Jason Belinkie
Chief Executive Officer
Since joining AFH on the first day it opened its doors, Jason has played an integral role in the development and growth of AFH’s programs, partnerships, educational curriculum, fundraising, athlete membership, and community impact. Nearly 17 years later, Jason’s passion for helping others through the power of sport still burns bright, and he feels deeply grateful to live his dream job every day. Through his dynamic leadership, Jason has guided AFH into a position as a global sports philanthropy leader.
Jason coaches cross country and track at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and serves on the boards of Hope for Henry and Suburban Hospital. He is also the author of two children’s books, Little Moments, inspired by his children, and King of the Couch, inspired by his dog. Jason is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Education.
Ivan Blumberg
Founding CEO Emeritus
Ivan currently serves as a strategic advisor to Athletes for Hope and is the organization’s Founding CEO, serving in the position from 2006 to 2021.
Prior to AFH, Ivan represented athletes for the majority of his career including clients such as Arthur Ashe and Andre Agassi. He is a 1980 graduate of Hobart College and a 1983 graduate of Washington University School of Law. Outside of AFH, Ivan is involved in a variety of charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C.-area.
Chris Wyttenbach
Chief Program Officer
As the Chief Program Officer at Athletes for Hope (AFH), Chris oversees the creation and implementation of core AFH programs and the network of AFH members. He has proudly facilitated the charitable involvement of hundreds of athletes as they make a substantial social impact in the communities and with the causes that are most important to them.
Prior to Athletes for Hope, Chris had the privilege to learn and serve via his time with several service-based organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA, and the United States Peace Corps. Originally from Wisconsin, Chris currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and three children.
Suzanne Potts LMSW, MPH
Chief Wellbeing Officer
For almost a decade, Suzanne has transcended her various roles at Athletes for Hope. From focusing on impact measurement and evaluation to bringing the AFH model to campuses across the country as the National Director of AFH University, her leadership has helped reshape our organization. Since 2019, Suzanne has spearheaded the expansion of AFH mental health initiatives and programming, launching the Whole Being Athlete program in 2021. In her role as Chief Wellbeing Officer, she leads all efforts of our mental health programming and oversees all AFH internal wellbeing initiatives for staff.
She also serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Texas, Austin School of Social Work and is Faculty at the George Washington University Sports Philanthropy Executive Certificate Program.
Suzanne is a graduate of San Diego State University with an undergraduate degree in Psychology. She also received dual Masters in Social Work and Masters in Public Health with an emphasis on Maternal and Child Health and is a Licensed Masters Social Worker.
Diana Venezia
Director of Development
Diana serves as the critical point person in driving, shaping, and diversifying Athletes for Hope’s fundraising activities for the general organization and its growing initiatives. Diana joined AFH in December 2022 and is committed to helping improve communities and the lives of others through inclusive philanthropy, especially when utilizing the power of sports. Most recently, Diana served as the Vice President of Development at Philadelphia Youth Basketball, a start-up sport-based youth-serving nonprofit.
Originally from New Jersey, Diana graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2014, where she was a member of the Women’s Basketball team. She received her master’s degree in Sport Business from Temple University in 2017.
Kylie Reeves
Director of Partnerships & Digital Strategy
Kylie manages marketing and activation partnerships, oversees digital and social media execution and is responsible for leading strategy across the organization’s digital ecosystem. Kylie joined AFH in February 2021 and brings a deep level of passion and unique experience to the position, having experienced a variety of media and marketing roles in the sports, healthcare and non-profit worlds.
Originally from North Carolina, Kylie was a member of the Women’s Soccer team at Haverford College and graduated with a degree in Economics in 2014.
Connect with Kylie on LinkedIn.
Sara Keane
Assistant Director, AFH University
Sara serves as the Assistant Director of the AFH University program, which educates college athletes about smart philanthropy and connects them to charitable opportunities across various communities. Sara joined AFH U in July 2022 and is passionate about fundraising, event planning, and assisting college athletes find what they are passionate about.
Prior to joining Athletes for Hope, Sara worked in the nonprofit world as a development associate and event coordinator. Sara’s passion for development came from volunteering for local mental health organizations in the Philadelphia community. Originally from New Jersey, Sara was a member of the Women’s Soccer team at West Virginia University from 2009-2013 and graduated with a degree in Sport Management, followed by a masters in Higher Education Administration.
Hannah Bronkema
Digital & Social Media Marketing Coordinator
Hannah manages all digital, social and marketing activations for AFH. Hannah joined AFH in July 2022 and brings fresh perspective to the position, having experience in a variety of communication, creative content, and marketing roles in the sports world.
Originally from Ortonville, MI, Hannah was a multi-sport athlete growing up and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Sports Journalism in 2021. She currently volunteers with multiple non-profit organizations that focus on inclusion for those with special needs in sport.
Joy Le Couteur
Athlete Manager
Joy serves as the Athlete Manager for Athletes for Hope and focuses on developing and enhancing relationships with professional, Olympic, and college athletes, and inspiring them to engage in charitable opportunities. Joy joined AFH in August of 2022 and is passionate about people and utilizing sports to make our communities better.
Prior to joining Athletes for Hope, Joy played Division 1 NCAA Basketball at Arizona State University, earning her Bachelors degree in Business Marketing and Masters degree in Communication. Joy’s professional career consists of six seasons of professional basketball in Europe and Australia. Joy has also represented her national team—Chinese Taipei in the 2015 and 2017 FIBA Asia Championships as well as the 2018 Asian Games. As a Nike athlete, Joy had the opportunity to be the face of a Nike Women Campaign in 2019, empowering women across Asia. Joy’s passion for sports philanthropy spans internationally through volunteering at orphanages in China, conducting life skills workshops for college students in Bhutan, offering educational scholarships for kids in remote and underprivileged areas in the Philippines, and creating mentorship programs for youth at risk in Australia.
Kenya Warren-Hollins, MPA
Program Manager, AFH University
Kenya works closely with college athletes in her role with the AFH University Program. As Program Manager, Kenya helps LSU & Southern University varsity athletes discover and connect with charitable opportunities in the Baton Rouge community.
Prior to joining Athletes for Hope, Kenya has been committed to public service as she serves as a regional recruitment manager for City Year. Kenya graduated from Southern University and A&M College with a bachelor in biological sciences and a master of public administration. Her passion for service began during her reign as Miss Southern University 2010-2011. She served as Executive Director of Up ‘Til Dawn, a St. Jude Children’s Hospital collegiate fundraising endeavor and a Girl Scouts outreach leader.
Megan Montefusco
Community Outreach Coordinator
Megan currently plays professional soccer for the Houston Dash in the National Women’s Soccer League. At the start of her pro soccer career, Megan had the opportunity to give back through an event coordinated by Athletes for Hope.
After partaking in multiple visits set up by AFH, Megan felt inspired to guide other professional and Olympic athletes on their philanthropic journeys too. Megan now works with AFH to connect athletes around the country to charitable opportunities.
Megan graduated from UCLA in 2014 with a degree in Sociology.
Denise Kamyuka
Community Outreach Coordinator
Denise, originally from Botswana, is a Ph.D. Candidate in Sports Management and Leadership (with a collaboration in Global Health) at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Her research focus is on social entrepreneurship in sport, postcolonial-feminist methodologies, and health promotion. She obtained her Master’s in Sports Management from St. John’s University in New York while interning for UNICEF USA’s Sports Partnerships. She went on to work as a community liaison, athlete representative, and project manager for Millennium Sports Management Group. Denise also served on the junior board of Kids in the Game (a sports youth development organization in New York) and helped establish St. John’s University’s Institute of Interdisciplinary Sport Research.
Denise currently serves on various anti-racism committees and holds the office of Racial Equity and Inclusion Commissioner for Western University’s Society of Graduate Students. In her role with AFH, Denise works to connect athletes around the country to charitable opportunities.
Tommy Williams
Event Coordinator
As the Event Coordinator for Athletes for Hope’s “Play for Good” Gala on December 6, 2023, Tommy supports all efforts in the preparation and execution of the event, including recruiting and tracking sponsors, overseeing the management of auction items, and handling guest communications. Along with his experience in planning events, Tommy’s proactive approach and can-do mentality will ensure another successful “Play for Good” Gala in 2023!
Tommy has a clear passion for athletics and philanthropy—in addition to playing varsity sports in high school, his previous occupations include being a ski instructor in Canada and working as the executive assistant to a pro tennis agent. Furthermore, Tommy led multiple philanthropic initiatives at Tulane University, where he graduated with a B.A. in political science in 2021. Tommy is originally from Washington, D.C., where he currently resides.
Marta Ribeiro
Graphic Design Consultant
Marta is a freelance graphic/web designer with over 20 years of experience. Passionate in her work, she creates well organized, beautiful visuals that communicate clearly and effectively. She has been involved with Athletes for Hope since its founding in 2007, having designed their logo, and has since continued her involvement through a variety of design projects.
Marta enjoys long distance running in her spare time & firmly believes in the power of sport to unite and inspire. She graduated from the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (B.F.A. in Graphic Design).
Micaela Jones
Consultant, AFH University / Whole Being Athlete
Micaela serves as a Consultant for the AFH University and Whole Being Athlete programs. She joined AFH in August 2023 and is passionate about sports philanthropy, social justice advocacy, and athlete empowerment.
Prior to joining Athletes for Hope, Micaela worked as a Community and Education Organizer in Cape Town, South Africa where she developed a passion for community empowerment through education. Originally from Northern Virginia, Micaela graduated with a degree in Social Work from Baylor University in 2022, followed by a masters in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin in 2023.
Nick Gangewere
Digital Media Intern
Nick joined Athletes for Hope in 2023 as a digital media intern supporting the marketing team. His work includes a weekly podcast, article writing, and other forms of digital storytelling for AFH’s athletes.
Nick has always had a passion for sports and served as a sports editor for The Temple News at Temple University over the past two years. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple.
His advocacy for disabilities in athletes brought him to AFH and he is also an avid distance runner and strong believer in mental health awareness.
Sophia Schwartz
Athlete Engagement Intern
Sophia is a rising senior at Boston College Majoring in psychology with a minor in management in leadership and is a sprinter on Boston College Track and Field team. She has always had a strong drive for service and is an active part of the Boston College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee which connects student-athletes with service opportunities and initiatives within the greater Boston community. She is excited to expand her community service outside of the Boston area during her internship.
Phillip Richards
MSW Intern
Phillip attended Eastern Kentucky University where he graduated with a Bachelors in History and a minor in English. During his time there, he played in over 54 Division I football games as a punter.
He is currently in the second year of his Masters of Social Work program at Howard University, specializing in mental health for student-athletes. He also acts as the Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Howard football team.
Mattis Koch
Mental Health Research & Digital Media Intern
Mattis, originally from Germany, is a graduating senior from Missouri State University majoring in psychology with minors in marketing and business principles. After playing for UEFA Champions League Qualifier 1. FC Union Berlin’s youth academy, he transferred to the D1 soccer program at Missouri State in 2020. After two consecutive ACL tears, Mattis medically retired from soccer and focused on researching mental health among collegiate athletes.
Mattis joined Athletes for Hope in September 2023 and will be focusing on researching and creating content for the Mental Health Champions Club.