Board Mentors
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MICHAEL MAYS
Chairman
Son of baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays, Michael is a seasoned New York based production veteran, an ROTC graduate, a member of the DGA, WGA, SAG and IATSI, and has received and/or been nominated for several awards including: Disney fellowship, Sundance, Obie, MTV, Image, Emmy, and Grammy.
A bout with Hodgkin’s disease having caused Michael to resign from his baseball and air force careers, he now serves as creative director for Usegroup, and Amaysing Films, is Co-founder of Team Next, Founder of H.E.R.O. (The Hodgkin’s disease Ending Research Organization) and enjoys the privilege of continuing his father’s legacy of mentoring, and supporting accessibility for youth sports.
Roberto Clemente Jr.
Vice President
Roberto Clemente, Jr. the eldest son of Hall-of-Famer Roberto Clemente is a philanthropist, humanitarian, coach, entrepreneur, producer, former broadcaster, and professional baseball player. Who, like his father, used his platform to serve others, especially struggling youth.
After a series of injuries ended Roberto’s playing career, he became a spokesperson for his family’s foundation, a broadcaster for MSG, Telemundo, WDAO and FAN, along with a stint calling New York Yankees games earning him three World Series Rings.
Ron Jackson
Managing Director
Ron Damien “Papa Jack” Jackson is a legendary youth baseball mentor, and a former Major League Baseball infielder.
After a 10-year Major League career, Papa Jack was named hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox in 2003 and in his first two seasons the Red Sox led the majors in runs, batting average, doubles, extra-base hits, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging average making “Papa Jack” widely credited for Boston’s World Series win in 2004, the first time in 86 years.
Harold Reynolds
Regional Director
Harold Reynolds is a two-time Major League All-Star, a three time Golden Glove Winner, recipient of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, and a four time EmmyAward winning broadcaster.
He is currently an MLB Network studio and Fox Sports analyst who regularly appears on MLB Tonight, Hot Stove, Diamond Demo, Thursday Night Baseball, Path to the Pennant, and MLB Network’s breaking news and special event coverage.
Jake Peavy
Regional Director
Jacob Edward Peavy is a former professional baseball pitcher, successful musician, and a current on-air analyst for MLB Network.
Playing for the San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants Peavy won the pitching Triple Crown, the Players Choice Award, the Gold Glove Award, and the Cy Young award as a unanimous choice, the 10th in history
Ray Negron
Outreach Director
Ray’s journey began as a 17 years old caught spraying graffiti on a wall at Yankee Stadium by owner, George Steinbrenner, and became a positive influence batboy in the fiery Yankees 80’s clubhouse.
Ray is a powerful and inspirational speaker, an avid children’s book writer and film producer. He is a member of the International Latino Hall of Fame, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame, the NewYork State Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Ted Williams Hall of Fame for his humanitarian efforts with children around the country.
Mark Lesly
Program Director
Grand Master Mark Lesly, M.Ed is a youth educator, coach, and life long practitioner of Taekwondo, who holds a 9th Degree Black Belt, the highest rank held in the United States.
He has served as Head Coach of the New York University Sport Taekwondo Team, Co-founders and Chair of the East Coast Taekwondo Conference, independent consultant to the Zeta Charter Schools in New York City, Head of the Maccabi USA Taekwondo Team, and Vice President of the New Jersey Taekwondo Association.
Carla Pugh
Health & Science Director
Dr. Carla Pugh is Professor of Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Technology Enabled Clinical Improvement (T.E.C.I.) Center.
She is the first surgeon in the United States to obtain a PhD in education, holds six patents, and has received numerous awards from medical and engineering institutions, including the Presidential early leaning career award, her goal being to use technology to change the face of medical and health education.
A.R.Bernard
Spiritual Director
Dr. Alfonso R. Bernard, Sr. is the pastor of the Christian Cultural Center, once a small storefront church that has blossomed into a 50 thousand-member church, broadcasting nationally from an eleven and a half acre campus, in Brooklyn, New York.
He has served as the President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York, founded the Christian Community Relations Council (CCRC) and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Commission of Religious Leaders (CORL), the Brooklyn Public Library, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
Jay Horowitz
Communications Director
Jay Edward Horowitz is a legendary professional baseball executive for the New York Mets and a dedicated youth sport advocate.
Jay, now the team’s historian and vice president of alumni relations was awarded the Fishel Award, the Thurman Munson Award, a New York Mets Hall of Fame Life Time Achievement Award, and the press box at Citi-field was named for him in 2023.
Sewell Johnson
Content Director
Sewell B. Johnson acted as Director of Photography for the National Education Association for over two decades, providing technical and artistic direction in the planning and documenting of NEA activities.
He is currently a live sports event contractor for NBC, CBS, BET, PBS, and the Smithsonian, as well as an accomplished independent documentarian well versed in Adobe Premier, Capture One, Photoshop, and Bridge.
Gerald Watkins
Treasurer
Gerald Watkins is the CEO of the Friends of Rickwood, caretakers of our nations oldest ballpark, Rickwood Field, having led the efforts to bring MLB and Savannah Bananas games to the park.
After a remarkable career in banking Gerald has served as Treasurer for the American Heart Association, a member of the Selection Committee for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, a board member of Chelsea Youth Association, where he coached youth baseball, and on the development team of the American Baseball Foundation.
Hon Marshal Whitley
Legal Advisor
Hon. Marshall Whitley is a law professor who served as a California Superior Court supervising presiding Judge in Alameda, Oakland, and Berkeley county courthouses for over 20 years.
Since his retirement from the bench, Judge Whitley has consulted as a mediator and arbitrator, experience in the areas of taxation, contracts, real estate, and business disputes, with a flexible approach, technical expertise, and patience that have enabled him to achieve success in more than a thousand court settlement conferences.
