CSCAA Announces Full Advocacy Council; Group Charged with Advancing Future of College Swimming
The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) officially named the full membership of its Advocacy Council, bringing together distinguished leaders to strengthen and advance the future of college swimming and diving.
The Council, established by the CSCAA Board of Directors in 2025, will provide strategic guidance, advocacy, and philanthropic leadership in support of the Association’s mission to protect, preserve, and expand collegiate swimming and diving opportunities.
“On behalf of the CSCAA, I want to sincerely thank each member of the Advocacy Council for their willingness to serve our sport,” said CSCAA President Rachel Stratton-Mills. “The caliber of leaders who have agreed to lend their time, expertise, and influence to this effort is truly remarkable. Their collective experience and commitment will strengthen our Association and help ensure collegiate swimming and diving continues to thrive for generations to come.”
Following the announcement of the Council’s initial Task Force earlier this year, the full Council has now been assembled and held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, July 21, marking the beginning of its work to address the rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape.
The Council represents leaders from Fortune 500 companies, higher education, technology, healthcare, finance, sports media, law, entrepreneurship, and public service. While each member has built an exceptional career outside of coaching, they share a common connection through collegiate swimming and diving and a commitment to preserving the opportunities the sport provides.
Immediately, The Advocacy Council will begin identifying strategic priorities and establishing working groups focused on the long-term sustainability of collegiate swimming and diving.
“The future of college swimming and diving requires thoughtful leadership, strong partnerships, a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of higher education and college athletics, and, of course, new ideas,” said Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the CSCAA. “We are incredibly fortunate to have assembled a group of accomplished leaders who care deeply about our sport and are willing to invest their expertise, relationships, and perspectives to help ensure collegiate swimming and diving continues to thrive for generations to come.”
The CSCAA Advocacy Council will collaborate with the CSCAA Executive Board and the Association’s Athletic Administrator Board representative, Brad Boswell of Appalachian State University, to help advance the Association’s strategic priorities. The Council’s work will also be supported by Tom Paullin, an Illinois State swimming alumnus and former Vice President for Development and External Affairs at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, who will provide strategic guidance and philanthropic expertise.
CSCAA Advocacy Council Members
Mike Balow – Vice President, CBRE; Michigan State University Board of Trustees. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Balow brings extensive leadership experience in commercial real estate, corporate strategy, and higher education governance.
Chris Beach – President, Hawksbill General Partner, LLC; Former Partner, Pequot Capital. A Columbia University swimming alumnus, Beach has built a distinguished career in investment management and strategic leadership across the financial sector.
Brian W. Casey – President, Colgate University. A former captain of the University of Notre Dame swimming team, Casey has served as president of multiple institutions of higher education and is a recognized leader in university governance.
Carter Cast – Clinical Professor, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management; Operating Partner, Pritzker Private Capital. Former CEO of Walmart.com, Cast is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive, author, and nationally recognized thought leader on innovation and leadership.
Curtis Friends – Vice President of Marketing, ESPN. A graduate of Morehouse College and Georgia Tech, Friends leads strategic marketing initiatives for one of the world’s premier sports media organizations and brings extensive experience in brand development and fan engagement.
CJ Fiala – Vice President, Enterprise (Life Sciences & Pharma), Salesforce. A former Vice Chair of the USA Swimming Board of Directors Nominating Committee, Fiala combines executive technology leadership with extensive nonprofit governance experience.
Ed Foulke – Partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP; Former Administrator, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Foulke has spent decades advising organizations on labor and employment law while also serving in senior federal leadership.
Trevor Freeland – Managing Director, Deutsche Bank. A University of Virginia swimming alumnus, Freeland brings extensive expertise in finance and capital markets along with a lifelong connection to collegiate swimming.
Liz Homrig – Lead Program Manager, Air Force Research Laboratory Regional Network – Midwest; Former NCAA Assistant Director of Championships. An Emory University swimming alumna, Homrig has led national championship initiatives while building a career focused on research, innovation, and program management.
James N. Johnson, MD – Former Physician, U.S. Olympic Team and USA National Swim Team. A Vanderbilt University and Stanford University alumnus, Dr. Johnson is a nationally respected sports medicine physician with decades of experience supporting elite athletes.
Tom Johnson – Project Manager; Collegiate Swimming Advocate. Johnson became a nationally recognized advocate through his leadership in efforts to preserve the Cal Poly swimming program and has continued to champion collegiate Olympic sports.
Ronald Kaminski – Senior Vice President, Quanta Services; Founder, Hydrosite LLC. An Iowa swimming alumnus and USA Swimming trustee, Kaminski has combined entrepreneurial success with longstanding philanthropic and governance support for the sport.
Nick Lake – Strategy & Operations, Google. A former Bain & Company consultant and Emory University swimming alumnus, Lake brings expertise in technology strategy, operations, and organizational growth.
Margaret Mason – Entrepreneur and Business Owner. A former captain of the Michigan State swimming team, Mason contributes entrepreneurial leadership and a passion for developing opportunities that strengthen the sport.
Tom Munley – Chief Executive Officer, Analytics8 AI. A Michigan State University swimming alumnus, Munley is a technology executive whose expertise spans artificial intelligence, analytics, and data-driven business strategy.
Karl Peterson – Chairman, Sabre Corporation and Accel Entertainment. A Notre Dame swimming alumnus, Peterson was the co-founder of Hotwire.com, has led numerous public and private companies throughout his distinguished executive career and currently serves on several corporate boards.
David Roach – Former Director of Athletics and Head Swimming Coach. Roach served as head coach at Brown University and the University of Tennessee before serving as Director of Athletics at Colgate University, Brown University, and Fordham University, bringing decades of experience in collegiate athletics leadership.
Brian Rodde – Managing Partner, Makena Capital. A Stanford University swimming alumnus and Stanford Athletics Board member, Rodde brings extensive investment management and governance expertise; he also sits on the USA Swimming Foundation Board.
Nancy Schumacher – Senior Vice President & General Manager, National Geographic Expeditions and Adventures by Disney. A Princeton University swimming alumna, Schumacher has built a distinguished career leading global travel, hospitality, and consumer experience businesses.
Michael Schwartz – Chairman, U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. An Illinois State University swimming alumnus, Schwartz has held senior leadership positions in public service and government administration throughout his career.
Ryan Spoon – President, Yahoo Sports Media Group. A Duke University swimming alumnus, Spoon is one of the sports industry’s leading digital media executives, helping shape the future of sports content, technology, and fan engagement.
