The people behind the mission

Katie is an operations leader with more than a decade of experience running large teams, complex projects and events. She previously ran Uber’s Global Events team, producing events around the world. She later started NOVA Innovation Group and went on to create The NOVA Foundation with her team.

Alex brings a decade of experience across tech, consulting and sport to his role as Executive Director of The NOVA Foundation. He grew up in a family of athletes and coaches and saw how hard the move away from competition can be. He has worked at Uber and is now a Lecturer at the University of Maine. He leads NOVA’s work to give former athletes the community and resources to stay in the game.

Jeff Powell is the founder of Uninterrupted Performance and Fitness Director of the United Center. For more than two decades he has designed programs that combine rehabilitation, performance training, mental and physical exercise, and recovery, working with professional athletes across the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, PGA and Olympic teams. He moved from Washington, D.C. to Chicago and rebuilt his business from the ground up, which shaped his belief that resilience, relationships and movement drive growth on and off the field.

Reggie led NCAA Division I in scoring in back-to-back seasons at VMI and graduated as Virginia’s all-time Division I scoring leader, then played seven seasons in the NBA. Since his playing days, he has coached at East Carolina University and at the AAU level. He knows firsthand what it takes to find your next game after the league.

Kelly supports the Foundation’s community and partnership work, connecting people and organizations to the mission. A DePaul University MBA graduate and five-year NCAA Division I softball player, she spent four years at Dartmouth balancing a double major in Film & Media Studies and Economics with Division I athletics. She knows what it takes to perform under pressure and adjust at life’s turning points.

Sammie leads marketing and brand storytelling for the Foundation. She spent more than five years at BOTE, growing from graphic designer to Senior Brand Manager and Creative Lead, and runs her own creative studio, Copper Kitchen Creative. A Florida State University marketing graduate, she is also General Manager at JETSET Pilates in Boulder, Colorado.