing the role that coaches can play as mentors for the youth with whom they engage. Another is the sport of soccer, which he cherishes for the friendships, life lessons, skills and opportunities that it has provided.

Dr. Collin Williams Jr. is an educator, author and researcher addressing race and other diverse issues through the lens of sports. As a director, leadership & education, Collin develops, executes and expands RISE's education and leadership programs throughout the country, collaborating with internal and external partners to identify training needs and strategies.

Previously, he worked in social responsibility and player programs for the NBA and as assistant director of player engagement for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.

As a doctoral student of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, Collin served as a research associate and campus climate consultant at the Center for the Study of Race & Equity in Education, as well as an instructor of a graduate-level interactive seminar course on issues of diversity in the United States.

Featured in more than 300 national and local media outlets, his research explores how undergraduates' social experiences influence engagement, academic performance, campus climate and post-college outcomes, especially for students and athletes of color from low-income, first-generation college and other underrepresented backgrounds. A co-author of The Miseducation of the Student-Athlete: How to Fix College Sports Collin earned his bachelor's degree in sociology and Africana studies and his doctorate in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania.

As Senior Director, Partnerships, Adam works to create and strengthen relationships at every level of college sports and broaden RISE's reach within the industry. Together, Adam and each of RISE's collegiate partners identify and customize programs that will assist the school in creating an atmosphere that empowers student-athletes, coaches and administrators to be leaders in fostering a more inclusive campus community.

Before joining RISE in July 2017, Adam served as director of business development with Summit Athletic Media in Charlotte, N.C. At Summit, he worked with hundreds of collegiate athletic departments to help them synthesize their vision and reach their goals in marketing, fundraising, communications and ticket sales through engaging print, web and video collateral. Prior to that, Adam worked in Minor League Baseball with the Lansing Lugnuts, the Toronto Blue Jays Single-A affiliate in Michigan, where he worked within the community to facilitate group outings varying in size from 20 to more than 5,000 fans.

Adam is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan with Bachelor of Arts degrees in sport management and communications. He also earned a Master of Science degree in sport management through Western Carolina University.

Adam volunteers with Dream on 3, a North Carolina-based nonprofit that makes the sports dreams come true for children with developmental disabilities and chronic illnesses. He also regularly can be found traveling throughout the country with his wife, Sara, to support their favorite sports teams: the Michigan Wolverines, Chicago Cubs and Charlotte Hornets.

As Director of RISE to Vote, Eduardo manages voter engagement programming that educates RISE's collegiate, professional and community partners on voting and empowers athletes at all levels to lead their fans and peers in becoming informed and engaged citizens.

Eduardo has experience working on civic engagement issues from local, state and national perspectives. Prior to joining RISE, Eduardo worked at the Funders' Committee for Civic Participation, where he supported funders in the nonpartisan civic engagement field throughout the nation. He also worked at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where he managed advocacy and outreach efforts in key states, as well as core components of a national voter protection program – the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline. Previously, Eduardo worked in the office of Texas State Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon.

Eduardo is also a co-founder of MOVE Texas, a nonprofit organization that works to increase the political representation of young people throughout Texas.

Eduardo was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.