Our Team

Ann is widely known and respected throughout the world as a leader in sport and human rights. She has led a number of national and international advocacy initiatives on sport with a focus on girls and women with disabilities. Through her leadership, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) established a policy on gender equity and several initiatives aimed at increasing participation by women in Paralympic sport and the movement. Ann’s significant international sport network and project experience anchors BlazeSports’ international programs in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Ann serves on the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board and is the highest ranking American and highest ranking woman in the IPC worldwide. She is a member of the International Olympic Committee 2018 Evaluation Commission.  Ann holds a bachelor of fine arts and a master of science degree in leisure studies and therapeutic recreation from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign. She is a Paralympic Gold Medalist in Athletics and competed on three U.S. Paralympic Teams (Basketball ’84, Athletics ’88, ’92).

Prior to joining BlazeSports Ann served as a Vice President with B&D Consulting where she designed federal affairs strategies for amateur sports, health, and disability-related organizations and provided representation before the United States Congress and the Executive Branch.

Jeff comes to BlazeSports America from the Portage Parks and Recreation Department in Portage, Indiana, where he served as Assistant Superintendent. Prior to that, he was the Director of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago’s (RIC) Center for Health and Fitness and the Wirtz Sports Program, one of the largest disability sports and recreation programs in the United States. The program offered 18 sports and recreation activities and had 30 different athletes attend five Paralympic Games and more than a dozen world championships, world cup and other international events during his tenure at RIC.

While at RIC, Jeff was the Principal Investigator of two U.S. Department of Education NIDRR research grants studying the effects of exercise on individuals with disabilities. He was also a founding Director of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD). Additionally, he co-authored the book Disability Sport and Recreation Resources which is in its third edition. Jeff has organized more than 50 regional or national sports competitions and was an Assistant Event Coordinator at four United States Olympic Festivals. He has been a staff member of two world championship and two Paralympic teams. His past coaching experience includes sled hockey, quad rugby, wheelchair soccer, track and field and boccia. Jeff received his master’s degree in Adapted Physical Education from Springfield College. He has done post-graduate work in Recreation Administration at both Wayne State University and Aurora University. He is also a Certified Park and Recreation Professional, a certification established by the National Recreation and Park Association.

In 1999 Dan was introduced to Paralympic Sport through wheelchair basketball as a volunteer with the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA) in Illinois and coached the WDSRA Windy City Warriors Junior Wheelchair Basketball team from 1999-2005, leading them to an Illinois State Championship and a 4^th place finish at the National Junior Wheelchair basketball Tournament in 2004.

That same year he was selected by the U.S. Paralympic Academy, along with 5 other junior coaches and 6 junior athletes to attend the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece as part of the inaugural International Paralympic Academy.

The following year he was selected by the NWBA and WSUSA to be the Assistant Coach for the 2005 USA Junior (U-20) National Team that competed and won double gold in the Australian Junior National Games for the Disabled.  A year later he was named the Head Coach for the USA Junior (U-20) National Team that competed in the Australian Junior Wheelchair Basketball Championships where the team again went undefeated.

Dan has been a leader in the Paralympic sport movement serving as the Event Director for various national and international competitions including the 2006 & 2007 U.S. Paralympic Track & Field National Championships and the 2008 National Prep Wheelchair Basketball Tournament.

Off of the playing field Dan has lent his experience and leadership to various National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and Disabled Sport Organizations (DSOs) by serving on various boards and committees including the NWBA Junior Division Executive Committee (2003-2011), NWBA Board of Directors (2011-Present), WASUSA Junior Committee (2006-Present), Dixie Games Board of Directors (2009-Present).  Dan has also lectured and presented educational sessions nationally and internationally through conferences, webinars and publications. 

After graduating from the University of Strathclyde’s Scottish School of Sports Studies with a 4 year 1st Class Honors Degree in Sport in the Community, Stuart took up the position of Physical Education and Sport Coordinator at Stirling Council. This role involved creating a pathway between schools and sports clubs in order to increase opportunities for life long involvement in physical activity.

Stuart then took a position with The Scottish Football Association in the inaugural post of National Development Manager for Disability Football, with the responsibility of developing a coach education program and a player pathway from the grassroots to international level. The Scottish program for players with disabilities is now recognised as an example of best practice across the world. Furthermore drawing on his experience of playing and coaching at the Professional Youth Level in Scotland, Stuart has successfully established a number of disability specific Scottish national teams, most notably guiding one to 6th place in consecutive CPISRA World Championships. Outside of disability football he was the coach of the Scotland Women’s National University Team, professional youth team coach at Stirling Albion FC and Queens Park, in addition to working with The University of Strathclyde’s Men’s team, when in his 4 years, they climbed from the the 3rd Division to eventually winning the Scottish Amateur Premier League.

Stuart was one of the Scottish Football Association’s coach education tutors and holds numerous Scottish FA/UEFA coaching licences and certificates. In addition, Stuart also holds the position of CPISRA Head of Technical Control and is a member of the International Paralympic Committee’s Sports Council.

Before joining BlazeSports, Daniel Pierre-Charles was appointed by the President of the Republic of Haiti in 2006 as the Director General of the Haitian Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Civic Engagement. During this period Daniel directed the planning, implementation, and day to day operations of the Ministry, contributing to the design and execution of various programs and innovative sports projects in Haiti, particularly the National School of talented athletes, sports academies and Operations Summer 2006 and 2018.

Daniel’s career in Sport Administration started following his retirement from professional basketball in Mexico where he played for San Martin Texmelucan, Popeyes de Veracruz, Popeyes de Marina amongst others. In 1995, Daniel left Mexico to contribute to the development of his beloved country of origin by joining the Secretary of State for Youth, Sports and Civic Engagement as a member of the Research and Planning Unit until 1996, when he was named sports director. In 2004 Daniel was hired as Executive Director of the Secretary for Youth, Sports, and Civic Engagement.

Daniel is fluent in Creole, French, and Spanish. Away from the workplace he enjoys playing sports and spending time with his wife and two daughters in Pétionville.

Felipe grew up actively involved in sports at a young age. His father worked with the Brazilian Basketball Federation for over a decade, influencing Felipe’s desire for a fulfilling career in Sport Management. He himself worked for the Brazilian Basketball Federation for over five years managing the day to day operations and activities of various basketball teams. His experience also extends to major Sport events like the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio and the High School Olympics events organized by the Brazilian Olympic Committee. He has also worked with USA Basketball during events in Brazil as well as in the United States. Felipe has also served as the director of basketball at Ability Sports Agency, where he founded the basketball athlete recruitment program. He developed a keen interest for Paralympic sports when his home city, Rio de Janeiro, was selected to host the 2007 Pan-American Games. His interest grew once Rio de Janeiro was again selected to host the Olympics in 2016 and he started pursuing a career in the field.

Felipe graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Sport Management degree and is also a Certified Disability Sports Specialist. A native of Brazil, Felipe is fluent in Portguese and Spanish. Felipe believes in opportunity for all and hopes to return to Brazil one day to increase Brazil’s awareness for equality in sports.

Gillian graduated with a 4 year Honors Degree in Sport in the Community from the Scottish School of Sport Studies at Strathclyde University. Since graduating she has gained a wealth of experience in the promotion, organisation and sustaining of community level sport and physical activity.

She worked as the project coordinator for the award winning ‘Healthy Lifestyle Project’ where she was responsible for leading a program of holistic health education and training for staff and primary school pupils. Gillian also spent several years working for North Lanarkshire Council as Active Schools Coordinator, where she integrated a physical activity pathway between kindergarten, elementary schools , middle schools, high schools and local clubs therefore ensuring that there was ‘life long’ approached to sport within the area. To achieve this Gillian trained a network of teaching staff, volunteers and senior pupils to deliver her project objectives therefore ensuring cost effective delivery methods and long term sustainable outcomes.

As a keen sports woman Gillian has represented the Scottish National Volleyball Squad at Senior, Junior and University level, in addition to playing within the Scottish Volleyball Premier League for nearly a decade. Able to turn her hand to most sports Gillian possesses numerous coaching qualifications and has also gained the prestigious honor of Black Belt in Karate.

An active ‘Scottie’ during her undergraduate years, she assumed many leadership roles including serving as president of the Fellowship of Christian Students and as Resident Director of Rebekah Scott residence hall. Her inspirational leadership won her several awards including an induction into the academic community of “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.”

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, she grew up with a penchant for public service and sustainable development. Her interest and passion provided her with a remarkable opportunity to coordinate a co-mentoring women’s only group at Agnes Scott for teen mothers from a local high school for two years while at Agnes Scott. Senam’s hard work earned her a Hubert Scholar Award, which is a public service grant given by the Hubert Foundation, where she planned, coordinated and facilitated a summer program for refugee girls from the Global Village School downtown Decatur. She was featured in the 2010 edition of Agnes Scott – The Magazine. Senam was recently recognized as a 2010 Charles A Dana Scholar at Agnes Scott College. Dana Scholars are selected primarily on the basis of academic achievement and demonstrated leadership in college activities. Senam is also a member of Pi Delta Phi, the French National Honor Society.